A speeding motorbike lost control and mounted the pavement near the Sinamalé bridge traffic lights on Boduthakurufaanu Magu at around 1:30am, killing 16-year-old passenger Mohamed Nihan Nazim, a Grade 10 student at Imaaduddin School who was sitting his O-Level exams. Police confirmed to the press the unlicensed 19-year-old rider also sustained injuries and that an investigation is underway. (message to media)
The Human Rights Commission launched an urgent investigation into occupational safety and health conditions at WAMCO, following recent incidents at worksites. A WAMCO employee is on a ventilator at IGMH after sustaining serious injuries in an accident at a work site. In January, a Bangladeshi worker at a Thilafushi worksite who was missing for two days was found to have been killed in an excavator accident
The parents and wife of former Immigration Controller Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, who is facing charges of robbery, abuse of official authority, and money laundering, took the stand in his defence at Criminal Court, testifying that his father gave him MVR 300,000 (US$ 19,450) in cash to repay student loans. The state alleges Shamaan extorted MVR 500,000 from a detained foreign national before releasing him, and subsequently laundered MVR 400,000 of the funds by depositing portions into his student loan accounts.
Power was restored to Haa Dhaalu Nolhivaranfaru after a fault in the island's 800-kilowatt generator left its roughly 2,000 residents without electricity for several hours on Tuesday morning. The smaller 400-kilowatt backup generator could not meet the island's full demand, forcing Fenaka to rotate power supply across different areas with the health centre and school relying on separate backup generators, the latter ensuring students could sit their GCE O-Level exams uninterrupted.
The Met office forecast haze conditions across the country for the next five days, with visibility dropping below two kilometres in northern atolls. Air quality readings reached levels that pose health risks to sensitive groups in Malé (AQI 115) and to the general public in Kulhudhuffushi (AQI 154), prompting the authorities to advise limiting time outdoors, wearing masks, and keeping windows and doors closed.
The infrastructure ministry signed an agreement with Road Development Corporation to carry out the third phase of road development in Thinadhoo City for MVR 341 million.
MPL completed the delivery of 56 ambulances to hospitals and health centres across the atolls, finishing distribution on February 14 as part of an MVR 65.3 million contractor-financed programme initiated following President Muizzu's island visits. MPL's mechanical team also trained staff on operating and maintaining the vehicles, while the health ministry confirmed plans to procure an additional 31 ambulances for other islands and 10 paramedic ambulances for Malé and city areas later this year.
The MDP filed a judicial review case at the Civil Court seeking to block the April 4 referendum on merging presidential and parliamentary elections, arguing that President Muizzu's decree is unlawful as it lacks the justifications required by the Referendum Act. MDP also contends that holding the vote on the same day as local council elections violates constitutional rights to campaign, access information, and vote freely. The opposition party is planning a protest rally on March 21 alongside a nationwide campaign against the merger.
The education ministry and the National University signed an agreement to run a fully government-funded diploma course for special educational needs teachers, with enrolled students receiving a monthly stipend of MVR 1,500. The course, which combines classroom learning with practical school placements, is part of the government's national teacher training programme, a presidential campaign pledge.
