An Indian surveillance aircraft entered Maldivian airspace on Saturday, flying over Vaavu atoll and near Malé before heading back north, Adhadhu and the Maldives Journal reported.

The Alif Dhaalu Dhigurah council denied forcing tourists to leave the island over non-payment of a new fee imposed for disembarking at any location other than the harbour. After a video emerged last week appearing to show the council president chasing off a group of tourists from the beach, the local government ministry launched an inquiry. According to the council, the incident occurred after a speedboat brought tourists from Maafushi and the crew disregarded advice over bikinis. 

The President's Office announced Eid holidays from March 31 to April 3, which would follow the closing of government offices for the last 10 days of Ramadan.

The managing director of the SME Finance Development Corporation was sacked for undisclosed reasons.

A local man who was bitten by a barracuda fish was airlifted to Kochi for treatment of critical injuries to the spine. The incident occurred while the 32-year-old man was picking sea cucumbers at night.

The judicial watchdog denied Supreme Court Justice Azmiralda’s request for an open hearing in the investigation of a second case of alleged ethical misconduct.

High Court Chief Judge Hussein Shaheed, former deputy prosecutor general Mariyam Niyahath and lawyer Rusdhullah Ibrahim applied for the vacancy on the Supreme Court bench left by the resignation of Justice Husnu Suood. 

Two Dornier 228s that were among the first aircraft purchased by the defunct Air Maldives were submerged near the Kudagiri picnic island to create a new dive site. 

A flurry of government projects were awarded to state-owned companies, including establishing waste management centres on 75 islands; the construction of 11 mosques, two Quran centres and an Islamic centre in Shaviyani Foakaidhoo; football fields, fitness centres and indoor badminton courts.

The Malé City Council contracted UH Investment to build a new stage in the carnival area at the eastern waterfront.