The Maldives secured its first-ever international futsal title by winning the 2026 SAFF Futsal Championship in Bangkok, Thailand with a perfect record, defeating Bhutan 3-1 to clinch the trophy with one match to spare. The team finished with five wins, including a notable 5-0 victory over India.
The Elections Commission assured the public that all information stored in its systems is secure and only accessible to authorised parties, appealing against spreading misinformation. The statement came after Adhadhu reported allegations made by several individuals about the commission sharing information with the ruling party about people who signed endorsement forms for independent candidates in the upcoming local council elections. One person who signed an endorsement form said they received a phone call from a PNC activist shortly afterward, and questioned how the party would have known they signed unless the EC leaked the information from the e-Faas system. Others accused government companies of offering high-paying jobs to potential candidates on the condition they withdraw from the race. The commission said it is responding to candidate application forms faster than the five-day legal deadline stipulated in the Local Council Elections Act, given the high volume of submissions.
The national airline Maldivian launched seaplane operations to Noonu Velidhoo for the first time on Friday.
The transport ministry issued a third call for proposals to operate helicopter services in the Maldives with 10-year exclusivity, setting a March 25 deadline, after previous announcements in August 2024 and last month expired without disclosed reasons.
The Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation said it is investigating the cause and assessing damage after a fire broke out at Amaan Dhodhi Tower 1 in Hulhumalé Phase 2 when rubbish piled on the ground floor caught alight. The government company, which developed the social housing towers, urged residents not to dispose of waste outside designated areas, and cautioned against spreading unverified information about the building's ventilation and waste disposal systems on social media.
The Velana International Airport catered to 8.28 million passengers in 2025, with 5.38 million international passengers, 1.17 million passengers through domestic flights and 1.73 million passengers via seaplane.
The second batch of the National Service Initial Training program commenced at the MNDF Composite Training Centre in Lhaviyani Maafillafushi, with 350 participants (286 male and 64 female students) from 112 islands across the country undergoing three months of training.
