The Maldives became the first country to introduce a generational ban on smoking. With effect from November 1, anyone born on or after January 1, 2007 is prohibited from buying or using tobacco products. The health ministry organised a a 24-hour 'National Torch Run' to mark the ban coming into force. The state broadcaster aired a 32-hour telethon as government officials and ministers lauded the move. First Lady Sajidha Mohamed, a senior health ministry official, celebrated the ban as a "bold, evidence-based step to break the cycle of addiction and prevent diseases." New Zealand attempted a generational ban in 2022 but the law was repealed before it could take effect.
The fisheries ministry defended the lifting of a 15-year shark fishing ban on November 1 in the face of strong opposition from conservationists and tourism operators. The fisheries regulation was amended to remove gulper sharks from the list of protected species, ending the country's prized status as one of 17 shark sanctuaries in the world. A management plan and new rules to govern the reopened fishery will ensure sustainability and proper monitoring, the ministry insisted, noting provisions that cap the number of licensed vessels, prohibit catching sharks within inner atoll seas, and restrict operations to between December and June.
More than 500 applicants turned up within a few hours as the Immigration department conducted walk-in interviews to hire 70 staff.
The linked islands of Addu City experienced power outages over the weekend as the state-owned utility Fenaka Corporation cut electricity to manage the load due to malfunctioning generators.
A 40-year-old male teacher was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing male students after showing them pornography, police revealed. After the case was reported by the education ministry, the Maldivian man was arrested on an undisclosed south-central island on October 27 and the court remanded him for 30 days, police said.
The State Trading Organisation earned gross profit of MVR 604 million (US$ 39 million) in the third quarter of 2025.
The Elections Commission reinstated the Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party after the civil court overruled the party's dissolution.
The MDP staged a protest in Malé's carnival area against the “failure” to complete the MDP government's flagship social housing projects.
Dr Aminath Zahir became the first scholar to graduate with a PhD in Dhivehi language.
President Muizzu laid the foundation for a new 8,973-square-foot mosque with a capacity for 1,250 worshippers. It will be equipped with a library, three classrooms, a conference hall and an administrative office.
Discussions are underway between the Maldives and Sri Lanka to launch a commercial ferry service, Sri Lankan media reported.
Eight-year-old Aliya Latheef won the junior surfing championship.
