The Health Protection Agency warned about the deterioration of air quality across the Maldives, particularly in the central atolls. The Met office forecasts the haze to persist over the next five days. Air quality monitoring stations at Villimalé, Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo and Laamu Gan showed the Air Quality Index exceeding 150, a "red alert" indicates a health hazard to both sensitive groups and the general public.
Avid College denied running overseas academic programmes without approval from the Maldives Qualifications Authority, after the regulator issued a public notice on Monday accusing the college of continuing such programmes despite repeated warnings. MQA said Avid’s courses were delivered through Amazon College in Sri Lanka and Alzette University, while five other colleges advertised Avid programmes. But the college said some Sri Lankan partners had offered its courses since the college was recognised by Sri Lanka’s University Grants Commission. This was before MQA introduced a rule requiring prior approval, Avid said, noting that partners have since been told to comply. The college accused MQA of bias, alleging rushed statements and the misidentification of an unaffiliated institution that caused reputational damage, and said it is considering legal action.
Lanka Hospitals in Colombo stopped accepting Aasandha insurance after failing to agree on an extension following the expiry of their previous contract. Aasandha Managing Director Aminath Zeeniya told local media that Maldivians can continue to access state-insured treatment at seven other hospitals in Sri Lanka.
The Civil Service Commission amended its rules to allow civil servants to apply directly to the commission for special medical leave, in a move aimed at speeding up approvals. Staff seeking extended leave for treatment of terminal or chronic illnesses, or for bone marrow or organ procedures, must submit an application to the commission, copying their workplace, at least 15 days before the leave begins.
The Health Protection Agency extended the deadline for tobacco importers to add warning labels to heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches from January 28, 2025 to July 28, 2025.
The Elections Commission published the voters’ registry for the upcoming local council elections and opened a complaints window until January 18, 2025. A total of 294,937 voters are eligible to vote in the polls to elect members to local councils and Women’s Development Committees across 225 constituencies. The commission will deploy 621 ballot boxes nationwide, including 240 in the capital, 321 in the atolls, 50 in resorts, five in prisons, three in industrial islands and two overseas.
The guideline for implementing pay hikes for civil servants was amended to allow pay hikes to take effect from the date an employee became eligible. The pay rise was previously due to take effect from the date of the finance ministry approving the promotion.
