Large crowds lined up for walk-in interviews to hire 50 new immigration officers.
American private equity firm KSL Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in Soneva, a pioneering operator of luxury resorts in the Maldives. A KSL affiliate completed the takeover "following the exercise of its right to convert certain securities." Neil Gallagher was named new CEO.
One Online journalist Hamdhan Ahmed was briefly detained by Hulhumalé police for flying a camera drone without a permit. He was taken into custody for allegedly refusing to comply with police instructions. A video circulating on social media shows Hamdhan speaking aggressively to a group of officers and using foul language. Hamdhan accused police officers of pushing and assaulting him at the station. The Maldives Journalists Association started investigating the incident and urged journalists to obtain required permits and act professionally.
A 29-year-old man was arrested for cutting cables in a distribution box near Chaandhanee Magu, disrupting power supply to seven buildings. Among the affected premises was an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party office amid preparations for a demonstration.
The Prosecutor General’s Office said it will appeal the acquittal of seven men charged with attacking former prosecutor general Hussain Shameem outside his home last year. The suspects had been found not guilty over mismatched timestamps on CCTV footage.
Maldives Expo, a week-long exhibition to offer a platform and marketplace for Maldivian artists entrepreneurs, opened in Hulhumalé.
The civil court ordered police to return US$ 60,037 and € 5,414 seized from an Indian national in 2019. The man sought a court order to release the funds that remained withheld despite the Prosecutor General’s office dismissing terrorism and money laundering charges in 2021.
Police warned of busy airport traffic next week as Hajj pilgrims start departing on Monday, planning to deploy additional officers and urging travellers, relatives and drivers to follow instructions.
A high-level Saudi delegation arrived to launch the Makkah Route initiative for Maldivian Hajj pilgrims, a streamlined process that allows immigration procedures prior to departure. The Saudi government also authorised the Maldives Hajj Mission to set up a clinic for Maldivian pilgrims at their hotel. The clinic will be established in collaboration with Abeer Hospital.
The foreign ministry condemned Israeli forces for opening fire on a delegation of diplomats visiting Jenin in the West Bank.