Ahmed Inaz resigned as chair of the Maldives Pension Administration Office, citing “failure to reach a sustainable solution despite extensive discussions” about a plan to buy MVR 2.4 billion (US$ 155.5 million) worth of treasury bonds with new money to be printed by the central bank. The transaction would be harmful to the economy, the former finance minister warned, calling for long-term and responsible fiscal reforms. Inaz's departure followed the resignations of Pension Office board members Ahmed Saruvash Adam and Ashraf Rasheed as well as Chief Financial Officer Hawwa Fajuwa. The opposition MDP's former chairman praised Inaz's "integrity and courage" and accused President Muizzu of pursuing "nothing short of economic ruin." The Pension Office resignations show the government's "inability and unwillingness to comprehend sound technical advice and recommendations of experts," former foreign minister Shahid tweeted.
The US will be able to operate its naval facility in Diego Garcia if the Maldives gains sovereignty over Chagos, President Muizzu told Newsweek, asserting a claim to the archipelago after President Trump opposed the UK's planned handover of the islands to Mauritius. "Under a transfer of sovereignty to the Maldives, the government of Maldives would seek approval through our parliament as per our constitution, to facilitate the continuation of the status quo," Muizzu said, citing closer proximity than Mauritius, a 16th century patent from a Maldivian sultan, 900-year-old gravestones on Chagos etched in Dhivehi, and Maldivian heritage in the DNA of modern-day Chagossians living in exile.
Despite blood donation camps and a national emergency alert on blood supplies, available stocks are still falling short of demand, Maldives Blood Services Director General Ahmeem Farish said. The shortfall is largely due to a rise in common cold cases and donors being deferred after screening tests, he explained.
Amin Mia, a Bangladeshi worker at the WAMCO site in Thilafushi, died after being buried under waste when he was knocked over by the bucket of an excavator and carried along with the trash to another location on Monday afternoon, police said. CCTV footage showed work continuing even after Amin was struck. A 32-year-old Sri Lankan man who was operating the excavator has been arrested under a court order in connection with the incident.
A monthly tourist arrivals record was set with 224,788 visitors in January, surpassing the previous high of 224,455 in December 2025.
A fire that broke out in a storage area on the ground floor of a six-storey building in Hulhumalé damaged electrical panels, cutting power to the building. The National Disaster Management Authority provided temporary shelter and food to 21 people from two affected apartments.
Triplets born to a young Maldivian family from Gaaf Dhaal Fiyoaree died following an emergency caesarean section at Tree Top Hospital. The babies were delivered at just five months into the pregnancy due to high medical risks. The funeral for the three infants – Looth, Hoodh and Meekail – was held on Sunday evening at the Hulhumalé cemetery.
Adhadhu filed a civil lawsuit against the Media and Broadcasting Commission over its order to remove a political cartoon, arguing that the regulator lacks the legal authority to mandate the immediate removal of content. The outlet said the Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act passed last year does not empower the commission to order content takedowns or suspend news segments while an investigation is ongoing. Adhadhu also said the commission breached provisions of the law requiring it to uphold standards that protect freedom of expression and press in their broadest interpretation, as guaranteed by the constitution and existing laws.
Dr Mohamed Zahir Hussain resigned from his post as chancellor of the Islamic University. President Muizzu met with Zahir and thanked him for his decades of public service, which spans nearly 50 years, including 33 years in the education sector.
Ooredoo Maldives appointed Shadi Qawasmi as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed said it is evident the Maldives is caught in a debt trap if it is resorting to high-interest borrowing solely to repay existing loans. He described the debt crisis as a national issue that the current administration cannot solve on its own.
