Journalists continued protesting against the proposed creation of a new media regulator with sweeping punitive powers. Despite positive signals during a meeting with President Muizzu, Attorney General Usham rejected their key demand to scrap the legislation. Human Rights Watch joined the chorus of concern from international groups calling for the bill to be withdrawn.
Police identified a decomposed body found in the Hulhumalé water park area on Monday as Rupan Thapa Magar, a 29-year-old Nepali resident who was reported missing last week.
The tourism ministry announced legal action against Kihaa Maldives resort for operating without a licence since September. The operator Athama Marine International was previously fined twice for continuing to host guests after its temporary licence expired. The company was in breach of the agreement, the ministry said, cautioning against bringing tourists to the resort island.
Former journalist Ibrahim Saeed was dismissed as senior political director at the sports ministry after he condemned Majority Leader Ibrahim Falah’s call to impale journalists. After he was sacked, the former political appointee promptly joined protesting journalists outside the President’s Office.
Haroon Jailam, 23, was arrested from Lhaviyani Hinnavaru on suspicion of involvement in the drug trade. A raid on two motorbikes and an apartment uncovered over a kilogram of drugs and more than MVR 100,000 (US$ 6,485). He was remanded in custody for 15 days.
Tourism pioneer Mohamed Umar Manik was reported to be hospitalised in Singapore.
The housing ministry handed land registries to 1,260 recipients of plots from Gulhifalhu under the Binveriya scheme.
