The managing directors of Fenaka Corporation and Agro National Corporation were sacked in an apparent shake-up of state company leadership following the ruling party's poor showing in Saturday's elections. The Privatisation and Corporatisation Board did not disclose any reasons for the dismissal of Fenaka MD Mohamed Najah, a retired military officer appointed in December 2024. No reasons were disclosed for the removal of Agronat MD Hussain Didi either. Fenaka created hundreds of jobs on islands in the run-up to the election. The deputy managing director of Housing Development Corporation was also sacked, Adhadhu reported. Maldives Ports Limited MD Mohamed Rishwan resigned amid reports the government had asked him to step down.
The government recalled Maldives' ambassador to the UAE, Mohamed Hussain Shareef 'Mundhu,' and Dr Salma Rasheed, permanent representative to Geneva, in apparent retaliation after a leaked audio recording in which PNC MP Asma Rasheed urged voters to reject the ruling party. Mundhu is Asma's son and Salma is her sister. A senior government official told Adhadhu the dismissals were directly linked to the audio leak. The official said further action was being considered against other officials and lawmakers from constituencies where the government performed poorly. Asma's daughter, Fisheries State Minister Aminath Hussain Shareef, was also reportedly removed.
Villa Gas decided to nearly double cooking gas prices from Thursday, raising a 10kg cylinder from MVR 200 (US$ 13) to MVR 350 and a 20kg cylinder from MVR 350 to MVR 650. The private supplier confirmed the price hike to the media. It comes amid supply disruptions linked to the Middle East war. The state-owned Maldive Gas has also been rationing sales intermittently since last month, despite government assurances that essential supplies would not be affected.
Former President Nasheed and his supporters boycotted MDP's election victory celebration rally in Malé after he was allegedly removed from the speaking lineup, reigniting internal strife among factions loyal to rival presidential hopefuls. Nasheed wrote on his unofficial X account that he felt saddened despite the joyous occasion. According to acting chairman Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, the agenda originally included the re-elected mayors, WDC presidents, campaign committee manager and referendum committee chair. Ghafoor claimed to have been trying to arrange speaking slots for Nasheed and former chairman Fayyaz when news broke of the leadership's alleged refusal to accommodate their requests. Chants of "Anni Koba?" (where is Anni?) were heard at the rally.
State fisheries company MIFCO reversed a canned tuna price hike within hours of announcing it, restoring the price to MVR 17.50 (US$ 1.1) per can and MVR 760 per case after public backlash. MIFCO had raised prices to MVR 18.50 per can, citing rising production costs linked to the Middle East war's impact on global oil prices. The loss-making company also cut its working hours by two hours a day as a cost-saving measure.
A foreign man was found unconscious and bleeding from the mouth outside a daily-rental guesthouse on Kalhuharaa Magu in Henveiru. Police said the incident was reported around 6:18pm and that the man was taken to IGMH for treatment. Witnesses told Dhauru the man showed no signs of life when he was left on the pavement, and that bystanders detained two people who tried to flee the scene.
The Prosecutor General's Office announced austerity measures from Tuesday through the end of May, including work-from-home Tuesdays, closing the office at 6pm instead of the usual time, encouraging staff to work from home after 2pm on other days, switching to online meetings, and reducing paper and vehicle use. The measures were in response to the economic impact of the Middle East war and would not affect public services, the PG Office said.
Indian navy vessel IOS Sagar arrived in Malé with 39 international crew from 16 countries, including MNDF personnel, making the first port call of its overseas deployment.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations opened applications for 20 fully-funded undergraduate scholarships for Maldivian students to study at Indian universities with a deadline of April 15. The scholarships cover tuition at leading central and state universities across India, with monthly stipends and allowances included, and are open to students aged under 35 across fields including humanities, business, economics, social sciences, education, and science and technology.
