Police rescued 25 people, including children, from a speedboat that began sinking en route from Malé to Alif Alif Thoddoo on Monday evening, the Marine Police said. The "Relax Aisha" launch was about 30 minutes into its journey when reports came in around 5:30pm that it was taking on water. All passengers were brought safely back to Malé. The Met Office had issued a white alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms from Haa Alif to Vaavu atoll between noon and 6pm. Poor weather was expected to continue for 24 hours. Police urged extra caution amid Eid al-Adha holiday travels.
Bad weather is forecast over the next five days. The worst conditions are expected in the north and central atolls during the Eid al-Adha holiday week, the Met office told the media. Thunderstorms and heavy rain are likely on Wednesday and Thursday across the north and central atolls, continuing into Friday and Saturday in the north. The south will see some showers but generally fair conditions. Winds are expected at 10 to 20 mph from the southwest and west, gusting up to 40 mph in squalls, with seas moderate to rough and wave heights of four to six feet.
President Muizzu's current trip to Singapore is a family holiday, not a meeting with Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, chief government spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef 'Mundhu' said, dismissing social media reports linking the visit to Nazim. The MP for Dhiggaru, a previously influential figure in the Muizzu government, is currently the subject of a no-confidence motion submitted to the Majlis on May 13 with 73 PNC signatures, accusing him of abusing his position, sowing discord and undermining parliamentary order. A senior PNC member has previously said the motion was filed after Nazim refused a request to resign. Party members have accused him of preparing to leave PNC with 23 MPs and seek to impeach the president. This is Muizzu's eighth unofficial visit to Singapore since taking office.
The Elections Commission published the final voter list for the Hithadhoo North by-election with 4,120 voters eligible to cast ballots across seven boxes when the constituency goes to the polls on June 6. The seat became vacant after the Supreme Court disqualified PNC MP Mohamed Sinan last month for failing to repay an Islamic Bank loan in line with an October 2024 court order. MDP has fielded former Addu mayor Abdulla Sodiq 'Sobe.' Sinan won the party primary against Ahmed Saeed 'Sodaa' but handed the ticket to Saeed. He withdrew citing a wish to spend time with family.
A pickup truck rear-ended an MTCC taxi on the Sinamalé bridge, pushing it into a third vehicle, witnesses said. The collision happened around 10:10am on the airport-to-Malé route. The taxi sustained extensive damage. No injuries were reported. Traffic on the bridge slowed significantly as police investigated the cause.
Police held some political detainees in custody for hours after the Criminal Court ordered their release, Shamoon Jaleel 'Lucas' and his lawyer Imthiyaz Fahmy 'Inthi' told the press a day after Lucas's release from 10 days in detention. Some of those arrested alongside Lucas at the May 14 protest were ordered released at a midday court hearing but were not freed until after 1am the following morning, including several women, Inthi said, describing the practice as unconstitutional. Lucas suggested the delay was because a protest was under way in Malé that evening, and that detainees were held in a small cell at Atholhuvehi until 1am. Inthi also raised wider concerns about government influence over the criminal justice system, alleging that police investigators were acting on phone calls from government officials, ministries and the President's Office, including in fabricating charges. He noted that the charges initially put to Lucas at arrest differed from the charges later filed. The latter list added allegations of assaulting a police officer despite his having been standing on the pavement off to one side when detained. Inthi said judges were ruling without regard to evidence or the plain text of the law, eroding public confidence in the courts.
Tree Top Hospital marked the birth of its 100th IVF baby, two years after launching the country's first fertility clinic in May 2023. The hospital's IVF programme has had strong outcomes from the outset. Six of the first 10 embryo transfers resulted in pregnancies. The first baby born through the programme arrived in May 2024. Tree Top thanked the families who had trusted the hospital "with one of life's most emotional journeys.
