President Muizzu announced the government plans to ban social media platforms for children under 16, modelling the approach on Australia's age-restriction framework, with legislative changes and stakeholder consultations to be completed within a year. He also announced that government sports facilities will be required to pause activities during prayer times, with arrangements made for worshippers to pray on-site, noting that current venues including the Sports Arena and Maafannu Stadium lack such provisions. Separately, Muizzu flatly denied allegations that his Eid trip to Singapore was secretly arranged to meet former Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim – who resigned ahead of a no-confidence vote – calling the claims outright fabrications and saying he travelled solely for a family holiday. The president also said he has nothing to discuss or negotiate with Nazim, dismissing suggestions that he offered Nazim guarantees against arrest in exchange for returning to the Maldives as politically motivated disinformation. He also said the restrictions BML imposed on dollar transactions via Rufiyaa debit and credit cards for overseas e-commerce and online retail purchases will be significantly eased by the end of this month.
PNC MP Ahmed 'Redwave' Saleem was elected as deputy speaker of parliament. The veteran ruling party lawmaker defeated MDP MP Hussein Ziyad by 62 votes to 10 in a secret ballot. Saleem, who has served in parliament continuously since 2004 and is currently in his fifth term, previously served as minority leader and PPM parliamentary group leader in the 19th parliament.
The Anti-Corruption Commission sought money laundering charges former FAM president Bassam Adeel Jaleel in relation to the MMPRC scandal. A joint ACC-police investigation found that Bassam had embezzled US$ 29,000 in acquisition cost payments owed to the state from MMPRC island and lagoon leases. The funds were routed through SOF company accounts and onto Bassam's personal account via then-vice president Ahmed Adeeb. He is accused of spending it to cover personal expenses. Bassam is already serving a 32-year prison sentence imposed by the Criminal Court last year over the embezzlement and laundering of US$1.2 million sent to FAM by FIFA in addition to US$10,000, on four separate charges. Two apartments Bassam purchased from Amin Avenue have been seized in connection with those cases.
Two speedboats collided near the entrance to Malé harbour at Izzuddeen Jetty, leaving two crew members seriously injured, MNDF said. The two men, both crew on a launch called Tour Guard, were taken to IGMH for treatment. One vessel was extensively damaged, with its bow described as "shattered."
The Maldives reclaimed 4,198 hectares of land between 2000 and 2024, 71 percent of which is concentrated in Malé atoll, according to a study published in the Maldives Journal of Engineering and Technology. The paper analysed 109 reclamation projects across 18 atolls and 69 inhabited islands with 85 projects completed, 19 ongoing and five planned. Outside Malé atoll, the largest reclamation volumes were in Thaa (332 hectares), Addu (285), Haa Alif (198), Dhaalu (167) and Shaviyani (128); Laamu had the least at 15 hectares over the 25-year period. Ninety percent of projects expanded existing inhabited islands, but 40 percent of the total reclaimed area is in entirely artificial islands. The paper noted that reclamation in the Maldives often proceeds without a cohesive strategy, citing the absence of a national development or spatial planning framework. The study was authored by architect and urbanist Hussain Ziyath, infrastructure ministry urban planning consultant Fathimath Shanna, and Eden Rigo, an Australian currently completing a master's in development studies at Oxford.
Mohamed Shamin and Ali Mushaffau were released from police custody, completing 15-day detention orders imposed after their second arrest at protests calling for the release of jailed Adhadhu journalists. The two were initially detained at a May 14 protest, released, and re-arrested on May 17. Their lawyer Ahmed Mauroof said they had not been given a fair opportunity to defend themselves at the remand hearing.
MPL enlisted MTCC the contract to build a 100-metre quay wall and 6,775 square metres of paving at the new Thilafushi port. The quay wall portion is reportedly valued at MVR 18.8 million (US$ 1.2 million). The full project, including the wall, paving and associated works valued at MVR 154 million, is to be completed in 120 days. The area will initially serve as the clearance operations zone for the new port and later as a service quay for MPL's own vessels once the port becomes fully operational. MPL said the shift would significantly ease pressure on cargo clearance at Malé commercial harbour and Hulhumalé international terminal. Phase 1 design and survey work, awarded to China Harbour Engineering Company in February, is nearing completion. The Thilafushi port is targeted to open in November 2027 with relocation of operations from the Malé port.
The WHO's Maldives office declined to confirm whether it had advised the government to halve cigarette duty, redirecting queries to the health ministry when Adhadhu contacted it. Home Minister Ali Ihusan told the press that the WHO had recommended reducing the per-stick duty from MVR 8 to MVR 4 following research. Asked to confirm, the WHO's communications office said only that all questions on the matter should be passed to the ministry, declining to deny or affirm that the advice had been given, while noting the organisation's general position is publicly available in its published papers. Adhadhu reported it understands the WHO did not provide such advice to the Maldivian government. The current administration raised the specific duty on cigarettes and bidis from MVR 3 to MVR 8 in November 2024, and the ad valorem tax from 50 percent to 100 percent, alongside a vaping ban, which the paper noted was implemented without prior formal research.
