The Civil Court granted an injunction in MP Ahmed Azaan’s defamation suit against Dhauru ordering the online outlet to change a column by veteran editor Moosa Latheef to draft status. Judge Ali Abdulla ruled that there was a clear need to protect a right of the claimant before a decision is reached. Changing the article to draft status does not amount to an order to take it down and does not take away any right of the defendant, he argued. In the editorial piece, which has since been made inaccessible, Latheef drew a sharp contrast between the Muizzu administration’s response to a documentary alleging sexual misconduct and the former Solih administration’s handling of an incident in which Azaan – then a journalist at Dhiyares – questioned President Solih during a press conference over allegations of adultery. Latheef argued that the support Azaan received from the PNC base for asking inflammatory questions, despite the former government taking no action against him or Dhiyares, helped propel him to his current position as a ruling party MP.
The Food and Drug Authority published a new regulation governing the packaging and labelling of food products, introducing strict penalties for non-compliance. Food items must be packaged using food-grade materials and packaging must not adversely affect the product or cause it to expire before its stated expiry date. Businesses found guilty of mislabelling food products face fines ranging from MVR 10,000 (US$ 650) to MVR 750,000, along with the possibility of licence suspension or revocation. Violations of labelling requirements carry fines of between MVR 10,000 and MVR 1 million. Repeat offenders who commit the same labelling offence five or more times may face the maximum fine of MVR 1 million in addition to having their licence revoked. Violations of food packaging requirements are punishable by fines ranging from MVR 5,000 to MVR 100,000.
Malé City Council opened a public consultation period on a proposed public nuisance regulation that would impose fines for a range of offences, including littering; leaving items in public spaces; placing potted plants on balconies, terraces or ventilation areas or using ropes to transport items to upper floors in a manner that could endanger pedestrians; storing and selling goods in public areas in a way that causes nuisance; creating excessive noise; keeping goods outside shops; installing rooftop, terrace or balcony water runoff pipes and air-conditioning drains so that they discharge onto roads; displaying advertisements, banners or notices without a permit; spraying graffiti on walls or other surfaces; and burning waste in homes or other locations.
Police gazetted new regulations establishing procedures for conducting controlled drug delivery operations and collecting urine samples in drug-related investigations. Investigators must first gather evidence of a drug offence before carrying out a controlled delivery operation. Such operations must be documented in writing or through audio and video recordings. Approval for a controlled delivery operation can only be granted by the Commissioner of Police or a designated officer of at least chief inspector rank, following a request from a commissioned police officer. The regulation also permits the use of substitute substances in place of drugs and stipulates that such substitutes will be treated as drugs for legal purposes. In addition, the regulation empowers police officers to require urine samples from individuals suspected of using or possessing drugs, as well as from those who admit to such offences. Samples must contain at least 20 millilitres of urine. Failure to provide a sample within 12 hours will be considered a refusal to comply.
Mayor Adam Azim and council members were unable to meet Housing Minister Dr Muththalib after visiting the ministry. The council said the meeting was sought to discuss public concerns over a housing development project in Vilimalé being carried out on a plot occupied by a grove of laurel-wood trees. Azim said the project was being carried out by the housing ministry and not the city council. He added that council representatives were informed the minister was unavailable due to his busy schedule and would be able to meet them next week. The council plans to visit the ministry again next week, Azim said. The Vilimalé housing project was contracted to Rasheed Carpentry and Construction, a company with family ties to Mayor Azim.
Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan categorically denied corruption allegations made by former immigration controller Mohamed Shamaan Waheed regarding the sale of migrant worker work permits. In a post on X, Ihusan described the allegations as unfounded and baseless. He said the evidence collected by police against Shamaan clearly demonstrated that claims of being framed were also false. Ihusan said he had instructed the police to disclose details of the case to the public.
Police said a 49-year-old police officer was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor. The officer was suspended without pay from the date of his arrest, police said. Police had previously disclosed that the case was reported on June 1 and involved a police officer. The Criminal Court ordered the officer to be remanded in custody for 30 days. According to media reports, the man is accused of abusing his daughter.
Customs intercepted 8.49 kilograms of hashish oil smuggled through Velana International Airport on Tuesday. The drugs are estimated to have a street value of more than MVR 6 million.
The High Court issued an injunction blocking any transaction involving two penthouses at Amin Avenue that were allegedly purchased by former Football Association of Maldives president Bassam Adeel Jaleel using US$ 1 million of FAM funds. The injunction was granted pending the outcome of an appeal filed by the Prosecutor General's Office against the acquittal of Amin Construction, which had been charged as an accomplice in the money laundering case against Bassam.
President Muizzu publicly apologised to MP Asma Rasheed in front of all members of the ruling party's parliamentary group, Eydhafushi MP and newly appointed Deputy Speaker Ahmed 'Redwave' Saleem said. The apology came after action was taken against members of her family following remarks she made criticising the party's performance in the local council elections. Saleem described the apology as an example of President Muizzu's "noble character".
Meekail Naseem said he would not treat allies and rivals differently as he wrapped up his "Ithubaaru" (Trust) campaign at a rally in Malé ahead of Friday's MDP chairperson election. He said remarks by his rivals raised the spectre of a repeat of 2023, when the party split before that year's presidential election. A policy of consigning everyone not aligned with the leadership to the back ranks was not the MDP he believed in, he said, pledging a place at the front for members whether or not they stood with him. The comments referred to a message former President Nasheed sent the party's national council group, saying those not with him should keep their distance if he became chair. Meekail, who faces Nasheed in the race, also pledged to open the party's top posts to young members, noting that 40 percent of voters at the next presidential election would be young people. He said he had announced his candidacy months ago not to challenge Nasheed – whom he called a mentor – and framed having to run against the former president as part of the work of making space for youth in the party. He closed the speech by vowing to stay in the party "to the last person."
Former economic minister Fayyaz Ismail said the previous MDP administration had ended what he described as the “illegal quota business,” referring to allegations involving the sale of migrant worker quotas and work permits, but claimed the practice had resumed under the current government. To facilitate this, the government transferred the border control system to a Malaysian company through what he described as a corrupt deal worth billions of Rufiyaa, Fayyaz alleged. The foreign labor department was changed from Immigration to the economic ministry during the former administration.
The Housing Development Corporation signed an agreement with the Islamic ministry to allocate a plot of land between Hulhumalé Phase II and Phase III for the construction of a grand mosque designed to accommodate 10,000 worshippers at a time.
World Cup matches will air free on PSM's channels, the rights holder and the state broadcaster said in a joint statement. Medianet, which holds the FIFA World Cup 2026 media rights licence in the Maldives, said it had sub-licensed PSM – through TVM and YES TV – and ICE Network to broadcast matches live, with FIFA's authorisation. Viewers will be able to watch on PSM's channels free of charge and without subscription. The sublicences cover residential viewing through the designated channels only, and the companies said live streaming, rebroadcasting, uploading or retransmitting matches through social media or other online platforms without authorisation was strictly prohibited. They warned that unauthorised broadcast or distribution of World Cup content infringed FIFA's intellectual property and media rights and could breach FIFA regulations, international conventions and Maldivian law, and urged the public not to use unauthorised services or devices purporting to provide access.
Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam departed for China to attend the 7th China–South Asia Cooperation Forum in Kunming, Yunnan province. During the visit she is to deliver a keynote address at the forum's opening ceremony and attend the 10th China–South Asia Expo, as well as meet senior Yunnan provincial officials and Maldivian students studying in the province.
Former Addu Mayor Abdulla Sodiq, who won the Hithadhoo North parliamentary seat in last Saturday’s by-election, will be sworn into office next Monday at 8:30am, the parliament secretariat said in a message to the media.
All Maldivian pilgrims who travelled to Mecca for this year's Hajj pilgrimage have now returned, Islamic Minister Shaheem said.
President Muizzu congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for becoming the longest serving elected prime minister by consecutive days in office.
