Former President Nasheed warned that stripping security from former presidents at protests risks a terrorist attack on political gatherings, citing his own near-fatal bombing in 2021 and the broader pattern of political assassinations at public events across Asia and Africa. At his first press conference as MDP chairperson, Nasheed said he would continue attending protests with or without security, but expressed concern for bystanders, and called on parliament's 241 committee to reverse its decision.
Nasheed said he supports barring the MDP chairperson from contesting the presidential primary while serving in the role, backing a rule change that would apply to himself. Nasheed, who campaigned for the chairmanship in alliance with presidential hopeful Fayaz Ismail, said the matter would need to go through the party congress planned for September.
The Information Commissioner ordered the President's Office to disclose within 14 working days the number of political appointees hired, fired and resigned under President Muizzu since 2023, along with their total salary and benefits costs, warning the case would be referred to the Prosecutor General if the information was not provided. Adhadhu had filed the RTI request after the President's Office repeatedly failed to disclose the figures, and the commissioner found the office's response – that it would share the data after completing a staff performance review – unrelated to the request.
A fire at a the Galolhu Funfalhu house in Malé was put out by military firefighters overnight. The MNDF was alerted to the fire at 10.49pm and extinguished it by 11.48pm. The Disaster Management Authority said 25 people were treated for smoke inhalation at IGMH and three at ADK. More than 58 residents were helped through an evacuation centre, now closed, and the NDMA was providing shelter, food and other support to people in three affected apartments and to others left without water. The fire broke out on an upper floor.
The Maldives became the third-fastest spreading country for measles in South Asia this year, behind Bangladesh and India, with 72 cases recorded since the disease re-emerged last month, the highest count since it was eliminated nine years ago. IGMH paediatrician Dr Ahmed Faisal said most cases are in the 14–20 age group who did not complete two MMR doses, and called for vaccination checks before issuing visas to workers from high-burden countries. He urged all those aged 15–35 to complete their two-dose vaccination.
A Sri Lankan man wanted over the February shooting deaths of two lawyers, a married couple, in Colombo was arrested in the Maldives where he had been hiding and extradited overnight, with Sri Lanka's CID taking him into custody at Bandaranaike International Airport. The 23-year-old, reported to be the getaway driver, had been the subject of an Interpol red notice issued by Talangama Police Division and has a prior criminal record including two drug-related arrests last year.
The heritage and arts ministry advertised for a PR company to handle communications for the ministry and its six agencies, including the National Centre for the Arts, National Library and Dhivehi Language Academy, for two years, with bids due by July 14. The scope includes media relations, social media content, branding strategy and communications advisory to ministry leadership.
Businesses should be able to operate on residential plots in Hulhumalé, Housing Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib said, referring to plots awarded to Malé residents in Phases 2 and 3 where commercial use or renting for business are prohibited. Muththalib said the biggest hardship when people first moved to the area was the lack of basic services, and that a shortage of HDC land for services and businesses was the main obstacle to providing them. As HDC's own land was not enough, he said the more than 2,000 plots given to Malé residents in Phases 2 and 3 should also be opened up. He said allowing some residential plots to be used commercially would benefit the plot-holders, expand the area's economy and create jobs and services such as hospitals, clinics, private preschools and shopping complexes.
New lifts were installed in the Hiya towers in Hulhumalé Phase 2, in a project completed to ease the lift shortages residents have long complained of. Two lifts were added to each of the 16 towers — 32 in all — including a 21-person lift able to carry stretchers or patients, and a 14-person lift, both with floor numbers in Braille. The 25-storey Hiya towers hold 6,720 housing units, with around 400 apartments and close to 2,000 people per tower. When first built, each tower had only three or four lifts, none large enough to move patients, leaving residents with serious difficulties getting up and down — a problem they had publicly raised. Adding the lifts was a campaign pledge by President Muizzu. HDC awarded the work to China's Shenyang Yuan Intellectual Group, and it began in April 2024.
The Civil Court ruled that the dismissal of Sergeant Mohamed Areesh, who was fired for attempting to conceal what happened when a detainee was scalded with boiling water at Maafannu Police Station in August 2021, was procedurally and substantively fair. Areesh had claimed he did not witness the incident, but CCTV footage showed him present at the scene. Fifteen officers face torture charges in a separate Criminal Court case over the same incident, which began trial in October 2023.
The Australia-Maldives Friendship Association and the Australian High Commission launched a programme offering used but serviceable playground equipment from Australian parks to island councils, with interested councils required to submit an expression of interest by 12pm on July 16. Councils must collect the equipment from Malé within one month of its arrival, transport it to their islands, carry out any minor repairs and install it, and must confirm community support before applying.
