The minimum financing threshold for “projects aimed at safeguarding the independence and sovereignty of the state” was raised from US$ 15 million to US$ 100 million. The change was made to a presidential decree on offering islands and lagoons for resort development in exchange for investment in priority infrastructure projects.

President Muizzu departed to the UK to launch a Maldives tourism promotion campaign with Liverpool Football Club, which became the country’s official destination partner last month. 

Lanka Hospitals in Sri Lanka stopped providing Aasandha health insurance coverage to Maldivians over unpaid bills worth millions, Adhadhu reported. 

The free distribution of canned tuna to every household for Ramadan cost MVR 79.4 million (US$ 5 million), a finance ministry official told Mihaaru. The government handed out 108,801 cases, which were bought for MVR 730 each with an MVR 30 discount from the debt-ridden state fisheries company. 

The criminal court remanded a 57-year-old man on charges of blackmailing and threatening his ex-wife after forcibly entering her home.