After a courtesy call with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, President Muizzu visited King Charles III at Windsor Castle and attended a Maldives-UK business forum, where he outlined investment opportunities and legal reforms, and launched a national fisheries promotion brand.
An 18-year-old man died from injuries sustained in a fall from Vinares tower number eight in Hulhumalé, police told the media.
HDC revealed that non-payment of rent for social housing flats in Hulhumalé has been shared with the central bank's "Credit Information System" since March, lowering the resident's credit score that financial institutions would consider before issuing loans or approving restructuring or extensions. The state-owned urban developer was owed MVR 894 million (US$ 57 million) as unpaid rent by the end of June. Of 8,511 housing units managed by HDC, regular payments were made for only 3,219 units.
Police seized the phone of Nazima Ibrahim, the wife of 65-year-old Abdul Rahman Mohamed who was bludgeoned to death in his sleep in the early hours of Sunday. Police declined to reveal further details or say whether she was a suspect. Nazima previously told the media that she found her husband "struggling for life" and covered in blood when she went into his room around 1:30am to use the bathroom.
CMCC disputed the housing minister's "false and misleading" claims about the Sri Lankan contractor halting Giraavaru and Hulhumalé phase three land reclamation despite receiving advance payments of US$ 35 million. Dr Muththalib blamed work stoppage on the company demanding additional funds after only completing US$ 20 million worth of reclamation. But CMCC said the projects stalled due to delayed payments, slow approval of necessary project changes, and unclear cost recovery plans. Most reclamation work was completed without upfront payments and the company remains ready to resume work within 10 days once the payment and approval issues are resolved, CMCC told local media.
MIFCO signed a long-term deal with the UK's Princes Group to export frozen and canned tuna.
Assistant Commissioner of Prisons Mohamed Asif was sacked after eight months of suspension with pay, the prisons authority told the media, without disclosing reasons for his dismissal. Asif was accused of diverting more than MVR 200,000 (US$ 12,790) from the budget of the Prisons Club, a staff association.
The central bank's aim is to allocate half of dollars sold through banks to small and medium-sized businesses, a spokesman told the media, as the black market rate for dollars reached a record high amid a worsening foreign currency shortage.
The economic ministry signed an MoU with the West London Chamber of Commerce to facilitate bilateral trade missions and investment promotion activities.
