Author
Maldives Now
Maldives Now reports for Maldives Now, covering news, politics, business and life across the Maldives.
OpenAI to sell its models through Google Cloud
OpenAI's frontier models and Codex are coming to Google Cloud's Model Garden, with general availability planned in the coming weeks, though Microsoft remains its primary cloud partner.
Salesforce to buy Braze for USD 5.66 billion in marketing tech push
Salesforce has agreed to buy customer engagement platform Braze for about USD 5.66 billion, paying USD 47.50 a share in cash, as it builds out AI-driven marketing tools.
PHP выпустил срочные исправления уязвимостей, позволяющих захватить веб-серверы
Проект PHP выпустил обновления, устраняющие две критические уязвимости, которые позволяют выполнить код на веб-сервере без авторизации. Обновление — единственный безопасный вариант, подчёркивают разработчики.
High Court lets residents' appeal over Stelco noise and smoke proceed
The court rejected Stelco's bid to throw out five Malé residents' appeal on a procedural ground, finding a missing page was partly the court's own oversight.
Government offers up to MVR 250,000 to help first-time home owners
Two new schemes will cover part of the upfront equity that lenders require for housing loans, the housing ministry says, with up to MVR 200,000 for building and MVR 250,000 for buying.
New directors named to STO, state pharmacy and Maldives Post boards
The Privatisation and Corporatisation Board has appointed new members to the boards of State Trading Organisation, the State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation and Maldives Post.
Tourism GST slips as deficit widens to MVR 4.5 billion
Tourism GST collections are 1.8% lower than last year so far, while government spending has risen 17%, leaving a MVR 4.5 billion deficit by mid-October, Finance Ministry figures show.
Maldives signs deal with Chinese firm for 15 MW solar and battery storage
The Environment Ministry has signed with China's Zhejiang Chingtian Solar Energy Technology to install 15 megawatts of solar power and a 15 megawatt-hour battery system, part of a push to reach 33 percent renewable electricity.
Parliament passes MVR 133.6 million budget for Auditor General's Office
MPs approved the Auditor General's Office's 2027 budget unopposed at MVR 133.59 million, 1% less than this year, with day-to-day spending cut and capital spending raised.
MVR 58.8 billion needed to finish housing ministry's projects, minister says
Infrastructure Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib told parliament that completing the projects his ministry has started will cost MVR 58.83 billion, and that this year's budget sets no fixed amount for any single project.
Government cuts cost of tourism island leases in six atolls
The Tourism Ministry has lowered the cost of acquiring islands under the cross-subsidy scheme in Haa Alif, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Laamu and Addu, cutting base and per-hectare rates and halving the premium on large islands.
Ice plants to be built on 11 islands under deal with Malaysian firm
The Fisheries Ministry has signed an agreement with Altus Oil and Gas Malaysia to build ice plants on 11 islands, each producing 30 tonnes of ice a day with 50 tonnes of storage.
President Muizzu to make state visit to Pakistan, first in a decade
Dr Mohamed Muizzu travels to Pakistan from 20 to 22 October at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The two leaders will witness the exchange of several memoranda of understanding.
Maldives condemns fifth attack on Saudi Arabia in five weeks
The Foreign Ministry has issued five statements since 8 September on attacks inside the Kingdom. The latest followed a strike on Riyadh's main airport that killed civilians and injured hundreds.
Tourist arrivals claw back to last year’s level after spring slump
October arrivals are running marginally ahead of last year, Tourism Ministry figures show, after a slump that wiped nearly a quarter off April.
Central bank suspends MS Finance licence and fines it MVR 500,000
The Maldives Monetary Authority has suspended the licence of MS Finance Currency Exchange and fined it MVR 500,000 for breaching money-changing rules.
Government rules out automatic lease renewal at Ras Male
The housing ministry told parliament that no Ras Male land will be leased on automatically renewing terms and none will pass into foreign ownership, with the state expecting a land premium of about USD 3.1 billion.
Police log 2,387 road accidents so far this year
Police figures show 2,387 road accidents in the Maldives so far this year, against 3,079 in the whole of 2025 and 2,882 in 2024.
Cybercrime reports double in six months, police say
Police say cybercrime complaints in the first half of 2026 were double the same period last year, with 68 percent committed through social media and criminals now using AI-generated messages.
Police officer seriously injured as speeding motorcycle hits bridge highway checkpoint
A motorcycle ridden at more than 100 kilometres an hour hit a police barricade and then an officer on duty at a checkpoint on the Sinamalé Bridge highway early on Saturday. Four people have been arrested, and the police commissioner called it a deliberate attempt to obstruct the force’s operation against reckless riders.
Seaplane, domestic flight, speedboat or ferry: how to reach your island in the Maldives
Almost every visitor lands at one airport and then faces a second journey. A guide to which transfer suits which atoll, why your arrival time matters, the taxes you will actually pay, and the entry formalities.
Two Maldivian flydubai pilots deported from UAE over hijack-attempt probe
Two Maldivian co-pilots held in the UAE in connection with an attempted hijacking on a flydubai flight to Israel have been deported and arrived home on Friday. Police questioned them at the airport but have not arrested them.
Obama says Israel has 'ceded moral ground', 7m Palestinians 'not going anywhere'
Former US president Barack Obama said Israel's reliance on military strength had cost it moral ground, and that its government must accept that seven million Palestinians are not going anywhere. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the remarks.