Author
Mohamed Hussain
Mohamed Hussain reports for Maldives Now, covering news, politics, business and life across the Maldives.
Fisheries ministry offers 14 overseas scholarships in fisheries and marine research
The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources has opened 14 places for bachelor's and master's study abroad. Applications close on 15 November.
Palestine U-17 football team to train in K. Guraidhoo for second year running
Palestine's under-17 side will hold a 10-day camp in K. Guraidhoo and play two friendlies against the Maldives before AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, FAM said.
New Radiant hand Eagles first defeat of the season with 7-1 league rout
New Radiant beat previously unbeaten Club Eagles 7-1 in the Dhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League on 24 October to move up to second in the table.
MDP MPs call for reversal of pay rises for Speaker and ministers
Twelve opposition MDP MPs say the Majlis Public Accounts Committee's decision on pay for the Speaker, ministers and island councillors will add MVR 40 million a year to state spending.
Majlis seeks official responses on petition to scrap MPs' special health insurance
A petition signed by 7,225 people calling for MPs' special health insurance to be abolished has been sent to the relevant state offices for their responses, the Majlis e-petition portal shows.
Nearly all the world's coral reefs at high risk of collapse by 2075, IUCN says
The first global IUCN Red List assessment of coral reef ecosystems rates 122 of 127 reef ecoregions, including all three in the Maldives, Critically Endangered.
India says it is keeping a close watch on Maldives–Pakistan agreements
India's foreign ministry said it is watching the agreements signed during President Muizzu's Pakistan visit and will take appropriate steps if necessary.
HDC takes first place among state-owned companies at Maldives Expo 2026 awards
The Housing Development Corporation won the state-owned companies category for models of early Hulhumalé vessels and a smart streetlight system.
Fire at Sh. Funadhoo petrol shed damages homes, up to 20 treated in hospital
A fire at a petrol shed in Sh. Funadhoo spread to nearby homes and garages on 25 October before firefighters put it out. Officials gave differing injury counts.
SMEs to get USD payments via BML from November as Addu becomes first SME zone
President Muizzu says small businesses can receive and spend US dollars through BML from 1 November, with a higher GST threshold, duty cuts and an Addu SME zone from January.
Inside the Maldives' protected reefs: the atolls, the species and the race to save them
The Maldives has declared 93 protected areas since 1995, from Baa Atoll's manta feeding grounds to Fuvahmulah's tiger sharks. Here is what is protected, where, and why repeated marine heatwaves are testing that protection.
Sri Lanka donates medicines worth over LKR 5 million to the Maldives
Sri Lanka's health minister handed the consignment to the Maldivian High Commissioner in Colombo on 22 October, after a request from Health Minister Geela Ali.
Maldives U-15 team open FIFA U-15 World Cup campaign against South Africa in Baku
The Maldives under-15 boys' team faced South Africa in its first match at FIFA's inaugural U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan, in a group with France, Estonia and Kosovo.
Maldives and Oman hold first political consultations in Muscat
The two foreign ministries met in Muscat on 22 October and discussed cooperation in fisheries, sustainable tourism, the blue economy and renewable energy.
Fourth national service batch of 352 youths begins training at Maafilaafushi
The MNDF has opened the fourth batch of its national service initial training, with 352 young people from 125 islands enrolled in the 14-week programme.
Ras Malé to earn eight times more tourism GST than a resort, minister says
Infrastructure Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib said Ras Malé would bring the state about USD 340 million a year in tourism GST and pledged to protect resort businesses.
Transfers to sovereign fund fall MVR 396 million as debt repayments more than double
The government transferred MVR 1.73 billion to the Sovereign Development Fund by 15 October, MVR 395.6 million less than a year earlier, Finance Ministry figures show.
Meedhoo farmer says he has grown the Maldives' first coffee beans
Addu farmer Abdullah Ramzy says seven of his coffee trees in S. Meedhoo have produced beans, and he now hopes to turn coffee into a business.
Food inflation eases to 5.7 percent after June peak, official data shows
Annual food inflation fell to 5.7 percent in August from a 7.3 percent peak in June, though prices in Malé ticked up again in August.
Bangladesh asks MMA to help open Bangladeshi bank branches in the Maldives
Bangladesh Bank has written to the MMA seeking cooperation to open Bangladeshi bank branches in the Maldives and ease remittances by migrant workers.
More than 2.4 million trees planted under five-million-tree programme
The Environment Ministry says 2,463,339 trees have been planted under the government's five-million-tree drive, nearly half the target, with resorts leading.
Addu airport revenue nearly triples on jet fuel sales as annual loss narrows
Addu International Airport's revenue rose by MVR 61 million to MVR 94.4 million in 2025, cutting its loss to MVR 68.7 million, an Auditor General's report shows.
Maldivian to fly to Karachi soon as Muizzu and Sharif push trade at Islamabad forum
President Muizzu told a Maldives–Pakistan business forum in Islamabad that Maldivian will soon fly to Karachi, as both leaders backed direct shipping links.
Hulhumalé Hospital blames software fault for night-shift allowance cut, pledges refund
The hospital says a payroll software change cut the night allowance for doctors, nurses and lab staff from MVR 100 to MVR 60, and the money will be returned.
Floods hit northern islands as Nolhivaram council asks MNDF for help
Heavy rain has flooded about 95 percent of homes in Nolhivaram and hundreds more in Kulhudhuffushi and Nolhivaranfaru, the disaster authority said.
Police recover MVR 3.1 million lost to scams and arrest 17 in global operation
Maldives Police recovered more than MVR 3.1 million lost to scams, arrested 17 people and froze 1,088 bank accounts during the UAE-led Operation Confrontation Ghost.
Iran threatens Hormuz internet cables, which carry under 1% of world bandwidth
A Revolutionary Guards official warned that undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz could be targeted. Damage would hit Gulf states hardest, not the global internet.
Malé mayor blames removed pumps for flooding as rain alerts continue
Mayor Adam Azim says drainage pumps were pulled from flood-prone areas without a backup plan before Wednesday night's downpour, as heavy-rain alerts stay in place today.
From Buddhist kingdom to multi-party republic: a short history of the Maldives
Two thousand years of Maldivian history, from the first island settlers and Buddhist monasteries to the 2008 constitution and the first multi-party presidential election.