The Press - The first political news website in Maldiveshttps://en.thepress.mven-usCopyright (C) 2026 thepress.mv https://en.thepress.mv/public/images/logo.png https://en.thepress.mv 512 220 Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed says the international bunkering service launched through the Maldives Economic Gateway has generated a revenue of MVR 923.46 million as of April this year. At a press conference held today, the Minister said that since the launch of the bunkering service, the number of customers has increased, and the amount of foreign exchange entering the Maldives has been increasing. According to Minister Saeed, 90 percent of the oil used for this service is imported to the Maldives. In particular, the low-sulfur oil business is expanding and accounts for a large portion of the revenue from bunkering services. The bunkering... https://en.thepress.mv/18943 https://en.thepress.mv/18943 Thu, 07 May 2026 15:43:11 +0500 The foreigner who sustained serious injuries in the fire that was reported from Faafu Feeali last month has succumbed to his injuries. The 40-year-old Bangladeshi man sustained the injuries in the fire that started on an oil-carrying vessel. The victim was initially treated on the island and than transffered to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male'. The Hospital said today that the victim was receiving treatment while on the ventilator when he succumbed to his injuries last Monday. The fire that started on the oil-carrying vessel spread further and burned four boats and the ice plant on the island.... https://en.thepress.mv/18942 https://en.thepress.mv/18942 Thu, 07 May 2026 15:12:14 +0500 Police say they have launched a search operation after a 15-year-old girl was reported missing from Hulhumale' Phase 2. Police identified the missing girl as Aishath Alya Ali from flat no. 2-03-05 from Hulhumale' Phase 2. Police cited her family, who reported that the girl was now living in Hiya Tower 16. Police said Alya left the house on May 05, 2026, at 4:15 pm. The child was wearing a white striped crop top, light blue jeans, and a black shawl, police said. Alya's family reported her missing to the police late that night. Police said they received the report and... https://en.thepress.mv/18941 https://en.thepress.mv/18941 Wed, 06 May 2026 15:11:12 +0500 President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed met with Maldivians residing in Colombo during the President's State Visit to Sri Lanka. During the engagement, President Dr Muizzu interacted with the community, inquiring about their well-being and listening to their views and concerns. The President and First Lady were accompanied by Government Ministers and senior officials. Speaking at the event, President Dr Muizzu highlighted the longstanding friendship and close people-to-people ties between the Maldives and Sri Lanka. He noted that discussions with the Sri Lankan government included key issues affecting Maldivians in Sri Lanka, including visa-related matters, and expressed confidence that ongoing cooperation... https://en.thepress.mv/18940 https://en.thepress.mv/18940 Wed, 06 May 2026 14:34:09 +0500 Malé, Maldives — India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has issued an advisory to its citizens travelling to or visiting the Maldives, warning of stringent anti-drug laws and severe penalties for violations following recent legislative amendments. In a statement, the NCB said amendments to the Maldives’ Drugs Act, which came into effect in March 2026, impose significantly harsher punishments for drug-related offences. These include long-term imprisonment, and in cases involving large-scale trafficking, the death penalty subject to confirmation by a competent court under Maldivian law. Authorities have also tightened penalties for possession of even small quantities of prohibited substances. The advisory comes amid... https://en.thepress.mv/18939 https://en.thepress.mv/18939 Tue, 05 May 2026 11:34:58 +0500 Malé, Maldives — The High Commissioner of India to the Maldives, G. Balasubramanian, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Defence and National Service on Tuesday, with discussions focused on further strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries. According to officials, the meeting highlighted the close and longstanding partnership between the Maldives and India, particularly in the defence and security sector. Both sides exchanged views on enhancing collaboration in key areas such as maritime security, capacity building, joint training, and technical cooperation, while reaffirming their shared commitment to regional stability in the Indian Ocean. The Defence Minister expressed appreciation for India’s... https://en.thepress.mv/18938 https://en.thepress.mv/18938 Tue, 05 May 2026 11:23:15 +0500 Former State Minister at the Ministry of Health, Aminath Shirna, has been appointed as the CEO of the National Social Protection Agency, NSPA. This comes after the former CEO of NSPA, Heena Waleed, was appointed to the newly formed cabinet of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu as the Minister of Culture and Heritage. The new CEO of NSPA, Shirna, has a long history of service in the health sector. She has worked as a nurse for 23 years. Before taking on a political post, Shirna held senior positions in the nursing department of IGMH. While serving as the State Minister of Health,... https://en.thepress.mv/18937 https://en.thepress.mv/18937 Mon, 04 May 2026 15:36:27 +0500 President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and his Sri Lankan counterpart, Anura Kumara Disanayaka, held official talks today at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, as part of President Dr Muizzu's State Visit to Sri Lanka. During the talks, the two Presidents underscored the long-standing and close relations between the neighbouring countries, which celebrated 60 years of formal diplomatic relations in July 2025. They also expressed appreciation for the strong people-to-people ties and the significant contributions made by nationals of both countries to each other's development. The official talks concluded with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to strengthen further the existing bilateral cooperation across a broad... https://en.thepress.mv/18936 https://en.thepress.mv/18936 Mon, 04 May 2026 14:28:11 +0500 Members of the Maldives Journalism Association, MJA, have staged a silent protest outside the President's Office to demonstrate against the status of press freedom in the country. The four-member-strong protest featured a coffin labelled "Press Freedom 2008-2026," which MJA said showed that press freedom in the country is under severe threat, and hoped that the authorities would listen to their concerns. Social media videos show members of the Police Force removing the coffin later on as protesting outside the President's Office is prohibited as it is located within the green zone. MJA issued 9 demands to the government to ensure... https://en.thepress.mv/18934 https://en.thepress.mv/18934 Sun, 03 May 2026 16:24:16 +0500 President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed departed this afternoon on a State Visit to Sri Lanka. The visit, undertaken at the invitation of His Excellency Anura Kumara Disanayaka, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, will take place from 3 to 6 May 2026. During the visit, the President will meet Sri Lankan leaders to strengthen bilateral relations and explore new avenues for cooperation across key sectors, including education and vocational training, economic collaboration, governance, heritage, and engagement in international forums. Both Presidents will also witness the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding. In addition, the President will... https://en.thepress.mv/18935 https://en.thepress.mv/18935 Sun, 03 May 2026 16:32:11 +0500 President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has emphasised that responsible journalism plays a vital role in empowering citizens, facilitating access to information, and ensuring a transparent and accountable democratic environment. The President made these remarks in his address on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. In his address, the President conveyed greetings and best wishes to Maldivian media professionals, especially acknowledging the dedication and service of journalists. President Dr Muizzu highlighted that the media functions as the fourth estate, serving as a key link between the branches of state established under the Constitution. He noted the high regard accorded to freedom of expression in Islam,... https://en.thepress.mv/18933 https://en.thepress.mv/18933 Sun, 03 May 2026 14:44:49 +0500 The Bank of Maldives says it has set several measures to ensure fair access to foreign currency by limiting transactions on several e-commerce sites. BML said that a few individuals are using the foreign spending limit on personal cards to conduct business transactions on certain online shopping sites. It said that as a result, the Bank is selling large amounts of dollars for such purposes to a limited number of parties. BML said that to ensure that the dollars obtained by the Bank are distributed for the benefit of a wider population, a daily budget will be set for the amount sold... https://en.thepress.mv/18932 https://en.thepress.mv/18932 Sat, 02 May 2026 17:20:48 +0500 The Bank of Maldives, BML, has announced several measures to enhance the Bank’s processes to ensure fair and equitable access to foreign currency for essential public needs. It said that under the digital partnership between Maldives Immigration and the Bank of Maldives, the Bank of Maldives will be able to enable foreign spend limits specifically for card-present Point of Sale (POS) transactions conducted overseas. BML stated that this targeted approach ensures that customers travelling abroad can continue to use their cards seamlessly for genuine transactions, while strengthening safeguards against unauthorized or abusive practices that are against the international card payment networks'... https://en.thepress.mv/18931 https://en.thepress.mv/18931 Sat, 02 May 2026 16:34:45 +0500 Former President Mohammed Nasheed says he has no objection to taking over the post of interim chairman of the MDP if the internal election is postponed and an interim arrangement is made to run the party. This was revealed after the current Interim Chairperson, Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, wrote in the party's official WhatsApp group. Gafoor has proposed to postpone the chairman's election to protect the party's internal interests and overcome the current financial crisis. He said he would like the National Assembly to approve an interim arrangement after postponing the election. Gafoor’s motion was responded to... https://en.thepress.mv/18930 https://en.thepress.mv/18930 Sat, 02 May 2026 14:16:34 +0500 The President's Office says President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu will undertake a state visit to Sri Lanka from 3 to 6 May 2026, at the invitation of the President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Disanayaka It said that during his visit, President Dr Muizzu is scheduled to meet high-level dignitaries of Sri Lanka and hold official talks with President Disanayaka towards enhancing the close relations between the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The two leaders will witness the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) concluded between the two countries in various sectors. President Dr Muizzu will be accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a... https://en.thepress.mv/18928 https://en.thepress.mv/18928 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:40:39 +0500 India has approved a ₹3,000 crore currency swap facility for the Maldives under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework, in a move aimed at supporting the country’s economy amid ongoing fiscal pressures. An official confirmed that the facility was extended under the ‘Framework on Currency Swap Arrangement for SAARC Countries, 2024–2027’, with funds recently made available. According to officials, the arrangement enables the Maldives to access foreign exchange during periods of liquidity stress, reducing reliance on commercial borrowing while supporting balance of payments and overall macroeconomic stability. The Maldives’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the support, stating that the facility... https://en.thepress.mv/18927 https://en.thepress.mv/18927 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:32:42 +0500 Minister of Economic Development and Transport Mohamed Saeed says there is no fear that the country will default economically if it does not pay any of its debts. Speaking at a press conference held at the President's Office today, Minister Saeed said that the government has a strong policy on paying money owed to foreign parties. The Minister noted that the payment under the swap facility has been completed as part of the close relationship with the Government of India. Minister Saeed also touched on the USD 500 million Sukuk payment that was made earlier this month. He said that although some... https://en.thepress.mv/18926 https://en.thepress.mv/18926 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:51:53 +0500 Minister of Homeland Security, Labour, and Technology Ali Ihusan says the Police were right to investigate and raid the news outlet over false “Zina” allegations against President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. Last night, the police raided the office of local news outlet "Adhadhu" in Male' in which police took away electronic equipment from the office about the documentary titled "Aisha", in which an anonymous female source recounted an illicit relationship between her and the President. In a post about the raid, the Home Minister said that Press freedom is guaranteed, but not a free pass to destroy reputations with lies. He further... https://en.thepress.mv/18925 https://en.thepress.mv/18925 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:34:30 +0500 Authorities have seized the passport of the managing editor of local news outlet 'Adhadhu' after police launched an investigation into a documentary it produced alleging President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of sexual misconduct and abuse of power. This comes after last night's raid on the outlet's office in Male' in which police took away electronic equipment from the office about the documentary titled "Aisha", in which an anonymous female source recounted an illicit relationship between her and the President. Authorities have also seized the passport of Hussain Fiyaz, the Chief Editor and CEO of Adhadhu. The Court Order cites credible intelligence... https://en.thepress.mv/18924 https://en.thepress.mv/18924 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:34:38 +0500 President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced the Government’s decision to establish a dedicated mental health hospital in the Greater Malé Area, underscoring the growing urgency of addressing mental health issues in the Maldives. The announcement was made during a press briefing held at the President’s Office today. Emphasising the nuanced and increasingly prevalent nature of mental health challenges in society, President Dr Muizzu highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive and accessible treatment services. He noted that while a mental health hospital project is currently underway in L. Gan with external financial assistance, progress has been slow. Consequently, the Government has decided... https://en.thepress.mv/18923 https://en.thepress.mv/18923 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:46:47 +0500