Land campaign, MPs' insurance and project costs

Opposition groups launched a campaign dubbed "Maldivian land for Maldivians" against the Eagle Hills Rasmalé deal, vowing to continue until the government halts the project. Former Home Minister Sheikh Imran Abdullah, leading the press conference, said the movement united voices from across the country opposing the 500-hectare lease and called for any foreign investment in Maldivian land to be conducted transparently and with public consultation, while repeating his characterisation of Eagle Hills as linked to Zionist interests.

Parliament debated a petition signed by over 7,000 people calling for MPs' health insurance to be scrapped. All members said they were willing to give it up but argued the petitioners misunderstood the special scheme, noting the government pays only MVR24,000 per MP annually in premiums, while switching to Aasandha could cost the state up to MVR6 million per person for serious illness.

Infrastructure Minister Dr Muththalib told parliament that completing his ministry's current projects will require an estimated MVR58.8 billion (US$3.8 billion), but said no specific budget has been allocated per project as funding is managed through a programme budget with the Finance Ministry disbursing funds according to project plans.

Customs arrested two Nepali passengers arriving from Thailand on 25 September after finding 142 drug-filled pellets in their bodies totalling 1.1kg,  comprising 51.6 grams of morphine, 424 grams of cocaine and 708.2 grams of heroin.

The government signed an agreement with Malaysian firm Altas Oil and Gas to install 30-tonne ice plants and 50-tonne ice storage facilities on 11 islands across the country, aimed at improving ice access for fishermen. The project covers Dhidhdhoo, Kulhudhuffushi, Komandoo, Gaafaru, Rasdhoo, Mulah, Hulhudheli, Maamendhoo, Viligili, Nilandhoo and Rathafandhoo, with a six-month completion deadline. The contract value was not disclosed.

Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem met Dave Williams, the US Embassy’s chargé d’affaires, more than a year after the US denied him a visa to attend a conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Adhadhu reported. The US did not give a reason for the visa denial, which Adhadhu described as the only known case of a sitting Maldivian cabinet minister being refused a US visa.

The Bar Council rejected calls to delay new rules requiring law degree students to sit examinations in person, despite complaints from students who enrolled in online courses. Bar Council President Siraj told parliament’s judiciary committee that no colleges had guaranteed fully online examinations and that the rules align with Maldives Qualifications Authority standards. The council said students outside Malé could sit exams at designated centres in the atolls to avoid travel costs.

The tourism ministry reduced lease acquisition fees for islands allocated for resort development under its cross-subsidy scheme in Haa Alif, Haa Dhaal, Shaviyani, Thaa, Lhaviyani and Addu atolls. Base rates were cut by US 100,000, per-hectare charges reduced by US$ 15,000, and premiums for sites exceeding 40 hectares were halved to US$ 500,000. The revised rates will apply until June 2027, while lagoon lease fees remain unchanged.

In Kaafu Maafushi, police arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly selling alcohol on a large scale, after finding 42 bottles in the house where he lived. He was remanded for eight days.