First Light

The government has said it will not entrust the protection of any part of Maldivian waters or territory to outside parties, Mihaaru reported (opens in a new tab) on 14 October. The statement answered remarks by former President Mohamed Nasheed, who said that the world's major powers should bring large military assets into the region to secure the Indian Ocean. The response was issued the same day through the President's Office.

The statement, as carried by Edition (opens in a new tab), said that opening any part of the country's territory — including its international commercial sea lanes and its Exclusive Economic Zone — to foreign parties for military or other monitoring would undermine the independence and sovereignty of the Maldives. It described non-entrustment as a fundamental policy and asked all parties not to invite foreign influence, directly or indirectly, in ways that could be read otherwise.

The government framed the position in commercial as much as security terms. The Maldives sits astride lanes that carry a large share of the world's oil and general trade, it said, and keeping them secure and open is a service the country has long provided to global commerce and regional stability.

Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam has warned that Maldivians who commit crimes in other countries harm the whole population by weakening the passport, in an interview published by Mihaaru (opens in a new tab) on 14 October. The minister said that involvement in drug smuggling or comparable offences abroad damages both the Maldivian passport and the country's reputation.

The point is a practical one. Visa-free and visa-on-arrival access depends on how destination states assess the risk carried by a passport's holders, and consular casework rises with every detention. The Foreign Ministry is the office that must answer for Maldivian nationals held abroad, and the minister's remarks place the cost of individual conduct on the shared asset that every traveller relies upon.

Good Morning Maldives (GMM) had access only to a summary of the interview; the minister's full remarks, any figures on nationals detained overseas and any measures the ministry proposes are in the original report. Reader responses carried by Mihaaru were largely critical of those who offend abroad, with some also directing criticism at the justice system at home.

Sheikh Mohamed Latheef, the Imam of the Islamic Centre, has published a strongly worded statement on Iran, Adhadhu reported (opens in a new tab) on 14 October. In a post on X, he accused Iran of seeking to extend its influence over the two holy mosques and other sacred sites of Islam and over the wider Gulf region, and said that Iran's ultimate aim is not Yemen but Mecca and Medina.

The post also contained sharply critical remarks about Shia Muslims, which Adhadhu reported without endorsing. The Imam of the Islamic Centre holds a post of ministerial rank; Sheikh Latheef was appointed to it by His Excellency Dr Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Republic of Maldives. No statement from the government on the post had been reported at the time of writing.

The remarks sit against a diplomatic record the report also sets out. The Maldives severed relations with Iran in May 2016, under President Abdulla Yameen, in step with Saudi Arabia, and restored them in September 2023 after a seven-year break. The personal views of a senior religious appointee and the state's formal position are distinct, and readers abroad may not always separate the two.

SJ Group has opened bookings for apartments at SJ Dhihereya Residence, a new development in Hulhumalé Phase 1, Adhadhu reported (opens in a new tab) on 14 October. Prices start at MVR 3.6 million. The building stands on Fitheyno Magu, facing the lagoon, with views of the ferry terminal and of vessels crossing to Velana International Airport. The developer says it plans to complete the building within the next two years.

Planned amenities include an infinity pool, a shared terrace, a gym, basement parking, 24-hour security and a waste chute on every floor. The site is within reach of the Malé ferry terminal, the airport, Central Park, Tree Top Hospital and the schools, supermarkets and mosques of Phase 1. SJ Group has operated since 1996 and describes itself as one of the country's established construction companies.

The launch is a data point for the Hulhumalé private market: a Phase 1 seafront entry price of MVR 3.6 million, sold off-plan two years ahead of delivery, while the state's own housing programmes and the Rasmalé reclamation define the supply that will compete with it later in the decade.