Cross-border payments: Maldives Monetary Authority has gone live with Favara–UPI integration, enabling real-time P2P transfers from MVR to INR via two local banks (Bank of Maldives and Maldives Islamic Bank), marking a big step for digital finance links with India. Digital tourism marketing: Visit Maldives’ month-long campaign across YouTube, Instagram, Google and Yandex generated 160M+ impressions, 22M+ video views and 600k+ website sessions, with targeted-market traffic up to 54%. Connectivity & safety tech: Ooredoo Maldives launched AirFibre ChildSafe and anniversary offers, while Maldives also pushes biometric registration and advanced digital systems to prevent crime before it happens. Human trafficking crackdown: President Muizzu called for vigilance against “Trapped Behind the Scam,” citing Operation Kurangi and new anti-trafficking planning as technology misuse grows. Marine conservation research: A global study warns drifting FADs affect more than half of protected marine areas, urging tighter limits, better tracking and stronger company responsibility. Public health milestone: WHO certified Timor-Leste malaria-free; Maldives is noted as already certified in the region. Tsunami readiness: IOC-UNESCO trained facilitators across the Indian Ocean region to help coastal communities use tsunami-ready indicators and hazard maps. Local telecom leadership: Dhiraagu CEO Ismail Rasheed retired after helping expand GSM and submarine cable infrastructure; a new CEO takes over. Sustainability in resorts: Cora Cora Maldives earned Green Globe Gold (93% audit score) for coral restoration and marine conservation under its Freedom Footprints program. Infrastructure & events: Manhattan Grand Hotel in Greater Malé is opening major MICE facilities from Sept 2026, aiming to host multiple large events at once.