Maldives Ocean Science & Funding: Maldives President Muizzu announced MVR 7 million and an additional $454,000 annually from the Maldives Green Fund for environmental protection, including protected areas, wildlife, research, and school/community projects. Marine Research Focus: Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam said ocean research and marine resource identification are key to diversifying the economy, with climate impacts already affecting fish stocks and pushing value-add and aquaculture efforts. Resort-Led Conservation: Alila Kothaifaru Maldives marked World Environment Day and World Ocean Day with tree planting, coral planting with a marine biologist, and reef clean-up dives plus beach clean-ups. Turtle Conservation: Six Senses Kanuhura renewed sponsorship of the Lhaviyani Turtle Festival 2026, backing a two-day community marine outreach led by Naifaru Juvenile and AMC. Tech & Skills in Tourism: Marriott Maldives Apprenticeship Programme graduated 40 apprentices across hospitality disciplines, while TripWorks achieved full OCTO certification to improve AI-powered booking connectivity. Payments & Cross-Border Tech: Nepal’s NCHL linked Nepal’s NPI with India’s UPI for 24/7 real-time remittances using VPAs, with transaction limits and fees. Global Tech Policy: Japan expanded training for customs officers to fight counterfeits in e-commerce, with participants including Maldives. Energy & Climate Debate: Environmental groups urged ADB to halt waste-to-energy funding, warning of pollution and human rights harms.