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Sri Lanka declares state of emergency ahead of vote for new president

Sri Lanka’s acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency that went into effect on Monday, as the interim government seeks to quell unrest ahead of a vote in parliament later this week to elect a new leader, the Arabnews reported.
The island nation of 22 million people has suffered through shortages of essentials and days-long fuel queues for months, while foreign exchange reserves dwindled close to zero and headline inflation hit 54.6 percent in June.
Sri Lanka’s state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) have reduced the retail price of fuel.
The two state-owned oil companies reduced the retail price of fuel from Sunday evening, Xinhua news agency reported.
Wickremesinghe was sworn in as interim president on Friday after his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled abroad last week after resigning following months-long mass protests over the country’s economic meltdown.

The acting president ordered the state of emergency “in the interest of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community,” an official notice said.
“There were elements within society who were attempting to disrupt the peace in the country,” Wickremesinghe said in a televised statement on Monday (July 18). “They would be prohibited from disrupting the country’s progress.”
Sri Lankan president flees the country amid economic crisis
Sri Lanka doesn't have enough fuel for essential services like buses, trains and medical vehicles, and officials say it doesn't have enough foreign currency to import more, the BBC reported.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned after fleeing to Singapore. Before stepping down he made Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe acting president.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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