Sri Lanka adopts 4-day work week amid West Asia conflict, fuel crisis

• Sri Lanka announced a four-day working week, declaring every Wednesday a public holiday, effective March 18.
• The measure is a contingency plan to address potential fuel shortages stemming from the ongoing war in West Asia.
• The new work week applies to schools, universities, and the judiciary, but exempts essential services like health, ports, water supplies, and customs.
• President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened a special meeting to decide on strategies for public service continuity amidst the energy disruption.
• The government previously raised fuel prices and launched a rationing system, and is now in talks with India and Russia for continuous fuel supply.