Protests have resumed in Sri Lanka after a period of relative calm, following the government’s lifting of a state of emergency on May 21.
Hundreds of students marched in Colombo on Thursday, with police firing teargas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. A number of people were arrested by the police, who carried riot shields and batons.
A police official told AFP that Wasantha Mudalige, leader of the Inter-University Student Federation, was among six people taken into custody.
In March, at least nine people were killed and hundreds injured when mass protests gripped the country, after the government ran out of funds to pay for vital imports, while prices for essential goods soared.
Demonstrators, furious with collapsing services and fuel shortages, clashed with security forces, taking over the presidential palace and burning down the prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s house, forcing him and president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and relinquish power.
On 21 July, Parliament elected opposition politician Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president who would rule for what remained of president Rajapaksa’s term. Mr Wickremesinghe has since attempted a national dialogue, reaching out to protesters to discuss their grievances.
Police said they used minimum force in Thursday's protest and only arrested those who attacked officers or damaged state property.
Mr Wickremesinghe announced this week that his government would not renew the state of emergency it imposed last month, after hundreds of thousands of people stormed the home of his predecessor.
The measure had been widely criticised by rights groups as a draconian limit on freedom.
Student groups have since tried to drum up support for protests against Mr Wickremesinghe, but the response has so far been muted. But a long economic recovery awaits the nation of 22 million people.
The country defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in mid-April and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund over a bailout.
Scorebox
Dubai Hurricanes 31 Dubai Sports City Eagles 22
Hurricanes
Tries: Finck, Powell, Jordan, Roderick, Heathcote
Cons: Tredray 2, Powell
Eagles
Tries: O’Driscoll 2, Ives
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey
Oppenheimer
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE