Saudi Arabia, Cyprus agree visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and special passports    Saudi Arabia marks 8th anniversary of Vision 2030, showcasing monumental progress and strategic achievements    Lt. Gen. Al-Bassami: 28 Public Security units in Saudi Arabia to exchange information on human trafficking    MWL session affirms global Islamic unity, tackles challenges    Al-Ahsa Airport to double capacity to accommodate 100 million passengers a year    L'Oréal dermatology conference emphasizes sustainability in Riyadh edition    Saudi internet penetration hits 99% while online shopping jumps to 63.7% in 2023    Biden keeps needling Trump as he walks a tightrope over his rival's trial    Ukraine uses longer-range US missiles for first time    At least 32 dead as flash floods sweep through half of Kenya    Russia vetoes US-backed UN resolution to ban nuclear weapons in space    Riyadh Season announces first overseas event with boxing gala in Los Angeles    Riyadh to host Saudi-UK expo "GREAT FUTURES" in May    Belgian man whose body produces alcohol in rare condition acquitted of drunk driving    Al Hilal's comeback effort falls short in AFC Champions League semi-finals    Australian police launch manhunt for Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger    Spice Girls reunite at Posh's 50th birthday    Swedish rider Eckermann wins 2024 Show Jumping World Cup in Riyadh    Aspiring fencer Josh Brayden aims for Olympic glory    Revenues touch SR3.7 billion in Saudi cinema sector since 2018    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Sri Lanka sees new president sworn into office
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 07 - 2022

Sri Lanka's Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as president, amid hopes that he will pull the country out of its economic suffering.
The 73-year-old took his oath at the tightly-guarded parliament complex on Thursday.
Wickremesinghe - the former prime minister - is seen as deeply unpopular with the public, but some protesters have said they will give him a chance.
Sri Lanka has seen months of mass unrest over an economic crisis.
Many blame the Rajapaksa administration for mishandling the nation's finances, and see Wickremesinghe as part of the problem. But there were few demonstrations on the streets the day after Wickremesinghe won the parliament vote.
"He is here - and we will see what his actions are. If we don't get any food, any medicine, we'll be on the streets," one woman who had joined protests last week told the BBC.
Wickremesinghe - who won a majority among lawmakers with the backing of the Rajapaksa's ruling party, the Sri Lanka's People's Front (SLPP) - took pains to distance himself from the old leaders.
"I am not a friend of the Rajapaksas. I am a friend of the people," he told reporters on Wednesday after defeating his main rival - a dissident SLPP MP - by 134 votes to 82.
On Thursday, the opposition signalled they would be willing to work with Mr Wickremesinghe. Local media is reporting that his cabinet is likely to include opposition MPs.
However, many protesters have expressed despair and disappointment over a Rajapaksa-allied politician's victory.
"I am absolutely disgusted at the result... I cannot believe that 134 people - MPs that are supposed to represent the people - have completely disregarded the wants of the people," activist Jeana De Zoysa told the BBC.
Wickremesinghe is aiming to restore political stability so the country can resume negotiations with the International Monetary fund for a bailout package, estimated to be about $3bn.
Sri Lanka has been wracked with protests for months because the country is effectively bankrupt and facing acute shortages of food, fuel and other basic supplies.
Tens of thousands of protesters had last week marched in the streets of Colombo calling for the ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe to resign.
Rajapaksa fled the country in the early hours of 13 July after the protesters stormed and occupied his political residence. He flew to the Maldives and then Singapore, from where he issued his official resignation.
However Wickremesinghe did not resign - though he had initially offered to - and instead accepted the position of Acting President when Mr Rajapaksa fled.
When he assumed the job of acting president last week, he ordered the military to do whatever was necessary to restore public order, following protesters storming and occupying government buildings.
He also extended a national state of emergency order this week to stamp out any flare-ups.
A former six-time prime minister, Wickremesinghe failed in his previous two runs for the presidency. His victory on Wednesday means he will serve out the rest of the presidential term until November 2024. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.