Sri Lanka Implements Four-Day Week Amid Iran Strait of Hormuz Closure

Sri Lanka has announced a four-day working week and a work-from-home mandate for state institutions, schools, and universities to conserve dwindling fuel reserves. This decision comes in response to major supply disruptions caused by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage, following airstrikes by the United States and Israel. The Strait's closure has cut a fifth of the world's oil supply, leading to a global surge in fuel prices. Sri Lanka, heavily dependent on oil imports through this waterway, is preparing for a prolonged conflict in the Middle East, which threatens to undermine its recovery from the 2022 economic meltdown. Other Asian nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, are also implementing various energy conservation measures, such as reduced working weeks, work-from-home policies, and vehicle restrictions, to cope with the escalating fuel crisis.