COLOMBO, April 5 -- Sri Lanka is struggling to prevent a repeat of its economic collapse four years ago, as the prolonged Middle East war compounds the fallout from adeadly cyclone in November.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has rationed fuel,raised its priceby a third andincreased electricity costsby up to 40% since the war began disrupting global energy supplies.

Panic buying fuel in Sri Lanka has brought back memories of 2022, when the economy tanked, with inflation hitting 70% after Colombo defaulted on its US$46 billion external debt.

The accompanying protests toppled the once-powerful president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was accused of mismanagement and corruption.

But the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) that led the 'Aragalay...