A person takes a photo as a demonstrator walks near a bus that was set on fire at the top of the road to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence during a protest against him as many parts of the crisis-hit country faced up to 13 hours without electricity due to a shortage of foreign currency to import fuel, in Colombo, Sri Lanka March 31, 2022. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
COLOMBO — Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a nationwide state of emergency late on Friday, in the face of growing public unrest amid the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.
In a government gazette notification released late on Friday, Rajapaksa said the decision was taken in the interests of public security, the protection of public order, and to ensure the maintenance of supplies and essential services.
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