Sri Lanka president Gotabaya Rajapaksa declares state of emergency amid economic crisis
Image Credit: PTI
Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday declared a state of emergency giving security forces sweeping powers for the second time in five weeks to deal with escalating anti-government protests, reported news agency AFP. A spokesman for the president said he invoked the tough laws to "ensure public order" after trade unions staged a nationwide strike demanding his resignation over a worsening economic crisis.