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Sri Lanka declares state of emergency after president flees to Maldives

13 Sept 06:10 Key points summarised by AI

Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives amidst an escalating economic crisis and widespread protests.
Rajapaksa, who had promised to resign, sought to leave the country to avoid arrest, prompting thousands of demonstrators to mob the Prime Minister's office demanding both leaders step down.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who would automatically become acting president, also offered to resign if a unity government is established, as the country navigates a presidential succession process.
The nation faces its worst economic crisis, having defaulted on $51 billion foreign debt and experiencing severe shortages of essential goods, including fuel.

Today 12:56 Key points summarised by AI

President Macron condemned widespread rioting and looting during nationwide protests, blaming far-left activists and criminals for the "unrestrained violence" and vowing accountability for those who "sought to bring down the Republic."
Over 2,400 arrests were made as protests against rising living costs and poor school conditions escalated, causing extensive damage to public buildings and businesses in cities like Paris, Limoges (where City Hall burned), Marseille, and Lyon.
The unrest, which organizers hoped would revive the "yellow vest" movement, saw political leaders trade blame, with Macron instructing prefects to protect public buildings and potentially ban future protests to prevent further disorder.