Protests flare in Sri Lanka as govt readies for IMF talks: Report

Opposition leaders led a march of hundreds of protesters through Sri Lanka’s main city of Colombo on Tuesday as anger grows over a worsening economic crisis that has brought fuel shortages and spiralling food prices. 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government said it will begin talks next month with the International Monetary Fund for assistance, while Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa flew into New Delhi to sign a $1-billion credit line to tackle the situation. 

Historically weak government finances, badly timed tax cuts and the Covid-19 pandemic have wreaked havoc on the economy.