Asia

Sri Lanka's Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana speaks during a press conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 15, 2022.

World News

The naming of an interim president puts an end to a political dynasty in Sri Lanka

4:57am July 15, 2022

by The Associated Press

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka's interim president until Parliament elects a successor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned after mass protests forced him from office.

A man lowers his mask to drink from a cup as he past near a mall, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Beijing.

Economy

China's economic growth slows following COVID lockdowns

1:26am July 15, 2022

by The Associated Press

China's economy contracted in the three months ending in June compared with the previous quarter after Shanghai and other cities shut down to fight coronavirus outbreaks.

A look at a major part of China's aggressive 'zero-COVID' strategy: Testing

5:31pm July 14, 2022

by John Ruwitch

Testing is the cornerstone of China's aggressive efforts to eradicate Covid-19, and it's become ubiquitous. People are more afraid of being carted off to quarantine than getting sick from the virus.

An update on the crisis in Sri Lanka

5:14am July 14, 2022

by Ruksha Kumar

Sri Lanka spent its first night under curfew, with a government in chaos, and protesters on the streets of the capital Colombo. How will calm be restored?

Protesters demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa swim in a pool inside the compound of Sri Lanka's Presidential Palace in Colombo on July 9, 2022.

World News

Sri Lankan protesters party in the president's mansion as he flees the country

4:51pm July 13, 2022

Protesters in Sri Lanka who spent the weekend occupying the president's palace have now entered and torched the prime minister's private mansion as well.

Queue Listen Now

A state of emergency has been declared in Sri Lanka as leaders try to 'restore order'

4:22pm July 13, 2022

by Raksha Kumar

A state of emergency has been declared in Sri Lanka as protestors call for the removal of the man who has replaced the President — who fled to the Maldives in a military jet overnight.

Queue Listen Now

Police use tear gas as Sri Lankan protesters storm prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe 's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, July 13, 2022.

World News

Protesters in Sri Lanka brave tear gas and storm prime minister's office

5:11am July 13, 2022

by The Associated Press

The move on the prime minister's office follows the country's president fleeing the country.

Sri Lanka's president flees the country amid an economic crisis

5:00am July 13, 2022

NPR speaks with Ahilan Kadirgamar, a political economist and senior lecturer at the University of Jaffna, about the president of Sri Lanka, who has fled the country.

People throng President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence on Tuesday, three days after it was stormed by anti government protesters in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

World News

Sri Lanka's president flees the country

7:31pm July 12, 2022

by The Associated Press

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had already agreed to resign. Protesters had stormed his home and office and the official residence of his prime minister amid a three-month economic crisis.

Witnessing Sri Lanka's protests firsthand

4:58pm July 12, 2022

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Sri Lankan journalist Marlon Ariyasinghe about the country's protest movement.