Sri Lankan police impose curfew ahead of planned protest

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Police have imposed a curfew in Sri Lanka’s capital a day before a planned protest demanding the resignations of the country’s president and prime minister over the economic crisis that has caused severe shortages of essential goods. Protest leaders announced that thousands of people will gather in Colombo on Saturday. But police say the curfew starts 9 p.m. Friday and is in effect until further notice in Colombo. Critics say President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is responsible for the worst economic crisis since the country’s independence in 1948. Ranil Wickremesinghe became prime minister two months ago and critics say he has not delivered on promises to end the shortages