Colombo is also banking on the IMF deal to unfreeze billions of dollars in foreign aid for projects suspended since Sri Lanka defaulted on its loans last year.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in decades and a shortage of dollars has disrupted imports of essentials, though the situation has improved from last year when protesters ousted its president.
Hundreds of Sri Lankan soldiers and police swoop in on unarmed activists blocking Presidential Secretariat in capital Colombo, a sign new President Ranil Wickremesinghe is cracking down a day after his swearing-in.
Ranil Wickremesinghe declares a state of emergency, according to a government notice, as the South Asian country's economic crisis continues.
After ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka and PM Wickremesinghe became acting president, many protesters insisted that Wickremesinghe too should step aside.
Resignation letter of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has repeatedly assured he will step down amid massive protests, has not arrived yet, officials say as Sri Lankans woke up to confusion and calm in the capital Colombo.
Regular citizens, exasperated by months of crippling economic crisis, occupied government residences after three months of protests.
Sri Lankan protesters, who are occupying President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence in the capital Colombo, say they will won't leave the premises until Rajapaksa actually leaves the office.
Troops fired in the air to prevent angry crowds from overrunning President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's Palace in the capital Colombo.
Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis was already taking a heavy toll with agriculture and livelihoods being severely affected.
Police meanwhile have arrested two lawmakers from the Rajapaksas' Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna in connection with last week's violence when anti-government protests turned deadly.
There have been flare-ups of violence around the country despite stringent security measures, as protesters continue shouting slogans against the government while defying a curfew.
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