Sri Lanka flags return to growth, protesters demand tax cuts

The island of 22 million has been battling its worst economic turmoil since independence from Britain in 1948, which has forced it to default on loans and seek a bailout of $2.9 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Sri Lanka’s economy is expected to grow again from the end of this year and the government hopes the country will emerge from an economic crisis by 2026, the president said on Wednesday, as hundreds protested a recent rise in taxes amid high inflation.