Sri Lanka’s embattled president agrees to resign

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he would step down after protesters stormed his home in an escalation of monthslong economic protests. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed office in May, also said he would resign once a new government takes office. Sri Lanka’s economic collapse has left students out of school and people struggling to access food, fuel, and other necessities.

How did the protests escalate? Thousands of demonstrators arrived in the capital city of Colombo on Saturday and broke into Rajapaksa’s fortified private residence. Some toured the building, splashed in a garden pool, and used the gym. Volunteers prepared hot meals for the crowd in the garden. Other protesters similarly stormed into Wickremesinghe’s home. The demonstrators have said they are not leaving until both leaders formally step down. Soldiers remain deployed around Colombo after security forces clashed with the demonstrators.

Dig deeper: Read my World Tour report on Sri Lanka’s attempts to escape its economic struggles.