July 15, Friday, 2022 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline read by Mr. Yamaguchi Hiroaki

1.Gotabaya Rajapaksa has officially stepped down as president of Sri Lanka. This comes after months of anti-government protests over a worsening economic crisis. Sri Lanka’s parliamentary speaker officially accepted Rajapaksa’s resignation on Friday. Earlier this week, the now-former leader fled the country with his wife. He is now reportedly in Singapore.
2.China’s economy grew at its second-slowest pace in 30 years in the last quarter compared to a year ago. The blame mainly goes to the stifling effects of the country’s strict coronavirus measures.
3.Consumer prices in financially-strapped Argentina have made their biggest leap in 30 years, sparking protests by the public. The national statistics bureau announced on Thursday that the consumer price index rose in June from a year earlier by a whopping 64 percent. That’s the biggest margin of increase since January 1992. There are growing concerns about the future of the national economy.