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Sri Lanka Crisis: Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation as president to be announced at 7:30am local time, says speaker's office

THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jul 15, 2022, 12:33:19 IST

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Sri Lanka Crisis: Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation as president to be announced at 7:30am local time, says speaker's office

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday emailed his resignation letter to the parliament speaker. He had fled to the Maldives earlier this week and on Thursday took a Saudi Airlines plane to Singapore. Sources have, however, refuted media reports on their onward travel. His escape to Maldives was negotiated by former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, sources said. Meanwhile, Sri Lankans are awaiting his resignation, a day after he fled to escape an uprising against an economic crisis blamed on his government's mismanagement. Stay with TOI for more updates

16:55 (IST) Jul 13

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who left for Maldives early this morning is to leave for Singapore later today: Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror reports citing sources

16:51 (IST) Jul 13

Maldives National Party expresses 'unhappiness' over govt's decision to allow Rajapaksa's visit

The Maldives National Party (MNP) on Wednesday expressed "unhappiness" over the Maldivian government's decision to allow Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to travel to the country, and said it will move a motion, seeking the explanation from the Solih dispensation. The Maldivian government's argument is that Rajapaksa is still the President of Sri Lanka, and that he hasn't resigned or handed over his powers to a successor. Therefore, if he wanted to travel to the Maldives, it could not have been denied, sources said.

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16:45 (IST) Jul 13

Rajapaksa's escape from the country to the Maldives was negotiated by the Maldivian Parliament Speaker and former president Mohamed Nasheed: Sources

16:42 (IST) Jul 13

4 hospitalised after clashes in Colombo

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16:39 (IST) Jul 13

Union minister Scindia lauds 2 Kerala airports for allowing technical landing to over 120 Sri Lanka bound planes

Kudos Trivandrum & Kochi airports for demonstrating the Indian spirit of वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्! The airports have gone… https://t.co/k0OKZ0NIkr
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) 1657706917000

15:52 (IST) Jul 13

Acting Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe says fascists trying to take over government

PM Wickremesinghe on Wednesday said there was a fascist threat to democracy in the country and vowed to restore normalcy as well as stop the destruction of state property, hours after anti-government protesters stormed his office. “We must end this fascist threat to democracy. We can't allow the destruction of state property. The President's office, the President's Secretariat and the Prime Minister's official residence must be returned to proper custody,” he said

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15:42 (IST) Jul 13

Watch: Sri Lanka PM's office in Colombo stormed by protestors

#WATCH | #SriLanka: Inside visuals from the premises of Sri Lanka's Prime Minister's office in #Colombo after it wa… https://t.co/nsc0L4MEJu
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) 1657706110000

15:07 (IST) Jul 13

Sri Lanka's Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will resign today as promised

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled to the Maldives on Wednesday, telephoned the speaker of parliament saying that his resignation letter will be sent later in the day. "The president got in touch with me over the phone and said that he will ensure that his resignation letter will be received by me today," speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said in a video statement.

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15:02 (IST) Jul 13

Protestors breach the premises of Sri Lankan PM's office in Colombo, raise flag atop the building

Sri Lanka | Protestors breach the premises of Sri Lankan PM's office in Colombo, raise flag atop the building… https://t.co/VcaXIxkW5u
— ANI (@ANI) 1657704626000

14:47 (IST) Jul 13

Sri Lanka president tells parliament speaker he will resign on Wednesday

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14:43 (IST) Jul 13

US Embassy in Sri Lanka cancels its all consular services for today & tomorrow amid fresh protests

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14:26 (IST) Jul 13

Sri Lanka anti-government protesters break into state TV

Sri Lanka's anti-government protesters broke into the main state television station Wednesday and briefly took over broadcasts, footage showed.An unidentified man barged into the studio of Rupavahini network during a live programme and ordered that only protest-related news should be broadcast. The transmission was cut off and replaced with a recorded programme.

13:52 (IST) Jul 13

Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed as acting President: Speaker

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13:22 (IST) Jul 13

Explainer: Why Sri Lanka is in economic freefall and Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled

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13:20 (IST) Jul 13

Watch: Sound of gunshots fired in the air heard as protesters gather outside Sri Lankan PM's residence in Colombo

#WATCH | #SriLanka | #SriLankaProtest Sound of gunshots fired in the air heard as protesters gather outside Sri La… https://t.co/iHpBzqbtH9
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) 1657697386000

12:55 (IST) Jul 13

The Prime Minister has ordered the security forces to arrest people acting in a riotous manner and to seize their vehicles

12:36 (IST) Jul 13

'Sri Lanka PM declares state of emergency, curfew'

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency in his role as the acting president. "The prime minister as acting president has declared a state of emergency (countrywide) and imposed a curfew in the western province," Wickremesinghe's media secretary, Dinouk Colombage, told news agency Reuters. The curfew comes into effect immediately.

12:15 (IST) Jul 13

Sri Lankan protesters storm PM's office amid crisis

Groups could be seen scaling the wall and entering the office as the crowds roared in support, cheering them on and waving the Sri Lankan flag. Police used tear gas to try to disperse the crowd but failed and more and more marched down the lane and towards the office.

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11:55 (IST) Jul 13

Watch: Military personnel use tear gas shells to disperse protestors who scaled the wall to enter Sri Lankan PM's residence in Colombo

#WATCH | #SriLanka | #SriLankaProtests Military personnel use tear gas shells to disperse protestors who scaled t… https://t.co/7xdpd0pNQU
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) 1657693213000

11:40 (IST) Jul 13

Sri Lanka declares state of emergency after president flees: PM's office

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