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LIVE UPDATES: Sri Lankan President to Step Down on July 13, Media Reports Citing Parliament Speaker
LIVE UPDATES: Sri Lankan President to Step Down on July 13, Media Reports Citing Parliament Speaker
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The island nation has been suffering from a grave economic crisis over the past several weeks; it is considered to be the nation's worst economic downturn... 09.07.2022, Sputnik International
2022-07-09T07:35+0000
2022-07-09T17:03+0000
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sri lanka, protests, gotabaya rajapaksa, новый онлайн для белой редактуры
sri lanka, protests, gotabaya rajapaksa, новый онлайн для белой редактуры
Police use tear gas shells to disperse demonstrators taking part in an anti-government protest demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the country's crippling economic crisis, in Colombo on July 8, 2022. - Sputnik International

LIVE UPDATES: Sri Lankan President to Step Down on July 13, Media Reports Citing Parliament Speaker

07:35 GMT 09.07.2022 (Updated: 17:03 GMT 09.07.2022)
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Evgeny Mikhaylov - Sputnik International
Evgeny Mikhaylov
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The island nation has been suffering from a grave economic crisis over the past several weeks; it is considered to be the nation's worst economic downturn since the country gained independence in 1948.
"Thousands" of protesters in Sri Lanka breached the barriers around the presidential residence on Saturday, focring their way into the building, reports suggest.
AFP reported, citing a source, that Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled the residence.

"The president was escorted to safety", a source told AFP, noting that troops had to shoot in the air to keep the crowd away from the building.

A live video circulating online purportedly shows a vast angry mob near the house, with some of them trying to get in. Other clips, uploaded on the social media, show protesters inside the building, chanting slogans and wandering around.
In the meantime, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe announced emergency parliament session to address the ongoing protests.
The storming of the residence comes after protesters staged a major demonstration in Colombo, demanding the president's resignation, as they blame Rajapaksa and his family for the deteriorating economic situation. At least 33 demonstrators were hospitalized at the Colombo National Hospital, including two people in a critical state, Ada Derana news portal reported.
© AP Photo / Amitha ThennakoonStudents shout anti government slogans during protest march in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 8, 2022.
Students shout anti government slogans during protest march in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 8, 2022. - Sputnik International, 1920, 09.07.2022
Students shout anti government slogans during protest march in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 8, 2022.
© AP Photo / Amitha Thennakoon
The economic crisis was caused by a shortage of foreign exchange resulting from a decrease of the tourist flow due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions. This has led to a lack of fuel, food and medicine. It has also resulted in constant blackouts across the country.
Back in May, mass demonstrations forced Mahinda Rajapaksa, a brother of the president, to resign from the post of the prime minister. A month later, another brother of the president, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa announced his resignation from his parliamentary seat.
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01:02 GMT 10.07.2022
Students shout anti government slogans during protest march in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 8, 2022. - Sputnik International, 1920, 10.07.2022
Persian Gulf States Urge Citizens to Leave Sri Lanka Amid Protests
10 July 2022, 01:04 GMT
17:01 GMT 09.07.2022
Sri Lankan President to Step Down on July 13, Local Media Reports Citing Parliament Speaker
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will resign on July 13, Sri Lankan newspaper Adaderana reported on Saturday, citing parliamentary speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana.
Earlier in the day, Abeywardana informed Rajapaksa of the decisions made at today's emergency meeting of the party leaders, which was convened in response to the mass protests unfolding in Colombo. The letter urged immediate resignation of President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and provided for convening the parliament within 7 days to appoint an acting president.
Earlier in the day, Colombo was rocked by thousand-strong protests. Instead of holding a peaceful march, crowds tore through the barricades surrounding Rajapaksa’s residence, climbed over the fence and took control of the area, Sri Lankan media said, publishing multiple videos from the scene. Rajapaksa is reported to have been evacuated.
15:55 GMT 09.07.2022
Protesters Set Prime Minister's House on Fire
A mob stormed into Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's home in Colombo on Saturday evening and set it ablaze, police and his office said.
14:33 GMT 09.07.2022
Russian Foreign Ministry Calls Ongoing Events in Sri Lanka 'Internal Issue'
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on Saturday the ongoing events in Sri Lanka an "internal issue," and wished the country a speedy restoration of order as dictated by the constitution.
"It's an internal issue. We wish for the speedy restoration of order within the framework of the constitutional process," the ministry told Sputnik.
13:05 GMT 09.07.2022
PM to Officialy Step Down After New Cabinet Formed, Reports Say

"To ensure the continuation of the Government including the safety of all citizens I accept the best recommendation of the Party Leaders today, to make way for an All-Party Government. To facilitate this I will resign as Prime Minister", the PM said in a tweet.

At the same time, the prime minister's press office told reporters on Saturday that Wickremesinghe will resign after an "all-party government" is formed and the parliamentary majority of his United National Party is secured. Until then Wickremesinghe intends to remain in office, Sri Lankan newspaper Newsfirst said.
12:39 GMT 09.07.2022
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Wickremesinghe Agrees to Resign

"Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has told the Party Leaders that he is willing to resign as Prime Minister and make way for an all-Party Government to take over. He says he is taking this decision in view of the fact that island-wide fuel distribution is due to recommence this week, the World Food Program Director is due to visit the country this week and the Debt Sustainability report for the IMF is due to be finalised shortly," the statement was quoted as saying by Sri Lankan newspaper Newswire.

12:33 GMT 09.07.2022
Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Urges President and PM to Step Down, Muslim Congress Chief Says
Sri Lankan parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana has been assigned to become the country's interim president by the political party leaders at an emergency meeting called for the resignation of the incumbent prime minister and president, leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress party Rauff Hakeem said on Saturday.

"At Speaker’s Residence urgent Party Leader’s meeting. Several other Leaders including PM, AKD and Sumanthiran participated via zoom. Decision to ask both President and PM to resign. Speaker to take over as temporary President according to constitution," Hakeem said on Twitter.

Later, Hakeem said that Abeywardana has called on the country's president and prime minister to step down according to an overwhelming request of the political parties.

"Correction to my earlier tweet on consensus to ask PM and President to resign. No consensus as PM disagrees. Speaker however decided to write to President and PM to resign as per overwhelming request," he tweeted.

12:24 GMT 09.07.2022
Time to Cool Off: Protesters Throw Pool Party After Storming Sri Lankan Presidential House
Screenshot of a video showing protesters taking over the residence of Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. - Sputnik International, 1920, 09.07.2022
Time to Cool Off: Protesters Throw Pool Party After Storming Sri Lankan Presidential House
9 July 2022, 12:01 GMT
11:20 GMT 09.07.2022
Two Sri Lankan Navy Ships With Unknown Persons on Board Left Colombo - Reports
Two ships of the Sri Lankan naval forces (SLN) left the port of Colombo, carrying unidentified persons on board, Ada Derana news portal reported on Saturday, citing a senior harbor official.
According to the official, a group of people boarded SLNS Sindurala and SLNS Gajabahu offshore patrol vessels and left the port. The port representative declined to provide details of the manifest or disclose the identities of those who boarded the ships.
11:02 GMT 09.07.2022
Sri Lankan Party Leaders Urge President Rajapaksa to Resign Amid Mass Protests
According to reports from local media, a meeting of party leaders presided by the speaker of parliament decided that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa must submit his resignation.
10:52 GMT 09.07.2022
Chief of Opposition SJB Party Refuses to Participate in Talks With Sri Lankan PM
09:07 GMT 09.07.2022
Protesters Seize Presidential Residence in Colombo
08:57 GMT 09.07.2022
Group of Lawmakers Urges Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa to Step Down, Reports Say
A group of 16 lawmakers from the ruling Sri Lanka People's Front (SLPP) party wrote a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa urging him to resign from his position, local media reported on Saturday.
The letter calls on the president to convene the parliament and form a new all-party government to restore the stability in Sri Lanka, Ada Derana news portal reported.
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