Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa ousted, search begins for next leader
Colombo, Sri LankaReuters Sri Lanka’s parliament accepted the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday after he fled the country, paving the way for lawmakers to start repairing the island’s shattered politics and resume efforts to ease its economic crisis. After suffering from crippling shortages of petrol and diesel and runaway prices of basic items […]
Sri Lankan President hands in resignation after fleeing to Singapore
Colombo, Sri Lanka/Singapore Reuters Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday, a spokesperson for the parliament speaker said, hours after fleeing to Singapore following mass protests over an economic meltdown. The announcement triggered jubilation in the commercial capital Colombo where protesters massed outside the presidential secretariat, defying a city-wide curfew. […]
After Sri Lankan President flees to Maldives, protesters storm Prime Minister’s office
Colombo, Sri LankaReuters Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives on Wednesday, driven out after an economic collapse unleashed a popular uprising that appeared to end his family’s near two-decade dominance of the country. His decision to leave his ally Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in charge as acting President triggered more demonstrations, with […]
Sri Lanka to get new president next week amid political and economic meltdown
Colombo, Sri Lanka Reuters Sri Lanka’s parliament will elect a new president on 20th July, its speaker said on Monday, after protesters stormed the residences of the current President and Prime Minister, who have both offered to quit amid an economic meltdown. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who had overseen a ruthless crushing of the Tamil Tigers […]
Sri Lanka Prime Minister’s office confirms President to resign after protests
Colombo, Sri Lanka Reuters Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that he will resign, the Prime Minister’s office said on Monday, after tens of thousands of protesters stormed the official residences of both men. After Saturday’s sweeping protests in the wake of a debilitating economic crisis, the speaker of parliament […]
Sri Lanka protesters vow will not let up until President, PM quit
Colombo, Sri LankaReuters Leaders of Sri Lanka’s protest movement said on Sunday they would occupy the residences of the President and Prime Minister until they finally quit office, the day after the two men agreed to resign leaving the country in political limbo. Thousands of protesters stormed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home and office and the […]
Sri Lankan President to step down, parliamentary speaker says, amid storm of protests
Colombo, Sri Lanka Reuters Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa plans to step down, the country’s parliamentary speaker said on Saturday, bowing to intense pressure after a violent day of protests in which demonstrators stormed the president’s official residence and set fire to the Prime Minister’s home in Colombo. The announcement, following the dramatic escalation in […]
Sri Lanka appeals for farmers to plant more rice as food shortage looms
Colombo, Sri LankaReuters Sri Lanka wants farmers to plant more rice as part of plans to avert a severe food shortage, a top official said on Tuesday, as experts warned of a 50 per cent drop in production that would worsen the impact of its already-severe financial crisis. Sri Lanka is in the throes of […]
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister says he will slash expenditure in new budget
Colombo, Sri LankaReuters Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Tuesday he will present an interim budget within six weeks, slashing infrastructure projects to re-route funds into a two-year relief program for the crisis-hit island nation. Wickremesinghe, who took office two weeks ago, warned that inflation would rise as the government gets down […]