Sri Lanka crisis live updates | Nation awaits resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Here are the latest developments from the economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka on July 14

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reportedly waiting for a private jet to fly out of Maldives to Singapore, as the country waits for him to resign as promised. It is unclear whether Singapore is Mr. Rajapaksa’s final destination or another transit point.

Amid a crushing economic crisis and violent protests, Mr. Rajapaksa and his wife flew on a military jet to the city of Male, the capital of the Maldives on Wednesday. This came days after a huge crowd of protesters stormed his residence in a likely prelude to his resignation. He then appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Acting President.

Late in the day, a gazette notification was issued by the President appointing Mr. Wickremesinghe to “exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions of the Office of President” with effect from Wednesday, during his absence from Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister, exercising his newly conferred powers, imposed an overnight curfew. The order bars anyone from being on any public road, railway, or any public ground or the sea-shore from midnight to 5 a.m. on Thursday, without a written permit.

Here are the latest updates

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa could not board a scheduled Singapore Airlines flight from Male to Singapore due to security concerns and is now waiting to travel on a private aircraft, according to a media report on Thursday.

Mr. Rajapaksa, his wife Loma and their two security officers were expected to leave for Singapore on board SQ437 from Male on Wednesday night but did not board the aircraft due to security concerns, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.