Sri Lanka

The country's president offered his resignation after months of protests against lengthy blackouts, acute food and fuel shortages.

Rajapaksa later offers to step down on 13 July, parliamentary speaker Mahinda Abeywardana says in a televised statement. The United Nations warns that Sri Lanka is facing a dire humanitarian crisis, with millions already in need of aid. The top police officer in Colombo is assaulted and his vehicle set ablaze. The next day the IMF says it has asked Sri Lanka to restructure its colossal external debt before a rescue package can be agreed. Almost all of Sri Lanka’s cabinet resigns at a late-night meeting, leaving Rajapaksa and his brother Mahinda - the prime minister - isolated. Here is a look back at how the crisis has unfolded:

Demonstrators break in shouting slogans against Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has been moved for his safety.

However, despite mass protests and enduring public calls for the president to resign, he has so far refused. Images from the scene showed protesters flooding up the grand staircase of the colonial-era building chanting calls for the president to go. According to the defence ministry, Rajapaksa had been relocated from the house on Friday and taken into military protection over concerns that the planned protest would escalate.

Protesters broke into the Sri Lankan leader's official residence in Colombo on Saturday as more than 100000 amassed outside, according to police, ...

Schools have been suspended and fuel has been limited to essential services. A police curfew that was earlier imposed in several police divisions in the Western Province of Sri Lanka was lifted on Saturday. Several politicians and the Bar Association in Sri Lanka referred to the curfew as being "illegal," saying there had been no instances of violence to justify imposing the measure. At least 31 people, including two police officers, have been injured in the protests and are receiving treatment, according to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL). Two of the injured are in critical condition, according to police.

Thousands of protesters in Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo have broken through police barricades and stormed the president's official residence in ...

We will not stop until he listens to us," Mr Perera said. Despite a severe shortage of fuel that has stalled transportation services, demonstrators packed into buses, trains and trucks from several parts of the country to reach Colombo to protest against the government's failure to protect them from economic ruin. A Facebook live stream from inside the president's house showed hundreds of protesters, some draped in flags, packing into rooms and corridors, shouting slogan's against Mr Rajapaksa. Thousands of protesters also broke open the gates of the sea-front presidential secretariat, which has been the site of a sit-in protest for months, and entered the premises, TV footage showed. - At least 39 people, including two police officers have been injured and hospitalised in the protests Thousands of protesters in Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo have stormed the president's official residence and his secretariat amid months of mounting public anger over the country's worst economic crisis in seven decades.

Colombo: Thousands of protesters in Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo broke through police barricades and stormed the president's official residence on ...

We will not stop until he listens to us,” Perera said. On the final day of the first Test and day one of the second, the fort ramparts were guarded, preventing any spectators from using it as a vantage point to watch the cricket. The anti-government protesters had been forcibly removed from the fort ramparts by authorities during the second day of the first Australia versus Sri Lanka Test. An Army spokesperson had claimed the demonstrators were ordered to move on so as not to distract Australia’s batters, but the touring side denied any knowledge of this request, or that the protesters had interfered with play. The protesters who arrived at the ground were hoping to commute to Colombo for the major march demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka’s president, only to be foiled by a lack of public transport. Colombo: Thousands of protesters in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital Colombo broke through police barricades and stormed the president’s official residence on Saturday in one of the largest anti-government marches in the crisis-hit country this year.

Thousands of people demonstrated in the capital against the island nation's worst economic crisis in recent memory and demanded President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ...

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Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose family many hold responsible for the worst economic crisis in decades, was moved to safety ahead of the ...

A new prime minister and cabinet were sworn in but as the economic situation worsens, anger is beginning to spill over again. Wickremesinghe told parliament recently the country was “bankrupt.” Asking the president to step down he said, “The siege is over. But the country was struggling in the negotiations. Earlier in the day, thousands of people carrying the yellow and red Sri Lankan flag marched toward the president’s home chanting “Gota, go home.” The police fired tear gas to deter the surging crowds. “We are desperate,” said Himantha Wickremerathne, a 34-year-old lawyer who joined the protests.

Sri Lankan police have fired tear gas at protesters demanding that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government resign over the island nation's worst ...

The prime minister's spokesperson, Dinouk Colambage, said Wickremesinghe told party leaders that he will resign when all parties have agreed on forming a ...

“His claim that he was voted in by the Sinhala Buddhists is not valid now,” said Ven. Omalpe Sobitha, a prominent Buddhist leader. In April, Sri Lanka announced it is suspending repaying foreign loans due to a foreign currency shortage. Last month, Wickremesinghe said the country’s economy has collapsed. Thousands of protesters entered the capital from the suburbs after police lifted an overnight curfew. At least 34 people including two police officers were wounded in scuffles as protesters tried to enter the residence. The president’s older brother resigned as prime minister in May after violent protests saw him seek safety at a naval base.

A crowd of people inside the stately home of Sri Lanka's President. Protests against the Sri Lankan government's handling of the economic crisis have been going ...

- The prime minister says he will step down once a new government is in place - Ranil Wickremesinghe is sworn as the new prime minister— he's a political veteran who has been Sri Lanka's prime minister five times before - The former prime minister is moved to a naval basefor his safety

Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will step down next Wednesday, bowing to popular pressure after a day of violent protests.

“The president and the prime minister must resign immediately. In April, Sri Lanka announced it is suspending repaying foreign loans due to a foreign currency shortage. “The decision to step down on 13 July was taken to ensure a peaceful handover of power,” Abeywardena said. There were no immediate reports of injuries in the blaze. The parliamentary speaker, Abeywardena, said in a letter to Rajapaksa that several decisions had been made at the meeting of party leaders -- including the president and the prime minister resigning as soon as possible and parliament being called within seven days to select an acting president. Colombo: Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will step down next Wednesday, the country’s parliamentary speaker said on Saturday, bowing to popular pressure after a day of violent protests in which demonstrators stormed the president’s official residence and set fire to the prime minister’s home in Colombo.

Sri Lanka wrested back momentum in the second Test against Australia, going to stumps on day two at 2-184 in reply to Australia's first-innings 364.

Swepson eventually got his man with one that skidded on, trapping Karunaratne late in the day. Starc was the only paceman to have success, drawing Pathum Nissanka’s edge when he angled one across the right-hander and Green pouched a nice catch at gully. Sri Lanka rediscovered their fight amid the chaos of loud protests and firecrackers in Galle to go to stumps on day two at 184-2 in response to Australia’s 364.

Captain Dimuth Karunaratne led the charge with 86, combining with Kusal Mendis (84 not out) for Sri Lanka's biggest second-wicket partnership against Australia.

Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jayasuriya's figures of 6-118 were also the second best by a Sri Lankan on Test debut after he also got the key wicket of century-maker Marnus Labuschagne on Friday. But on the field, the home side put up a much-needed resistance in their best day of the series so far.

Sri Lanka's president is set to resign after demonstrators stormed his home and office Saturday to protest the government's handling of a dire economic ...

The soundtrack of thousands of angry Sri Lankans surrounding the Galle cricket stadium to get the world's attention provided the wildest of backgrounds for ...

“I was on a call yesterday and was chatting to some young girl cricketers. So we are really lucky.” Smith had more issues with the DJ inside the ground. “No matter what the result is, we are in a really privileged position and there are lots of people that are making this happen for us to have a bit of fun and go out and play cricket. They’re down to one meal a day and are going to school a couple of days a week because the teachers can’t get to school. The dismissal of Mitchell Swepson brought Australia’s innings to a close on 364 just before lunch, which was more than the first Test total to 321 which proved too much for the Sri Lankan batters to handle as Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson spun the tourists to victory.

Australia's cricket tour of Sri Lanka was meant to help distract from the island nation's economic misery, but on Saturday the unrest sweeping the country ...

"This is not the Sri Lanka I dreamed of." "But it didn't get to anyone or play a part in what was happening out here." "Today obviously the country is in turmoil, people outside having their say.

Protesters break down barricades near Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence in Colombo as he flees. 2 min read. July 10, 2022 - 4:04PM.

We risked our lives," he said. The dramatic events on Saturday were the culmination of months of protests by people enraged by the South Asian island nation's unprecedented economic crisis and the Rajapaksa clan's incompetence and corruption. Sri Lankan protesters refused to budge from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence on Sunday after storming his home, forcing him to flee with the navy and to announce his resignation.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka's opposition political parties will meet Sunday to agree on a new government a day after the country's president and prime ...

Protesters later broke into the prime minister’s private residence and set it on fire, Wickremesinghe’s office said. The president’s older brother resigned as prime minister in May after violent protests saw him seek safety at a naval base. Video and pictures showed jubilant crowds splashing in the garden pool, lying on beds and using their cellphone cameras to capture the moment.

Sri Lanka woke on Sunday to an uncertain future, with both its President and Prime Minister set to step down after thousands of protesters stormed their ...

If both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa resign, under the Sri Lankan constitution, the speaker of parliament will serve as acting president for a maximum of 30 days. Fellow journalists who rushed to their aid were then also attacked, Newsfirst reported. Two of the journalists from the Sri Lankan TV channel Newsfirst had their cameras rolling at the time. Among those injured is a lawmaker from eastern Sri Lanka, she added. Protesters also targeted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, setting on fire his private residence on Fifth Lane, an affluent neighborhood in the capital. Images show demonstrators inside the whitewashed colonial-era building and hanging banners from the balcony.