Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Palestine: 3 martyrs, including a child, as a result of Israeli occupation forces bombing displaced persons' tents in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Yedioth Ahronoth: Concern in "Israel" over changes within the US administration in recent days.
Al-Qassam Brigades says its fighters are engaging in fierce clashes with the occupation forces, killing and wounding soldiers east of Jabalia camp.
Israeli media platforms are circulating preliminary reports about a multi-causality ambush in Jabalia camp, Gaza.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 35 martyrs, 75 injured in occupation targeting of civilians seeking food aid in Rafah, Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Da Silva: What is happening in Gaza is not a war, it is a genocide
Da Silva: Even the Jewish people do not want this war; it is revenge by a government against the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state
Brazilian President Lula da Silva: What we are seeing is not a war between two armies. [What we have is a] completely professional army that is killing women and children in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas: We affirm our readiness to immediately begin a round of indirect negotiations to reach an agreement on the points of contention
Hamas: We welcome the continued Qatari and Egyptian efforts to end the war waged by the Zionist occupation against our people

Sri Lanka president submits resignation from Singapore: official

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 14 Jul 2022 20:56
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

Following his arrival to Singapore, Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa submits his resignation by email.

  • x
  • Sri Lanka's president Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted his resignation from Singapore
    Sri Lanka's president Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted his resignation by email from Singapore

Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted his resignation on Thursday shortly after reaching Singapore, the parliamentary speaker's office announced, days after the head of state fled protests triggered by his country's worst-ever economic crisis.

Rajapaksa resigned by email, Indunil Yapa, the speaker's spokesperson said hours after he landed in Singapore following the protesters' storming of his palace over the weekend.

The resigned President fled to the Maldives on Wednesday and left there for Singapore a day later. 

"The authenticity and the legality of the e-mail will have to be checked out" before being formally accepted, Yapa told AFP, adding a formal announcement was expected on Friday. 

Rajapaksa would be the first president to resign since Sri Lanka adopted a presidential system of government in 1978.

Under Sri Lanka's constitution, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe -- whose resignation is also being demanded by protesters -- would automatically become acting president until parliament can appoint a successor.

The Sri Lankan parliament will hold a presidential election on July 20 and appoint a caretaker government, which will remain in power until the next general election.

Rajapaksa, his wife Ioma, and their two bodyguards arrived in Singapore from Male on board a Saudia airline flight.

Singapore's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Rajapaksa had been allowed to enter the country for a "private visit", adding that "He has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted any asylum."

Related News

Maldives’ Muizzu sets world record with 15-hour presser

Maldives bans Israeli passport holders in protest against war on Gaza

According to Sri Lankan security forces, Rajapaksa is expected to look to stay in Singapore for some time, before potentially moving to the United Arab Emirates.

Protesters hand back official buildings

In Colombo, demonstrators left several of the emblematic state buildings they had overrun in recent days after Wickremesinghe instructed security forces to restore order and declared a state of emergency.

"We are peacefully withdrawing from the Presidential Palace, the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister's Office with immediate effect, but will continue our struggle," a spokesperson for the protesters said.

Police said a soldier and a constable were injured in overnight clashes with protesters outside the national parliament as security forces failed an attempt to storm the legislature.

The main hospital in Colombo said that about 85 people were admitted with injuries on Wednesday, with one man suffocating to death after being tear-gassed at the premier's office.

The military and the police were issued with orders Thursday to firmly put down any violence and warned troublemakers they were "legitimately empowered to exercise their force."

Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51-billion foreign debt

Rajapaksa is accused of mismanaging the economy to a point where the country has run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports, leading to severe hardships for its 22 million people, with four out of five Sri Lankans skipping meals.

Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51-billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF for a possible bailout.

The island has nearly exhausted its already scarce supplies of petrol with the government ordering the closure of non-essential offices and schools to reduce commuting and save fuel.

Diplomatic sources said Rajapaksa's attempts to secure a visa to the United States had been turned down because he had renounced his US citizenship in 2019 before running for president.

  • Maldives
  • Gotabaya Rajapaksa
  • Ranil Wickremesinghe
  • Asia
  • Sri Lanka
  • Singapore
  • colombo

Most Read

Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam meets with US envoy Morgan Ortagus in Beirut on April 5, 2025 (Dalati Nohra via AP)AP)

Morgan Ortagus to exit US role in Lebanon amid policy shift

  • Politics
  • 1 Jun 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025
It may well be due to the longstanding relationship between MI6 and HTS, via Inter Mediate, that Britain was the first Western country to recognise their assumption of government in Syria. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

How MI6 helped HTS seize Syria

  • Opinion
  • 31 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Army commanders tour the operations sectors of the Iraqi army Seventh Brigade, in Anbar, Iraq, Sunday, December 29, 2019 (AP)
Politics

Kataib Hezbollah warns US forces against postponing Iraq withdrawal

(@rafaelmgrossi)
Politics

Egypt urges 'Israel' to join NPT, citing regional nuclear imbalance

AP
Politics

US deal proposal allows Iran to enrich Uranium to Low-Level: Reports

screengrab
Politics

Former Biden spox. Matthew Miller says 'Israel' committed war crimes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS