The Prime Minister of the All-Party Government will be announced before 10 am tomorrow (15), said Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Harsha De Silva, on his Twitter handle.

The Opposition MP’s comments come in as the post of Prime Minister is vacant and Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe who is serving as the acting President infromed the Speaker to appoint a new Prime Minister for an all-party government. The SJB, accordingly, has decided to nominate a Prime Minister candidate.

MP Silva further noted that opposition parties will discuss with various parties and groups in government to collect such a consensus, and the SJB, therefore, has decided to appoint the PM in consultation with and agreement of all the stakeholders.

MIAP

Parliament will not be convened tomorrow (15) as announced earlier, said Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The Speaker added that Parliament will be convened within three days of receiving the President’s Letter of Resignation.

MIAP

Flight SV 788 carrying President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his entourage has landed on Changi International Airport in Singapre.

Rajapaksa fled to Singapore from Male, Maldives, with the intention of moving to Saudi Arabia. International reports claim that the Sri Lankan President will travel to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia by another plane.

With the community uprising and the anti-government protests in Sri Lanka and worldwide, SV 788 became the most watched flight in the world.

MIAP

Galleface protesters as promised this morning (14) left the President’s House which they had acquired on July 09 in a historic move by handing it over to the authorities.

The anti-government protesters also cleaned the premises before their departure and a very fierce public address was made by Wasantha Mudalige, convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), which was a frontline group in the struggle against the corrupt regime, stating that the struggle has so far managed to force President Rajapaksa out of the country and make him vulnerable in the face of the world and that they are ready to make the rulers kneel once again should the government not heed the voice of the people.

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Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa have informed the Supreme Court that they will not leave the island, reports said. The two have informed this via their lawyers.

The petitions filed against the Rajapaksa brothers including Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa demanding an investigation into their alleged liability to the crisis befallen the country were taken up for hearing before a five-member Supreme Court bench today (14).

A motion demanding a travel ban on the respondents of the petition had also made its way into the Supreme Court and was taken up for consideration today.

Former Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle has also informed the Court via his lawyers that he will not leave the country until tomorrow.

MIAP

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country early yesterday morning (13) and landed on Maldives and wished to leave for the State of Dubai, but the Dubai authorities had rejected the Sri Lankan President’s request due to the risk of protests arising from a large number of Sri Lankans living in the UAE emirate.

Upon being denied, Rajapaksa had wished to leave for Singapore, but a considerable time had passed to negotiate to obtain the necessary approval.

Should a person be denied at entry to a certain state by the Immigration and Emigration Department, he or she is deported to the country of citizenship, according to immigration laws. Had Gotabaya Rajapaksa faced the same situation upon any decision to resign from the presidency, he could have been forced to return to Sri Lanka as an ordinary citizen. But he would be able to return to his homeland with immunity and privileges enjoyed as a Head of State, had he not resigned from the post.

It is in this legal and technical backdrop was Rajapaksa’s resignation deliberately delayed, according to sources.

Accordingly, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is believed to be announcing his resignation upon stability in the country Singapore.

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Ranil Wickremesinghe will be sworn in as the acting President this (14) afternoon, sources said.

Wickremesinghe’s swearing in was supposed to be taken place yesterday, but the matter was postponed due to the prevailing circumstances.

The swearing can be taken place before any Supreme Court justice.

MIAP

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was in Maldives since yesterday has left for Singapore on a special Saudi flight a short while ago, sources said.

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The galleface protesters have decided to leave the government buildings acquired by them after 97 days of continuous demonstrations against the President and the corrupt regime, stating that the move will be made in order to protect public order.

Accordingly, the President’s House, the Presidential Secretariat, the Prime Minister’s Office and Temple Trees will be handed over to the authorities, revealed Fr. Jeevantha Peiris calling in a briefing today (14) on behalf of the protesters.

Fr. Peiris noted that the President of Sri Lanka is so devastated today that he has received the appropriate punishment for the unjust he has done to the people of Sri Lanka, adding that their second demand would be the stepping down of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

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Curfew will be imposed to the Colombo District from 12 pm noon today (14), Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe concluded.

The curfew will stand in effect till 5 am tomorrow.

A gazette has also been issued in this regard.

MIAP