Sri Lanka Crisis: Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation as president to be announced at 7:30am local time, says speaker's office

The International Monetary Fund is still in contact with officials at technical levels within the Sri Lankan government and hopes to be able to resume discussions with higher-level officials, an IMF spokesman said on Thursday, after Sri Lanka's president announced his resignation."We hope for a resolution of the current situation that would allow for our resumption of a dialogue on an IMF-supported program," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in a scheduled press briefing. He said any new loan program for Sri Lanka would require adequate assurances on debt sustainability.

All Sri Lankan government buildings have been vacated except for President's Secretariat, Danish Ali, a Sri Lankan protester said, adding that they held the protests peacefully and the ones who damaged the properties belonged to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's original resignation letter has been received by the country's parliamentary speaker, his office said in a statement on Thursday, after it was flown from Singapore, where the leader fled to.The speaker's office said it will verify the authenticity of the letter, complete all legal processes and make an official announcement about Rajapaksa's resignation on Friday.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's original resignation letter will be flown into Colombo from Singapore as soon as possible, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.Rajapaksa earlier emailed his resignation to the speaker of Sri Lanka's parliament, two government sources said, after he fled to Singapore following mass protests over his country's economic meltdown.The speaker wants to see the original before formally announcing the president's resignation, the first source said.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday informed Rajapaksa that he should submit his letter of resignation as soon as possible or else he will consider other options to remove him from the office.

Sri Lanka's Parliament will not convene on Friday as Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is yet to receive President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation letter, the Speaker's Office said on Thursday.The next date for the meeting will be announced within the next three days if President Rajapaksa's resignation letter is received by the Speaker today, the Speaker's Office said.On Monday, Abeywardena had announced that Parliament will elect the new Sri Lankan President on July 20 following Rajapaksa's resignation on July 13. But Rajapaksa, 73, appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the acting President hours after he fled the country without resigning as previously announced.Abeywardena on Thursday informed Rajapaksa that he should submit his letter of resignation as soon as possible or else he will consider other options to remove him from the office.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday stepped down as Sri Lanka president via an email, sent from Singapore, to the parliament speaker. A source in the speaker's office said that Rajapaksa's resignation will be announced after the constitutionally mandated process is completed. Faced with a popular revolt, Rajapaksa had vowed to step down by Wednesday (July 13) itself, but had not done so.

Sri Lanka's Parliament Speaker Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday said that he is yet to receive the resignation letter from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Gotabaya Rajapaksa had gone into hiding after crowds of protesters stormed his residence on July 9 and he had announced that he will hand over his resignation letter on Wednesday.Later, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa along with his wife escaped to the Maldives.

In response to media queries, it is confirmed that Mr Rajapaksa has been allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit. He has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted any asylum. Singapore generally does not grant requests for asylum- Ministry of foreign affairs, Singapore

Singapore's foreign ministry said on Thursday Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had been allowed to enter the city-state on a private visit.It said he has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted asylum.

A plane carrying Sri Lanka's president arrived in Singapore from the Maldives Thursday, according to AFP reporters, a day after he escaped to the atoll nation.Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his wife Ioma and their two bodyguards were on board the Saudia airline plane, an airport official earlier told AFP.The aircraft landed at Singapore's Changi Airport at 7:17 pm (1117 GMT), according to AFP journalists on site.

Former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa, both brothers of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, informed the Supreme Court through their lawyer that they would remain in the country until at least Friday, in response to a petition filed by anti-corruption body Transparency International seeking action "against persons responsible for the current economic crisis. A bench is scheduled to hear on Friday the petition against the two members of the erstwhile powerful Rajapaksa family, the Daily Mirror Lanka website reported.

Sri Lanka's main city, Colombo, was calm on Thursday as people waited for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, although a curfew was imposed and troops patrolled the streets to prevent any outbreak of violence. The usual protest sites were calm and organisers started handing the residences back to the government.

Sri Lanka Army deployed tanks near Parliament on Thursday to prevent protesters from entering the Parliament.

Sri Lankan soldiers are now authorised to use necessary force to prevent destruction of property and life, a statement released by the Army on Thursday said.

Sources have refuted media reports of onward travel to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Rajapaksa and his wife will remain in Singapore, they said

Gotabaya and his wife will arrive in Singapore by 7pm on Thursday.