Sri Lankan crisis: New President to be appointed on July 20

Sri Lankan Parliament, on Friday, announced that the new President will be elected through Parliament voting held on July 20 as previously decided by the party leaders. The statement comes after the conclusion of the party leaders meeting that convened at 10 am.

The Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, confirmed Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation was accepted. He told reporters by saying, "Yes, the resignation has been accepted, legal process will follow..."

He said that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will continue as acting president until a new president is elected.

Saudi plane ferries Gotabaya Rajapaksa to Singapore

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was allowed to enter Singapore on Thursday on a "private visit," a day after he landed in the Maldives after fleeing from Colombo. Interestingly, he arrived in a Saudi Airlines flight. He has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted any, a Singapore spokesperson said, adding that they generally do not entertain such requests.

Rajapaksa, who enjoys immunity from prosecution while he is president, fled without resigning to avoid the possibility of being arrested by the new government. Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday informed Rajapaksa that he should submit his resignation letter at the earliest, or else he will consider removing him from office.