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Angry Sri Lankans wait for president to resign

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Resignation letter of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has repeatedly assured he will step down amid massive protests, has not arrived yet, officials say as Sri Lankans woke up to confusion and calm in the capital Colombo.

Sri Lankans have waited for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a day after he fled to the Maldives to escape a popular uprising against an economic crisis blamed on his government’s mismanagement.

Rajapaksa was expected on Thursday to next head to Singapore though his final destination was not clear.

His decision on Wednesday to make his ally Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe the acting president triggered more protests, with demonstrators storming the premier’s office demanding that he quit too.

Rajapaksa had repeatedly assured the speaker of parliament that he would step down on Wednesday, but his resignation letter had not arrived as of early on Thursday, said an aide to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The main hospital in Colombo said about 85 people were admitted with injuries on Wednesday, with one man suffocating and dying after a tear gas attack at the premier’s office.

An overnight curfew imposed by the acting president ended early on Thursday with no arrests, police said.

READ MORE: What’s next for crisis-ridden Sri Lanka?

Protesters in talks to end occupation

Meanwhile, the country’s anti-government demonstrators were in talks on Thursday to hand back official buildings they seized, protest representatives said.

A top Buddhist monk supporting the campaign called for the more than 200-years-old presidential palace to be handed back to authorities and ensure its valuable art and artefacts were preserved.

“This building is a national treasure and it should be protected,” monk Omalpe Sobitha told reporters. “There must be a proper audit and the property given back to the state.”

“There is a move to return the buildings back to the authorities,” an activist involved in the #GotaGoHome campaign said.

Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards left the main international airport near Colombo on an air force plane early on Wednesday. Maldives media said he was now waiting for a private jet to fly to Singapore.

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.

Sri Lanka’s parliament is expected to name a new full-time president next week, and a top ruling party source said that Wickremesinghe was the party’s first choice, although no decision had been taken.

Protests against Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948 simmered for months and came to a head last weekend when hundreds of thousands of people took over government buildings in Colombo, blaming the Rajapaksas and their allies for the turmoil.

READ MORE: ‘Change the system’: How Sri Lankans descended on capital to protest

Source: TRTWorld

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Fourth meeting of High-Level Core Group on withdrawal of Indian troops held in Delhi

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The fourth meeting of the High-level Core Group between the Maldives and India took place in Indian capital New Delhi on Friday.

Maldivian Foreign Ministry said both sides reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation between nations during Friday’s meeting while discussions were also held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including development and defense cooperation.

Additionally, the Foreign Ministry said it was reiterated that the Indian government will replace military personnel at the last of the three aviation platforms by May 10th, adding both sides expressed satisfaction with the fact that all the logistical arrangements are going ahead as per schedule.

Both sides also agreed that the fifth meeting of the High-Level core Group will be held in Male’ on a mutually agreeable date in June or July.

The High-Level Core Group was formed following a meeting between Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of COP28.

Source(s): sun.mv

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Minister of Islamic Affairs to attend the OIC Summit as the President’s Special Envoy

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The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, will attend the 15th session of the Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which begins tomorrow, as President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s Special Envoy.

The Minister of Islamic Affairs is scheduled to address the 15th session of the Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as the President’s Special Envoy, which begins tomorrow, at Banjul, The Gambia. His address will be broadcast on television.

The Islamic Summit of the OIC, held once every three years, brings the leaders of the Islamic nations together to deliberate, take policy decisions, and provide guidance on issues pertaining to the Ummah as outlined in the OIC Charter.

The 15th Session of the Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will take place in Banjul, The Gambia, from May 4–5, 2024, under the theme “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development.”

Source(s): Presidents Office

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Vice President pledges govt’ support for journalists welfare

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Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has emphasised President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration’s steadfast commitment to supporting journalists, addressing their needs and aspirations.

In an interview with PSM news on its 7th anniversary and in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, Vice President Hussain Mohamed highlighted the administration’s awareness of the challenges faced by journalists, noting President Muizzu’s proactive engagement with them upon assuming office.

Furthermore, Vice President stressed the importance of public trust in the current administration’s ability to effectively address journalists’ concerns, particularly on World Press Freedom Day. He further reiterated that while journalism may not be explicitly delineated in the constitution, it serves as the country’s “fourth power” and urged responsible reporting avoiding misleading information, anticipating positive societal changes with these efforts.

In support of journalist’s financial independence, Vice President confirmed the formulation of a policy allocating a specific percentage of the state budget to them and the resolution of land plots for establishing a special media village.

Additionally, Vice President met with PSM news employees.

Source(s): PsmNews

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