A look at the top updates on the Sri Lanka crisis:

  1. In his resignation letter, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that he took all possible steps to avert the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, NDTV reported. “It is my personal belief that I took all possible steps to address this crisis, including inviting parliamentarians to form an all-party or unity government,” he said. Rajapaksa had resigned on July 14.
  2. The Sri Lanka Parliament on Saturday met briefly to announce the vacancy for the post of president following Rajapaksa’s resignation, PTI reported. During the 13-minute special session, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake also read the resignation letter sent by the former president.   
  3. Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa on Friday announced his candidature for the presidential elections scheduled for next week. In an interview with the Associated Press, Premadasa said that if he wins the election, he would ensure that an elective dictatorship never occurs in Sri Lanka. “We have to make sure that we establish structures which promote transparent, accountable and responsible government,” Premadasa said.
  4.  The United Nations has urged all stakeholders in Sri Lanka to ensure a peaceful transition of power. The global body also urged them to ensure that the root cause of the current instability and grievances of the citizens are addressed. “The United Nations stands ready to provide support to the government and people of Sri Lanka to address both immediate and long-term needs,” said Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.
  5. Protests continued in Colombo against the Sri Lankan government even as Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took over as the interim president on Friday, The Indian Express reported. Meanwhile, the government introduced a “National Fuel Pass” to ensure a weekly fuel quota for motorists, according to NewsWire.
  6. India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, on Saturday met the country’s Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. At the meeting, Baglay appreciated the role of the Sri Lankan Parliament in upholding democracy and constitutional framework amid the ongoing political and economic crisis in the country, the High Commission said.
  7. Wickremesinghe said he has decided to implement an urgent relief programme to provide fuel and essential food items to the public, ANI reported. He also said that additional money will be used for this from a relief budget that will be presented in Parliament in August.