Sri Lanka's PM appointed President, calls state of emergency as Rajapaksa flees to Maldives: Key developments

Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Wednesday after the president fled overseas to escape anti-government protests, as thousands of people took to the streets, again furious that he had not yet stood down. Here are the 10 key developments as Sri Lanka continues to battle its economic crisis:

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the military and police "to do what is necessary to restore order", he said in a televised statement Wednesday after protesters stormed his office. The demonstrators "want to stop me from discharging my responsibilities as acting president", he added. "We can't allow fascists to take over."

US Embassy in Sri Lanka on Wednesday cancelled its all consular services for today and tomorrow amid fresh protests. "Out of an abundance of caution, Consular is canceling our Wednesday afternoon services (American citizen services and NIV passback) as well as all consular services on Thursday. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reschedule all cancelled appointments," tweeted US Embassy in Sri Lanka.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who left for Maldives early Wednesday morning will leave for Singapore later in the day, sources in Maldives told Daily Mirror. Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka on a military jet reportedly accompanied by his wife, days after thousands of protestors entered his residence.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed to be acting president as incumbent Gotabaya Rajapaksa was overseas, the parliamentary Speaker announced Wednesday as thousands of protesters demanded both men step down. "Because of his absence from the country, President Rajapaksa told me that he has appointed the prime minister to act as the president in line with the constitution," Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said in a brief televised statement.

Sri Lanka's state broadcaster Rupavahini went off air after being seized by protesters amid widening unrest that led President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the bankrupt country early Wednesday. At about 1:02 p.m. in Colombo - shortly after the protester-imposed deadline lapsed for Rajapaksa to submit his resignation - Rupavahini telecast images of one of its anchors introducing two protesters, shortly after which the channel played the national anthem and went off air.

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka declared a nationwide state of emergency on Wednesday, hours after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, the Prime Minister's office said. Maldivians and Sri Lankan expatriates are protesting near Maldives President Ibrahim Solih's house urging the authorities to send ousted Gotabaya Rajapaksa out from their country's soil, the Head of the Maldivian TV channel said.

Thousands of anti-government protesters stormed into Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office Wednesday, hours after he was named as acting president, witnesses said. Men and women breached military defences and entered the premier's office to raise national flags, witnesses told AFP after police and troops failed to hold back crowds despite firing tear gas and water cannon.

Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards left aboard a Sri Lankan Air Force plane, the air force said in a statement. A government source and a person close to Rajapaksa said he was in Male, the capital of the Maldives. On arrival in the Maldives, they were driven to an undisclosed location under police escort, an airport official in the capital Male said. The president would most likely proceed to another Asian country from there, the government source said.

His brother and former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa, who also holds US citizenship, also left the country and is likely to be heading to the US, according to the BBC. He resigned as finance minister in early April amid heavy street protests and quit his seat in parliament in June.

Government sources and aides earlier said the president's brother, former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was still in Sri Lanka.

Sources close to Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the speaker of Sri Lanka's parliament, said he was yet to receive any communication from Rajapaksa. The source close to Rajapaksa said he would send in a letter of resignation later on Wednesday.

That would make Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe the acting president, although he has also offered to resign. If he does, the speaker will be the acting president until a new president is elected, as per the constitution.

A group organizing the protests have demanded for Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down before 1pm local time Wednesday. Protesters have circulated messages on social media calling on people to gather at the presidential office to force the leaders to resign before the deadline.

The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka has dismissed "baseless" and "speculative" media reports that said that India has facilitated President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's exit from the country. "High Commission categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel of @gotabayar @Realbrajapaksa out of Sri Lanka," the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted. "It is reiterated that India will continue to support the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realize their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values, established democratic institutions and constitutional framework," it added.

International Monetary Fund representatives plan to continue technical discussions with the finance ministry and the central bank to discuss a bailout package for the island nation.

Investors are shifting their focus to Sri Lanka's bilateral creditors as the resignations of Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe dim prospects for rapid aid from the International Monetary Fund. Global asset managers predict delays in loan disbursements, with Citigroup Inc. economists forecasting payouts not before early 2023.

Sri Lanka's dollar bonds due 2030 rose for the first time in 13 days on Wednesday, with the debt indicated 1 cent higher at 25.764 cents on the dollar.