INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Sri Lanka announced plans Tuesday to elect new government leaders as protesters have pledged to occupy the homes of its president and prime
minister until they officially resign.Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced in a statement that parliament will be called into session
on Friday with nominees selected by July 19 in advance of a vote for a new president on July 20, UPI reported.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
announced on Saturday that he and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe planned to step down amid protests over their handling of an economic
crisis that left millions of residents struggling to afford essentials including food, medicine and fuel.Rajapaksa is expected to resign on
Wednesday and officially informed Wickremesinghe that he &will be resigning as previously announced& Monday morning
Wickremesinghe has not announced his departure date.Opposition leaders met Sunday to discuss forming an all-party government after Rajapaksa
and Wickremesinghe resign with Abeywardena set to serve as president in the interim per Sri Lanka&s Constitution.Wickremesinghe&s office
announced Monday that he held a discussion with the cabinet in which all the ministers agreed to step down when the all-party government is
formed, UPI reported.Tens of thousands of protesters gathered outside of Rajapaksa&s office and residence before breaking past security with
photos showing demonstrators swimming in the president&s private pool and setting up barbecue pits to grill and cook food over the
weekend.Sri Lankan Armed Forces placed Rajapaksa on a naval vessel, currently located at sea near Colombo in the nation&s territorial
waters, before protesters made their way inside, CNN reported.Wickremesinghe&s office also said that the prime minister was safe, without
providing further details Monday.The post Sri Lanka parliament preparing for July 20 presidential election first appeared on Ariana News.
