Sri Lankan PM takes over powers of president

COLOMBO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said on Wednesday that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to perform and discharge the powers and duties of the president.

Rajapaksa has appointed Wickremesinghe in accordance with the constitution, as Rajapaksa was away from the country, the speaker said in a statement.