Sri Lanka's President leaves Maldives for Singapore as curfew announced in Colombo

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves the Maldives on plane headed to Singapore as the Sri Lankan government announces a curfew in Colombo, where protesters furious over the country's economic collapse have been demonstrating.

Since Sri Lankan presidents are protected from arrest while in power it is likely Mr Rajapaksa planned his departure while he still had constitutional immunity and access to a military jet.

Protesters took turns posing at the Prime Minister's desk or stood on a rooftop terrace waving the Sri Lankan flag.

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