In the wake of intensifying anti-government protests in Sri Lanka, a nationwide curfew was imposed until Thursday morning.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the crisis-hit country's Acting President, asked parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to nominate a new premier “who is acceptable to both the government and opposition”.
Click here for LIVE updates on Sri Lanka crisis
Wickremesinghe was given the top job by embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled to Maldives early on Wednesday and is now headed to Singapore. Rajapaksa has been facing protests for months over the economic mismanagement which led to severe shortages of food, fuel and other essentials.
Here are the latest updates:
> Hundreds of protestors broke the first line of barricades set up outside parliament while forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. According to latest reports from Sri Lanka's Newswire, police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse protestors near Speaker's residence close to Parliament.
> A 26-year-old man died during the protests outside Wickremesinghe's office in Colombo on Wednesday. The man died after developing breathing difficulties when security personnel opened tear gas to control the situation.
{{/usCountry}}> A 26-year-old man died during the protests outside Wickremesinghe's office in Colombo on Wednesday. The man died after developing breathing difficulties when security personnel opened tear gas to control the situation.
{{/usCountry}}> Demonstrators stormed into Wickremesinghe's office, hours after he was named as Acting President. Men and women holding national flags breached military defences and entered the premier's office as police and troops failed to hold back the crowd despite firing tear gas and water cannons.
Also Read| 'Must end fascist threat to democracy': Lanka PM as protests reach his office
> President Gotabaya Rajapaksa faced protests in the Maldives as he arrived at the Velana International Airport on a military aircraft. In the capital city of Male, Sri Lankans working in the country held a banner which read, “Dear Maldivian friends, please urge your government not to safeguard criminals.”
> Amid the violent stir in Sri Lanka, strategic affairs experts have warned that any military or police crackdown could further worsen the overall atmosphere.
> General Shavendra Silva, the country's chief of defence staff, requested all citizens to give their support to the armed forces to maintain law and order in the crisis-ridden country.
> The Swiss government advised travellers on Wednesday to avoid unnecessary trips to Sri Lanka. "Tourist and other non-urgent travel to Sri Lanka is discouraged (except for air transit via Colombo International Airport)," the Swiss foreign ministry posted on its website.
(With agency inputs)