Sri Lanka Crisis LIVE Updates: Gotabaya Rajapaksa waits for private jet to depart from Maldives for Singapore

Sri Lankans waited for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday, a day after he fled to the Maldives to escape a popular uprising against an economic crisis blamed on his government's mismanagement.

In order to tackle the ongoing political crisis in Sri Lanka, leaders of political parties met and decided that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should resign immediately to resolve the current situation in the country.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled to Maldives on Wednesday followed by an uprising triggered due to the economic collapse of the island nation, is now waiting to travel further to Singapore.

India strongly denied reports that it had facilitated president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s escape to the Maldives and reiterated support for the Sri Lankan people. The denial followed media reports and speculation in political circles in Sri Lanka that India might have used its close links with the Maldivian government to provide a safe exit to the president.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives on a military jet with his wife and two bodyguards on Wednesday, driven out after an economic collapse unleashed a popular uprising that appeared to end his family’s near two-decade dominance of the country. Read full story

The Swiss government advised travellers on Wednesday to avoid unnecessary trips to Sri Lanka given the country's political turmoil. "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, noting the country's declared state of emergency.

On Monday (11th) Sri Lankan PM held a meeting with the Members of the Cabinet. All ministers who participated were of the opinion that as soon as there is an agreement to form an all-party govt, they'll hand over the responsibilities to that govt. Accordingly, the ruling party & opposition must form an all-party government. Acting President & PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to nominate a Prime Minister who is acceptable to both the Government & Opposition: Sri Lanka's PM's Media Division

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was expected to head to Singapore after fleeing to the Maldives in the early hours of Wednesday, a government source in Sri Lanka told Reuters, as protests continued in Colombo. The source, who declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the subject, said Rajapaksa could send his resignation to the speaker of Sri Lankan parliament after landing in Singapore.

Sri Lanka's acting president and prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has asked the speaker of parliament to nominate a new prime minister, his media team said on Wednesday after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country."Acting President and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to nominate a prime minister who is acceptable to both the government and opposition," the team said in a statement.

Sri Lankans residing in the Maldives staged a protest on Wednesday against ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.They demanded that Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is currently at a resort in the Maldives, be sent back to Sri Lanka, reported Newswire.Video footage shared by a social media user shows Sri Lankans staging a protest in the Maldives' capital, Male.The protesters are seen holding the Sri Lankan national flag and placards with anti-government slogans.

Sri Lanka's ruling party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna on Wednesday called upon acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the country's armed forces to maintain law and order and appealed to the protesters not to vandalise state or private property. “Violent behaviour of unruly groups must be taken into serious consideration. In doing so, we pledge our fullest support to these efforts,” Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said in a statement.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Acting President in accordance with the Article 37.1 of the Constitution, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhane said today.He said in a special statement that the President informed him that the Prime Minister was appointed as the Acting President as he was away from the country, the Daily Mirror reported

A 26-year-old protestor who was hospitalized after being tear-gassed outside the Prime Minister's Office in Flower Road today has died after developing breathing difficulties. The protestor was receiving treatment in a private hospital in Colombo: Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror