Sri Lanka Crisis Live Updates: Lankan President Asks Opposition To Join Government

Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: The South Asian nation is facing severe shortages of food, fuel and other essentials -- along with record inflation and crippling power cuts

Sri Lanka Crisis: Sri Lanka is negotiating with the IMF for a bailout.

New Delhi:

A new Sri Lankan Cabinet is expected to be sworn in on Monday as part of the government's bid to tackle the raging public anger against the ongoing economic hardships.

Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has invited the opposition to join a unity government as protests demanding his resignation spread across the island.

The South Asian nation is facing severe shortages of food, fuel and other essentials -- along with record inflation and crippling power cuts -- in its most painful downturn since independence from Britain in 1948.

President Rajapaksa declared a nationwide state of emergency late on Friday, in the face of growing public unrest. He said the decision was taken in the interests of public security, the protection of public order, and to ensure the maintenance of supplies and essential services.