President GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA of Sri Lanka has resigned after massive protests over economic crisis which erupted last week. 

Speaker of the Sri Lanka parliament, MAHINDA YAPA ABEYWARDANA, who made the announcement during plenary, said the parliament would convene on Saturday to commence the process of electing a new president which is expected to be completed within 7 days.

In the meantime, Prime Minister RANI WICKREMESINGHE has been sworn in as acting president, pending the time a substantive president is elected over the weekend, replacing GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA who fled the country following months of protest against him. 

 WICKREMESINGHE, 73, took his oath of office before Justice JAYANTHA JAYASUIYA today. 

Sri Lanka crisis led the country running short of money to pay for imports of basic necessities, including food, fuel to the despair of its 22 million and RAJAPAKSA fleeing the country with members of his family.