Aljazeera says the President has declared a state of emergency in the crisis-ridden island nation in an effort to head off unrest ahead of a vote in parliament later this week to elect a new president.

Aljazeera news says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has submitted a letter of resignation to the speaker of Sri Lanka’s parliament, a spokesperson for the speaker said, hours after he fled to Singapore.

Aljazeera LIVE says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had repeatedly assured the speaker of parliament that he would step down on Wednesday.

Aljazeera says Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled the country, hours before his promised resignation amid widespread protests over his handling of the country’s worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.

Aljazeera says Japanese have turned out in their hundreds to bid farewell to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who died after being shot at a campaign rally last week.

Sri Lanka President to resign amid protests and a storming of the official residence of the PM and president over the economic crisis.