Top Asian News 1:33 a.m. GMT

Sri Lankans vote in a presidential election that will decide how it recovers from economic crisis

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankans began voting Saturday in a presidential election that will determine the course of the country's recovery from its worst economic crisis and resulting political upheaval. The election, contested by 38 candidates, is largely a three-way race among incumbent liberal President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Marxist-leaning lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. There are 17 million eligible voters, and final results are expected Sunday. The results will show whether Sri Lankans approve of Wickremesinghe's leadership over the country's fragile recovery, including restructuring its debt under an International Monetary Fund program after it defaulted in 2022.