Pakistani lawmakers start voting on next president

Lawmakers have started voting in Pakistan's presidential election, a race where the favorite by far is the scandal-tainted pro-US widower of slain ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. If elected, Asif Ali Zardari could become one of the most powerful civilian leaders in Pakistan's 61-year history. As the head of Pakistan's main ruling party, Zardari marshaled a coalition that, using the threat of impeachment, forced longtime US ally Pervez Musharraf to quit last month as head of state. The election comes as Pakistan's economy is crumbling and it faces rising violence by militants. Zardari has vowed to support the US-led war on terrorism and also reduce the powers of the president.