Sri Lanka's new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, named Harini Amarasuriya, a college professor and first-time lawmaker, as the new prime minister of the Indian Ocean island nation on Tuesday, making her the third woman to be appointed to the post.

Dissanayake’s win dealt a blow to a political old guard that has been widely blamed for the unprecedented economic crisis that hit the South Asian island nation two years ago.

Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the country doesn't want to be sandwiched, especially between China and India, signaling a bold stance on his foreign policy. As Sri Lanka navigates its place in an increasingly multipolar world,