Political stalwart Ranil Wickremesinghe became Sri Lanka's president on Wednesday, securing votes from 134 of 225 parliamentarians, despite his United National Party holding only one seat in the chamber.
His election was a blow for many protesters at the secretariat and adjoining protest camp in the commercial capital Colombo, which has been the epicentre of nationwide demonstrations which ousted his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Here's what you need to know about him.
Who is Ranil Wickremesinghe?
Mr Wickremesinghe is no stranger to Sri Lankan politics. A lawyer by profession, he was first elected to the country's parliament in 1977.
His constant reappearance on the political scene, despite multiple failures to be elected president, has led him being called the “eighth wonder of the world" by his fellow Sri Lankans.
Mr Wickremesinghe was born into one of the country's most influential families on March 24, 1949. His uncle, Junius Jayewardene, served as the Indian Ocean island's president for 12 years until 1989.
Jayewardene, who died in 1996, was the original architect of his nephew's entry into politics. He appointed Mr Wickremesinghe to his first ministerial post in 1978, making the 29-year-old at the time the country's youngest Cabinet minister.
In 1994, following assassinations that wiped out several of his senior colleagues, Mr Wickremesinghe became leader of the UNP.
His experience in senior government positions, and a reputation as a shrewd operator, should count in his favour as he seeks a way out of Sri Lanka 's devastating economic crisis.
How many times has he served as Sri Lanka's prime minister?
The 73-year-old has served as prime minister of Sri Lanka six times between 1993 and today.
Speaking about his political survivalism in 2014, he said "politics is more than chess."
"It's teamwork like cricket. It is how you must have the stamina for a marathon. It's a hard game like rugger (rugby) and it is a blood sport like boxing."
His most recent spell on the merry-go-round of senior political positions began in May, when he took over as prime minister for the sixth time after the former president's elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, quit the position following clashes between pro and anti-government protesters that triggered a deadly wave of violence.
Since then, Mr Wickremesinghe has been involved in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a potential bailout package of up to $3 billion, besides working on an interim budget to slash government expenditure.
Has he served as president before?
Despite two attempts in 1999 and 2005, Mr Wickremesinghe managed to ascend to the presidency only this week. Both of those losses were humiliating, leaving him as the only MP for his UNP party in parliament.
Mr Wickremesinghe became acting president last week after Rajapaksa fled on a military plane to the Maldives and then took a commercial flight to Singapore.
He will now complete his predecessor's term until 2024, after beating ruling party lawmaker Dullas Alahapperuma and a third candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka.
Speaking to lawmakers in parliament after his victory, Mr Wickremesinghe urged opposition leaders to work together with his administration, which faces the task of pulling Sri Lanka out of its worst economic crisis in seven decades.
"Our country is facing massive challenges and we have to work on a new strategy to fulfil the aspirations of the people," he said.
Who is his wife?
English lecturer Maithree Wickremesinghe, 57, is now the first lady of Sri Lanka. The academic graduated from King's College London and completed her masters in Women's Studies at the University of Colombo. She later attained a PhD from the Institute of Education at the University of London.
She married her husband in 1995. The couple have no children.
What does Mr Wickremesinghe's election mean for Sri Lanka?
Whether his election will solve Sri Lanka's crushing economic downturn remains to be seen, and his candidacy was criticised by protesters who ousted his predecessor Mr Rajapaksa.
But his political expertise may mean he can enact real change. Mr Wickremesinghe has recently negotiated with the IMF, and enjoys a working relationship with vital donor countries including India.
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets earlier this month to vent their fury at soaring inflation, shortages of fuel and other vital goods, regular power cuts and what they see as corruption among the ruling elite.
While the focus of their ire was Rajapaksa, a member of the country's most powerful political dynasty before the crisis who fled the country for Singapore, they also demanded that Mr Wickremesinghe stand down — something he refused to do.
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The five pillars of Islam
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The biog
Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.
Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.
Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.
Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
Favourite food: Dim sum
Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.
SPECS
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5