Sri Lanka's political drama might have come to an end, but the divisive power struggle at its core is far from resolved. President Maithripala Sirisena's decision in October to sack his prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and appoint the former political strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his stead, plunged the country into chaos. And as parliament descended into mayhem, with two men simultaneously claiming legitimacy, fears grew of a return to the sectarian violence that killed thousands between 1983 and 2009. It was, after all, Mr Rajapaksa who brought Sri Lanka's war to an end in brutal fashion. Fortunately, those fears were never realised. Left humiliated after failing to form a parliamentary majority, being barred from using state funds, suffering defeat in a no-confidence vote and being blocked from calling a general election by Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, Mr Rajapaksa resigned on Saturday and, in turn, Mr Wickremesinghe was reinstated.
It is almost a decade since Sri Lanka last attracted global attention, but the nation's politicians should tread carefully and the international community would be wise to keep an eye on Colombo, too. The charismatic and ruthless Mr Rajapaksa, who remains popular among Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese population, insinuated that he would mobilise the public against Mr Wickremesinghe and make a comeback in local council elections. “We will bring the forces opposed to the country down to their knees,” he declared in a bitter resignation statement. It is reasonable to expect that Mr Rajapaksa will hold even more sway over his supporters as an aggrieved outsider than he would in the prime minister’s residence. Meanwhile, Mr Sirisena still holds a grudge against Mr Wickremsinghe, whom he accuses of handling an alleged plot to assassinate him with indifference. Mr Sisrena’s accusations are unconvincing, but in Sri Lanka’s febrile atmosphere, that is not really the point.
Colombo is lurching towards economic ruin as it buckles under the weight of enormous debt, owed mostly to China, with whom Mr Rajapaksa has strong ties. The government will shut down by January unless a temporary budget is swiftly approved by a bitterly divided parliament. The political elite must now set aside self-regard and unite to bring stability and growth. Because despite its reputation as a lush tourist destination, the scars of Sri Lanka’s war run deep. And the great triumphs of the past decade are at risk of falling apart.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The%20stats%20and%20facts
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Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
Company%20profile
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Company%20Profile
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Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final, second leg (first-leg score):
Manchester City (0) v Tottenham Hotspur (1), Wednesday, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
