But the conviction and death sentence were handed down just days after Mr.... The family has dismissed the accusations as false, and part of a political campaign to discredit them. During the family’s last stint in power, Mr.... Rajapaksa served as defense secretary and his brother, Mahinda, was the president....

COLOMBO( AFP)-A brother of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday( July 8) became finance minister, tightening the family's grip on power in the South Asian nation as it confronts growing economic troubles.Mr Basil Rajapaksa, 70, took over the finance portfolio from another brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The 72-year-old President has put Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa in charge of a newly created but lower level economic policies and planning ministry.Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa, 75, was

COLOMBO( Reuters)-Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa expanded his cabinet with 17 new ministers on Monday, but they did not include members of his family who were dropped as protests erupted over the government's handling of a devastating economic crisis. The president's elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, however remains prime minister. The island nation of 22 million is suffering from prolonged power cuts and fuel and medicines shortages, triggered by a sharp fall in its foreign exchange r

By Alasdair Pal, Uditha Jayasinghe5 Min ReadCOLOMBO( Reuters)-Sri Lanka appointed a new prime minister on Thursday, as its embattled president seeks a way out of the country’s worst economic crisis since independence that has sparked widespread protests. Ranil Wickremesinghe, newly appointed prime minister, arrives at a Buddhist temple after his swearing-in ceremony, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, May 12, 2022.... REUTERS/ Dinuka Liyanawatte Ranil Wickremesinghe, a p

Several Rajapaksa family members hold junior ministerial positions and other key posts. More on this topic Related Story Rajapaksa family tightens grip on crisis-hit Sri Lanka Related Story Sri Lanka court frees top detective probing Rajapaksas Basil was described as" Mr Ten Per cent" in a 2007 US embassy cable published by the WikiLeaks organisation, because of commissions he allegedly took from government contracts.He has denied any wrongdoing and inquiries failed to find any evidence to back

Join our Whatsapp channelISLAMABAD: Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro of the Islamabad High Court on Monday issued notices to multiple authorities, seeking their response regarding a petition filed by Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf( PTI) founder Imran Khan, challenging the inclusion of her name on the travel ban list. During the hearing, Aleema Khan’s counsel, Advocate Khalid Yousuf Chaudhry argued that his client was being subjected to political victimisation due to her familial as

“ As a necessary consequence, the instant election appeal stands dismissed, ” the tribunal added.On December 30, Imran’s nomination papers for both the NA seats were rejected.... The verdict issued by the RO for NA-122 stated that the papers were rejected on “ moral ” and other grounds. Last week, Imran had challenged the rejection.... The appeal against the rejection of candidature for NA-122 contended that the RO had dismissed the nomination papers unlawfully and against the facts....

The first attempt by a Rajapaksa to return to power in Sri Lanka was brief.In 2018, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as prime minister, even though the man he was supposedly replacing said he still held the job.... Fonseka, a senior researcher with the Center for Policy Alternatives, a research institute based in Colombo, the capital.... “ In the face of a weak opposition and no real checks and balances on the executive, prospects for Sri Lanka’s constitutional democracy are dee