A report by Sri Lankan bank Capital Alliance has said that India and China would likely be the source of the majority of tourist arrivals in the coming years.

In a written statement released today, the National President of the Sikh Students Federation of India, Parmjeet Singh Gazi, called for a cancellation of the death sentence issued to Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan.

Sri Lanka’s trade deficit in the first half of 2011 widened 62.7 percent to $4.25 billion.

See The Island's report here.

Export earnings grew 35 percent to $ 5.06 billion, but imports grew faster at 46 percent to $9.3 billon.

The Madras High Court stayed the execution of the three Tamils sentenced to death for their alleged part in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi on Tuesday.

The execution was due to take place on the 9th September.

Tamil Nadu chief minister, Jayalalithaa, stated Monday that India's President alone had the power to grant clemency to the 3 Tamils, sentenced to death for their alleged part in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

Responding to the growing calls from across the political spectrum urging the chief minister to intervene, Jayalalithaa rejected the notion that Article 161 of the Indian constitution gave any such powers to the State government or chief minister.

"I don't have any power to alter the Presidential order rejecting the mercy petitions of the three -- Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan, " she told the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Quoting directly from a Home Ministry directive, Jayalalithaa stated:

"However, if there is a change of circumstances or if any new material is available, the condemned person himself or anyone on his behalf may make a fresh application to the President for reconsideration of the earlier order."

"Once the President has rejected a mercy petition, all future applications in this behalf should be addressed to and would be dealt with by the President."

Speaking at the JHU's 8th party convention, general secretary Champika Ranawaka urged the party to develop a Sri Lanka that will 'suit our culture [and] people'.

Referring to 'certain forces' attempting to take Sri Lanka into a 'dark future' through forceful constitutional changes and a 'mental operation' against the government, he rallied JHU members to 'protect the peace we gained'.

“As long as [war crimes perpetrators] are alive – however old they are, however long ago their crimes were committed – justice would seem to be served by punishment.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalitha, recently stated that she does not have the power to commute the death sentences on three people for their alleged roles in the assassination of former Premier Rajiv Gandhi.

"It is likely that corruption and political patronage are significant factors playing into the focus on Hambantota.  Often when Chinese companies win contracts, their success is due in part on their widespread distribution of graft to senior Sri Lankan government officials."

"While it is currently unknown to what extent President Mahinda Rajapaksa is involved in Hambantota development, it seems logical that his hand is also out when commercial enterprises, especially the Chinese, jockey for contracts and projects."

Sri Lanka’s Rank Holdings, a group which has interests in gaming, power and logistics, is planning a $200 million hotel and residential complex in Colombo with an Indian partner.

See SANA’s report here.

“Serious human rights violators should be brought to justice, we should ensure they face the consequences of their actions. These are very serious charges."

"You can’t get worse than war crimes or crimes against humanity.”

Comments to The Island newspaper (see reports on Friday here and here):