Guinness World Record

People gather with their bicycles at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei December 31, 2011. Hundreds of thousands people participated in a bike ride around Taiwan on New Year's Eve as part of an attempt to achieve a Guinness World Record of the largest bicycle parade in the world. Various groups began from 1000 starting points around the island and cycled clock-wise towards the next starting point within one hour. REUTERS

Winning FIS World Cup cross-country skiing

Axel Teichmann of Germany competes to win the FIS World Cup cross-country skiing 15km classic pursuit race in Oberhof, December  30, 2011. REUTERS

Expats for Sri Lanka

Pictures show Telmo Languiller MP for Victoria Australia addressing the media at a press conference held in Colombo today. The visit by the Parliamentarian was organized by the “Expats of Sri Lanka”. Languiller expressed his delight to be visiting a peaceful Sri Lanka and stated that he welcomes the LLRC report. The MP further went on to add that he will be encouraging his parliamentary colleagues and the people of his country to cont

Paying a visit

UNP reformist MPs led by Karu Jayasiriya and Sajith Premadasa comes out of the Welikada Prison after visiting Former Army Commander Sarth Fonseka. MPs Dayasiri Jayasekera and Sujeewa Senasinghe are also present. Pix by Nisal Badhuge

A light moment

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva flanked by Trade Union Wing leader K. D. Lal Kantha and Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath share a light moment at the press conference held today.  Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Obtaining notice of injunction

JVP dissident member Ajita Kumara with Counsel Nuwan Bopage, is seen leaving the Colombo District Court premises after obtaining a notice of injunction against JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe against holding the JVP Convention at the Debarawewa Playground in Tissamaharama. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Donation to war heroes

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Looking into blunder

The picture shows the Examination Chief Anura Edirisinghe seen displaying a document at today’s news conference in the presence of Ministers S.B. Dissanayaka and Bandula Gunawardana. The minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa was expected to appoint a five-member committee comprising a Supreme Court Judge, three Vice Chancellors and the Attorney General to look into the blunder by the Examinations Department when preparing the district

For a peaceful Magh Mela

Government officials pour milk into the waters of the river Ganges as part of a prayer ceremony for a peaceful Magh Mela festival in the northern Indian city of Allahabad December 29, 2011. The festival is an annual religious event held during the Hindu month of Magh, when thousands of Hindu devotees take a holy dip in the waters of the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. The festival starts January 5 and runs unti

‘Sathyagraha’

A Sathyagraha was held in front of the University of Kelaniya due to the expelling of 11 students from the university. It was organised by the Student Union of the university. Pix by Pradeep Dilruckshana

Presentation of books

UNP Gampaha District MP Ruwan Wijeyawardene is seen presenting school books to a child at a ceremony organised by the A. J. M. Muzammil Foundation to distribute school books to needy children to mark the birthday of the first lady in the city of Colombo Ms. Feroza Muzammil. Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil UPFA Member of the Colombo Municipal Council Asath Sally were also present at the ceremony. Pix by Samantha Perera

Two buses ready to operate on E01

Basic training and instructions were given to drivers today as they will be working in two private buses plying the Southern Expressway (E01) which is to start operations from January 1. The training session was held at the entry point in Kottawa. One passenger will be charged Rs.400 for a trip to Galle from Kottawa. Pix by Buddhika Kumarasiri

Nepalese Elephant Festival

Elephants vie for a ball during a soccer match on the final day of the Elephant Race event at Sauraha in Chitwan, about 170 km (106 miles) south of Kathmandu December 28, 2011. Elephants and mahouts from Chitwan will participate in the Elephant Race, which begins on Monday and ends today, where elephants will play in an exhibition soccer match and various other sports and activities. REUTERS

IUSF against A/L results

Students of the Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) today staged a protest in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station urging the government to re-assess the Z-score and the Island and District Rankings of the GCE Advanced Level results. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Protest against A/L results

Members of the Peoples Movement for the Protection of Schools staged a protest in front of Isurupaya –Education Ministry, today demanding the resignation of the Education Minister Bandula Gunawardene and Commissioner of Examination Anura Edirisinghe and also to re-assess the Z-score and Island and District rankings of the 2011 GCE Advanced Level results. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel

“dear leader,” Kim Jong-il

A limousine carrying a portrait of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il leads his funeral procession past crowds on a street in Pyongyang in this still image taken from video December 28, 2011. North Korea's military staged a huge funeral procession on Wednesday in the snowy streets of the capital Pyongyang for its deceased “dear leader,” Kim Jong-il, readying a transition to his son, Kim Jong-un. REUTERS VIDEO

Exposition of sacred hair relics of the Buddha

The Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya chapter is seen addressing a press conference. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Most dangerous traffic problem

Carpenters work while sitting on the railway track in downtown Hanoi December 27, 2011. The Kham Thien railway hamlet, a 200-meter (656-ft) stretch of residences along the railway track in center Hanoi, is one of most dangerous traffic problems in the country. Despite the many accidents and deaths every year and warnings from authorities, people continue to live and make their livelihoods near the track. REUTERS

Passing out Parade

The Passing Out Parade of the Sri Lanka Military Academy at Diyatalawa was held today under the patronage of Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed who arrived today to witness the year-end Commissioning Parade. A total of 189 Cadet Officers, including one Maldivian passed out.  Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Fire at the Russian Embassy

Seen here the fire fighters of the Colombo Fire Brigade are trying to extinguish the fire which erupted at the Russian Embassy this evening. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

The errors unfolded

A press briefing was held today by Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake on the Advanced Level results which had significant errors. Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne, Commissioner in charge of school examinations, Amith Jayasundara and UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayaka were also present at the briefing. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

Remembering the lives lost

People look at photographs of the 2004 tsunami, at the Ulee Lheue mass grave near Banda Aceh, Aceh province December 26, 2011. Survivors gathered in neighbourhood mosques and homes to remember those killed by the tsunami triggered by an undersea earthquake off the island of Sumatra seven years ago.  REUTERS

In memory of those who perished in Peraliya

A commemoration ceremony in memory of those who perished in the Tsunami at Peraliya was held today for the seventh consecutive year. The ceremony was held at the site where an ill fated train was washed away by the tidal waves. Pix by Pradeep Dilsrukshana

Blood donation campaign

A blood donation campaign was organized by the Sri Sudarshanaramastha Sumangala Sunday School and the Rahula Pirivena in Kalapaluwawa, Rajagiriya for the eighth consecutive year. A large number of residents living in the vicinity participated in it. Pic by Waruna Wanniarchchi

Dashing through the snow

A visitor sleighs down a snow slope near ice sculptures during the lights testing period of the 13th Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. The Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival will be officially launched on January 5, 2012. REUTERS

Christmas Midnight Mass

Midnight Mass was held in churches around the island today December 25 to celebrate the birth of Christ. Pictures show some of the moments captured at St. Mary's Tudella where Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Ranjith conducted the service. Pix by Samantha Perera

“Jingle Bells”

Children dressed in Santa Claus costumes wave while singing “Jingle Bells” during Christmas celebrations at their school in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh December, 2011. REUTERS

Ranil visits SF

United National Party Leader and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe visited the Welikada Prison today to meet former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka. He was seen speaking to someone at the entrance of the prison, over his mobile phone after the meeting. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Sink hole causes sewage to spread following earthquake

Sewage spreads past a car trapped in a sink hole caused by liquefaction in the Christchurch suburb of Parklands after an earthquake struck December 23, 2011. An earthquake of 5.8 magnitude struck near the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday, New Zealand's civil defence said, prompting the evacuation of some public buildings and sending goods toppling from shelves.  REUTERS

Last minute shopping

With Christmas being just two days away, people around Colombo were seen getting caught in the Christmas Rush. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana