Great Hamster of Alsace

A picture taken on June 7, 2011 in Hunawihr, eastern France, in a breeding center dedicated to the reintroduction of the specimen, shows a Great Hamster of Alsace. France is failing in its duty to protect the Great Hamster of Alsace, a cute fur-ball facing extinction with fewer than 200 remaining, the advocate-general of Europe's top court said on June 7, 2011, after the European Commission brought the case, arguing that France has not applie

No to animal sacrifice

A protest calling for the legal ban on ritual animal sacrifice was held in front of the  All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, in Bauddhaloka Mawatha today the picture shows monks and protesters calling for the ban on ritual animal sacrifice. Pix by Samantha Perera

Trained

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Remembering the fallen

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Off Road

A man jumps with his quad bike during the Off Road Festival in Somogybabod, 165 km (102 miles) southwest of Budapest June 10, 2011. REUTERS

Thunderbirds

Aircraft of the US Air Force air demonstration squadron, the Thunderbirds, fly  over Kogalniceanu airport, near Constanta, 230 kms east of Bucharest, on June 8,  2011. The United States and Romania are negotiating the purchase of second-hand  F-16 combat aircraft. AFP PHOTO

E.coli bacteria

This handout image made available by the “Helmholtz-Zentrum für  Infektionsforschung (HZI)” on May 26, 2011 shows the E. coli (EHEC) bacteria.  Germany expressed hope that the “worst” of the highly virulent strain of E. coli  bacteria (EHEC) outbreak was over as national and European Union health and  consumer affairs officials met for urgent talks on the crisis. AFP PHOTO

Another day in Court

The picture shows imprisoned former army Commander Sarath Fonseka waving to bystander while being escorted Welikada prison after Court proceedings. Government parliamentarian Rajiva Wijesinha and JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake gave evidence before the Trial at bar in the White flag case today. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Being prepared

A South Korean Army's K-1 tank releases smoke bombs to hide itself during the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise against possible attacks by North Korea, at a shooting range near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas in Paju, about 45 km (28 miles) north of Seoul, June 8, 2011. The two Koreas are technically still at war and station about 1 million troops near their respective sides of the demilitarized zone that has divid

Thunderstorm in Belgrade

Lightning strikes over buildings during a thunderstorm in Belgrade, Serbia June 8, 2011. REUTERS

Protesting against FTZ workers death

The UNP organized a protest in front of the Maradana railway station today in protest of the killing of the Free Trade Zone worker, and several other grievances faced by the public. Pics by Pradeep Pathirana

Calling for government action

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Fire at Rixos hotel

Fire is seen at Rixos hotel where foreign journalists are staying in Tripoli June 9, 2011. About 100 people, most of them journalists, were evacuated to the parking lot just before 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) after the blaze was discovered. There were no reports of injuries and the fire was put out about an hour later.   REUTERS

After crash

Emergency workers look into a bus lying on its side after an accident near the Austrian village of Melk, about 125 kilometres (78 miles) west of Vienna, June 8, 2011. Thirty-five people were seriously injured in the accident when the bus slipped from the road and crashed, police reported. REUTERS

Endeavour Space Mission

The International Space Station is seen with the docked space shuttle Endeavour in this photo provided by NASA and taken May 23, 2011. The photo was taken by Expedition 27 crew member Paolo Nespoli from the Soyuz TMA-20 following its undocking and is the first-ever image of a space shuttle docked to the International Space Station. Picture taken May 23, 2011. REUTERS

Elephant rampage

An elephant attacks a calf in Mysore, a town in India's southern Karnataka state, in this still image taken from video June 8, 2011. Two elephants went on a rampage in the town, after entering from a nearby forest, killing one man and injuring two calves. Forest rangers and officials from the Mysore Zoo eventually managed to tranquilise and capture the animals, which are due to be released back into the forest later. It cannot be confirmed

Sea world

A tourist swims near corals at the Egyptian resort of Madinat Makadi near Hurgada June 8, 2011.  REUTERS

Sheep shorn farm

Sheep are shorn at Kilgram farm in Jervaulx, northern England June 8, 2011. Britain's Wool Marketing Board have reported that British wool prices are at a 25 year high. REUTERS

Euro 2012

A view shows the construction site of Poland's National Stadium, built for Euro 2012 one year before the opening match of the soccer championships, in Warsaw June 8, 2011. Poland has agreed to delay the opening of the National Stadium in Warsaw by several months, without levying a large penalty on its builders led by Alpine Bau, a unit of Spain's FCC, a source said. REUTERS

500 days and still missing

The Rights Dialogue together with the Committee for the Investigation of the Disappeared and the Free Media Movement staged a protest campaign marking 500 days after the disappearance of Lanka-E-News journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda. Seen here are protestors during the campaign. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Taking advice

UNP Parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena was appointed the Chairman of the Working Committee of the United National Party, today. Seen here is Dr. Jayawardena speaking to the leader of the UNP Ranil Wickramasinghe. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel

'We will not surrender, we will not give up'

Still image taken from footage broadcasted by Libyan state TV shows Muammar Gaddafi greeting a tribal leader in an unknown location June 7, 2011. The Libyan leader, wearing dark glasses and traditional robes, was greeting the leaders in a small room without windows. The news anchor said the meeting had taken place on Tuesday. REUTERS

Mom to the rescue

Flora, the mother of three month old male pygmy hippo Sapo tries to rescue him after he crawled under a gate at Whipsnade Zoo near Dunstable, southern England June 7, 2011. When fully grown, Sapo will reach one metre in height and weigh over 250 kg. REUTERS

Covered in volcanic ash

An aircraft belonging to Austral with ash on it from Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano chain remains standred on the tarmac of the sky resort San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina's Patagonia June 6, 2011. A volcano dormant for decades erupted in south-central Chile on Saturday, belching an ash cloud more than 6 miles (10 km) high that blew over the Andes and carpeted the resort in neighboring Argentina. The eruption in the Puyehue-Cor

Grains in warehouse

An employee sweeps up grains in a warehouse in the the village of Konstantinovo, some 60 km (37 miles) from the Southern Russian city of Stavropol June 7, 2011. Russia's decision to lift its grain export ban from July could put some downward pressure on market prices but with an uncertain crop outlook in the United States and in major EU producers, it said international prices are expected to remain volatile.  REUTERS

Full Solar Eclipse

Tourists watch the sun being blocked by the moon during a solar eclipse in the Australian outback town of Lyndhurst, located around 700 km (427 miles) north of Adelaide in this December 4, 2002 file photo. Australia's military has lost its X-Files, detailing sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects, or UFOs, across the country, a newspaper report said on June 7, 2011. After a two-month search in response to a newspaper Freedom of Informatio

Keeping a close watch

A staff from the city's command centre of education exams watches real time monitors showing students taking the National College Entrance Exams in Chongqing municipality, June 7, 2011. About 9.33 million students will take the national college entrance exams from June 7 to 8, Xinhua News Agency reported. REUTERS

Volcano sparks lightning

Kumtor mine in Kyrgyzstan

A general view of the Kumtor mine in Kyrgyzstan May 31, 2011. The Kumtor mine, located about 4,000 metres (13,100 feet) above sea level in the Tien Shan mountains, contributed about 10 percent of Kyrgyzstan's gross domestic product (GDP) last year and accounted for about 40 percent of the country's exports. Picture taken May 31, 2011. REUTERS

Final farewell

Relatives of the late Mrs. Nalini Wickremesinghe, led by her son UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe carrying the coffin at the Borella Cemetery this evening. Mrs Wickremesinghe passed away on Sunday night at the age of 90. Pic by Kushan Pathiraja VIDEO