Opening the Kokavil tower

A communications tower that will bring national television and radio back to the north since the end of the war was opened today in Kokavil by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The new tower will broadcast both state-run and private channels, and also be used for mobile phones, Internet provision and military operations, the president’s office said. Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Paying last respects

Several leading Government and Opposition members paid their last respects to the mother of Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickramasinghe who passed away this morning.    The funeral service of the late Mrs. Nalini Wickramasinghe will be held at 6.30 p.m. at the Borella cemetery. Pic by Kithsiri de Mel

Beansprouts and E.coli

Beansprouts and salad sprouts are seen in this picture illustration taken in Berlin June 6, 2011. The managing director of a German organic farm that might be at the centre of a deadly E.coli outbreak said on Monday he was baffled that his beansprouts are suspected of causing such devastation.  German officials said on Sunday the beansprouts of Klaus Verbeck, the head of the “Gaertnerhof Bienenbuettel”, could be the source of

Lightning bolts

Lightning bolts strike around the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic chain near southern Osorno city June 5, 2011. The volcano in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle chain, dormant for decades, erupted in south-central Chile on Saturday, belching ash over 6 miles (10 km) into the sky, as winds fanned it toward neighboring Argentina, and prompted the government to evacuate several thousand residents, authorities said. REUTERS

Lankan way

A Sri Lankan dancer performs on the ground during the lunch break during the second cricket test match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's in London June 5, 2011. REUTERS

Jaw Bone Relic of Buddha

The picture shows a devotee at the exposition of the Jaw Bone Relic of the Buddha at the Maligakanda Vidyodaya Maha Pirivena today. The Jaw Bone Relic was brought to Sri Lanka from Gandara Pradesh in Pakistan. Pix by Nisal Baduge

A visit to Sigiriya

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Monkey business

Britain's primatologist Jane Goodall observes a group of chimpanzees at Taronga Zoo in Sydney June 5, 2011. Taronga Zoo announced a $150,000 five year funding partnership for Tchimpounga, the largest African chimpanzee sanctuary in Congo, according to the zoo. REUTERS

Mammoth tusk

An archaeologist cleans the tusk of a prehistoric animal at Miraflores neighborhood in Tegucigalpa June 3, 2011. According to Virgilio Paredes, director of the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History (IHAH), the finding could correspond to the tusk of a mammoth or mastodon from 12,000 or 15,000 B.C. REUTERS

Thunderbirds

The United States Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 fighters perform during the Air Show Turkey 2011 at the Izmir port in the Aegean port city of Izmir, western Turkey, June 4, 2011. REUTERS

Stashed away

A Thai custom officer shows a false gavial during a news conference at Thailand's customs department in Bangkok June 2, 2011. Thai customs have found 451 turtles worth 1 million baht ($33,000) stashed in suitcases offloaded from a passenger flight from Bangladesh, the latest seizure of live creatures at Bangkok's bustling Suvarnabhumi airport. Turtles of varying sizes worth around 2,000 baht apiece in Thai markets, and seven false gavi

Taking cover

Riot police take cover behind an election campaign point of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) as they clash with left wing demonstrators during a protest against the government in Istanbul June 2, 2011. REUTERS

"Las Mayas"

A boy plays with a cat while her father works on their shack at the slum of Las Mayas in Caracas. The hillside slum of "Las Mayas" provides both great vistas of Caracas and an ideal view of a housing crisis shaping into a major battleground for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's re-election bid. Along one side of the once-forested slopes, shacks of corrugated iron, wood and mud cling precariously to land that erodes a little bit

Showing support

A protest was held in front of the Jaela police station by workers in the area today against the killing of FTZ worker last Monday. The picture shows protestors and police personnel in front of the Jaela police during the protest. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Protest by student monks

Hundreds of student monks marched to Temple Trees today to protest the government’s alleged suppression of the Fundamental Democratic rights of the people. The protest march which began near the Viharamahadevi Park was allowed to proceed right up to the gates of Temple Trees where the student monks remained for more than two hours chanting slogans and awaiting an appointment from the President to discuss their issues. Pic by Pradeep Dilruks

Suspects taken to prison

Suspects Seeduwa OIC, Chief Inspector, R. M. Ratnayake and OIC of the Environmental Unit, Inspector K. L. Ranasinghe are being taken to the prison after they were remanded by the Negombo Magistrate.  Pix by Susitha R. Fernando

Ice Bear

Sculptor Mark Coreth works on the carving of an ice polar bear at Circular Quay in central Sydney June 3, 2011. The ice polar bear will gradually melt as people are encouraged to touch and feel the melting ice, which symbolise the plight of polar bears in the Arctic where melting ice caps are threatening their survival. REUTERS

Miami Heat's

Dallas Mavericks' Tyson Chandler goes up for a basket next to Miami Heat's LeBron James, Joel Anthony and Chris Bosh during the first half in Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series in Miami, June 2, 2011. REUTERS

All smiles

The Sri Lanka squad and management pose for a photograph before Friday's second cricket test match against England at Lord's in London June 2, 2011. REUTERS

Protest over the death

The JVP and Free Trade Zone (FTZ) employees conducted protests today in Town Hall and Katunayake respectively, to protest the death of the 21 year-old who was killed in clashes between police officers and FTZ employees earlier this week. Pic by Pradeep Dilruckshana and Samantha Perera

Observing final rites

The funeral of the 21 year-old boy who died yesterday after being admitted to the Ragama hospital, following the attack which took place at the Free Trade Zone in  Katunayaka was held at his residence in Minuwangoda today. Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Leader meets the future

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met some students who are members of the UNP’s National Youth Front branch of the Law College, at the party headquarters in Sirikotha today. Pic by Nisal Badhuge

Heading towards the protest

A group of people were seen heading towards the protesters who are protesting at the Lipton Circus. Pix by Waruna Wanniarchchi.

Condemning the death of FTZ worker

The General Students’ Council of Sri Jayewardenepura University today staged a protest in front of the university premises condemning the death of the Free Trade Zone worker after the police attack. Pics by Kushan Pathiraja

Ceremony on Navy Day

Sailors watch a military parade of Mexican Navy combat ships and helicopters during a ceremony on Navy Day to commemorate the Mexican Navy's anniversary, at the port of Guaymas, Sonora June 1, 2011. REUTERS

Humanoid two arm system

Alexander Dietrich of the German air and space agency, Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft und Raumfahrt (DLR), works at humanoid two arm system robot Justin during a presentation in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich June 1, 2011. The mobile robotic system Justin with its compliant controlled light weight arms and its two four finger hands allows the long range autonomous operation of the system. Sensors and cameras allow the 3D reconstruction of the robot&

'To hang the politicians'

Protesters bring symbolic gallows 'to hang the politicians' in front of the Greek Parliament on May 30, 2011 during their gathering for the sixth continuous day, responding to calls on social networking sites to protest austerity measures and demand “real democracy”. A critical audit of Greek finances to enable the debt-hit eurozone country to access a badly-needed slice of EU-IMF funds will conclude this week, the Greek finan

Protests against the FTZ attack

A protest was staged today against Monday’s Police attack on the Free Trade Zone workers and the private pension scheme in Fort today. They said they would continue with protests unless the government scrapped the proposed pension scheme altogether. Pics by  Nisal Baduge

After the final mission

Space shuttle Endeavour lands at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida June 1, 2011. REUTERS

Addressing the UN issue

Israel Ambassador to Sri Lanka and India, Mark Sofer addressed the media toy expressing his views on the UN Secretary General’s advisory panel report on war crimes in Sri Lanka.Israel and Sri Lanka’s growing relationship and the country’s interest in investing in the Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector and construction industry. Pic by Kithsiri de Mel