Over there . . .

A ceremony to handover certificates to over hundred North, Eastern students who learnt Sinhala was held at the Sadaham Sevena International Buddhist Centre today. The picture shows Deputy Minister of Resettlement Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan pointing out something in the distance to Gampaha District MP Venerable Athuraliye Rathana thero at the event. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja   

Maldives oppose “Darusman Report”

Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Naseem addressing the media this morning said that Maldives strongly opposes the Darusman Report on war crimes against Sri Lanka stating that the country is being “unnecessarily harassed”. Naseem is currently in the country to discuss foreign polices between Sri Lanka and Maldives and emphasized that the report was not the basis of his visit. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Egyptian amulets

Art Collector Jean-Claude Gandur points to a series of ancient Egyptian amulets and figurines from his collection of more than 850 Egyptians antiquities during an interview with Reuters in Geneva April 21, 2011. Picture taken April 21, 2011. REUTERS

Against the Darusman report

Minister of Irrigation Nimal Siripala de Silva and several other Ministers expressed their  disagreement with the Darusman report at a  Sri Lanka Freedom Party press conference held at the Mahaweli Center this morning. Pic By Pradeep Dilruckshana

Midwives’ peace walk

All Ceylon Health Service Union organized a peace walk to Temple Trees to hand over a message urging the government to equalize the professional standards of the midwives to that of the nurses. Police brought the walk to a halt that started from Town Hall to temple trees today. Pics by Kushan Pathiraja

Apollo Expeditions to the Moon

US astronaut Alan B.Shepard is photographed with chimpanzee Ham who preceded him in space with a 16' minute 39'' second sub-orbital flight performed aboard the Mercury Redstone rocket on January 31, 1961. Ham's mission paved the way for the successful launch of America's first human astronaut, Alan B. Shepard, Jr., on May 5, 1961. May 5, 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the historic flight. AFP

Quake safety in Seoul

South Korean students run out of a building during an anti-quake drill at an elementary school in Seoul on May 4, 2011. South Korea is considered relatively safe from quakes, but the Seoul government has focused on ensuring quake preparedness in the wake of Japan's March 11 massive earthquake and tsunami. AFP

Sipping O-zone tea

Plantations Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, Industries Minister Rishard Bathiudeen and Iraqi Ambassador Khatan Taha Khalaf  enjoying a cup ozone friendly-Ceylon Tea at press conference held today to ceremonially launch of the logo of Ozone Friendly Ceylon Tea. Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Minister at new SINGER outlet

Co-operative and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando was the chief guest at the opening of a new SINGER outlet at the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation. Pics by Kushan Pathiraja

Auckland tornado

A damaged car is pictured near rescue vehicles in the North Shore of Auckland on May 3, 2011 after a freak tornado hit the area, killing two people and injuring dozens more. Packing winds of 200 kilometres an hour (125 miles an hour), the twister hit the suburb of Albany without warning at about 3pm (0300 GMT), flipping cars and uprooting trees as it carved a trail of destruction stretching for kilometres. AFP

Barcelona's supporters

Barcelona's supporters celebrate after their team qualified for the Champions League final after beating Real Madrid in their semi-final soccer match in central Barcelona, May 3, 2011. REUTERS

Mission Osama

Give wisdom to Ban

The JHU organized an ‘Adhistana Pooja’ today to invoke the blessing of the Triple Gem on UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon, who they say has been blindly following the US agenda to harass Sri Lanka. The event was held at the Independence Square. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Life in Mullaitivu

The Mullaitivu area, where many pitched battles were fought almost two years ago has now become a tourist hotspot for locals. Here a group fishermen are seen preparing their boat to go fishing. Pix by Samantha Perera

Blake in Mullaitivu

The picture shows Mullaitivu Government Agent A. Pathithinathan welcoming Robert A. Blake the United States, Assistance State Secretary for Central and South Asia when he visited Mullaitivu today. Robert Blake who’s on a six-day trip to Sri Lanka and Maldives is scheduled to hold talks with political leaders and the civil society representatives

Let me . . .

Former Sri Lanka captain and Western Provincial Council member Hashan Tillekaratne made a statement at the Western provincial Council today, regarding his allegations of match-fixing, which he says has gripped Sri Lankan cricket like a cancer. Seen here is Tillekaratne speaking to the media after making his statement at the council. Pics by Nisal Baduge

World Press Freedom Day

Sri Lanka Press Institute organized a series of events to commemorate the World Press Freedom day which will be celebrated today. Events are planned in more than 100 countries to celebrate the day which also marks the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration for the promotion of free and pluralistic media. Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana

“I did not forget”

Larry Moore of East Freedom, Pennsylvania, writes a note on a sign that reads, “I did not forget,” on a hillside above the United Airlines Flight 93 crash site from the 9/11 attacks in Shanksville, Pennsylvania May 2, 2011. Visits to the site increased a day after Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan. REUTERS

Missing

The picture shows relatives of missing persons from Kilinochchi, Trincomalee, and Jaffna on their way to the Welikada Prison, CID and TID offices and the Sri Lanka Navy HQ in search of any news regarding of their missing relatives. The journey of these relatives was organized by the “We are Sri Lankans” movement. Pix by Nisal Baduge

World's most wanted man

The picture which was broadcasted by Pakistani media on Monday reportedly shows Osama bin Laden after he was killed by American forces at a Pakistan hideout.

Bin Laden killed

People celebrate after Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, during a spontaneous celebration in New York's Times Square, May 2, 2011. Bin Laden was killed on Sunday in a firefight with U.S. forces in Pakistan and his body was recovered, announced President Barack Obama.  REUTERS

Sand art

Residents look at sand sculptures at the Fulung beach in New Taipei City on April 1, 2011.  There are 41 artists from eight countries take part in this one month sand sculpture exhibition. A total of 4,500-ton of sand were used for sixteen pieces of sand works. AFP

May Day rallies

Several rallies to commemorate May Day which falls today was organized by political parties’ island wide this afternoon. The pictures show rallies organized by the three main political parties the UPFA, UNP and the JVP. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana, Nisal Baduge & Romesh Silva

Remembering late President Premadasa

The 18th death anniversary of President Ranasinghe Premadasa falls today. Here, the family members of late President Premadasa including his son Sajith Premadasa are seen during the commemorative ceremony at Hultsdorf in Colombo. Pics by Kushan Pathiraja

Gadhafi house bombed

This image is on a tour organized by the Libyan government, and inspecting the damage to the Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi house in the Area of Gargour, after an air raid in Tripoli, Libya, April 30, 2011.  Sayf al-Arab Kadhafi, embattled Libyan leader Moamer Gadhafi youngest son, was killed in an airstrike on Saturday, a government spokesman said.  AFP PHOTO

No to Nuclear

A child holds a sunflower as he joins anti-nuclear power plant demonstrators in a protest in Taipei on April 30, 2011.  Thousands of Taiwanese took to the streets to protest against a new nuclear power station, as safety concerns mounted in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan, an organiser said.  AFP PHOTO

“Blessed”

Italian stamps edited on the occasion of Pope John Paul II's beatification are displayed on April 30, 2011 in Rome. Late pope John Paul II will be declared “blessed” -- one step from sainthood in the Catholic Church -- at a solemn mass in the Vatican on May 1 that will celebrate his extraordinary life.  AFP PHOTO

Passing out parade

A passing out parade for the first batch of navy cadets to pass out from the Trincomalee Naval and Maritime Academy of the Sri Lanka Navy was held at the Trincomalee Sampoor Navel base today. The picture shows naval cadets during the passing out ceremony. Pix by Amaradoru Amarajeeva

Commemorating the Sambuddha Jayanthi

In commemoration of the upcoming 2600th Sambuddha Jayanthi, 100 samanera monks of the Sadaham Sevena in Rajagiriya begged for alms in the Rajagiriya area this morning. Pix by Waruna Wanniarchchi

Far Eastern Brown Bear

A young male Kamchatka Brown Bear licks his mother “Mascha” in their enclosure at the animal park Hagenbeck in Hamburg, northern Germany on April 29, 2011. The brown bear was born on January 24, 2011. The Kamchatka Brown Bear, also known as the Far Eastern Brown Bear, is today's second tallest 'large bear' alive.  AFP PHOTO