Ranil faults decision to reduce powers of UGC

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe speaking to the members of academic community this evening. UNP Leadership Council Member Ruwan Wijewardene and MP Eran Wickramaratne are also present. Pix. by Kushan Pathiraja

Video: Vattapalai Amman Temple festival

The annual festival of the Vattapalai Amman Temple in Mullaitivu near the Nandhikadal lagoon was organised today by the Sri Lanka Army. A large number of devotees took part in the ceremony. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana ???

Women seek fairness from govt.

The ‘Women for Rights’ organization today staged a protest in front of the Consumer Affairs Ministry urging the government to pass the benefit of price decreases in the international market to the local consumers. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Mika Singh Live!

India’s popular Bollywood playback singer Mika Singh is seen performing at the BMICH on Saturday. Pix by Samantha Perera

Cracking nuts

The Matara SLTB Depot employees held a demonstration and dashed coconuts at the Sri Vishnu Devale today against the closure of the Depot without the workers being paid their salaries for April and May. Picture shows protestors marching to the Sri Vishnu Devalaya with coconuts in hand. Pic by Krishasn Jewaka

The 109th birth anniversary

The 109th birth anniversary of leftist leader and humanitarian the late N. M. Perera was held today at the foot of his statue at the Ayurveda Junction in Borella. Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Video: NTUC protest

Members of the National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) yesterday staged a protest in front of the Fort Railway Station against the government’s decision to give Employees’ Commuted Pension as a bank loan and to pay the unpaid pension gratuity. Pix by Nisal Baduge

JVP fights dengue

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today staged a protest near the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila urging the authorities to formulate a mechanism to tackle the increasing numbers of dengue patients. Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Video: Tree across the road

One side of the road at the Prince of Wales Avenue which leads to Colombo was blocked today as a tree fell across the road. A lorry and a car were damaged but no injuries were reported. Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and the Fire brigade managed to clear the roadway. Pix by Samantha Perera

Video: Toot a bit, please!

Vehicles with horns that exceeded the decibel limit were checked at seven entry points to Colombo by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) with the help of the Police Department this morning. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel ?

Blood in memory of….

A blood donation campaign organised in memory of the founder of the Sri Lanka Saukyadana Movement (SLSM), Vajiranath Lakshman De Silva and Mrs. De Silva was held today at the SLSM headquarters in Colombo. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Video: Feeding the displaced

Some children are seen carrying plates to collect food from relief camps in Lakshapana Biyagama today after heavy monsoon rains again wrecked havoc in the Western and Southern Provinces and the Central hills. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana ???

Teachers protest against commuted pension

Teachers of 102 schools in the Welimada Educational Zone today staged a protest in Welimada town against the government’s decision to give employees’ commuted pension as a bank loan according to a circular issued on 2014. Pix by R. Kogulan

High voltage protest

Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) employees today staged a protest in front of the CEB Head Office in Colombo urging the authorities not to interfere in their labour union rights and over several other demands including the immediate payment of salary increments. Pix by Samantha Perera

Warned twice

Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake  appeals for the wicket of England's Jos Buttler during the fifth One Day International (ODI) cricket match between England and Sri Lanka at Edgbaston in Birmingham.AFP

National Council for Better Tomorrow

United National Party National leader Ranil Wickremesinge is seen speaking to Jathika Hela Urumaya Parliamentarian the Ven. Athuraliya Rathana Thera at the event. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Video: Ranil meets AHS Degree students

Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe is seen in conversation students studying for the Allied Health Science (AHS) Degree whom he met today at the Parliamentary complex. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana ???

Launch of book by Imtiyaz

UNP General Secretery Tissa Attanayake and his SLFP counterpart, Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena, are seen in conversation with Imtiyaz Bakeer Markar, at the launch of a book written on the life of the late politician T. B. Jayah, ‘Deshapremaye Kedapatha’ at Zahira College, Colombo today. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

FUTA on students’ rights

Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) today staged a protest in front of the Colombo University premises urging the authorities to protect students’ rights. Pix by Samantha Perera

Wimalasurendra sluice gates open

Following heavy rains in the Norton Bridge area, three sluice gates of the Wimalasurendra Reservoir were opened this morning, after the water level had reached spill level. Pix by Ranjith Rajapaksa

Playing water polo

Several youngsters are seen enjoying themselves by playing at the Welipenna entrance of the Sothern Expressway. Mudslides cause by heavy monsoon rains in the west and south of the island. AFP

Motor expedition by Commandos

A six-day motor expedition conducted in the Eastern part of the country will culminate with an extravagant event at the Commando Regiment Training School in Uva Kudaoya. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Video: Earth slips wreak havoc; many killed

Five people were killed in Kithulgoda, Agalawatta in the Kalutara District while six others died elsewhere in the district because of earth slips caused by adverse weather conditions. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana ???

Remembering Arantalawa massacre

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne is seen paying homage to the Buddhist monks at the 27th commemoration of the Aranthalawa massacre at the Aranthalawa Bhikku Monument.Pix by Wasantha Chandrapala

Automobiles become immobile

A cyclist and a motor car plough through flooding water along Sri Sambudhatva Jayanthi Mawatha, (Havelock Road) in Colombo which was flooded this evening due to heavy showers. Pic by Kushan Pathiraja

IOTC conference in Colombo

The 18th session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization got off the ground in Colombo today at the Bandaranaike International Memorial Conference Hall (BMICH. The conference will be held till June 5. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja.

Mini cooper show

The mighty mini club has organised a mini cooper appearance at the BMICH premises today followed by a photo shoot to be published in the mini world magazine. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Madduma Bandara marks 25 years

UNP MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara marked his 25 years in politics yesterday at a ceremony at the public library auditorium in Moneragala. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP leadership council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya and MP Sajith Premadasa were present at the felicitation ceremony. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

112 runs at Lord's

Kumar Sangakkara raises his bat for his first Lord's hundred, England v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Lord's, May 31, 2014. Sri Lanka made 300 for nine against England. (Getty Images)

Seeking justice

A campaign to collect signatures from the public urging the government to resettle people affected during the war and pave way for them to go back to their old professions was held in front of the Fort Railway Station today. Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana