Lunar eclipse visible to Sri Lanka

Lunar eclipse began at 10.54 pm yesterday and ended at 4.30 am today. The total eclipse began at 12.52 am and the point of greatest eclipse occured at 1.42 am. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the earth so that the earth blocks the sun's rays from striking the moon. This is how the eclipse was visible to Gampaha. Pics. by  Indaratna Balasuriya

Poson in Killinochchi

A cultral show commemorating Poson was held at the Killinochchi Public Grounds under the guidence of Kilinochchi Security Forces Commander Major General Nandana Udawatta yesterday. A replica of the Mihinthale, a horror house and a bhakthi geetha were the highlights of the show.

UNP Dansal

UNP Co- Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and National List MP Dr. Harsha De Silva are seen officiating at an ice cream Dansala that was held at its head quarters ‘Sirikotha’ yesterday. The Ice-cream Dansala had been organized by Mr. Premadasa while a chic pea dansala was also organized by other party members and was held in close proximity within the ‘Sirikotha’ premises. Pic by Pradeep

Celebrating Poson

A Poson Dansela was held today at Makola for the eleventh year by Chairman of the Karuna Group Karunadasa Kodithuwakku. The ceremony included the release of 50 heads of cattle from slaughter and a blood donation camp. (Pix by Nisal Baduge)

Buddhists observe Poson

Buddhists around the country are celebrating Poson Poya today, marking the day when Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka by Mahinda thero. Seen here is a devotee reading a book about Lord Buddha. Pix by Indraratne Balasuriya

Hair relic on display

Exposition of scared hair relics of Buddha at the historic Tantrimale Temple, this morning. Pix by Santha Ratnayake

Athens Police Protest

A protester kicks a tear gas canister during clashes with riot police in Athens' central Syntagma (Constitution) Square June 15, 2011. Angry youths hurled petrol bombs at Greece's Finance Ministry and tens of thousands of protesters marched on parliament on Wednesday to oppose government efforts to pass new austerity laws for the debt-choked euro zone state. REUTERS

Royal ascot horse racing

Richard Hughes on Canford Cliffs beats Olivier Peslier on Goldikova to win The Queen Anne Stakes on the first day of the Royal Ascot race meeting in southern England June 14, 2011. REUTERS

'Andre Chenier'

Cast members are seen at the scenery for the opera 'Andre Chenier' by Italian musician Umberto Giordano on a giant floating stage at Lake Constance in Bregenz June 14, 2011. The opera, directed by British director Keith Warner, will have its premiere on July 20 at the annual Bregenz festival. REUTERS

‘MV Scotia Prince’

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'Digital' camouflage

Taiwanese soldiers display their new 'digital' camouflage during a press conference held in Taipei on June 14, 2011. The pattern entitled 'digicam', was devised using small micropatterns for effective disruption and aims to make soldiers harder to spot.  AFP PHOTO

Colorful chicks

A customer holds chicks dyed in colour after buying them at a roadside market in Srinagar June 13, 2011. REUTERS

St. Anthony's Church feast

Celebrations were held to mark the final day of the annual feast at St. Anthony's Church, Kochchikade today. The picture shows devotees taking part in the annual feast.  Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Dressed for migration

lose-up of a sheep decorated with a wool bobble as some 1,200 sheeps flanked by 30 shepherds are on their way to the mountain summer pasture, on June 12, 2011 in Oust, southwestern France, during the yearly migration from Salat valley to Oust valley today and later to the Pyrenean mountains. AFP PHOTO

Marking the end of the festival

A service was held today mark the final day of the annual feast at St. Anthony's Church, Kochchikade. Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Head-to-head

Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh and Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler look for a rebound in the first half during Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball series in Miami, June 12, 2011. REUTERS

Audi R18 TDI

German's Timo Bernhard drives his Audi R18 TDI during the warm-up session before the Le Mans 24-hour sportscar race in Le Mans, central France in June, 2011. The Audi R18 TDI number 1 is also driven by France's Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller of Germany. REUTERS

All about tea

In this file photograph taken on June 17, 2009, a Sri Lankan labourer removes dead tea bushes from a plantation in Kotmale. Exotic and organic teas are wooing tea drinkers and challenging traditional black tea's dominance as never before, tea industry experts say, as a tea factory in Dubai bids to become the world's largest. AFP PHOTO

Celebrating Independence

The 113th Independence Day celebration of the Philippines was held at the Consulate General of the Philippines in Colombo yesterday. The picture shows the Consul General W. J. Terrence Perera hoisting the Philippines flag at the event. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Against Moamer Kadhafi

Libyan rebels fire a machine gun at positions held by forces loyal to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi during fighting in Libya's western mountain region of Qalaa on June 7, 2011. AFP PHOTO

Meow- no to nuclear

A man holds his cat clad in a headband with anti-nuclear slogans during a demonstration in Tokyo on June 11, 2011. Thousands of people staged anti-nuclear rallies and demonstrations in Tokyo and elsewhere as radiation continued to leak from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, some 220 kilometres (140 miles) northeast of the capital.       AFP PHOTO

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