Women to the fore

The 100th Year of International Women's day celebrations falls today. A rally was held in light of this raising issues women face in Sri Lanka. Seen here are participants of the rally. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

And the Oscar goes to...

Winner for Actor in a Leading Role Jeff Bridges is congratulated by wife Susan at the 82nd Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California on March 07, 2010. AFP

Woman of the night

Actress Sandra Bullock is seen here arriving for the 2010 Oscars which is underway at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood USA. The 45-year-old Blind Side actress is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role. (Just Jared)

Worshiping Nagadeepa

A large number of devotees from around the country could be seen visiting the Nagadeepa Temple in Jaffna recently after the conclusion of the conflict which affected the area. Buddhist devotees can be seen here taking part in religious rituals at this world famous temple. Pix by Romesh Madushanka

All smiles

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao met President Mahinda Rajapaksa today (07) at the President's House. Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha,  President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Foreign Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe were also present at the meeting. Pic by Nalin Hewapathirana

Broom Broom!

  The “AA Vintage Rally 2010” vintage car exhibition which was organized by the Automobile Association was held at the Galle Face today. The event showcased vintage cars of all makes and models in Sri Lanka.  Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Road to safety

More than a hundred fire trucks and ambulances join a motorcade in Manila on March 7, 2010 to raise awareness on fire prevention. Authorities have been warning of possible outbreaks of fire in congested areas in Manila as a result of the extended dry spell caused by the El NIno phenomenon. AFP

Chileans after quake

Home owners begin the job of removing debris and rebuilding their home damaged by a massive earthquake in Santa Cruz, in the wine-producing Colchagua Valley, March 6, 2010. Some Chileans were still waiting for government aid on Saturday, a week after one of the strongest earthquakes on record and a roaring tsunami killed hundreds and ravaged cities and villages along the South American country's south-central coastline. REUTERS

Gearing up for the Oscars

An Oscar statue is shrouded in plastic along the red carpet ahead of the 82nd Academy Awards in Hollywood.  REUTERS

The Electronic Revolution!

Party goers smile for the camera at the Electronic Revolution, a party held at Club Prive at CR&FC last night featuring DJ Yazz, DJ Shiyam and DJ Van Luup.  Pics by Varuna Wanniarachchi  

Up in the air

Spectators watch the take off of hot air balloons during the second day of a three-day festival at Kibbutz Ruhama near the southern Israeli town of Sderot on March 5, 2010. AFP

French warship team destroys pirate boats

Sailors from a French warship captured 11 suspected pirates into custody off Somalia on Friday. Twenty-eight suspected pirates were taken into custody by the European Union Naval Force after a handful of failed attacks on fishing vessels in the Indian Ocean. The mission said, a helicopter from the French warship FS Nivose then tracked the vessels and saw the suspects throwing things overboard. When a French team arrived at the scene, it found 1

Meeting a true artiste

World famous Indian musician and music director of over 200 Indian films Mr. Ravi Shankar Sharma met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees today. President Rajapakse is seen here handing a momento to the visiting musician.  Pix by Chandana Perera

Battle of the Saints..

The annual inter-school Battle of the Saints between St. Peters College and St. Joseph’s College commenced today at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo. Seen here are school children caught up in the action. Pics Pradeep Pathirana.

Baghdad votes

Iraqi amry soldiers show their ink-stained fingers after casting their votes at a polling station in Baghdad on March 4, 2010. Voting began in Iraq's general election with security forces, the sick and prisoners casting their ballots ahead of polling day at the weekend. Election organisers expect around 800,000 people, who will not be able to go to polling stations on March 7, to take part in the early voting session. AFP

Navy museum opens in Galle

Seen here is President Mahinda Rajapakse with Australian High Commissioner Ms. Kathy Klugman at the opening of the navy museum in Galle earlier today. Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Archeology to the forefront…

President Mahinda Rajapkse is seen here at the opening of the Oceanic Archeological Museum and Information Centre in Galle today. Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana.  

Violating election laws

Despite Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayaka issuing instructions for all polls related posters and cutouts to be removed several posters could still be seen along the streets of Colombo. Picture shows a wall adjoining a street in Colombo covered with election posters. Pic by Pradeep K. Pathirana

Hostage drama

In this picture taken a Chinese man holds a woman hostage at knife point during an attempted robbery outside a bank in Wuxi, in eastern China's Jiangsu province. Police managed to overwhelm the man and free the woman after an one-hour stand-off. AFP

Gold on wheels...

The new Saab 9-5 model is displayed on the exhibition stand during the second media day of the 80th Geneva Auto Show at the Palexpo in Geneva March 3, 2010. Carmakers will be keen to show off new green technologies at the Geneva Auto Show, opening this week, as economic uncertainties and waning scrapping schemes make forecasting sales trends difficult. REUTERS

Looking after his Ministers

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is seen here visiting Minister of Transport Dullas Alahaperuma this afternoon, who was hospitalized due to an illness he suffered few days ago. Pix courtesy Presidential Unit 

Jumma Nation wake up!

Jumma buddhist student monks protested outside the Viharamahadevi Park today against the Human Rights Violations and and Land Grabbings being conducted against the Jumma buddhists in Bangladesh. Pics by Indraratne Balasuriya.

Wading through the waters

An Asian man crosses a flooded street in the Gulf emirate of Sharjah during a rain storm. Heavy rains in the United Arab Emirates caused flooding, traffic jams, auto accidents and school closures, while some residents of Sharjah were trapped in their homes by high waters. AFP

Euro slump..

A picture taken on March 2, 2010 in Paris shows a one euro coin displayed in front of a one dollar note. The euro slumped to its lowest level in more than nine months against the dollar on March 2, 2010 as the shared eurozone currency was plagued by concerns about the Greek debt crisis, traders said.  AFP

Future football?

Football playing robots perform for visitors at the world's biggest high-tech fair, the CeBIT today in the northern German city of Hanover.  Some 4,157 companies from 68 countries are displaying their latest gadgets at the fair which continues until March 6. - AFP

Calls for peaceful elections

Religious leaders comprising of clergy belonging to all religions expressed fear that the upcoming elections would not be a free and fair election. They further called on all party leaders not to allow their candidates to engage in violence. Seen here are religious leaders at the press conference Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

White Tiger!

  Two white tigers were given to Sri Lanka from China as part of an animal exchange programme in which Sri Lanka had sent to China five monkey species. Seen here are the two white tigers at the Dehiwala Zoological gardens.  Pics. By Samantha Perera

Fishy business

A cleaner examines dead fish collected from the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon in Rio de Janeiro where about 37 tons of fishes were found dead. Experts say that the death of the fish could be the result of an abrupt temperature change, falling 10 degrees centigrade in 24 hours or possibly due to pollution. REUTERS

A celebration of colour

  Indian women smear themselves with coloured powder as they celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colours in Mumbai today. Holi is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India at the end of winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month, which usually falls in the later part of February or in March. - AFP  <??>

Colonial rulers taken to task

A protest was staged by the National Freedom Front (NFF) opposite the British High Commission in Colombo today against the British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary over their participation at a Tamil event in London. NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa also participated at the protest. Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana