Nag-Panchami

A Hindu devotee pours milk over a cobra during a Nag-Panchami ritual at the Shiva Temple in Amritsar on August 4, 2011. The Hindu festival of Nag-Panchami, observed during the monsoon and sees prayers and tributes to snakes, is observed by many as the day of victory of Hindu God Lord Krishna over the Kaliya snake leading to Krishna also being known as 'Kaliya Mardan'. AFP

The spirit of military

South Korean women pull a parachute during a training camp for civilians at a military base for the Special Warfare Command in Seoul on August 4, 2011. The army organised the camp for 1,034 civilians, including 271 women, who have volunteered to experience hard military training.  AFP

Living with lions

Alexander Pylyshenko pets African lioness Katya in his private Zoo in his yard in the small Ukrainian city of Vasylivka some 500 km from Kiev on August 3, 2011. Pylyshenko is going to live together with the couple of African lions Katya and Samson in their open-air cage during the next 35 days and the nights to collect money for the Zoo keeping and to attract attention of the public to bad conditions of the wild animals husbandry in Ukrainians

Archbishop assures safety

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith speaks people fromlow income families in Mutuwal, whose houses are demolished under the relocation of underserved settlements project by the UDA. Cardinal Ranjith assured them that no harm would come to them or to the church. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Millangoda tusker dies

The famous Millangoda tusker with the longest pair of tusks ever seen in Asia died yesterday afternoon. The owner of the tusker M.R.A. Millangoda said he brought it from Nawagathegama in 1945 when it as just a small calf and when grown up used in Pereheras including Kandy Perahera. He said a mummy of the tusker would be conserved for display. The funeral rites of the tusker were held amid a large gathering. Pix by Rohan Kumara - Kegalle

King-Sangiliyan

The renovated statue of the last king of the Jaffna Kingdom, King-Sangiliyan, who reigned in the then capital of Nallur, was declared open at Muthirai Santhi, Nallur this morning.  The event was presided by the Jaffna Mayor Yogeswari Patkunarajah, while Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for Jaffna District Douglas Devananda placed the garland on the statue and declared it open. (Pix by Krishna, Kavisuki and Thaas)

Training workshop for senior cops

A special training workshop was conducted for senior police officers today on prosecutions, practical application of the law and the implementation of anti human trafficking laws in the country. It was conducted at the Grand Oriental Hotel under the patronage of former Director of the Royal Scottish Police College, Bruce Milon and senior DIG Administration Gamini Navaratne. Pix by Indrarathne Balasuriya

Pindapatha organised by the Defence Ministry

The Defence College for children of servicemen organised a ‘Pindapatha’ for 50 monks this morning under the patronage of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

Winner takes the trophy

A media briefing was held today in lieu of the upcoming Sri Lanka-Australia cricket series from August 6 to September 20, 2011. Seen here are the captains of the two T20 teams, Sri Lanka’s Tillekaratne Dilshan and Australia’s Cameron White, holding the trophy which will be awarded to the winners of the series. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana 

Journalists against Channel-4

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Unwelcome passenger

A family in America have had a frightening surprise after a snake appeared on their car bonnet as they sped along at 65 miles-per-hour

‘Adi Pooram; festival

The 24th annual ‘Adi Pooram’ religious festival organised by the Mayurapathy Sri Bathrakali Annab Devasthanam (Kovil) today in Wellawatte.  Seen here is a priest conducting rites at the festival. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Sunshine aquarium

A diver swims with marine life during a press preview at the Sunshine Aquarium in Tokyo on August 1, 2011. The Sunshine Aquarium loacted on the top of a building, will be reopened on August 4 following a one year renovation. AFP

Starting the fast

Muslims in Sri Lanka would be starting the Ramadan fast tomorrow. The picture shows several Muslims doing last minute shopping for dates and food items at a shop located on Main Street Pettah, this evening. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Dousing the forest fire

Air force helicopters were deployed to assist in retarding the spread of a major forest fire which erupted in the Laggala forest area close to Wilgamuwa in the Matale District today. Picture shows air force fire fighters were trying to douse the fire. Pix courtesy of Sri Lanka Air Force

HOFA report

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is seen here delivering the opening address at the official launch of the Humanitarian Operation Factual Analysis report. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Train crash in Bagharpur

Bystanders watch as rescue workers attend to the scene of a train crash in Bagharpur near Malda, some 350 kms from Kolkata on August 1,2011. At least one fatality and several injured were being reported following the collision of the Bangalore-Guwahati express train which derailed in the incident which happened overnight. AFP

Messi battles for the ball

Argentina's Lionel Messi battles for the ball with Gerardo Torrado and Edgar Davids during the Messi and Friends charity soccer match at the Azul stadium in Mexico City July 31, 2011. Current and retired soccer stars played for the charity soccer match on Sunday to raise money for an institution for children with cancer in Mexico. REUTERS

World’s Indigenous People Day

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, flanked by government minister Vinyaga Murthi Muralithran and Easten Province Chief Minister Sivanesathuri Chandrakanthan , is shown an object by the Veddah chief Uruwarige Wanniyaletto, in celebration of World Indigenous People Day. Pic by Sanjeewa Niroshana 

‘English Sri Lanka’

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Up in the air

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“Do Do and Aorn”

Two-year-old chimpanzee “Do Do” feeds milk to “Aorn”, a 60-day-old tiger cub, at Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Samut Prakan province on the outskirts of Bangkok July 30, 2011. The crocodile farm, used as a tourist attraction, houses some 80,000 crocodiles and is the largest in Thailand.  REUTERS

Displaced !

Five-year-old Shahzad, who was displaced after the 2010 floods, stands in a tea shop after he returned with his family to the village of Yousuf Naich, some 36 km (22 miles) from Dadu in Pakistan's Sindh province July 29, 2011. The village of Yousuf Naich was devastated by the 2010 floods, which left one-fifth of Pakistan submerged. Last year's flooding left some 2,000 people dead, 11 million homeless and another 7 million were affected. R

Strengthen their rights

Members of the Sri Lanka Central Federation of the Deaf (SLCFD) today staged a peace walk in front of the Colombo Fort railway station urging the government to strengthen the rights of the deaf persons including providing better education opportunities to them and ensuring employment opportunities. Pix by Nisal Baduge

In memory of those who died in Oslo

A man arranges flowers next to a graffitti marking a bomb attack last Friday, in the centre of Oslo July 28, 2011. Norwegian police on Thursday ended a six-day search for bodies on the island where anti-Islamist extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 68 people and say they are increasingly certain he acted alone. Breivik, 32, killed a total of 76 people in a bomb attack in central Oslo followed by the shooting rampage at the island summer camp f

Give them freedom

The Socialist Youth Movement held a protest this evening urging the government to take steps to release young Tamil political prisoners. A group of activists are seen protesting in front of the Fort Railway Station. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Talking about change

UNP Co Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa at the news conference where he announced that deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya had agreed to take over party leadership to resolve the internal crisis. UNP MPs Talatha Atukorala, Rosy Senanayake and Ranjith Maddumabandara were also present. Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Salute

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X-fighters in Galle Face again

The fearless Red Bull- X fighters are set to perform to thrill the crowds at the Galle Face Green this Saturday. The team comprises Nick De Wit, Gilles De Jong, Jimmy Verburgh and Daniel Bodin. Seen here the four riders speaking to the media on the upcoming event. Pic By Pradeep Pathirana

Environmental activists

A lumberjack speaks with an environmental activist hugging a tree which was felled midway, in Sumava National Park near the village of Modrava July 27, 2011. Environmental activists held themselves to trees on Wednesday to prevent authorities from cutting down trees affected by bark beetles in the national park. REUTERS