Aurora

Aurora, a ten-month-old female polar bear, shakes off snow at the Royev Ruchey Zoo in Russia's Siberian city of  Krasnoyarsk December 7, 2010. Aurora is one of two female wild polar bear cubs which were found in Russia's Taimyr Peninsula on the coast of the Arctic Ocean in early May and were later housed in Krasnoyarsk zoo. REUTERS

High-street fashion

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:1

The third Commercial High Court

The third Commercial High Court in the country was declared open by Chief Justice Asoka de Silva today. Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem, Chief Justice Asoka de Silva  and President of the Bar Association Mr. Shibly Aziz is seen here lighting the oil lamp at the opening event. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Not deterred by rain

A laborer is seen here going about his work to make his daily living in Colombo undeterred by the heavy showers being experienced in and around Colombo. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

An emotional meeting

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi walks with her son Kim Aris as he leaves Yangon December 7, 2010. Aris, the younger of two sons of Suu Kyi and her late husband British academic Michael Aris, visited his mother for the first time in ten years after she was released from the house arrest in November. REUTERS

“Silent Evolution”

TckTckTck partners, Greenpeace and 350.org stage an underwater installation called “Silent Evolution” in Cancun, Mexico, December 6, 2010. They are calling for urgent action on the environment during the UN Cancun climate talks. REUTERS

More rain today

Many parts of the island will experience heavy showers in the afternoon and evening while strong localized winds will also occur in some parts, the Meteorological Department told Daily Mirror online. The latest Satellite image taken on 06-Dec-2010 at 18:36. Picture courtesy nrlmry.navy

Welcome!

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"

Snow Grand Prix

Austria's Harald Manzl of Team Goassstall rides a snow mobile during the Swatch Snow Mobile grand prix event in Saalbach Hinterglemm December 5, 2010. The event, now in its fourth year, attracts professional snow mobile riders and sports and entertainment personalities to compete in the races through the heart of the ski resort town on an 850 metre track. REUTERS

Court and back

Former army commander Sarath Fonseka is seen here leaving the court premises after the Supreme Court today re-fixed the hearing on the validity of the Court Martial against him to December 9th. Pix by Waruna Wanniaarchi

Demanding a pay hike

The All Ceylon Health Services Union held a protest in front of the Colombo General Hospital today demanding a Rs. 9000 pay hike. The picture shows union protestors shouting slogans during the protest. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana  

Earth

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) activists light candles representing the earth as they demonstrate on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference COP16 in Cancun December. The conference in Cancun have far lower ambitions than last year's Copenhagen summit, which fell short of an all-encompassing deal to help slow floods, droughts, heatwaves and rising sea levels. REUTERS

“Mototaxi”

A three-wheeled taxi vehicle, or “mototaxi”, jumps during a race against the clock on the outskirts of Lima December 5, 2010. Ninety-six drivers of three-wheeled taxis participated in a competition for the fastest driver around a 1km (0.62 miles) circuit. REUTERS

King's birthday

Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (front R) speaks during a ceremony to celebrate the 83rd birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Grand Palace in Bangkok December 5, 2010.   REUTERS

Diamond Jubilee

A  Navy exhibition was held in light of the Diamond Jubilee of the Sri Lanka Navy at the Navy HQ in Colombo today. The picture shows visitors to the event at one of the exhibition stalls. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Rain after effects

Several cities were flooded due to the heavy rainfall experienced in the country during the last few days leaving many families displaced and property damaged

WikiLeaks moved

A screen shot of a web browser shows the wikileaks.ch home page with a portrait of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange next to the out of service wikileaks.com domain, in Lavigny December 4, 2010. WikiLeaks moved its website address to the Swiss http:/wikileaks.ch on Friday after two U.S. Internet providers ditched it and Paris tried to ban French servers from hosting its database of leaked information. REUTERS

Air support

A Greek plane drops water over a forest fire in the village of Ein Hod near the northern city of Haifa December 4, 2010. Israel struggled on Saturday to contain a huge forest fire that has killed 42 people and raged on for a third day near the port city of Haifa.  REUTERS

Sarkozy's in India

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (C) and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy are greeted with flowers as they arrive at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in Bangalore December 4, 2010. Sarkozy arrived on a four-day visit to India. REUTERS

After five years…

Two sluice gates of the Victoria Reservoir automatically opened today for the first time since 2005. All seven gates are expected to open if the prevailing heavy showers in the area continue

Tarantula mail

A confiscated tarantula is shown in this photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice to Reuters in December. A German man who allegedly shipped hundreds of live tarantulas into the United States through the mail was charged on Friday with illegally importing wildlife.  REUTERS

Portable home

Visitors take photos of an egg-shaped mobile house near its owner Dai Haifei's office building in Beijing. Dai, who is from central China's Hunan province and cannot afford Beijing's high rental prices, has been living in the house which costs about 6427 yuan ($965). The house is made of bamboo strips, steel bars, heat prevention and waterproof materials, sacks filled with fermented wood chips and grass seeds, as well as one solar-cel

For better salaries

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New R

Happy to be home

President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in the island today after his visit to the United Kingdom. The President is seen here being greeted by Government Minister and supporters after his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Wimal in action

Government Minister Wimal Weerawansa is seen here protesting in front of the British High Commission today against the treatment President Mahinda Rajapaksa received during his recent UK visit. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Memories from past

A torpedo attack on the Hwachon Reservoir dam by Attack Squadron 195 from the USS Princeton is seen May 1, 1951. Picture taken May 1, 1951. REUTERS

Teachers protest

Teachers of the Colombo Educational zone urged the authorities today to take measures to pay the salary arrears of more than Rs. 2 billion to the teachers countrywide and vowed to take strong union actions if their requests are left unanswered. Seen here are some of the teachers taking part in a protest near Ananda College in Maradana. Pics by Waruna Wanniarachchi

MR meets Liam Fox

President Mahinda Rajapaksa met Dr. Liam Fox Secretary of state for Defense of United Kingdom in London yesterday (Dec 1). They discussed aspects of the wider sharing of power in Sri Lanka, and development assistance from the UK. Pix Sudath Silva

Nurses Protest

The Government Nursing Officers Association today conducted a one hour walk out and Sathyagraha Campaign at the National hospital and in hospitals throughout the island urging the government to fulfill several demands made by them.  Seen here is a patient being wheeled into the accident ward of the National Hospital during the campaign. Pic By Pradeep Pathirana

Eco friendly

Workers assemble Nissan Motor's all-electric vehicle, the Leaf, on the production line at Oppama plant in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo in this handout photo released by Nissan on October. Over the past few years, Nissan executive Eiji Makino has met with leaders around the globe pursuing an unconventional strategy: lining up support for the Leaf before it was even on the road. Electric cars need to recharge around town and a growing number of g