Christmas Cheer

This mother and daughter appear to be enchanted by a colourfully lit-up Christmas Tree at Braybrooke Place in Colombo last night. The area was brightened up by Christmas decorations. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja.

Midnight Mass at St. Lucia’s Church

The Midnight Christmas Mass was held at St. Lucia's Cathedral Kotahena last night attracting a large number of enthusiastic Catholics. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Preparations for Christmas Midnight Mass

A youth is seen placing the statue of the baby Jesus in the crib at St Lucia’s Cathedral in Kotahena while final preparations were being made for the Christmas Midnight Mass. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Victoria spills over

Two of the eight automatic spill gates located atop the Victoria dam opened today and the gushing waters caused a massive fall of water. The two spill gates opened when the water level increased  to 438 meters due to the torrential rains in the area. Pix by Shane Seneviratne

Video: Distribution of JVP leaflets

JVP Leader Somawawnsa who led his party’s leaflet distribution campaign at fort Railway Station said today it was clear that the government was trying to achieve petty political mileage out of racism and disharmony because it was doing little or nothing to ease communal tension. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana ???

Harassed housemaids return

Out of the 101 Sri Lankan women forcibly employed in a cleaning plant in Abudabi Musafa, twelve returned to the island today after being released on an order from the Labour tribunal of Abudabi. The workers are believed to be of the ages between 22 and 38, and are residents of Negombo, Wennappuwa, Gampaha, and Hanwella. Pix by Deepa Adhikari

Together in adversity

Residents of a village in Vavuniya are pictured here in their endeavor to reconstruct a bund which was collapsed due to the torrential rain and resulting floods that has engulfed the area. Pix by  Romesh Madushanka

Demand for Christmas trees

Christmas trees have become the center of attraction with natural trees being stacked for sale along roadsides these days. Daily Mirror photographer Kushan Pathiraja captured this scene in front of the Colombo Town Hall today.

Landslides in Mallawapitiya

Landslides caused havoc in Mallawapitiya with some 30 families being evacuated to safety. A house belonging to an Army officer was also reported to have been buried by landslides. Pix by Pushpakumara Jayaratne

Coloured ring

A man looks at the coloured ring which was seen around the sun today. This phenomenon which lasted for about 45 minutes attracted the attention of many Sri Lankans. Pic by Kushan Pathiraja

A9 submerged

The A-9 (Kandy-Jaffna) main road is seen submerged at Nochchimoddai in Vavuniya this morning. Pix by Romesh Madushanka-Wanni

Indian Army Chief in Diyatalawa

Commissioning and passing out parade of the Sri Lanka Army was held at the Sri Lanka Military Academy this morning. Visiting India’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bikram Singh was the Chief Guest of the event. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Coir turns into tea

Customs officials today seized a 40-foot container laden with 80,000 kilos of refuse tea which was to be exported to Saudi Arabia claiming to contain coir, following a tip off. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Lawyers against attack on Wijeydasa’s residence

The members of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka today staged a protest outside the Supreme Court over the attack carried out on the Nawala residence of BASL President Wijeydasa  Rajapakshe. Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Indian Army Chief in Wanni

Visiting Indian Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh today visited the Security Forces Headquarters in the Wanni and also the LTTE rehabilitation Center in Poonthottam. Pix by Romesh Madushanka-Wanni

Train kills two jumbos

Two wild elephants were killed when they were hit by the Colombo - Batticaloa intercity train between Galoya and Minneriya railway stations early this morning. The engine of the train was also damaged by the accident. Pix by K.G.Karunaratne

Miss Universe 2012

Miss USA, Olivia Culpo throws a kiss after being named Miss Universe 2012 during the Miss Universe Pageant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 19, 2012. Eighty-nine countries and territories took part in in this year's pageant. AFP

Ranil visits Wijedasa Rajapakse

Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe including the other party members today visited UNP MP and Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Wijedasa Rajapakse’s Nawala home, where gunshots were heard last night. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Train hits elephant

A she-elephant was injured when she was knocked down by a train early this morning in Kaluwilapothana, in Galgamuwa. Pix by Sanjeewa Rathnayake

Chilaw Hospital under water

The Chilaw Hospital was inundated due to overflowing of the Deduru Oya and Munneshwaram Tank. As a result about 300 patients who were being treated in the Chilaw Hospital were transferred to Marawila and Ragama Hospitals and the Colombo National Hospital this morning. Chilaw town and most of the roads were also seen under water.  Pix by Jude Samantha

Christmas Pandol at Lipton Circus

Celebrating Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ in Sri Lankan style, a 48-feet tall Christmas pandol was opened at Lipton Circus in Colombo this evening. The pandol depicts the different stages of Jesus Christ’s life. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Guard of Honour for Indian Army Chief

Indian Army General Bikram Singh arrived in Sri Lanka today on a five day visit to strengthen military relationship between the two countries. He is visiting the country on an invitation from Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya. He was given a guard of honour at the Army Headquarters. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Protest against the attack on Gunaratne Wanninayake

Colombo Lawyers Association and Chief Magistrate’s Court Lawyers Association staged a joint protest opposite the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court denouncing the attack carried out on lawyer Gunaratne Wanninayake near his house in Borallesgamuwa last Monday. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja 

Leaflet campaign against impeachment

The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) today organised a leaflet distribution campaign outside the Fort Railway station in Colombo expressing its disapproval about the verdict given by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) regarding the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice (CJ) Shirani Bandaranayke. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

Natures wrath to be unleashed again?

The overflowing of several rivers and canals in the Puttalam district including Deduruoya, Battuluoya, and Kudupitiiyaoya rivers and the Hamilton canal has created a flood threat in seven divisions.

Night mail back on-track

The Colombo- Badulla night mail which was derailed at Ohiya is back on track. Pix by Prasad Rukmal

Equal Rights want Jaffna students released

The movement for Equal Rights staged a protest outside Fort Railway Station to urge the government to release the Jaffna University students who are being held in Custody and to end the military rule in the North. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Intact

The heavy rains in the area had uprooted the Bo tree at the Lahugala Kiriwehera Temple premises. It fell on the ancient Dagoba but the Buddha statue inside was miraculously saved. Pix by Upul Wijesinghe

Baddulla Colombo main road blocked

Traffic on the Baddulla-Colombo main road has come to a standstill after an earth mound collapsed on the road near Beragala in Haputale this morning. Pix by Rathnam Gokulan

Villages flooded after heavy rains

Over 150 villagers, including Naula, Kongahawela and Moragolla situated along the Ambanganga in Matale were flooded today, following heavy rains. Pictures show some of the damage caused by the flooding. Pix by Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa