Gherkin harvest

A crop of more than 2500 Kgs of gherkins which were grown in a twenty acre field by twenty families in the Killinochi area is seen here after being harvested. The fields which were prepared by the army were earlier handed over to the families for gherkins cultivation. Pix courtesy Sri Lanka Army

Leader behind the leader

Beleaguered UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesighe seen looking at Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya who was seated at the head table during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected local councillors at Sirikotha today. Pic by Kushan Pathiraja

KP looks to the future

Former Chief Arm’s procurer of the LTTE Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP is seen here reading to a group of children at an orphanage run by the North East Rehabilitation and Development Organisation (NERDO). KP who heads NERDO called on the Tamil Diaspora to stop their campaign that provoked anger and hatred towards Sri Lanka. Pix by Manoj Rathnayaka

Remembering the victims

Dancers perform in traditional Korean costume as part of a the memorial service for Korean victims of a 1945 atomic bombing, at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on August 5, 2011. People gathered at the memorial on the eve of the annual service to be held on August 6. AFP

Making the trip to space

This NASA handout image released August 3, 2011 shows three LEGO figurines flying aboard the Juno spacecraft are the Roman god Jupiter(R), his wife Juno and Galileo Galilei(L). Juno is set to launch toward Jupiter aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on August 5, 20115. AFP PHOTO

JHU candidates take oaths

Eight JHU candidates who were elected from the recent local government bodies took oaths today in front of the JHU leaders. They were elected to the local bodies of, Welikanda, Embilipitiya, Harispattuwa, Kantale, Balangoda and Yatinuwara. Pix by Samantha Perera

Creating awareness

The Patriotic National Movement distributed leaflets to the public to raise awareness on the steps taken by international powers to tarnish the image of the country and the security forces. They also urged the government to spread democracy to all parts of the country and give full authority to provincial councils and local bodies. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel

Inter university trade union protests

The Inter University Trade Union Federation (IUTUF) today staged a protest in front of the University Grants Commission (UGC) demanding the government to increase the salary of all the university employees and to stop the privatisation of the universities. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

Falling form the skies

The Biggest Parachute Passing Out in the history of 60 years of the Sri Lanka Air Force was held today at the Katunayake SLAF base. 95 personnel including four airwomen passed out by completing the 22nd and 23rd Basic Airborne Course as well as the No.4 Basic Rigger Course. The passing out parade was held under the patronage of Air Force Commander Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

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

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"

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’

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

Up in the air

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