The ASEAN forum’s official flag was raised in Colombo for the first time today. The flag hoisting ceremony was attended by Indonesian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Djafar Hussein, Malaysian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Azmi Zainuddin and Myanmar's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Myo Lwin at the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo with the presence of External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris. The ASEAN Flag should be hoisted in Embassies and High Comm
People gather with their bicycles at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei December 31, 2011. Hundreds of thousands people participated in a bike ride around Taiwan on New Year's Eve as part of an attempt to achieve a Guinness World Record of the largest bicycle parade in the world. Various groups began from 1000 starting points around the island and cycled clock-wise towards the next starting point within one hour. REUTERS
Pictures show Telmo Languiller MP for Victoria Australia addressing the media at a press conference held in Colombo today. The visit by the Parliamentarian was organized by the “Expats of Sri Lanka”. Languiller expressed his delight to be visiting a peaceful Sri Lanka and stated that he welcomes the LLRC report. The MP further went on to add that he will be encouraging his parliamentary colleagues and the people of his country to cont
JVP dissident member Ajita Kumara with Counsel Nuwan Bopage, is seen leaving the Colombo District Court premises after obtaining a notice of injunction against JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe against holding the JVP Convention at the Debarawewa Playground in Tissamaharama. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana
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The picture shows the Examination Chief Anura Edirisinghe seen displaying a document at today’s news conference in the presence of Ministers S.B. Dissanayaka and Bandula Gunawardana. The minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa was expected to appoint a five-member committee comprising a Supreme Court Judge, three Vice Chancellors and the Attorney General to look into the blunder by the Examinations Department when preparing the district
Government officials pour milk into the waters of the river Ganges as part of a prayer ceremony for a peaceful Magh Mela festival in the northern Indian city of Allahabad December 29, 2011. The festival is an annual religious event held during the Hindu month of Magh, when thousands of Hindu devotees take a holy dip in the waters of the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. The festival starts January 5 and runs unti
UNP Gampaha District MP Ruwan Wijeyawardene is seen presenting school books to a child at a ceremony organised by the A. J. M. Muzammil Foundation to distribute school books to needy children to mark the birthday of the first lady in the city of Colombo Ms. Feroza Muzammil. Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil UPFA Member of the Colombo Municipal Council Asath Sally were also present at the ceremony. Pix by Samantha Perera
Basic training and instructions were given to drivers today as they will be working in two private buses plying the Southern Expressway (E01) which is to start operations from January 1. The training session was held at the entry point in Kottawa. One passenger will be charged Rs.400 for a trip to Galle from Kottawa. Pix by Buddhika Kumarasiri
Elephants vie for a ball during a soccer match on the final day of the Elephant Race event at Sauraha in Chitwan, about 170 km (106 miles) south of Kathmandu December 28, 2011. Elephants and mahouts from Chitwan will participate in the Elephant Race, which begins on Monday and ends today, where elephants will play in an exhibition soccer match and various other sports and activities. REUTERS
Students of the Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) today staged a protest in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station urging the government to re-assess the Z-score and the Island and District Rankings of the GCE Advanced Level results. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja
Members of the Peoples Movement for the Protection of Schools staged a protest in front of Isurupaya –Education Ministry, today demanding the resignation of the Education Minister Bandula Gunawardene and Commissioner of Examination Anura Edirisinghe and also to re-assess the Z-score and Island and District rankings of the 2011 GCE Advanced Level results. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel
A limousine carrying a portrait of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il leads his funeral procession past crowds on a street in Pyongyang in this still image taken from video December 28, 2011. North Korea's military staged a huge funeral procession on Wednesday in the snowy streets of the capital Pyongyang for its deceased “dear leader,” Kim Jong-il, readying a transition to his son, Kim Jong-un. REUTERS VIDEO
Carpenters work while sitting on the railway track in downtown Hanoi December 27, 2011. The Kham Thien railway hamlet, a 200-meter (656-ft) stretch of residences along the railway track in center Hanoi, is one of most dangerous traffic problems in the country. Despite the many accidents and deaths every year and warnings from authorities, people continue to live and make their livelihoods near the track. REUTERS
The Passing Out Parade of the Sri Lanka Military Academy at Diyatalawa was held today under the patronage of Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed who arrived today to witness the year-end Commissioning Parade. A total of 189 Cadet Officers, including one Maldivian passed out. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana
A press briefing was held today by Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake on the Advanced Level results which had significant errors. Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne, Commissioner in charge of school examinations, Amith Jayasundara and UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayaka were also present at the briefing. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel
People look at photographs of the 2004 tsunami, at the Ulee Lheue mass grave near Banda Aceh, Aceh province December 26, 2011. Survivors gathered in neighbourhood mosques and homes to remember those killed by the tsunami triggered by an undersea earthquake off the island of Sumatra seven years ago. REUTERS
A commemoration ceremony in memory of those who perished in the Tsunami at Peraliya was held today for the seventh consecutive year. The ceremony was held at the site where an ill fated train was washed away by the tidal waves. Pix by Pradeep Dilsrukshana
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