Photo Gallery | The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka

Home » Photo Gallery

dsfsdfsf

Paddy farmers in quandary as drought continues

Section News

Wasantha Silva copy

Silli arguments rage while public struggles with costs

Section News

Sujitha Aparakka

Silli arguments rage while public struggles with costs

Section News

Rani Sumithra

Silli arguments rage while public struggles with costs

Section News

Chals Thirimanna

Silli arguments rage while public struggles with costs

Section News

Sampath

Silli arguments rage while public struggles with costs

Section News

Print

Silli arguments rage while public struggles with costs

Section News

Dye and flour: CAA raid uncovers 8,000 kg of adulterated chillie and turmeric powder

Section News

Kumara

Paddy farmers in quandary as drought continues

Section News

Hit from all sides: Paddy farmers are worried about their future. Inset: S. Kumara, an Ampara district farmer affected by the drought and low paddy prices. Pix by Indika Handuwela

Paddy farmers in quandary as drought continues

Section News

water

Turning the murky tide

Section News

water

Turning the murky tide

Section News

Print

Slippery principals use devious means to extract bribes

Section News

A school principal being brought to court in Matale. She is charged with soliciting bribe to admit a child to Grade 1. Pic by Mahesh Keerthirathna

Slippery principals use devious means to extract bribes

Section News

In Matara, Parents protest against corruption in school admission. Pic by Krishan Jeewaka Jayaruk

Slippery principals use devious means to extract bribes

Section News

Print

Drug probe: Drugged or dragged?

Section News

Drug probe: Drugged or dragged?

Section News

1 copy

Drug probe: Drugged or dragged?

Section News

Caught in the torrent … tragic drownings are preventable

Section News

Print

Caught in the torrent … tragic drownings are preventable

Section News

_JPEG Digital Camera_399

Eight in a row: Lankadeepa once again wins people’s hearts

Section News

Print

Govt. meat ban to prevent ‘foot and mouth’ spread lacks cohesion

Section News

Print

Drought warnings grow as El Nino wakes up again

Section News

SLMA members and guests at the ceremony

New SLMA chief wants priority for children, elderly and disabled

Section News

Dr Palitha Abeykoon (right) being inducted as the SLMA president by Dr B.J.C.Perera. Pix by Indika Handuwala

New SLMA chief wants priority for children, elderly and disabled

Section News

Prof. Varagunam delivering the ‘History of Medicine’ Lecture

Docs sans stethoscopes is his vision

Section News

16-1

Owner demands return of 2 ½ acre bloc of land at Kirulapone

Section News

lobster-new

Court orders eviction of families living in Haggala Forest Reserve

Section News

(L-R) Nawaf D. Boshaibah (First Secretary-Political Section), Hassan ( Egypt), Muthu (Sri Lanka), Natthapol (Thailand), HE Khaled-Al-Duwaisan GCVO - Ambassador for the State of Kuwait, Batroz (Poland), Simona (Romania) and Baderalduja AL-Moudayan (Diplomatic Attache)

First Lankan elected to ‘Young Diplomats in London’ Ex-Co

Section News

Children and adults cover their faces to protect themselves from the clouds of dust raised by an incoming helicopter

Tourism, dust storms and damage at Aluthgama

Section News

Blissfully oblivious to the mayhem around them

Tourism, dust storms and damage at Aluthgama

Section News

The badly damaged roof of the school, where choppers land even when schools are in session!

Tourism, dust storms and damage at Aluthgama

Section News

The roof of the railway station was blown away due to helicopters landing on the playground adjoining the station

Tourism, dust storms and damage at Aluthgama

Section News

Tourists alight at one of the playgrounds

Tourism, dust storms and damage at Aluthgama

Section News

Children and adults alike flee to avoid the 'dust storm' raised by an incoming helicopter

Tourism, dust storms and damage at Aluthgama

Section News

England Lions batsman Sam Robson salutes on completion of his century. Robson made 147 not out. (Pic Shantha Ratnayake)

England Lions take three match series

Section Sports

Sam Robson

England Lions take three match series

Section Sports

Print

Randev bounces back into the lead

Section Sports

musinglogo Colour

System failure: Senior-six saga exposes Lanka’s woes

Section Sports

Action at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority XI vs Ragama CC Premier Division match at the Moors grounds, yesterday. Both these teams have no home ground of their own and more or less are run by individuals or a few devoted fans. (Pic. Ranjith Perera)

System failure: Senior-six saga exposes Lanka’s woes

Section Sports

RobbaryGraphic

Banks laying a welcome mat for bandits, say experts

Section News

A CCTV grab shows the armed robber wearing full-face helmet jumping over a desk prior to removing the cash from the drawyers at the Kohuwala Nations Trust Bank

Banks laying a welcome mat for bandits, say experts

Section News

Action at the U-19 World Cup match between Sri Lanka and England

Another Lankan mess-up and another huge debacle

Section Sports

Vimal Rugby Talk-C

Deviant behaviour, rugby culture

Section Sports

A Havelocks player tries to barge through an Army defender. Pic by Ranjith Perera

Havelocks survive Army scare to enter semi-finals

Section Sports

cafe_cartoon

Hi-tech Kelama turns into Kolama

Section Columns, Talk at the Cafe Spectator

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate and Chief Minister of the western Indian state of Gujarat Narendra Modi smiles as he attends the national convention of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in New Delhi on February 27, 2014. Modi, tipped in opinion polls to be the country's next premier, remains a polarising figure accused by critics of turning a blind eye to anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002 in which as many as 2,000 died. He has denied any wrongdoing. AFP

Modi surge incontrovertible

Section Sunday Times 2

The Aerial Tribute

Section Sunday Times 2

The Aerial Tribute

Section Sunday Times 2

The Aerial Tribute

Section Sunday Times 2

Rukshan Karunayake in Concert with Rukshan Perera in Colombo

Rukshan Karunanayake releases Sinhala autism song

Section Sunday Times 2

ST 2- Autism Song Rukshan pic

Rukshan Karunanayake releases Sinhala autism song

Section Sunday Times 2

Bata-St Pick of the Week

Dharmaraja outclass DSS by innings

Section Sports

DSS batsman Akil Imran is caught by Dharmaraja wicketkeeper Kavinda Ratnayake off Dinesh Lanka. Pix by Ranjith Perera

Dharmaraja outclass DSS by innings

Section Sports

Action at the St. Benedict’s Vs St. Joseph’s match played yesterday

Dharmaraja outclass DSS by innings

Section Sports

pol-cartoon

Govt. to reject international probe commission; what next?

Section Columns, Political Column

UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay arriving for a meeting with Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem during her visit to Sri Lanka in August 2013. Pic courtesy justiceministry.gov.lk

Govt. to reject international probe commission; what next?

Section Columns, Political Column

Kavinda de Tissera Captain

Saints clash for supremacy at P. Sara Stadium

Section Sports

Dylan Fernandopulle Captain

Saints clash for supremacy at P. Sara Stadium

Section Sports

St. Joseph’s Team

Saints clash for supremacy at P. Sara Stadium

Section Sports

St.Peter's Team

Saints clash for supremacy at P. Sara Stadium

Section Sports

Ashen Mendis-Captain

Keen tussle expected at Moratuwa

Section Sports

Anuk Fernando-Captain

Keen tussle expected at Moratuwa

Section Sports

Prince of Wales Team

Keen tussle expected at Moratuwa

Section Sports

St. Sebastian’s Team

Keen tussle expected at Moratuwa

Section Sports

5th-C-Cartoon

Polemical play of Navi Pillay

Section 5th Column, Columns

Sri Lanka had a disastrous tour of Hong Kong with many players sustaining injuries

Mauled on the court, the Lankan shooters learn a bitter lesson

Section Sports

Yasa Ramachandra

Mauled on the court, the Lankan shooters learn a bitter lesson

Section Sports

Dharshana Fernando

Sri Lankan to coach badminton in Thailand

Section Sports

The dilapitated Training College shelter which they use as a make-shift pavilion

Training College grounds lack facilities

Section Sports

Trinity Army Founders - From Left Niroshan Goonawardena, Dushan De Silva, Trinity Principal Brigadier Udaya Ariyaratne and Migara Maddumapatabendi.

Trinity Army to keep sports alive

Section Sports

Raveen Sayer in action

Richmond end season in style with tenth win

Section Sports

Richmond batsman Kavindu Mendis in action in their match against St. Joseph’s during the season. (File pic)

Richmond end season in style with tenth win

Section Sports

Kick-Start for national Tennis

Section Sports

martina_hingis_wallpaper_2-1280x1024 copy

Kick-Start for national Tennis

Section Sports

Nalin de Silva (Former Sri Lanka captain and Co-Chairman Development SLRFU) - Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) is over 100 years by now and those who served it have never committed deliberate mistakes or errors. All have served rugby in good faith though the position is honorary. All have worked for the development of the game. Having said that I must say there are mistakes made by administers and at the same time misunderstandings at different levels. But I can surely say there had never been misappropriations. As a player I have gone to top, taken part in two Asiads, I was in the team that won the Bowl Championship at Hong Kong Sevens in 1984, which I’m really proud of. I have gone through so many committees of the SLRFU. Our administrative knowledge at different levels is not tactful enough, except for few. Not only at the top level, even at provincial level it’s applicable. What I mean by that is management of players, teams, accountability and every aspect including coaching, refereeing. In all spears of the game one must be firm to handle a sport. The provincial unions must be strong enough, beginning from schools, clubs and units. Internal coordination is an important fact for rugby development. But in general rugby has developed but not to the expected standard. Lack of infrastructure facilities and funds are the key reasons behind that impedance beginning from district and provincial level. The SLRFU has a duty of taking care of its provinces but we must also understand even the main body has restrictions when it comes to providing facilities and funds. As players during our times we played for the love of the game. But today professionalism is dominating. The game turning professional is a good sign but I feel that it has happened in a fashion where we have placed the cart before the horse. It’s a gradual improvement where discipline among players dispersed at the same pace while creating problems that were unnecessary. One key aspect is players losing the loyalty they had for their clubs through crossovers. This became a trend and as a result the game lost a good number of spectators at club level. Players are attracted for many reasons. Rugby is a fascinating full contact sport where players become stars for their moves and style of play. So when a certain player represents the club that a spectator has been following he becomes an idol. But the moment he decides to crossover to another club, the spectator is confused whether to follow the player or his club. With total dejection they decide to give up the game. That occurred like a wildfire for so many years. Lack of proper administration is one of the key reasons for this as I observe. Some 35 years earlier I remember spectators used to park their cars kilometers away from the venue and walk to the ground to find a place to sit at a game. The interest and the crowd were very big. It died gradually but lately things are picking up again to the levels that it used to be. That’s because all the clubs have managed to identify the true reason behind professionalism, though it took some time, like almost a decade. Unlike yesteryears rugby has a value today in general. Another important area of Sri Lanka rugby are the schools. The SLRFU has taken many initiatives to spread the game around the country, targeting schools. At the same time we must admire the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association for their contribution towards the development of the sport. They initiated with a little over 20 schools and by today have taken the game to around 500 schools in the country. It’s evident that there is trouble between the SLRFU and the schools section over certain issues. But what I feel is both these groups must work hand in hand to develop the game while understanding the fact that SLRFU is answerable to the global body. In addition I see varied methods of coaching at school level. Coaches have their unique way of training but they must make sure to teach the basics in a uniformed method. This has only created incomplete players. But when those players reach the national level, the coach in charge face a difficult task to standardise all players. This problem has been in existence, still remains and will continue to stay if the junior coaches are not taught a common coaching method. Rugby is still a developing sport in Sri Lanka and has a long way to go. At this juncture Sri Lanka as a nation has managed to get into the international radar. We have reached that level earlier several times but have failed to sustain. Now I feel we are beginning to stamp our authority. This will be an easy task if we could maintain different squads for 7s and 15s versions and also second string teams as backups. We have the potential to go far in 7s. It’s a known fact Sri Lanka is build for that version but must have a comprehensive and long term plan. Personally our club level has to improve a lot. There are over 5000 players at school level but clubs in total can accommodate only up to 1000 players. Other school players are considered as dropouts. I feel the clubs must field second XV, Under-21 and Under-23 sides and the SLRFU must focus on conducting tournaments for those categories as well. I also see the need of an academy for the referees as well as coaches. Rugby is a combination of players, clubs, referees, officials, spectators, administrators and other aspects. All these cogs must fit accordingly under skilled sports administration.

Club loyalty, commercialism and other nitty-gritty’s of rugby administration

Section Sports

Lasitha Gunaratne (Former national player and SLRFU Vice President) - Those days even the spectators had loyalty to their clubs. Today at the rate of the players crossing over from club to club the spectators are left clueless who to cheer for -- their favourite player or the club. In addition players those days were genuinely loyal to their clubs but with professionalism sneaking over, this attitude is not in existence anymore. The amount of crossovers taking place nowadays is really unhealthy for the game. This was not in existence during our days, unless there was a serious cause. This has injected frustration among rugby fans. The game was not as commercialized as it is today. Those who played the game during our days were loyal to their clubs, preserved the integrity, traditions and the values of the game, though the game was not as financially big as it is today. But I must admit that we played for the love of the game but were not commercially successful as players. The game has grown today where players have a value. But they have gone to the extent of disregarding all the traditional values of the sport, sometimes associating the wrong ends of the development. Some players have simply vanished as a result. Players from the bygone era earned a great reputation as individuals and bowed out with everlasting impressions. The development that has occurred is good on short term but as individuals they are at a lost, simply for not maintaining a healthy camaraderie with their fellow players who played with or against them. But players from the past still maintain good relationships after so many years because we valued the traditions of the sport. Even the post-match social is a rare occurrence today; players prefer to skip that part for petty reasons. Administrators must take a major portion of the responsibility for this mishap. Rugby has become a popular and commercially viable sport but the question is if rugby has managed to, or will be able to, maintain its quality in time to come. There are two sides to the story in the game turning professional. It has helped the sport grow in quantity but has failed in quality. As a governing body, the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) has played its part perfectly in the past. The SLRFU hadn’t many activities in the past besides conducting the domestic competitions and coordinating the national teams on international assignments. But with the expansion of the game to provincial and grassroots levels and with the constant observation of the International Rugby Board, the SLRFU has become a busy unit. The national team and our ranking status are the key areas where the SLRFU is fully focused. But as a nation, Sri Lanka cannot dream big internationally outside Asia. Even Asian heavyweights Japan finds it difficult to cope up at that level. We must be practical in our efforts. But we can believe in going farther than where we are today if two separate squads could be maintained for 7s and 15s. Just being busy with rugby activities at domestic level throughout the year is just not enough and healthy. The present pattern of the league tournament looks fine but I prefer the traditional method which is the home and away, where a team gets to play two games against an opponent. That could bring about some interest besides giving the teams more opportunities to bounce back to win the league title. And it will also enhance the number of players as well as the spectators. Internationally we can be pleased of where we stand in Asia at present. Another key aspect is the character and the discipline of an individual. It’s clearly noticeable in refereeing. You can see the amount of respect spectators offer a former player who is refereeing and a total amateur. A former player will never deliberately commit a mistake though mistakes cannot be ruled out totally. There is a big difference between the two breeds of referees and it severely affects the growth of the game. Referees, disregard of their status also must turn professional if they are to gain respect and adhere to quality. Generally in Sri Lanka the integrity of any sport has been overpowered by the money factor and the interests of those who run it. In rugby, you hardly find a player, unless he has born talent, who can pass on both directions or use both legs in punting or kicking. There is only handful of players who can kick beyond 25 metres of a rugby field. Those skills must be taught as basics of rugby at junior level. During our days we were directed in the correct path but today it’s totally overlooked by coaches. That’s one of the big setbacks rugby facing today. Junior rugby must be given a serious focus. Internationally any team, be it Top 14 or Six Nations, all 15 players are equally skilled. But Sri Lanka lacks that due to incorrect and varying coaching methods. We can go on for years to come this way but it needs to change for good. Players, coaches, referees and officials can be put on the correct path if the basics are taught from the beginners’ stage. That will be the key for the growth of the game.

Club loyalty, commercialism and other nitty-gritty’s of rugby administration

Section Sports

Rizly Ilyas (Secretary of the SLRFU) - When we look at school bodies going out on their own, it was never the idea of the Union to come and take it over and market it because we have enough of ‘A’ Division, ‘B’ Division and development work to do. We don’t want to take the schools and run them; it is not a task that can be done by us. When the schools had problems with the referees with disciplinary committee action to be taken they couldn’t handle it so we as the mother union were directed by the Ministry of Sports to take control of it. So we went in and intervened. Then we had an understanding that we could work a package and we could work together this year so we had dialogue with Susantha Mendis for about six months and we gave an outline of how the Union would want to run it. In the sense how we would want to get the funding part first from the current sponsor or for a new sponsor. I think they have achieved this by going from Rs. 15 million to Rs. 37 million or Rs. 50 million. We showed them that why we needed the money was to run the system properly. Now if you look at the Schools Seven-a-side tournament, there is no ice bath. When you do a seven-a-side school tournament there should be an ice bath because it is a seven-minute, hard game, the body temperature rises so much that the boys need it otherwise they get things like cramps and joint pains. We learnt this at the Carlton Sevens tournament when we saw the foreigners getting into the ice bath. When we worked with the physios, they said how it works on the muscles and the amino acids. So we showed these things to them and Susantha Mendis absorbed this. But they kept us in the dark and they negotiated with the sponsor, not telling us, but it’s okay. Then the other area which was bad was the School Association said they don’t come under the mother union, the SLRFU. So that was the reason that we didn’t allow them to take part in a tournament. And then they understood and I think the public came to understand that they needed to have guidance and permission from us because ultimately they had to go to his Excellency, the President, to ask him, because their was a request made by him to go ahead and give them permission to play. So that proved that without the mother union’s consent, no other body can play a tournament of rugby. Even beach rugby, touch rugby or anything, they have to inform us, because the IRB or ARFU they will directly write to us, they will not write to the Sports Ministry or schools or any other association. They will send all the regulations to us and anything has to come to us. At club level, standards have gone up and good management has come in. After Kandy dominated for years you now see Navy, Havelock’s, Upcountry Lions; CR getting better, Army is getting better, so the game is changing and it is going through a different revolution of playing at night. At the international level we have a very strong chance of competing. If we maintain ourselves in the A5 nations in 2019 we will have a very good chance if we go and qualify with the foreigners playing for our national team, like what the Philippines, Japan and Malaysia do. So I think when the rule (to include foreign players) is there we should use it.

Club loyalty, commercialism and other nitty-gritty’s of rugby administration

Section Sports

Y.C Chang (Former national player and administrator) - In internationals we still haven’t made a mark. I know that we are getting to that point but there is no marked difference. In Sevens I think we have qualified for the Hong Kong Sevens. We will have to wait and see how that goes. We should include a couple of foreigners like all the other countries. Looking at school rugby I find it very interesting at the moment. It is fantastic to watch schools because their game play is completely different to that of the clubs. It is open, a run and pass game, which I have always advocated. But it is getting a little too competitive. The number of teams participating in the schedule is too much. The authorities themselves should curb that. The teachers know that and they are the finest administrators. In foreign countries, teachers are the administrators involved. So why can’t we do that? In the club game, I must say that credit to President Asanga Seneviratne, he has allowed foreigners to come in and we have seen a marked change in the game itself. Now they are moving the ball about from left to right and more options are being taken in midfield and it is quite interesting. That last game between Havelocks and Navy was the most interesting game I have seen this season. When I brought professionalism in the mid-80s there was a big hue and cry from within. I still managed to fight within and outside and I told the RFU to come and manage our affairs. At that time it was not expensive, we got the foreigners free and a season would cost you a couple of lakhs. But if you look at it today the club will have to raise between Rs.20 million to Rs.30 million to finish a season. I foresaw this ten years ago. I told the Havelocks Sports Club to start rethinking that you cannot sustain yourself, your gates are poor and your sponsors will be definitely thin out later on. Why I said that at that point of time was the type of game play they had was the most boring. It was just hit and fall, hit and fall. What Asanga Seneviratne will have to tackle as President of the Union is quite a mighty thing. Clubs will fall by the wayside because they cannot sustain themselves. We saw it in the CH&FC, and I can see it with CR and I can also see it with Havelocks. Havelocks is already going through the shivers. So what Asanga Seneviratne will do and how he will do it, I do not know. I also predicted that once the war is over the defence services will rise in the sport. Within a short space of time we saw Navy winning a trophy. This is going to continue because they have all the time, resources and manpower to do this, whereas Asanga Seneviratne will have to find the time to find the funds to get the clubs going. In terms of Sri Lankan refereeing, it going through a learning curve. We shouldn’t be learning at this point of time. The learning curve was over in the ‘60s, ‘70s,’80s. We had so much of participation between the player, referee and administrator. I don’t know how much of that is happening now. There are far too many complaints. The referees do not believe that the game of rugby is all about advantage. Advantage makes it really beautiful.

Club loyalty, commercialism and other nitty-gritty’s of rugby administration

Section Sports

_K6S3879

Club loyalty, commercialism and other nitty-gritty’s of rugby administration

Section Sports

Trade-deficits

Towards smaller trade deficit and balance of payments surplus

Section Columns, The Economic Analysis

Econ-Cartoon

Towards smaller trade deficit and balance of payments surplus

Section Columns, The Economic Analysis

nimal

Towards smaller trade deficit and balance of payments surplus

Section Columns, The Economic Analysis

lasantha

Pillay’s report and the ICRC study on ‘use of force in armed conflicts’

Section Columns, From the sidelines

kishali

Treating the chief justice worse than a common criminal

Section Columns, Focus on Rights

lobster-new

British Council, Kandy Art Club Award Ceremony and Exhibition On Saturday

Section Funday Times

A vigil in Pakistan honours Aitzaz Hassan (photo on right), who was killed Jan. 6 after tackling a suicide bomber who was about to enter his school. The other photo shows Pakistani policeman Superintendent Chaudhry Aslam, who was killed in a separate bomb attack in January (REUTERS)

The boy who won a million hearts

Section Sunday Times 2

ST 2- Book review from Namini cover

Legal instruments provide a pathway to peace

Section Sunday Times 2

Norochcholai Power Plant: CEB engineers are capable of tackling the problems

Norochcholai power station: A challenge to our engineers

Section Sunday Times 2

Amarapura Nikaya bans politics for rebel monks

Section Columns, Sunday Punch

Sirimavo Bandaranaike

Sri Lanka women’s contribution to diplomacy and international relations

Section Sunday Times 2

Rossy Senanayaka.

Sri Lanka women’s contribution to diplomacy and international relations

Section Sunday Times 2

Ms. Tamara Kunanayakam

Sri Lanka women’s contribution to diplomacy and international relations

Section Sunday Times 2

UN photo/Pierre Albouy, 19 april 2011, Palais des Nations, Genev

Sri Lanka women’s contribution to diplomacy and international relations

Section Sunday Times 2

Manel Abesekara

Sri Lanka women’s contribution to diplomacy and international relations

Section Sunday Times 2

The-expectation-of-the-Dutch-

The expectation of the Dutch

Section Funday Times

Camille Mathurasingh stabbed to death by her ex boyfriend: Pic courtesy PA

Facebook – the good, the bad and the ugly

Section Sunday Times 2

The Google Doodle team works on a tribute to Freddie Mercury (AFP)

Are Google’s doodles racist and sexist?

Section Sunday Times 2

CRIMEA: Ukraine accuses Russia of invasion

The coup in Ukraine: Obama’s dumbest plan yet

Section Sunday Times 2

Unidentified soldiers block a road to Ukrainian military airport Belbek not far from Sevastopol on February 28, 2014. Ukraine accused Russia of staging an “armed invasion” of Crimea on Friday and appealed to the West to guarantee its territorial integrity after pro-Moscow gunmen took control of the peninsula's main airport. Unidentified armed men were patrolling outside of Crimea's main airport early Friday while gunmen were also reported to have seized another airfield on the southwest of the peninsula where ethnic Russians are a majority and where pro-Moscow sentiment runs high. AFP PHOTO/ VASILIY BATANOV

The coup in Ukraine: Obama’s dumbest plan yet

Section Sunday Times 2

Outgoing US Ambassador to China Gary Locke speaks during a farewell press conference held at the US embassy in Beijing (AFP)

China media hurls racist slur at departing US envoy

Section Sunday Times 2

Armed men take up positions around the regional parliament building in the Crimean city of Simferopol

Pro-Russian forces tighten grip on Crimea

Section Sunday Times 2

Syria's starving population: Hundreds of men, women and children gathered amid the rubble of Damascus for UN food hand-outs after being cut off for months. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) called on rebel forces and Assad’s troops alike to allow ‘safe and unhindered humanitarian access’ to civilians in Yarmouk, a Palestinian district in the Syrian capital ( Reuters)

Saudi hits back at Russia criticism on Syria

Section Sunday Times 2

South Korea's President Park Geun-hye (C) salutes the national flag during a ceremony celebrating the 95th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement against Japanese colonial rule, in Seoul (AFP)

S. Korea warns Japan over war sex slavery review

Section Sunday Times 2

Virtual reality touchscreen: Japanese firm Fujitsu has developed a prototype tablet device that uses ultrasound vibrations to mimic a variety of textures, such an alligator's skin (pictured)

Now that’s a touchscreen

Section Sunday Times 2

The interior of a pomegranate inspired the new battery design (Reuters)

Pomegranate power: Fruit’s design used to create batteries

Section Sunday Times 2

The home of the future is here

Section Sunday Times 2

Sweet news: Strawberries could soon appear in supermarkets all year round (AFP)

Strawberry yields forever

Section Sunday Times 2

NASA

Moon punched in the face by a meteorite

Section Sunday Times 2

The 4.4 billion-year-old zircon crystal (Reuters)

Rock around the clock: Zircon crystal is oldest piece of Earth

Section Sunday Times 2

The timeline of the history of Earth, and places the formation of the Jack Hills zircon and a ''cool early Earth'' at 4.4 billion (REUTERS)

Rock around the clock: Zircon crystal is oldest piece of Earth

Section Sunday Times 2

Ehelepola house pic

A home for tradition

Section Plus

A home for tradition

Section Plus

A home for tradition

Section Plus

Welcome sight: The entrance to the museum

A home for tradition

Section Plus

Owner Sarath Abeygunawardana

A home for tradition

Section Plus

Ehelepola house pic

A home for tradition

Section Plus

Ehelepola house pic

A home for tradition

Section Plus

Ehelepola house pic

A home for tradition

Section Plus

Appreciation 1 pic

Appreciations

Section Plus

Lead letter pic

Letters

Section Plus

elephant pic 3

The crowded corridor

Section Plus

Elephant pic 2

The crowded corridor

Section Plus

When their paths cross: VIllagers flee as they spot an elephant

The crowded corridor

Section Plus

When their paths cross: VIllagers flee as they spot an elephant

The crowded corridor

Section Plus

Richard Morgan

Debbie’s Whist quest

Section Plus

Tracing the past: Deborah Philip. Pic by Malaka Pathmalal

Debbie’s Whist quest

Section Plus

Landmark building: Whist bungalow. Pic by Ruvin de SIlva, courtesy Colomboscope

Debbie’s Whist quest

Section Plus

Scanned Document

It was ‘santhutti’ all the way

Section Plus

Rohan de Lanerolle

Five years in harmony

Section Plus

Ishan de Lanerolle

Five years in harmony

Section Plus

Sujeeva Hapugalle

Sujeeva’s ‘Poetry of the Piano’ for Zonta

Section Plus

Gabriel, Shani and Valentin performing in Colombo

A feast of classical music

Section Plus

Galle Music Festival pic

Await the return of the Galle Music Festival

Section Plus

Wit's end

Progress: More than a walk in the park…

Section Plus

Steve Ross

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Bishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Dhiloraj Canagasabey at the organ dedication service last month at the STC Chapel. Also in the picture is STC Sub Warden Rev. Marc Bilimoria

Glorious sounds for the STC chapel

Section Plus

Steve Ross

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Steve Ross fashion pic 5

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Steve Ross fashion pic 4

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Steve Ross fashion pic 3

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Steve Ross fashion pic 2

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Steve Ross fasshion pic 1

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Steve Ross

Life is a cabaret for Steve Ross

Section Plus

Grassrooted Trust’s Hans Billimoria

A different style statement

Section Plus

Grassrooted pic 2

A different style statement

Section Plus

Grassrooted pic 1

A different style statement

Section Plus

Grassrooted pic 3

A different style statement

Section Plus

Avirate pic

Avirate’s big plans

Section Plus

Archt

The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects

Section Plus

Archt Sanju, Ranil and Danushki

The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects

Section Plus

Archt President Chitra

The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects

Section Plus

Archt guests 3

The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects

Section Plus

Archt guest pic 4

The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects

Section Plus

Archt Eng

The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects

Section Plus

Book cover- DC pic

A book on a man who himself is a book!

Section Plus

The Peradeniya campus: Then freshers walked without fear

Ragging in the sixties: Fun not harassment

Section Plus

Ranjith Samaranayake

A place to discover the joys of reading

Section Plus

Pradeep Samaranayake

A place to discover the joys of reading

Section Plus

Books galore: The Expographic bookstore at Pelawatte. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara

A place to discover the joys of reading

Section Plus

Lakshman Perera

Honouring an industrial chemist

Section Plus

P&E- Piano donation pic

Korea donates 55 digital pianos

Section Plus

P&E- EFC award pic

Deshabandhu title for Manique

Section Plus

Monument to a great Ceylonese: Sir Charles Henry de Soysa’s statue at De Soysa circus (Lipton’s circus)

Charles Henry de Soysa: Philanthropist and visionary

Section Plus

Japanese concer pic

Japanese pianist and baritone in concert with Eshantha

Section Plus

Print

UN resolution will be passed; no chaos however

Section Business Times

File picture of the Chalmers Granary.

Real estate market overview: High-end office space shortage

Section Business Times

Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Oceanpick Founder Irfaan Thassim and others at the site.

Modha farmed in sea cages off Trinco

Section Business Times

Print

Cost of living more worrying than Geneva issues, BT poll

Section Business Times

Jayasiri Samaratunge

Sri Lanka’s construction sector beset with corruption

Section Business Times

Mangala P.B. Yapa

Colombo Dockyard veteran Mangala Yapa retires

Section Business Times

Ranil Wijegunawardena

Colombo Dockyard veteran Mangala Yapa retires

Section Business Times

A section of the audience at a recent seminar for ‘budding’ accountants to promote the stock market

CSE-SEC forum for IT-BPO and Knowledge Services industry

Section Business Times

Vijitha Yapa, new Chairman of the Afro Asian Book Council being congratulated by the former Chairman Dayo Alabi who is the Chairman of The Book Company Ltd of Lagos, Nigeria.

Vijitha Yapa elected Chairman of Afro Asian Book Council

Section Business Times

Picture shows the President handing over one of the awards.

Sri Lanka’s best crafts-persons recognised at awards ceremony

Section Business Times

Foundry

Highray Foundry Industries brings local cast iron manufacturing to the fore

Section Business Times

Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce-second from right) leads the Sri Lankan delegation at the 8th session of Iraqi-Sri Lanka Joint Economic Sessions at International Palestine Hotel, Baghdad on 25 February.

Iraq to buy Ceylon Tea direct from Colombo

Section Business Times

Connect-via-blood-pic-2

Connect via blood: The legacy of Panduke’s battle with Leukaemia

Section Magazine, Magazine

mahen-main-pic

Coiled to strike

Section Magazine, Magazine

Connect-via-blood-pic-2

Connect via blood: The legacy of Panduke’s battle with Leukaemia

Section Magazine, Magazine

UMT-NYLC-Feb-14-3

UMT holds fifth reunion leadership programme in Kandy

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

UMT-NYLC-Feb-14-2

UMT holds fifth reunion leadership programme in Kandy

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

UMT-NYLC-Feb-14-1

UMT holds fifth reunion leadership programme in Kandy

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

Young participants at the CHOGM Youth conference

World conference on youth 2014 in Colombo

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

Tommiya visits cyberland

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

Tommiya visits cyberland

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

Magazine-4-8-1

Singing and dancing their way through ‘Annie’

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

Pix by Indika Handuwala

Singing and dancing their way through ‘Annie’

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

Big Match moments

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

lobster-new

Big Match moments

Section Magazine, Mirror Magazine

xavier_santhosh-(94)

‘Galle Music Festival 2014’: Third season

Section Magazine, TV Times

Barney-Image-02

Purple Dino in Colombo

Section Magazine, TV Times

lobster-new

Ajith to launch book on Tissa Abeysekara

Section Magazine, TV Times

125

‘Sam’s Story’ showing now

Section Magazine, TV Times

lobster-new

‘Sam’s Story’ showing now

Section Magazine, TV Times

rodney

‘Gee Ranga Siri’ Theatre songs back on the stage

Section Magazine, TV Times

GEE-RANGASIRI-e-ad--2014-marc-002-(1)

‘Gee Ranga Siri’ Theatre songs back on the stage

Section Magazine, TV Times

The aroma in the city

Section Magazine, TV Times

The aroma in the city

Section Magazine, TV Times

lobster-new

The aroma in the city

Section Magazine, TV Times

imagewraps

Wraps promo at Taj extended due to popular demand

Section Magazine, TV Times

lobster-new

Authentic Chinese cuisine at Lakeside

Section Magazine, TV Times