Hindus across the country are preparing for the Thai Pongal celebrations tomorrow. In towns across the hill country, markets were full of people who were buying essential items, in anticipation of the festivities tomorrow.

Pic: Ranjith Rajapakha

Riot police were seen in Fort today, as medical students of Colombo University marched in protest against private universities. Pic Twitter @pranavannp

First photos of a blast in Sultanahmet in Istanbul, Turkey, have been released on social media. Police have cordoned off the region and casualties have been reported.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio, the lead actor and actresses in James Cameron's 1997 movie Titanic, met at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night. Di Caprio won the award for best actor for his role as Hugh Glass in 'The Revenant'. Winslet was awarded for best supporting actress for her role as Joanna Hofmann in the biopic 'Steve Jobs'.

Security officers at The Eden Park, Auckland, have been criticized by Sri Lankan and New Zealand cricket fans for removing some Sri Lankan fans for being too loud at the 2nd T20 match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka today.

"Eden park fun police strike again.. Sri Lankan fans allowed to openly walk through the turnstiles with drums create a good atmosphere only to have the security confiscate all their drums", said Sam Paddock, who shared this photo on Facebook.

A fire destroyed 16 houses in the Brunswick Estate in Maskeliya. The police and the estate workers managed to prevent the fire from spreading further. No one was hurt but eighty people were displaced.

Pic Ranjith Rajapaksha

A memorial service was held this morning at the Borella Cemetery, remembering the slain former Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge. Family members, former colleagues and political leaders attended. Wickrematunge was assassinated on January 8, 2009, at Attidiya, while on his way to work. Photo: Wesley Moses/Facebook

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende met with the TNA leader R Sampanthan and TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran a short while ago. (Pic: TNA)

The visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Bronde met his Sri Lankan counterpart Mangala Samaraweera today at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva held a discussion with GMOA representatives today on several concerns raised by the government doctors. The discussions were positive, de Silva said on Facebook