• Members of carnival marching bands in costumes parade through the streets during the 'Morgestraich' carnival parade in Basel, Switzerland. EPA
    Members of carnival marching bands in costumes parade through the streets during the 'Morgestraich' carnival parade in Basel, Switzerland. EPA
  • Sri Lankans pay their last respects to Nadungamuwa Raja, originally Nadungamuwa Vijaya Raja, the main Sacred Tooth Relic casket bearer at the Esala perahera in Kandy, which died early on 07 March, as a policeman and villagers watch at Nadungamuwa, Weliweriya, near Colombo, Sri Lanka, 07 March 2022. Nadungamuwa Raja, an Indian tusker (Elephas maximus indicus) born in 1953, was originally gifted by a Mysuru Maharaja along with another, Nawam Raja, which is currently the casket bearer of the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, to a Sri Lankan native physician Buddhist monk of Nilammahara Temple in Piliyandala as a token of appreciation for curing one of his relatives. Nadungamuwa Raja was acquired by a former Member of Parliament for Bandaragama, Herbert Wickramasinghe by a prominent ayurvedic physician, Dharmavijaya Veda Ralahamy of Nadungamuwa, the father of the present owner, Ayurvedic Dr. Harsha Dharmavijaya. The mahout who cared for the pachyderm is Wilson Kodithuwakku, affectionately known as ‘Kalu Mama’. Nadungamuwa Raja makes the annual trip to Kandy from its residing place Nadungamuwa on foot and was provided armed military escort to and from Kandy after it was declared a National Treasure. Revered and loved by people from all walks of life, people pay their respects as the elephant passes their areas on its way to bear the replica of the original casket holding the most sacred Buddhist relic, the Buddha’s Tooth Relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. Meanwhile, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed relevant officials to preserve the unique tusker as a national monument for the viewing of future generations. EPA / CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE
    Sri Lankans pay their last respects to Nadungamuwa Raja, originally Nadungamuwa Vijaya Raja, the main Sacred Tooth Relic casket bearer at the Esala perahera in Kandy, which died early on 07 March, as a policeman and villagers watch at Nadungamuwa, Weliweriya, near Colombo, Sri Lanka, 07 March 2022. Nadungamuwa Raja, an Indian tusker (Elephas maximus indicus) born in 1953, was originally gifted by a Mysuru Maharaja along with another, Nawam Raja, which is currently the casket bearer of the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, to a Sri Lankan native physician Buddhist monk of Nilammahara Temple in Piliyandala as a token of appreciation for curing one of his relatives. Nadungamuwa Raja was acquired by a former Member of Parliament for Bandaragama, Herbert Wickramasinghe by a prominent ayurvedic physician, Dharmavijaya Veda Ralahamy of Nadungamuwa, the father of the present owner, Ayurvedic Dr. Harsha Dharmavijaya. The mahout who cared for the pachyderm is Wilson Kodithuwakku, affectionately known as ‘Kalu Mama’. Nadungamuwa Raja makes the annual trip to Kandy from its residing place Nadungamuwa on foot and was provided armed military escort to and from Kandy after it was declared a National Treasure. Revered and loved by people from all walks of life, people pay their respects as the elephant passes their areas on its way to bear the replica of the original casket holding the most sacred Buddhist relic, the Buddha’s Tooth Relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. Meanwhile, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed relevant officials to preserve the unique tusker as a national monument for the viewing of future generations. EPA / CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE
  • A father cries as he bids farewell to his family at the central train station in Odessa, amid the war in Ukraine. AFP
    A father cries as he bids farewell to his family at the central train station in Odessa, amid the war in Ukraine. AFP
  • Members of South Sudan's women's football team huddle during a friendly match against Sudan at Jebel Awliaa stadium, in Khartoum. AFP
    Members of South Sudan's women's football team huddle during a friendly match against Sudan at Jebel Awliaa stadium, in Khartoum. AFP
  • Models present a creation for the Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2022-2023 collection fashion show, as part of the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week. AFP
    Models present a creation for the Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2022-2023 collection fashion show, as part of the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week. AFP
  • Demonstrators depart Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Maryland, during "The People's Convoy" event. The convoy has called on US President Joe Biden to end vaccine and other Covid-19 pandemic mandates. AFP
    Demonstrators depart Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Maryland, during "The People's Convoy" event. The convoy has called on US President Joe Biden to end vaccine and other Covid-19 pandemic mandates. AFP
  • Botswana's Ross Branch competes during the second stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. AFP
    Botswana's Ross Branch competes during the second stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. AFP
  • Ukrainian paralympic athletes, bronze medallist Anatolii Kovalevskyi, with guide Oleksandr Mukshyn, gold medallist Vitalii Lukianenko, with guide Borys Babar, and silver medallist Dmytro Suiarko, with guide Oleksandr Nikonovych celebrate with their country's flag after competing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games Para Biathlon, Men's Middle Distance Vision-Impaired event. Reuters
    Ukrainian paralympic athletes, bronze medallist Anatolii Kovalevskyi, with guide Oleksandr Mukshyn, gold medallist Vitalii Lukianenko, with guide Borys Babar, and silver medallist Dmytro Suiarko, with guide Oleksandr Nikonovych celebrate with their country's flag after competing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games Para Biathlon, Men's Middle Distance Vision-Impaired event. Reuters
  • A refugee holds her dog as they queue for trains to Poland in Lviv, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Reuters
    A refugee holds her dog as they queue for trains to Poland in Lviv, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Reuters
  • Camels at the Al Wathba Milking Competition of the Sheikh Zayed Festival, in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    Camels at the Al Wathba Milking Competition of the Sheikh Zayed Festival, in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Today's best photos: from carnival fever in Switzerland to Paris fashion week


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Monday's best photos: from fighting starlings to Skijoring in Colorado

Sunday's best photos: from skaters in Canada to surfers in Portugal

Saturday's best photos: from a sand storm in Iraq to Beijing's Paralympic Winter Games

Friday's best photos: from a Czech winter to a Brazilian summer

Thursday's best photos: from a giant bull to a tiny frog

While you're here
Tips for taking the metro

- set out well ahead of time

- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines

- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on

- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers

Updated: March 08, 2022, 1:45 PM