Features | Online edition of Daily News

Pakistan is in South Asia. It has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the South, is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the West, and India in the East and the China in the far northeast.

Tajikistan also lies very close to Pakistan but is separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor. Thus, it occupies a crossroads position between South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.

The region forming modern Pakistan was at the heart of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and then later was the recipient of Vedic, Persian, Indo-Greek, Turco-Mongol, Islamic and Sikh cultures. The area has witnessed invasions and/or settlements by the Indo-Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mongols and the British. Pakistan is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of four provinces and four federal territories including a federal capital territory. Its history has been characterized by periods of military rule, political instability.

It is the 6th most populous country in the world and has the 2nd largest Muslim population after Indonesia. Pakistan also has the second largest Shia Muslim population. It is the only Muslim-majority state that possesses nuclear weapons and is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States.

Pakistan is a founding member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, Next Eleven economies and the G20 developing nations.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

I played for 19 years. There are several young bowlers on the sidelines. I decided the time was opportune for me to leave - Muttiah Muralitharan:

Murali king of spin

Dear Children,

Muttiah Muralitharan waves to the crowd as his teammates Captain Kumar Sangakkara and Damika Prasad carry him around the pitch in a lap of honour after they won the first Test match between Sri Lanka and India at The Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on July 22. AFP

I am sure you all didn't miss the spectacular performance of our cricketing hero Muttiah Muralitharan when he achieved the greatest feat of any bowler, taking 800 Test wickets. He achieved this milestone playing against India at Galle recently. During that match he captured eight wickets and became the first to reach the milestone of taking 800 Test wickets by dismissing Pragyan Ojha. As you all know Murali is the greatest Test match bowler ever produced.

This record will stand the test of time and it is hard to imagine any test cricket bowler breaking it in the near future. They say records are meant to be broken but I am sure Murali's record will stand for a long time, if it is broken.

Our Spinning genius retired from test cricket this year, reaching his final total of 800 test match wickets on July 22 in his last test match, taking the 800th wicket with his final ball of an over.

Muttiah Muralitharan became the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when he overtook the previous record-holder Shane Warne on December 3, 2007.

Although cricket fans are going to miss him in cricket we should admire his principles that he wanted to give young players a chance.

Muralitharan dominated the International Cricket Council's player rankings for Test bowlers for the best part of his glittering 19-year career. Averaging over six wickets per Test, Muralitharan was one of the most successful bowlers in the game. Muralitharan dominated the International Cricket Council's player rankings for Test bowlers for the best part of his career.

- Aunt Anji

Kanagawa International

The United Nations Association of Sri Lanka invites the children between 4-15 to participate at the Kanagawa International Art Competition which will be held in July 2011 in Japan for the 16th time.

President Kanagawa Sub-Committee Dharmadasa Vitharana said that Sri Lankan students have won Silver, Gold and even first place at this competition in previous years. Students can use colours as they wish under any topic and submit their creations.

Each student can submit only one creation and the size should be below 54x38. The name of the artist, school and the topic, date of birth, age, sex and private address should be written on the backside of the creation in block capital letters. It should be certified by the Principal of the school.

All creations should be sent to the Secretary, Kanagawa Sub Committee UNA Sri Lanka 391, Cyril Janz Mawatha, Panadura before October 15. The name of the event '16th Kanagawa Children's Art Competition 2010/11 should be mentioned on the left hand corner of the envelope.

Times are changing

-Part 31

Four children, Pramodaka, Nalaka, Champika and Chinthaka, go on a trip to the woods with their parents for their school holidays. In the middle of the night the children are awakened by a strange noise. On following their dog, Scooby, Chinthaka is snared by the spell of the 'luring stones'. Pramodaka departs with Ruwi, a pixie, to recall a book of spell to cast off the spell while the others remain behind with Sachi, a gnome. A storm breaks and the kids are scattered.

Meanwhile Sulo, the goblin who is always trying to make trouble for the mythical creatures, comes up with a nasty plan. She rushes off gang up the rest of her pack and reveals an age old secret.

However the group discovers that it is not only Sulo's secret that is uncovered by the storm. Something dark and deadly had been hidden in the depths of the earth waiting to release itself and return for revenge...

The Elders were muttering among themselves as they made their way up to their headquarters.

"I can't believe Jay is acting this way. Unbelievable! Who does he think we are to dissolve the meeting like that. Why when Banzula was in charge..." Dudders' voice kept rising each minute till Iza sent him a stern look.

"I will have to head over to the headquarters because they tell me that imp Sachi is back from the human world. God knows what the fellow had been up to. It is normally hard to influence him with extraordinary gadgets and stuff but the fellow had been bowled over by human technology," he sighed.

HE who had been standing close by eavesdropping on their conversation sniffed. He couldn't have cared less about the matter. He had actually come to the meeting expecting something for himself.

He was tired of his deputies and wished to have some space for himself to work peacefully as well as hold his status. Nobody in the woods will think that he was one of the Elders if he did not have a place of his own, right? Sure not all the Elders had their own offices but still...

He was angry and upset that the meeting had been called off all of a sudden. There had been no time to discuss the matter let alone complain about all the trouble that Ruwi had tried to cause at the Mythicscope that morning. How he wished he had a chance to see the look on Iza's face if he had gone and mentioned that his brat of a son, Zira, had been present as well.

Unfortunately for him Jay sensed his thoughts. Much to the surprise of the human he jumped into the fire and sat in lotus position above the soaring flames. The man watched in wonder as the elf remained unharmed.

"It is not what you think. Do not imagine for a minute that you are dreaming my friend for I am very real."

"What can I do? Tell me quickly. How can we save the children?" he asked after a short silence. Jay looked at him. He looked dazed. It was the time he had been waiting for.

To be continued

Don't be late to school

At night before I go to bed
I place upon a chair my dress
And socks and other things
Which I next day will wear.
And in the morning when I arise
I quickly dress and so, I have
The time to eat and play, before I go to school
Its better to do this way
Than hurry as a rule, and
Not know where to find your things
And then be late to school.

My Friend and I	Animal World

S Nisayuru Ramanayake St. Joseph’s Montessori House, Kegalle	Safnas Faris 5A, Sailan International School, Negombo

Deer drinking water	My sister

P A Dulawin Pitipana 4F, Sri Dharmaloka Primary School Kelaniya	Dinithi Vihanga Palliyaguruge 1A, Musaeus College Colombo 7

The annual sports meet of Sathmagama Singithi Sevana Pre-school, Kiribathgoda Kelaniya organised by its Principal Harshanie Navaratne and staff was held at C. Cyril Mathew playground, Himbutuwelgoda, Kelaniya recently. Here the its children getting ready for a gunny race. Picture by Edward Weerasinghe, Kelaniya group correspondent

A felicitation ceremony for teachers retiring from the staff at Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo was held recently. Here retired staff members M.D. Malini (assistant Principal), J.D.S.C. Perera (senior assistant teacher), Deepthi Abeynayake (senior assistant teacher) and M. Gunawardane (assistant teacher) with Principal Vinitha Jayaweera, Education Ministry Assistant Director General Nandasena Madawanarachchi, Colombo Additional Regional Education Director Jayantha Nanayakkara, Borella Regional Educational Director K.P.W. Rajapaksa being conducted by the students.