February 13, 2026 · 12:23 am

The Coffee Poets of 16th-Century Islam

Nizar F. Hermes, in History Today, Volume 76 Issue 2 February 2026

The early modern Islamic world was embroiled in a bitter controversy over coffee. Much ink was spilt by poets on both sides.

https://www.historytoday.com/shop/buy-current-issue

Ottoman coffeehouse scene, c.1620. Chester Beatty Library Dublin. Public Domain.

Ottoman coffeehouse scene, c.1620. Chester Beatty Library Dublin. Public Domain.

No premodern poet praised coffee with greater passion than the North African jurist-poet Abu al-Fath al-Tunisi (d.1576). As he wrote in one of his ‘coffee poems’: ‘The status of the precious coffee of the pot has ascended,/as the full moon of her cup unveils in the darkness./How beautiful she is – resembling molten jet.’

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February 12, 2026 · 11:16 pm

Two Classical Music Concerts in Sydney to blow the Mind

Michael Bailey in  Financial  Review, 10  February 2026

The protests at Sydney Town Hall on Monday appear to show society is as divided as ever over the Gaza war, but two blocks east at the Great Synagogue, booming ticket sales for upcoming shows inside tell a different story.

Two classical music concerts at the 148-year-old prayer house have almost sold out their 1200-seat capacity a month in advance, with promoter Vladimir Fanshil – a Bondi-raised Jewish conductor – estimating 80 per cent of ticket buyers are gentiles wanting to show support for his community after December’s Hanukkah

…. SEE …https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/how-music-made-it-cool-for-anyone-to-go-to-a-synagogue-again-20260210-p5o0yx  … for the whole item.

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February 12, 2026 · 6:52 pm

Guiding Oman Cricket For 13 Years: Duleep Mendis

Madushka Balasuriya, in ESPNcricinfo, 12 February 2026

When Duleep Mendis first arrived in Muscat to help a budding nation find its footing in international cricket, he expected his stay to be brief. That was 13 years ago. The 2026 tournament in India and Sri Lanka is Oman‘s fourth T20 World Cup and Mendis has been around for the whole journey. He had not expected to stay, and find a second home in a desert nation that has grown into a competitive force in Associate cricket.
“Initially I went for one or two years and ended up being there for about 13 [14] years now,” Mendis, the Oman head coach, says while in his old stomping grounds, Colombo, where they are based for all their Group B matches.

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February 11, 2026 · 10:40 pm

MI6’s Dirty War in Russia 

Observer in a Black Sea Town 

Dr. GIibert Doctorow reveals how MI6—that secret service made popular by some clown called James Bond—have blood on their hands, as they are behind the recent assasinations of Russian Generals and military commanders, some of whom have exposed MI6’s dirty tricks in Russia, which explains why MI6 is assassinating them.

Dr Doctorow explains in detail several examples of MI6 assasinations, and what MI6 set out achieve using these dirty tricks. The recent assassination attempt on Russian General Vladimir Aleksey was very likely carried out by MI6.
MI6 is in the business of murder.  It is their stock-and-trade occupation. 

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February 11, 2026 · 9:37 pm

Unique ODI Match: Tied Twice !! … Second Super-Over Required ….

Sidharth MongaSidharth Monga  ….. “Heartbreak for Gurbaz and Afghanistan as South Africa win after double Super Over” 

Regulation time ended at 187-187; then we had 17-17 after the first Super Over; South Africa finally won the game after winning the second Super Over 23-19

South Africa 187 for 6 (Rickelton 61, de Kock 59, Omarzai 3-41, Rashid 2-28) beat Afghanistan 187 (Gurbaz 84, Ngidi 3-26) in the Super Over  …… https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2025-26-1502138/afghanistan-vs-south-africa-13th-match-group-d-1512731/match-report

South Africa survived the T20 World Cup‘s group of death by outlasting Afghanistan in a match that went into two Super Overs. They had it won when the last over of regulation time began with Afghanistan needing 13 with one wicket in hand. Kagiso Rabada, though, bowled two no-balls, but a running error allowed them to tie the match. South Africa were then done and dusted but Tristan Stubbs hit a last-ball six to force a second Super Over. This one left Afghanistan needing four sixes off four balls; Rahmanullah Gurbaz, [see Pix] who scored 84 off 42 in regulation time, hit three of them, needed just a four to take it to the third Super Over after Keshav Maharaj bowled a wide, but hit straight to point.

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February 11, 2026 · 3:41 pm

Near-Fatal Plane Landing in Mogadishu

BBC News Item in  The  ISLAND, 11 February 2026, wth this headline “Pilot praised after crash-landing faulty Somali passenger plane on seashore”  ………………… https://island.lk/pilot-praised-after-crash-landing-faulty-somali-passenger-plane-on-seashore/

The plane was on its way to Puntland before the pilot requested a return to Mogadishu [BBC] An airline in Somalia has praised one of its pilots after he crash-landed his passenger plane, which had suffered a technical fault, on the shoreline next to the capital’s international airport with all 55 on board surviving.

FOTO =uncooperative– the usual tale with this newspaper

Starsky Aviation said the pilot’s quick thinking was crucial in saving the 50 passengers and five crew.The crew of the aircraft, a Fokker 50, reported a problem shortly after take off from Mogadishu on Tuesday morning and requested that the plane return, Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

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February 10, 2026 · 5:29 pm

An Imposing Photograph …. & Its Sansoni Lineages

A NOTE From David Sansoni now located in Sydney 

Miliani Henri Sansoni (1849-1907) married Alice Rosalind Aldons

They begat:

Rosalind Sylvia Sansoni

born 5 Nov 1874……

She died 6 May 1875.

Sylvester (Sylvie) Claude Aldons Sansoni (Pip’s and Dominic’s grandfather

born 20 Nov 1875 and died 25 May 1950.

Irene Sansoni

born 28 Jan 1877.

*She died 11 Dec 1877.*

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February 10, 2026 · 2:10 pm

Police Assaults on Peaceful Demonstrations!!! ….. THIS is Right-Wing Australia

Caitlin Johnstone …. in a News Item sent to me by a Burgher friend in Melbourne

 

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February 10, 2026 · 1:17 pm

The Roots & Channels of Socio-Political Power in Sri Lanka …. Yesterday & Today

Michael Roberts

 I came across the genealogy of the Madugalle Family quite accidentally ..…. https://thuppahis.com/2026/02/08/the-madugalle-genealogy-from-way-back/#more-96229

It should serve as a springboard for historical reflection on the socio-political currents of the 18th to mid-twentieth  century – work linked to our knowledge of (A) the British aristocracy and middle-class derived from novels as well as historical studies and (B) the data in Robert Knox’s account of his enforced ‘sojourn’ within the Kingdom of Kandy** and (C) our many-sided ‘store’ of family histories – written and oral.

A Kandyan Family ….in the making

Meegasthenna Walauwwa….renamed as Manor House…inside & outside Continue reading →

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February 10, 2026 · 12:15 pm

Syncing Souls: How the AI-Human Divide is Vanishing

Cosmic Cowboy

It is a rare celestial event when The Australian publishes something that isn’t sheer propaganda, let alone a piece worth reading. One could argue their last insightful contribution predates the invention of paper 70,000 years ago—a truly “once-in-a-Big-Bang” occurrence.

While recent articles touch on the surface, they fail to grasp that AI represents a shift in civilizational values as profound as the second-century invention of paper in China.

In Australian universities and schools, we are seeing a “wicked problem” where students use AI to bypass thinking, while lecturers use it to generate and grade assignments. This circular automation threatens to render degrees meaningless if every student receives an automated “A.”

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