Thuppahi's Blog

Rohan Gunaratne in Substack, 23 August 2026, with the above title …

Iran’s Shia crescent – its group of partners and proxies – have taken a severe beating. Nonetheless Iran, especially the IRGC, is determined to fight back.

The Shift

From the Strait of Hormuz, the center of gravity of the Middle East conflict has shifted to the Red Sea. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) has directed Houthi Movement’s Ansarallah to destabilise its enemies. In addition to the U.S. and Israel, Iran’s key enemies are the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.

Tensions and fighting between Yemen’s Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia have sharply escalated, effectively ending the relative calm established by the 2022 UN-brokered truce. Houthi cross-border drone and missile strikes targeting Saudi energy and airport infrastructure have met with retaliatory coalition air strikes, pushing Yemen toward renewed full-scale conflict. Saudi Arabia previously led a regional military coalition starting in March 2015 to support Yemen’s internationally recognized government after the Houthis took over the capital, Sanaa. An informal calm held since 2022, but regional ripples from broader Middle Eastern conflicts and clashes over blockades strained the status quo. Coalition-backed Yemeni government strikes on Sanaa Airport prompted the Houthis to announce a naval and economic blockade against Saudi Arabia, hitting back with a wave of anti-infrastructure and maritime drone attacks. The Houthis claimed responsibility for multiple drone and missile operations targeting Saudi regional assets, including facilities in Najran and Red Sea shipping lanes near Mocha. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched dozens of active ground and air operations targeting Houthi strongholds and military infrastructure in western and northern Yemen. Aid organizations warn that a full return to hostilities threatens to worsen what remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

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KK de Silva 

  Marcus Dias Jayasinghe – Cricket Coach at St. Aloysius College, Galle in the mid 1950s, was a brother of the more famous Ceylon cricketer Douglas Dias Jayasinghe , the first Southerner to play for Ceylon, and later in the 1960s, Chairman of the  of the Board of  Selectors for Cricket, for many years. Both were old Mahindians and  Douglas captained the cricket team at Mahinda and Marcus played under him. Both played for the Galle Cricket Club Team.

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 Andrew McGlashan in ESPNcricinfo, 24 August 2026, where the title runs thus: “A short and not-very-sweet Test debut for Mackay” 

When Alex Carey spoke to the media at Great Barrier Reef Arena on Monday morning, he was the only international cricketer at the venue. There was the clunking and whirring of the broadcast crew derigging, branding was being taken down, and the Country Club was preparing for its daily routine.

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KK De Silva: Marcus Dias Jayasinghe – SAC Cricket Coach in the mid 1950s

Marcus Dias Jayasinghe, Cricket Coach at St. Aloysius College, Galle in the mid 1950s, was a brother of the more famous Ceylon cricketer Douglas Dias Jayasinghe, the first Southerner to play for Ceylon, and later in the 1960s, Chairman of the  of the Board of  Selectors for Cricket, for many years. Both were old Mahindians and  Douglas captained the cricket team at Mahinda and Marcus played under him. Both played for the Galle Cricket Club Team.

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Madushka Balasuriya in ESPNcricinfo, 23 August 2026, where the title reads “Padikkal century puts India ahead on hard-fought day”

Devdutt Padikkal struck a century for a second consecutive Test as India wrangled up 300 for 5 on the opening day of the second Test at the SSC in Colombo. At the crease at stumps were debutant Saransh Jain and Dhruv Jurel on 4 and 7, respectively. Padikkal’s 117 came across three separate stands, the most prominent being 120 with Shubman Gill and 74 with Ravindra Jadeja. Sri Lanka’s bowlers toiled on a hot and humid day, having lost the toss and been asked to field.

Asitha Fernando – the scrapper who refuses bad days

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Danny Byrne at Mackey, deploying this title: “Eighteen wickets fall in an extraordinary first day in Mackay”

The sponsors would have you believe my 88^th Test match ground was called the Great Barrier Reef Arena. Everywhere else it is simply Harrup Park and that will do for me. The queue for entry was already over 100 metres long when I arrived two hours before the start of play. The gates were not opened until 8.30 am after which a Steward walked down the line inviting anyone without bags to join an “Express” line. So, after patiently waiting in a queue for half an hour, nearly 200 people were allowed jump ahead of me from further back down the line and potentially get the best positions or grab the few seats available. They wouldn’t even allow this in India. In fact, they couldn’t allow it in India as there wouldn’t be a queue for people with bags.

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Anushka Kuruppu and Nishthula Subasinghe, via Dhananath Fernando & the ADVOCATA INSTITUTE in Sri Lanka, 21 August 2026, with their fulsome title reading thus: “Sri Lanka’s Demographic Moment: 5.13 Million Young People and a Narrowing Window: what comes next

Economics is ultimately about people. It is about whether a young person can find a good job, whether a family can afford a better life, whether an entrepreneur can build a business, and whether an older person can retire with dignity. GDP growth is important, but it is only meaningful when it improves the lives of the people behind the numbers.

And today, Sri Lanka stands at a demographic crossroads. Sri Lanka is ageing. Our fertility rate has fallen, life expectancy has increased, and the share of older people in our population is steadily rising. In the years ahead, fewer working-age people will have to support a growing number of older citizens. This will reshape our economy, our labour market, our pension system, our healthcare system and our public finances.

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 MIAP … https://lankanewsweb.net/archives/245345/five-sri-lankan-cricketers-secure-places-in-2026-caribbean-premier-league/

Wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Perera will turn out for the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, while all-rounders Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga have been included among the overseas players signed by the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

Defending champions St Lucia Kings have also opted for Sri Lankan talent, naming spinner Maheesh Theekshana and batting all-rounder Charith Asalanka in their squad for the upcoming season as they prepare to defend their title.

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Dr. Harold Gunatillake, whose preferred title is “Lakshman Kadirgamar: A Life of Intellect, Service, and Quiet Greatness”

Lakshman Kadirgamar is truly one of the most extraordinary Sri Lankans of our time. His sharp mind, dedication, and steadfast loyalty to the nation raised him to international recognition. As we remembered the 21st anniversary of his passing on August 12th with a heartfelt almsgiving ceremony organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

I couldn’t help but reflect not only on his public accomplishments but also on the personal memories I hold dear from our youth.

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From the  Booklet Edited by Marie Bartholomeusz

Some arbitrary selections by  The Editor, Thuppahi seeking to convey the worldly home  surroundings and travels of the Bartholomeusz lineage, even as a single SHOT underlines Ramani’s striking  beauty. Given her capacities in straddling the  Westernized world of the Sri Lankans and the indigenous Sinhala world her  MURDER can be regarded as a nation’s loss.

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