Thuppahi's Blog

“Prof. G. L. Peiris offers a rare insider’s account of Sri Lanka’s peace talks with the LTTE”

As global attention focusses on high-stakes peace negotiations, a definitive Sri Lankan perspective on the promise and perils of negotiated conflict resolution comes to print At a moment when the world is closely watching peace efforts linked to conflicts in Thailand, Cambodia, Gaza and Ukraine, a new book by Prof. G. L. Peiris revisits one of the most closely scrutinisedpeace initiatives of recent times: the negotiations between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

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Roshan Abeysinha

Former Sri Lankan leg-spinner D.S. de Silva, who played in the country’s inaugural Test match in 1982 and later served as Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, has passed away at the age of 83. De Silva died in London following a brief illness, family sources said.

A respected figure in Sri Lankan cricket, De Silva represented the national team during the early years of Test cricket and went on to captain Sri Lanka in two Test matches. After his playing career, he continued to serve the game in multiple capacities, including as a coach, team manager and national selector.

He was appointed Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket in 2009 and held the position until 2011. During his tenure, De Silva played a key role in the development and completion of several international cricket stadiums across the country.

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Media  Release,  11 December 2025  ….. https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4417876/australia-named-squad-for-icc-under-19-mens-world-cup-2026

Cricket Australia has announced a 15-player squad for the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026, to be held in Namibia and Zimbabwe from 15 January to 6 February. Australia will enter the 50-over tournament as defending champions, with Oliver Peake appointed captain. The squad features a strong mix of experience and emerging talent, including three uncapped players – Naden Cooray, Nitesh Samuel, and William Taylor.

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Sanjeewa Jayaweera, whose article is in The Island Newspaper , 14 December 2025 and is entitled  “Eighteen Years of Delay: Why Sri Lanka Still Has No Doppler Radar—and Who Should Be Held Accountable” ….

Cyclone Ditwah has come and gone, leaving a trail of extensive damage to the country’s infrastructure, including buildings, roads, bridges, and 70% of the railway network. Thousands of hectares of farming land have been destroyed. Last but not least, nearly 1,000 people have lost their lives, and more than two million people have been displaced. The visuals uploaded to social media platforms graphically convey the widespread destruction Cyclone Ditwah has caused in our country.

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Michael Roberts

Geographica – The Complete Illustrated Atlas of the World [Hardcover] [Jan 01, 1999] Philippa and Valerie Marlborough (editors Hardcover)

Or $42.71 /payment at 0% (Pay in 4).

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Max Corstorphan  ……..                NEWS ITEM IN NIGHTLY, 14 December 2025 … https://thenightly.com.au/australia/nsw/bondi-shooting-live-updates-beach-locked-down-after-shooting-outside-bondi-pavilion–c-21000406

 “Bondi shooting live updates: 12 killed, including one gunman, man in custody as massacre declared terrorism”

Multiple people are confirmed dead and countless others have been injured in a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Credit: Australian Jewish Association

 Bondi Beach shooting: October 7 survivor injured in terrorist attack

Clareese Packer and Nathan Schmidt

A man who survived the October 7 attacks in 2023 was injured in the shooting, speaking with 9NEWS with a bandage wrapped around his head. 9NEWS. Credit: Channel 9

A man who survived the October 7 attacks has described the moment he saw “blood gushing” from him after he was wounded in the Bondi Beachshooting. It is understood a Chanukkah event was the target of the attack, which police sources believe had been planned for months.

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Ifham Nizam,  in The ISLAND Newspaer, 12 December 2025,  where the title reads: “Rare Seahorse discovered in Sri Lankan waters sparks urgent conservation debate” … with the photos below being ‘generic imports’ because the bloody ISLAND photo was not cooperative

Sri Lankan marine researchers have formally documented the presence of the rare and Vulnerable Three-Spot Seahorse (Hippocampus trimaculatus) in Sri Lankan waters for the first time, an important milestone in the country’s marine biodiversity records.

The discovery was made through the examination of four dried specimens collected from fishermen operating off the southern coast near Madiha, nearly 150–200 km offshore. The evidence confirms that the island’s marine ecosystem hosts a greater diversity of seahorses than previously recognized.

 

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Naomal  Soysa, in Daily Mirror Online, 14 December 2025  .. ….where the title is lengthy

Dr. Quintus Silva-(MRCP (Lon), FRCGP (Lon), DCH (Lon)-was a distin….guished Physician and Paediatrician whose influence transformed the medical landscape of Galle. His dedication, humility, and unwavering commitment to his patients made him a remarkable clinician and an exceptional human being. Every encounter with his patients was grounded in respect, compassion, and genuine partnership. Throughout his long career, the welfare of those under his care remained his highest priority.

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Item from ESPNcricinfo

Vaibhav Suryavanshi slammed a blistering 95 ball 171 in the Under 19 Asia Cup opener against UAE on Friday. He fell just six short of Ambati Rayudu’s long-standing India record in youth one-dayers – the 177 against England in Taunton back in 2002.

Suryavanshi, yet to turn 15, hit nine fours and 14 sixes during his innings, before being bowled attempting a paddle in the 33rd over of India’s innings. They eventually finished with 433 for 6 after being put in to bat.

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