Scuba Diving Deaths in Maldivian Cave ….

Natalie Finn, in Online where the title runs thus: Maldives Diving Tragedy: What Happened on Excursion That Ended With 5 People Dead”

Five Italians, including a professor and her 20-year-old daughter, died during a scuba diving excursion in the Maldives. An investigation is underway into what went wrong.

Muriel Oddenino/Facebook; Greenpeace via AP; Albatros Top Boat; Federico Gualtieri/Facebook; Instagram

Four Italian tourists, all experienced divers, and their instructor set out on a scuba excursion May 14 in the Maldives to explore a sea cave.  None of them survived the journey.

The body of instructor Gianluca Benedetti was recovered later that day from the mouth of a cave in the archipelagic country’s Vaavu Atoll. The four others—Monica Montefalcone and her daughter Giorgia SommacalFederico Gualtieri and Muriel Oddenino—were found inside the cave May 18, the culmination of a multi-agency search effort that was postponed May 15 by bad weather and temporarily suspended the next day after a Maldivian military diver died during the recovery mission.

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Australia’s Dictation Test and Early Arrivals from Ceylon

Earlson Forbes. … with highlights imposed by The Editor Thuppahi

Migrant and other Arrivals from Ceylon/Sri Lanka to Australia during the second half of the 20th century have been well documented.  From the post 2nd World War inflow of genealogy tested Burghers; to the later inflow of professionals; the Family Reunion, refugee and skilled migrant intakes; many of differing status and age have made it across by ocean liner, leaky boat and airplane to Australia.  This is not their story.

What is presented here is a glimpse of one aspect of the lives of individuals who came to Australia from Ceylon in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Many of these Ceylonese arrived before Australia became an Independent Nation.

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Vale DBS Jeyaraj …..

Noel Nadesan: “The passing of DBS Jeyaraj marks a profound loss in the pursuit of truth and integrity in journalism” …..https://noelnadesan.com/2026/05/18/the-passing-of-dbs-jeyaraj-marks-a-profound-loss-in-the-pursuit-of-truth-and-integrity-in-journalism/?fbclid=IwY2xjawR3qN5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4Mj ...with  highlight being the  hand of The Editor, Thuppahi

 

A seasoned journalist from the Sri Lankan Tamil community, he was far more than a reporter. He was a perceptive social observer whose work reflected both courage and clarity. His writing was defined by honesty—he remained faithful to his stories without embellishment or distortion. Even when one disagreed with his perspectives, his commitment to truthful reporting was never in doubt.

 

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Innovations in Sport: Sri Lankan ‘Spearheads’

Sri Lanka’s global level Thinkers, Visionaries and Innovators in Cricket and other sports,” AI Overview, ….  https://share.google/aimode/TmiiYdHuL2iAQ3wrT

Sri Lanka has consistently punched above its weight on the global sporting stage, producing thinkers, visionaries, and innovators who have permanently transformed how games are played, refereed, and commercialized globally. [1234]

Cricket: Strategy & Technological Innovation

One: Senaka Weeraratna — The Visionary behind DRS

Though not an on-field athlete, Colombo-born lawyer Senaka Weeraratna is globally recognized as the “Father of DRS”. In 1997, he conceptualized and pioneered the Player Referral System, allowing players to challenge an umpire’s decision using technology. His groundbreaking idea was formally adapted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) into the modern Decision Review System (DRS), completely revolutionizing fair play across worldwide cricket, tennis, and football. [1]

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Sri Lanka’s 1996 Champs in Many-Sided Trip to Malaysia Today

Item in THE ISLAND, May 2026**  … rendered usable by my Aloysian mate KK de Silva

Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning team is in Kuala Lumpur for their 30th-anniversary reunion tour, featuring a gala dinner on May 15 and a T20 exhibition match against “World Legends” at the Royal Selangor Club on May 16, 2026.

The event features legends like Roshan Mahanama, Arjuna Ranatunga, and Hashan Tillakaratne, along with coaching clinics for local, underprivileged children.

cricket (1)

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High-Level Corruption: The Sri Lankan Airlines in World Gunsights

Sanjeewa Jayaweera, whose article is entitled “SriLankan Airlines Airbus Scandal, the Deaths of Kapila Chandrasena, and My Brother Rajeewa”

 Most Sri Lankans believe corruption is deeply entrenched in our country, with politicians and politically connected individuals the primary beneficiaries. Yet, only a minuscule number of corruption cases are exposed through credible investigations, and even fewer result in successful prosecutions.

Against that backdrop, the exposure of the SriLankan Airlines–Airbus bribery scandal stands out as one of the most significant investigations linked to Sri Lanka, albeit by overseas investigators. Credit must go first to officials at UK Export Finance (UKEF), and subsequently to the investigation conducted by the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

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Hajj, Qurban and the Importance of Coexistence: Restraint in Complex Circumstances

  Riaz Aluher

Every year, Muslims around the world celebrate the sacred season of Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha, remembering the obedience, sacrifice, and faith of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.). One of the important practices connected to Eid-ul-Adha is Qurban — the sacrifice of an animal — which symbolizes devotion to Allah and the willingness to share with the poor and needy.

In Islam, Qurban is a respected and rewarding act of worship. The Holy Quran states: “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].”— (Surah Al-Kawthar 108:2)

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Pathirana Hamstrung and OUT of the IPL

Shreshth Shah in ESPNcricinfo, 14 May  2026

Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana lasted just eight balls on his debut for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2026, leaving the field after some discomfort to his hamstring during the second innings against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Kolkata.

The slinger from Sri Lanka came in as an Impact Player during KKR’s bowling innings and was introduced in the fourth over. He conceded seven runs in his opening over.But during his second over, Pathirana suggested discomfort near his hamstring region after delivering the first delivery, and went on the floor.

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Sri Lankans in Australia’s Outreach to Asia

An ITEM in eLANKA Web Page, 14 May 2026, entitled “Sri Lankan Australians: The Strategic Business Bridge Connecting Australia and Asia”  ….8 Min Read   … Views: 180

Sri Lankan Australians: The Strategic Business Bridge Connecting Australia and Asia

The commercial landscape of Australia is currently undergoing a profound and deliberate transformation, characterized by an intensified focus on the burgeoning markets of the Asian continent. Within this evolving economic framework, the Sri Lankan community in Australia has emerged as a formidable and strategic conduit, facilitating trade, investment, and diplomatic engagement across diverse geographical boundaries. While historical narratives concerning this community have traditionally centered on migration patterns and educational pursuits, a new chapter is being written, one where Sri Lankan Australians function as the essential business bridge connecting the Southern Hemisphere with the dynamic economies of Southeast and South Asia.

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Talking to Professor Bruce Kapferer ….

A NOTE From THE EDITOR, THUPPAHI

From unknown reasons and/or my incompetence, I cannot locate the Web-Reference for this item or the date. However this is the first in a seres of posts which will feature Bruce KAPFERER who I interacted with closely from the early 1970s; and who was the ‘force’ that gave me a job in the Dept of Anthropology, Adelaide University in 1978. I have taken the liberty of highlighting ‘key’ elements in this reveiw. I willalso be adding other WEB Items and a personal tale on this dynamic figure in the world of scocial science.

Details

Collection ID (SN): 6226
Title: Pioneers of Social Research, 1996-2018
Principal investigator: Thompson, P., University of Essex, Department of Sociology
Sex: Male
Age group: 65-74
Socio-economic status: Higher managerial/admin/professional
Region: London
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.

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