Nuwan Zoysa to be punished by ICC for match-fixing

International Cricket Council (ICC) announced today that former Sri Lanka paceman Nuwan Zoysa had been found guilty of match-fixing by an independent anti-corruption tribunal. Accordingly, he would be sanctioned, ICC said. 

Nuwan Zoysa was provisionally suspended in October 2018 and charged with three offences under the ICC's anti-corruption code, including "being party to an agreement or effort to fix" a match.

Zoysa has also been charged with breaching four counts of the Emirates Cricket Board's anti-corruption code for players who participated in a T10 league in the United Arab Emirates in 2017 and the proceedings are ongoing, the ICC said. 

Left-arm paceman Nuwan Zoysa played 30 tests and 95 one-day internationals from 1997-2007. He worked time to time as coach of Sri Lanka women's team and the men's A squad.

Sri Lanka's schools outside of the Western Province to start since November 23

Sri Lanka Ministry of Education decided to open the schools outside of Western Province and the isolated areas since next Monday, 23rd of November.

The schools were to start for the third term on November 09 but it was postponed for two weeks due to spread of COVID-19. 

Meanwhile, teachers from the Western Province have no permission to work in schools outside the Province. There are many such teachers who work reside in Western Province and work in other districts. Some of them travel daily while others stay in temporary residences. 

The Ministry did not announce any plan for re-starting the paralyzed education in the Western Province. 

Meanwhile, some teachers have started online teaching but many students complain about the lack of internet coverage, equipment like computers and smartphones and money for data. 

These photos shared on the social media show how some students in Baduraliya in Kalutara district of the Western Province difficultly catch signal to participate in an online lesson. 

Public officials need to move slightly out of the books of law - senior adviser to the President of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal acquitted two former senior public officials loyal to the present government from a case on misappropriating state funds for a presidential election campaign of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Addressing media after the judgement, Lalith Weerathunga, the present senior adviser to the President, said to media that the public officials need to move slightly out of the books of law to serve people.  

"I think the judgement relieved the public service from unfair bonds. I urge my public servant colleagues not to fear to do the right thing. Many public officials were discouraged by this judgement. I think that time is over. Do the right thing. No problem will occur. I think public officials need to move slightly out of the books of law. I don't see any error there if the decisions are not self-benefitting and benefiting only the people," Weerathunga said. 

He thanked his wife, children, close relatives and senior counsel Kanchana Ratwatte for their support.

Former Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and former Director-General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC), Anusha Palpita were acquitted from the case related to misappropriating Rs.600 million funds of the TRC for distributing white clothes for the Buddhist laymen to wear on religious observances. According to the charges, the misappropriation took place during the presidential campaign in 2015 for the advantage of Mahinda Rajapaksa's campaign. 

Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga found them guilty of misappropriation of public funds and sentenced them to three years rigorous imprisonment on 7 September 2017.  Colombo High Court also imposed a fine of Rs.2 million on each of the convicts. They were further ordered to pay Rs.50 million to the TRC as compensation. 

Appellate Court panel of judges comprising justices Kumuduni Wickramasinghe and Devika Aberathna delivered the judgement and said that the evidence and document analysis had not proved a misappropriation beyond a reasonable doubt.  

Sri Lanka police after dozens of persons who posted fake news on COVID-19 deaths

Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana said to media that the police had already remanded two persons and looking for another 29 to arrest for saying in social media that people fell on the roads and died due to COVID-19. 

He said that two persons had been arrested and remanded from Kadugannawa and Hanthana. Twenty-seven more are identified locally and are to be arrested. 

The other two persons live in Australia and Japan. The Police Media Spokesman did not say what action would be taken to arrest these two persons.

Police pointed out previously that only one COVID-19 positive person had died on a road and the person was a beggar. 

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka police is affected by the creation of a COVID-19 cluster. Over 800 police personnel including around 200 Police Special Task Force officials are COVID-19 positive by now. 

Sri Lanka government approves Rapid Antigen Test

Sri Lanka Health sector started the use of Rapid Antigen Test since today (November 18). The Ministry of Health gave permission to use the test, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, the Director of the Epidemiology Unit said. 

The test is available in several selected hospitals. 

The report of the Rapid Antigen Test can be obtained within 30 minutes. 

COVID-19 immune cells fend off the virus and prevent illness - study

Eight months after infection, most people who have recovered still have enough immune cells to fend off the COVID-19 virus and prevent illness, reported New York Times, quoting recent research.

“That amount of memory would likely prevent the vast majority of people from getting hospitalized disease, severe disease, for many years,” said Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute of Immunology who co-led the new study.

And the research squares with another recent finding: that survivors of SARS, caused by another coronavirus, still carry certain important immune cells 17 years after recovering.

Another study published last week also found that people who have recovered from Covid-19 have powerful and protective killer immune cells even when antibodies are not detectable. 

(Read the full report>>)

Sri Lanka intensifies surveillance via drones; Many arrested

Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana said a special operation would be conducted by the intelligence units to nab the violators of quarantine regulations. 

He said that stern action would be taken against such culprits. 

He pointed out that the use of drone cameras for surveillance was successful. Ninety-five persons had been taken into custody for violating travel restrictions, he said. The drone operations have taken place in the Kotahena, Ja-Ela, Keselwatta and Wattala areas.

"The beggars who are begging at colour lights will also be taken into custody," the police media spokesman said.

Sri Lanka police arrested around 300 persons since October 30th for violating quarantine regulations.