Nov 30 (FT) Dialog Axiata and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) collaborate to pilot a digital payment platform roll-out across 200 ATM locations in Northern Province. Announcement was made recently at the launch ceremony held in Jaffna. With Rs. 60 million from DFAT’s Business Partnerships Platform and Rs. 91 million of its own funding, Dialog intends to reach and support underbanked communities with its state-of-the-art digital payment retail system. more..

Nov 30 (SL) The Army is to expedite the process of releasing land in the North, the Army media unit said. As part of this process 29 acres of land including the buildings which belong to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (St. Mary’s Church) and Roman Catholic Tamil Mix School located inside Palaly Army Cantonment, was handed over to Jaffna District Secretary, N. Vethanayahan by Major General Dharshana Hettiarachchi, Commander Security Forces (Jaffna) today. more..

Nov 30 (MoD) The International Workshop, Climate Change and Resources Security: Challenges for Security and the Security Sector in South Asia, organized by the Institute of National Security Studies Sri Lanka (INSSSL) began at the Colombo Hilton, today. Attended the opening session as the Chief Guest, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Mr. Kapila Waidyaratne PC delivered the Keynote Address. more..

Nov 30 (DN) Samurdhi officers should be change agents in order to cater to society. He or she should have the ability to work with the needy and be a friend to them. They should be an invitee to every event in villages such as weddings, funerals, and events at temples or other religious places and should be a helper and a supporter to the public to uplift their economy, lifestyles etc. He or she should have the capacity to design a development project to each family to alleviate poverty, more..

Nov 30 (NR) Fishermen have been advised to refrain from setting out to sea until further notice. Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said the death of four fishermen was reported due to the negligence and failing to heed warnings issued by the govt. He also said the prevailing inclement weather will worsen over the next few days. Minister said Disaster Management Units have been advised to pay close attention to the weather conditions. more..

Nov 30 (Island) Former Batticaloa District SLFP organiser Arun Tambimuttu has warned that the four-party TNA would certainly exploit a sharply split vote, in the event of a referendum being held on the proposed new Constitution, to advance its ultimate political objective of establishing an exclusive Tamil homeland in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces. TNA’s claim would reflect an LTTE map encompassing 8 administrative more..

Nov 30 (AFP) Virat Kohli's India have Sri Lanka in the firing line again as they seek a record equalling ninth straight series win when the third Test starts Saturday. Already leading 1-0 in the three-match challenge, victory in the New Delhi Test would cap a dominant year and equal Australia's record of nine successive series victories from 2005 to 2008. As they build up the strength of their pace attack, India could break the record in South Africa where they arrive in January. more..

Nov 30 (Island) Kandy General Hospital authorities are conducting further investigations into the death of a nurse in a ward while on duty last Sunday. Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of the hospital after conducting the post-mortem examination reserved his verdict and ordered police to forward body parts of the deceased to the govt analyst for a report. Meanwhile, another nurse of the same kidney treatment unit of the hospital was admitted for treatment as she took ill. more..

Nov 30 (Nikkei) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe made unwelcome political history on Nov. 20, appearing before a presidential commission of inquiry into a Rs. 10 billion bond scandal that is shaking his govt and damaging the country's economic prospects. "I have disclosed everything, as we have nothing to hide," PM told supporters as he emerged from the commission hearing after becoming the first sitting PM to more..

Nov 30 (HT) Thisara Perera urged SL cricket team not to dwell on past failures after being named captain for the limited-overs series’ in India. Sri Lanka have toiled in shorter formats this year, losing a one-day international series against Zimbabwe for the first time, leading to the resignation of Angelo Mathews as skipper, while they have been whitewashed 5-0 by India, Pakistan and South Africa. Perera will be the seventh man to captain Sri Lanka across all formats in 2017 more..

Nov 30 (NR) An emergency hotline has been introduced to report incidents of disasters owing to the prevailing weather condition. Ministry of Home Affairs said information of disasters can be reported on 1902. Minister Vajira Abeywardene has instructed all District Secretaries to provide relief to those affected as a result of the inclement weather and evacuate residents if signs of landslides are witnessed. Ministry also requested the public to provide details of affected families more..

Nov 30 (DM) A newly formed cyclonic storm and second brewing tropical threat will combine to threaten parts of Sri Lanka and India with flooding and mudslides in next week. Cyclonic Storm Ockhi developed near Sri Lanka yesterday and has produced rounds of heavy rainfall across the country and neighboring parts of southern India since early in the week. A slow track to the west will take the cyclonic storm south of India more..

Nov 30 (Nation) A delegation of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), will undertake a visit to Sri Lanka next month to explore the possibility of expanding export of Pakistan’s rice to that country. REAP said a three-member delegation of REAP, led by its acting chairman Rafique Suleman, held a meeting with Consul General of Sri Lanka in Karachi G L Gnanatheva to discuss the forthcoming visit of the REAP delegation to Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 30 (AD) Minister Sagala Ratnayaka has directed Acting IGP C.D. Wickremaratne to place the investigations into the killings of Dala Puttuwa and other tuskers under the CID, with immediate effect. The move comes in the wake of the killing of Dala Puttuwa, the famous tusker in Galgamuwa. Its tusks were recovered from the Polpithigama area. Another tusker was also killed in the Thabbowa forest recently.  In a separate incident, a baby elephant tethered to a tree more..

Nov 30 (CB) After their worst ever Test defeat in the history earlier this week, Sri Lanka are set to make a few changes for the final Test against India in Delhi that gets underway on Saturday. Veteran spinner Rangana Herath was due to fly back home on Thursday due to back pain and a change in the bowling department will not be the only one the tourists are set to do for Delhi. Sri Lanka are expected to leave out vice-captain more..