At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s heatwave isn’t just a daytime problem. Hot nights are also creating serious health risks. While daytime temperatures have pushed close to 50°C in parts of Victoria, NSW, South Australia, the ACT and Queensland, overnight conditions have stayed above 34°C in some areas. Marree in northern SA recorded two nights in a row at that level after daytime highs above 48°C. In Adelaide,

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. Australia Day was marked with a special reception at the Australian High Commissioner’s Residence on 23 January. The event was hosted by the Australian High Commissioner and brought together guests from government and the private sector. Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Dr. Susil Ranasignhe attended as Chief Guest. The evening hig

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. The Australian dollar climbed sharply overnight, reaching its strongest level against the US dollar since February 2023. It was trading around US70.11 cents, up about 1.4%. The move comes as the US dollar weakens broadly. Analysts say global uncertainty and the slide in the greenback are helping lift the Aussie. The rise also comes just before Australia’s latest inflation data, due at 11:3

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Parts of Victoria are enduring extreme temperatures, marking the hottest day since the 2009 Black Saturday fires. Several towns recorded temperatures above 48°C, while parts of Melbourne reached 45°C. The heat is worsening already severe fire conditions. Authorities have declared extreme fire danger, warning of fast-moving and unpredictable blazes as a major wind change sweeps across the s

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Communities in southwest Victoria are being told to leave immediately as fast-moving bushfires burn out of control during a severe heatwave. A statewide total fire ban is active, with temperatures forecast to surge close to 50°C on Tuesday. Authorities warn worsening heat and strong winds could make fires unpredictable and impossible to contain in some areas. Evacuation orders Emergency wa

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. The Australian dollar has climbed to its highest level in roughly 16 months, marking another strong start to 2026 for the currency, as fresh jobs data and market pricing sharply boost expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may raise interest rates sooner than previously anticipated. The AUD/USD pair recently neared 0.685 US cents, its strongest since late 2024, and showed re

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia Day is being marked across the country with celebrations, ceremonies and community events, as the Prime Minister urges Australians to focus on unity. Anthony Albanese says the national day is a chance to recognise shared values and the diverse backgrounds that shape modern Australia. He noted the importance of welcoming new citizens while also acknowledging the deep history of Fi

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Victoria is heading into an intense heatwave over the long weekend, while northern Australia faces a separate weather threat. Parts of Victoria are forecast to exceed 40°C, with the most extreme heat expected on Tuesday. Northern towns, including Mildura, could set new temperature records. Mildura is forecast to reach 42°C tomorrow and up to 48°C on Tuesday, close to its all-time high. Mel

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. An Australian teenager with Sri Lankan roots is using coding to help close the global digital divide. Neth Dharmasiri began learning computer programming at age 11 after discovering Python. Six years later, the 17-year-old has built his own programming language and launched a new education app. Inspired by the lack of access to technology in rur

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Millions of Australians will see changes to Centrelink reporting and payment dates due to Australia Day closures. Services Australia service centres and most call centres will close on Monday for the public holiday. As a result, reporting and payment schedules will shift for many recipients. People receiving payments such as JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy, ABSTUDY, Age Pension, Disabi

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australians were treated to a rare natural spectacle overnight as a powerful aurora australis lit up skies far beyond its usual range. The southern lights were visible across much of the country, from Tasmania and Victoria to parts of New South Wales, central Queensland and Western Australia. Experts say that level of coverage is highly unusual. Swinburne University astrophysicist Dr Rebec

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. An exciting group-stage encounter awaits cricket fans as Sri Lanka Under-19 take on Australia Under-19 in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026. The match is scheduled to be played on Friday, January 23, at 1:00 pm in Windhoek, Namibia, and is expected to have a significant impact on the group standings. Sri Lanka currently sit at the top of t

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Elective surgeries in Victorian public hospitals will be delayed from Wednesday as part of an ongoing pay dispute with the state government. The Health Workers Union says protected industrial action will run from January 14 to February 1. During this time, Category 2 and 3 elective surgeries will be paused. The action also includes closing one in four hospital beds, halting cleaning in non

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Sydney is in for more rain today, but the worst of the weekend downpour has passed. Heavy falls that soaked the city and surrounds are easing after intense bursts of rain over the weekend. Some areas on the Northern Beaches and Central Coast recorded between 80mm and 140mm in just a few hours. Weather experts say those totals were similar to tropical monsoon rain and are considered extreme

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. New imagery compiled from an orbiting weather satellite shows how fast and far the fires spread across the state. The visuals were created by stitching together hundreds of satellite images taken over several days. Since extreme heat and strong winds triggered catastrophic conditions, more than 400,000 hectares have been burnt. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed and one man has lost

Flash flooding in Victoria: Cars Washed Out to Sea in Wye River

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s passport has slipped slightly in global rankings, while its price has climbed to a new high. The Henley Passport Index 2026 places Australia equal seventh for passport strength, down one spot from last year. There are now 29 countries ranked ahead of us, led by Singapore, Japan and South Korea. Several European nations also sit higher, along with New Zealand in equal sixth plac

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Victoria’s bushfire emergency is easing, but experts warn the danger is far from over. All active fires have now been downgraded to watch-and-act alerts. Some residents, however, are still being told it is unsafe to return home. More than 350 buildings have been destroyed, and farmer Maxwell Dobson died in a blaze near Longwood. Natural Hazards Research Australia chief Andrew Gissing says

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Large areas of eastern Australia are set for a wet week, with widespread rain forecast across Queensland, New South Wales and parts of Victoria. In tropical Queensland, the rain continues an already soggy pattern. Further south, it brings welcome relief after weeks of drier conditions. Central Queensland has already seen intense falls. Towns around Mackay, the Whitsundays and inland centre

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Thousands of residents across Victoria have been ordered to evacuate as catastrophic fire danger ratings came into effect on Wednesday morning, prompting heightened emergency responses across multiple regions. The Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, and South West districts have all been placed under the highest possible fire danger rating, with authorities warning that conditions ar