At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Missed last night’s show? Don’t worry — the Orionids meteor shower is still lighting up Australia’s skies this week. Visible across the southern hemisphere, the annual event peaks in late October but continues through early November, giving stargazers plenty of time to catch its shooting stars. Astrophysicist Dr. Sara Webb says this week offers the best chance to spot the spectacle. “Head somewhere dark, away from city lights, and look toward the Orion constellation — you can see it easily with the naked eye,” she said. The Orionids are caused by Halley’s Comet, which leaves behind a trail of cosmic dust. As Earth passes through this debris, the particles burn up in the atmosphere — creating bright streaks of light across the sky. At its peak, you can expect to see up to 20 meteors an hour. For the best view, find an open, dark spot with clear skies and a full view of the horizon. The shower began on October 2, peaked around October 21–22, and will remain active until about November 7. If you miss it, don’t stress — the Leonids meteor shower arrives next, peaking around November 17–18, followed by the Geminids in December and Eta Aquarids in May. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. ගුවන්තොටුපළ සහ ගුවන් සේවා (ශ්‍රී ලංකා) (පුද්ගලික) සමාගම (AASL) 2025 ජනවාරි සිට සැප්තැම්බර් දක්වා කාලය තුළ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන් මගීන් හැසිරවීම් 14.08% ක වැඩිවීමක් සහ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන් යානා හැසිරවීම් 15.35% ක වැඩිවීමක් වාර්තා කර ඇත. AASL ප්‍රකාශයකට අනුව, මෙම කාලය තුළ බණ්ඩාරනායක ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ (BIA), මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ (MRIA) සහ යාපනය ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ (JIA) මුළු මගීන් 7,559,699 ක් පිළිගත් අතර, පැමිණීම් සහ පිටවීම් ආසන්න වශයෙන් ඒකාකාරව බෙදී ගොස් ඇති අතර, 49.15% පැමිණීම් සහ 50.85% පිටත්වීම් සිදු විය. ප්‍රවාහන ගමනාගමනය ශක්තිමත්ව පැවති අතර, මගීන් 680,821 ක් ගමන් කරමින් කලාපීය සහ දිගු දුර සම්බන්ධතාවයේ එහි උපායමාර්ගික භූමිකාව ශක්තිමත් කළේය. මුළු පැමිණීම්වලින් 1,706,308 ක් ගුවන් මගින් පැමිණෙන සංචාරකයින් වූ අතර, එය සියලු පැමිණීම් වලින් 45.92% කි. මේ අතර, දේශීය පැමිණීම් 54.08% ක් වූ අතර, එය දේශීය සහභාගීත්වය සහ ජාත්‍යන්තර සංචාරක ව්‍යාපාරයේ වැඩි දායකත්වයක් පෙන්නුම් කරයි. AASL සමාගම සඳහන් කළේ, මෙම සංඛ්‍යාන සංචාරක කර්මාන්තයේ මන්දගාමී නමුත් ස්ථිර ප්‍රගතියක් පෙන්වන බවත්, අවසන් කාර්තුවේදී (ඔක්තෝබර් සිට දෙසැම්බර්) ගමන්කරුවන්ගේ සංඛ්‍යාව හා ගුවන් යානා හැසරවීම් තවදුරටත් ඉහළ යාමක් බලාපොරොත්තු වන බවයි. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Sri Lankans .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Victorians are being urged to stay alert as wild weather and strong winds sweep across the state, bringing a moderate risk of thunderstorm asthma. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of damaging winds up to 120km/h, especially across southwestern Victoria, with gusts expected to peak in Melbourne between 3pm and 5pm. Towns including Horsham, Warrnambool, Bendigo, Geelong, Wangaratta, and Melbourne are expected to feel the impact. The Department of Health says a mix of high grass pollen levels and certain thunderstorms can trigger severe asthma attacks. Those with asthma or hay fever are advised to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and switch off air conditioners that draw in outdoor air. The State Emergency Service (SES) has also warned of possible power outages, falling trees, and flying debris, urging people to avoid travel where possible and stay clear of downed powerlines. Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch encouraged residents to charge phones and prepare for potential blackouts. Conditions are expected to ease tonight and into Thursday morning, but authorities say now is the time to stay prepared and follow updates via the VicEmergency website. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Sri Lankan community informed with timely updates. Sri Lanka Tourism’s final B2B Roadshow on Australia’s east coast concluded in Melbourne with resounding success, drawing over 120 participants, including dignitaries, travel advisors, and tourism partners. Held at Hotel Chadstone with the support of SriLankan Airlines, the evening began with lively business networking, followed by a traditional Ayubowan welcome, oil lamp lighting, and cultural performances by the Shashila Dance Troupe. Guests enjoyed inspiring speeches from Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia Ms. Yasoja Gunasekara, SLTPB Chairman Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam, Consul General Ms. Pradeepa Saram, Board Member Mr. Darshana Cabral, and SriLankan Airlines Regional Manager Mr. Ravindran, highlighting Sri Lanka’s warmth, hospitality, and growing tourism appeal. The event also featured a Q&A session, traditional dance showcases, and exciting giveaways, including 5-star hotel stays, curated tours, and a SriLankan Airlines flight. Supported by top Sri Lankan travel brands and hotels, the roadshow celebrated Sri Lanka’s strong tourism ties with Melbourne, home to one of the island’s largest diasporas. Organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau under the guidance of Ms. Chami Lanka Gasnawage, the roadshow now moves to Auckland, New Zealand — continuing its mission to share Sri Lanka’s story of beauty, diversity, and resilience with the world. Source : Travel Weekly More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. ජපානයේ වාහන මිල අඩු කිරීමෙන් පසු ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ආනයනික වාහනවල මිල රුපියල් මිලියන 1.5 දක්වා පහත වැටී ඇති බව ලංකා වාහන ආනයනකරුවන්ගේ සංගමයේ (VIAL) සභාපති ඉන්දික සම්පත් මෙරින්චිගේ මහතා පැවසීය. අනවසර වාහන ආනයනය දේශීය වෙළඳපොලේ ලියාපදිංචි නොකළ වාහන ගොඩගැසීමට හේතු වී ඇති අතර එය අලෙවියට බලපා ඇති බව මෙරින්චිගේ මාධ්‍ය වෙත පැවසීය. මහ බැංකු දත්ත වලට අනුව, 2025 ජනවාරි සිට අගෝස්තු දක්වා කාලය තුළ පුද්ගලික වාහන ආනයනය කිරීම සඳහා ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 705 ක් වැය කර ඇත. "මිල වෙනස්කම් අතර, ලියාපදිංචි නොකළ හොන්ඩා වෙසෙල් ඉසෙඩ් ප්ලේ 2025 SUV රථයක් දැන් රුපියල් මිලියන 23.5 කට අලෙවි වන අතර එය රුපියල් මිලියන 25.5 සිට අඩු වී ඇත. ටොයොටා යාරිස් රථයක් රුපියල් මිලියන 11.5 සිට රුපියල් මිලියන 10.5 දක්වා පහත වැටී ඇති අතර, සුසුකි ඇල්ටෝ හයිබ්‍රිඩ් රථය දැන් රුපියල් මිලියන 7.9 සිට රුපියල් මිලියන 7.3 දක්වා පහත වැටී ඇත. සුසුකි වැගන් ආර් ද රුපියල් මිලියන 7.8 සිට රුපියල් මිලියන 7.3 දක්වා පහත වැටී ඇත," ඔහු පැවසීය. ටොයොටා ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ආනයනික වාහන වෙළඳපොලේ ප්‍රමුඛතම සන්නාමය ලෙස මතුවී ඇති බවත්, රයිස් සහ යාරිස් මාදිලි අලෙවි ප්‍රස්ථාරවල ඉහළින්ම සිටින බවත් මෙරින්චිජ් අවධාරණය කළේය. LC300 සහ ප්‍රාඩෝ SUV කාණ්ඩයේ පෙරමුණ ගෙන ඇති අතර ටොයොටා ඩබල් කැබ් සහ ෆෝඩ් රැප්ටර් තුන්වන වඩාත් ජනප්‍රිය වාහන ලෙස ශ්‍රේණිගත කර ඇත. කුඩා වාහන කාණ්ඩය තුළ නිසාන් ආකර්ෂණයක් ලබා ඇති නමුත්, මාදිලි යාවත්කාලීන කිරීම් නොමැතිකම හේතුවෙන් සුසුකි වැගන් ආර් අලෙවිය පහත වැටී ඇති බව ඔහු පැවසීය. විදුලි වාහන ආනයනය සඳහා පවතින සීමාවන් හේතුවෙන් ඉල්ලුමට සහාය වන හොන්ඩා වෙසෙල් දැනට SUV රථ අතර ප්‍රමුඛ ස්ථානය හිමිකරගෙන ඇති බව VIAL සභාපතිවරයා තවදුරටත් සඳහන් කළේය. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Sri Lankans .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump have signed a major $13 billion (US$8.5 billion) agreement to boost production of critical minerals and rare earths, aiming to reduce China’s dominance in the market. Under the new US–Australia Critical Minerals Framework, both nations will invest US$1 billion each over the next six months to launch new mining and processing projects. Albanese called the deal a “pipeline ready to go,” while Trump praised the partnership, saying it would secure vital resources for industries from clean energy to defence. The move follows China’s recent decision to tighten its rare earth exports — a step that heightened tensions with Washington. What are rare earths? Rare earth elements — 17 metals including scandium, yttrium and lanthanides — are crucial in technologies like smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, LED screens, and military hardware such as fighter jets and missiles. Although not truly “rare,” they are costly and environmentally challenging to extract. Why Australia matters Australia is seen as a reliable and resource-rich partner, offering large reserves, strong mining expertise, and a stable investment environment. Currently, China produces about 61% of the world’s rare earths and handles over 90% of global processing, according to the International Energy Agency. Challenges ahead Experts warn that while billions are being invested — including $3.2 billion from Australian agencies and $2.9 billion from allied countries — more funding is needed for refining and magnet production outside China. Without it, Australian producers could still be tied to Chinese buyers. Environmental concerns also remain, with calls for stronger waste management and partnerships with First Nations communities as Australia expands its rare earth operations. This landmark deal marks a key step toward reshaping global supply chains and strengthening the US–Australia alliance in the race for critical minerals. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. Sri Lankan athlete Purna Kahingala made his mark at the Australian Masters Games 2025 in Canberra, winning gold in the 94 kg weight category with a total lift of 198 kg. Competing against top athletes from Australia and beyond, Purna’s strength, focus, and determination stood out - earning him the top spot and bringing pride to Sri Lanka on the global stage. The Australian Masters Games, founded in 1987, is one of the world’s leading multi-sport events for athletes aged 30 and above. This year’s edition in Canberra was one of the most memorable yet, showcasing inspiring performances across all sports. Purna’s victory is a shining example of discipline, perseverance, and passion, proving that age is no limit to achieving greatness. His golden lift is now one of the standout moments of the 2025 Games — and a proud milestone for Sri Lanka. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. Sri Lanka Tourism successfully hosted a vibrant roadshow in Australia, bringing together over 80 travel advisors, media professionals, and influencers to connect with 40+ Sri Lankan tourism partners, including hotels, DMCs, and wellness brands. The event highlighted Sri Lanka’s rich culture, wildlife, wellness, and adventure experiences, positioning the island as a must-visit destination in the Asia-Pacific region. Distinguished guests included Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia, Ms. Yasoja Gunasekara, SLTPB Chairman, Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam, and industry leaders from SriLankan Airlines and Travel Weekly Australia. A B2B networking session during the day helped Australian travel professionals build new partnerships, while the evening gala dinner celebrated Sri Lankan culture through traditional dance and a curated island-inspired menu. Chairman Hewawasam said, “Australia is a key market for us. We’re proud to reintroduce Sri Lanka as a land of warmth, diversity, and unforgettable experiences.” The event marked a key milestone in Sri Lanka Tourism’s global campaign to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific market. Source : Travel Weekly More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s east coast is bracing for extreme heat this week, with several states tipped to challenge October temperature records. According to Weatherzone, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and the ACT could see temperatures soar into the mid-40s. South Australia’s long-standing October record of 45.4°C at Oodnadatta may fall, with 46°C forecast on Monday. Queensland’s far southwest is also expected to hit 45°C, while parts of NSW could reach 43°C on Tuesday. Canberra may climb to 32°C, nearing its record of 32.7°C. Meteorologist Dean Narramore from the Bureau of Meteorology said a low-pressure system forming in the Bight on Tuesday will bring showers and storms to South Australia and western Victoria, offering some relief. “Hot and dry conditions will persist across much of northern and eastern Australia,” Narramore said, warning of elevated fire danger in parts of NSW midweek. By Thursday, high pressure will bring dry, sunny weather for most of the country, with only a few light showers in southern regions. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia recorded 188 workplace deaths in 2024, down from 200 the previous year — but most tragedies continue to occur in the same high-risk industries. According to Safe Work Australia, 80% of all workplace deaths happened across just six sectors: Agriculture, forestry and fishing Public administration and safety Transport, postal and warehousing Manufacturing Health care and social assistance Construction Vehicle incidents remain the top cause of fatalities, responsible for 42% (79 deaths), followed by falls from heights at 13% (24 deaths). While Australia’s overall injury rate (3.5%) is much lower than the global average (12.1%), the toll on workers and families remains significant. In 2023–24, there were 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims, equal to more than 400 serious injuries every day. Mental health claims are also rising — now 12% of all serious cases, with recovery times nearly five times longer than for other injuries. Safe Work Australia CEO Marie Boland said the figures are a reminder that safety must remain a top priority. “Behind every number is a person, a family, and a community,” she said. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. ශ්‍රී ලාංකික ගමන් බලපත්‍ර හිමියන් සඳහා කටුනායක බණ්ඩාරනායක ගුවන්තොටුපළේ e-Gates පහසුකම ලබාදෙයි. බණ්ඩාරනායක ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ (BIA) තුළ ශ්‍රී ලාංකික ගමන් බලපත්‍ර හිමියන් සඳහා පමණක් e-Gates පහසුකම හඳුන්වා දී ඇති අතර එය වේගවත් සහ වඩාත් ආරක්ෂිත සේවාවක් ලබාදෙයි. සුදුසුකම් ලත් අයට පහත පියවර මඟින් මෙම පහසුකම භාවිතා කළ හැක. පියවර 01 - එක් වරක් ලියාපදිංචි කිරීම (One-time registration) පියවර 02 - අවශ්‍ය ජෛවමිතික ලබා ගැනීම (Obtain required biometrics) පියවර 03 - ඊ-ගේට්ටු හරහා ඔබේ ස්මාර්ට් ගමන ආරම්භ කරන්න (Start your smart travel through e-gates Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Sri Lankans .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. ශ්‍රී ලංකා රේගුව සිය ඉතිහාසයේ ඓතිහාසික සන්ධිස්ථානයක් සනිටුහන් කරමින්, එහි ඉහළම දෛනික ආදායම් රැස් කිරීම අත්කර ගත්තේය. රේගුවට අනුව, 2025 ඔක්තෝබර් 15 වන දින වාර්තාගත බදු ආදායමක් රුපියල් මිලියන 24,918 ක් රැස් කර ඇත. ඒ දිනය වන විට, වසර සඳහා රැස් කරන ලද මුළු ආදායම රුපියල් බිලියන 1,867 කි. මෙම කාර්ය සාධනයත් සමඟ, 2025 සඳහා නියම කර ඇති රුපියල් බිලියන 2,115 ක වාර්ෂික ආදායම් ඉලක්කය ළඟා විය හැකි බවත් ඉදිරි මාසවලදී එය ඉක්මවා යාමට ඉඩ ඇති බවත් නිලධාරීන් සඳහන් කළහ. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Sri Lankans .