සෑම ජන කොටසක්ම රටේ ආර්ථික ක්‍රියාවලියට සම්බන්ධ කර ගැනීමේ අරමුණින් මෙවර අයවැය සකස් කරන බව ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කළේය. ජනාධිපතිවරයා මෙම අදහස් පළ කළේ 2025 අයවැය සකස් කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශයේ නිලධාරීන් සමඟ ජනාධිපති ලේකම් කාර්යාලයේ පැවැති මූලික සාකච්ඡාවකදීය. පොදු ප්‍රවාහනය ශක්තිමත් කිරීමේ අවශ්‍යතාවය සහ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් සඳහා වෙන් කර ඇති විමධ්‍යගත අරමුදල් ප්‍රශස්ත ලෙස ප්‍රයෝජනයට ගැනීමේ අවශ්‍යතාවය අවධාරණය කරමින් කාර්යක්ෂම හා ඵලදායී ආර්ථික ක්‍රමයක් ස්ථාපිත කිරීමේ වැදගත්කම පිළිබඳව සාකච්ඡාවේදී අවධානය යොමු විය. රාජ්‍ය මැදිහත්වීම සහ අත්‍යාවශ්‍ය පහසුකම් සපයා පොදු ප්‍රවාහනය වැඩිදියුණු කිරීමට අවශ්‍ය පියවර පිළිබඳව මෙම හමුවේදී සොයා බැලීය. පසුගිය පාලන සමයේදී විමධ්‍යගත අරමුදල් සඳහා සැලකිය යුතු මුදල් ප්‍රමාණයක් වෙන් කළ නමුත් එම අරමුදල් ඵලදායී ව්‍යාපෘති සඳහා යොමු නොකළ බව සටහන් විය. මෙම සම්පත් ඵලදායී ලෙස භාවිතා කිරීම සහතික කිරීම සඳහා ජාතික ව්‍යාපෘති සඳහා වෙන් කිරීමේ අවශ්‍යතාවය පිළිබඳව අවධානය යොමු විය. නිෂ්පාදකයින් සතුව පවතින සහල් තොග නියාමනය කිරීම සහ වී මිලදී ගැනීම සඳහා සහල් මෝල් හිමියන්ට ලබා දී ඇති ණය වසරක් ඇතුළත ගෙවා අවසන් කිරීම පිළිබඳව ද මෙහිදී සාකච්ඡා කෙරිණි. නාගරික කේන්ද්‍රීය ආර්ථික ක්‍රියාකාරකම්වල ප්‍රතිලාභ බිම් මට්ටම දක්වා ව්‍යාප්ත කරමින් ඔවුන් ක්‍රියාශීලීව එම ක්‍රියාවලියට සම්බන්ධ කර ගැනීමේ වැදගත්කම අවධාරණය කළ ජනාධිපතිතුමා සියලු පළාත්වලට සාධාරණ ලෙස බෙදා හැරීම සහතික කෙරෙන ආර්ථික සැලැස්මක අවශ්‍යතාව අවධාරණය කළේය. දැනට පවතින සුබසාධන බෙදා හැරීමේ යාන්ත්‍රණයන්හි අඩුපාඩු ද පෙන්වා දුන් ඔහු, සැබෑ සුදුසුකම් ඇති ප්‍රජාවන් හඳුනාගෙන නියමිත වේලාවට සහය ලබා දීම සඳහා බෙදාහැරීමේ ක්‍රියාවලිය කඩිනම් කිරීමේ අවශ්‍යතාවය අවධාරණය කළේය.

If you’re flying out of Gold Coast Airport today, you might need to pack some patience. A security incident earlier this morning caused long lines and flight delays, leaving travelers frustrated. According to the airport, the issue began when passengers on a flight that had already boarded had to be rescreened. This triggered the airport’s security protocols, resulting in “operational disruptions.” A spokesperson for Gold Coast Airport explained, “Security protocols were activated this morning for an isolated incident requiring the rescreening of passengers onboard one flight. Operations have resumed, but some delays remain.” The knock-on effects have led to delays across several flights, with two flights to Sydney canceled later today. While the airport is working with airlines to minimize the impact, delays are expected to clear up by this afternoon. If you’re heading to the airport, it’s a good idea to check with your airline for updates and allow extra time to navigate through the backlog.

Residents in parts of New South Wales are being warned to brace for damaging winds, while much of Australia swelters under intense heatwave conditions. The State Emergency Service (SES) has forecast wind gusts of up to 90km/h to hit the South Coast this afternoon before moving up to Sydney and the Hunter region. Average wind speeds will hover between 60 and 70km/h, with potential for falling trees and debris. “Strong winds could bring down trees and powerlines and damage properties,” SES Assistant Commissioner Sean Kearns said. He urged residents to secure loose items around their homes and download the Hazards Near Me  app to stay updated on warnings. Sydney is expected to feel the brunt of the winds mid-afternoon, with Newcastle likely impacted by the early evening. Thunderstorms are also possible tonight in parts of Sydney and the Hunter, though no severe storm warnings are currently in place. Heatwave Grips Half the Country At the same time, a heatwave is scorching large parts of NSW, Queensland, and Western Australia. Brisbane residents are in for a sweltering 36°C today, with inland areas like Dalby, Emerald, and Goondiwindi expected to hit over 40°C. The heat will stick around through most of the week, with little relief as overnight temperatures remain in the high 20s. A milder southerly change is expected to cool eastern Queensland by the weekend. Northern NSW is also feeling the heat, with places like Byron Bay, Inverell, and Tweed Heads likely to reach extreme temperatures. Central Sydney is set to hit 35°C today, while western suburbs like Penrith could climb to 39°C. Further inland, towns like Bourke and Dubbo are forecast to exceed 40°C. Thankfully, a cool change should bring some relief to parts of NSW this afternoon, possibly accompanied by thunderstorms in the evening. In Western Australia, it’s the third heatwave of the summer. Temperatures have soared past 40°C in Perth, with areas like Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, and Mount Magnet also baking under the extreme heat. The good news? Temperatures are expected to drop slightly by Saturday. Fire Danger and Power Usage Fire authorities in both Queensland and NSW are warning of increased fire dangers due to the hot, dry conditions. Meanwhile, Western Australia is seeing record power usage as residents crank up their air conditioning to cope with the heat. Despite the heatwave, WA Premier Roger Cook said the state’s power grid is holding up well. Perth hit over 40°C on Monday, marking one of the city’s hottest days this summer. Whether it’s wind, heat, or fire danger, staying prepared and keeping an eye on updates will be key in the coming days!

What Are Executive Orders? Executive orders are directives issued by the president that carry the force of law. They allow the president to act unilaterally without needing congressional approval. Donald Trump issued 220 executive orders during his first term—more than any president in a single term since Jimmy Carter. These orders ranged from a travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries to expanding offshore oil leasing. Here’s a breakdown of the key executive orders Trump signed on his first day back in office: Pardons Trump granted pardons to about 1,500 people involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, including 14 members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers convicted of seditious conspiracy. He even directed the attorney general to drop pending cases related to the riots. Immigration Trump declared illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border a national emergency. He also labeled criminal cartels as terrorist organizations and targeted automatic citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. Additionally, he suspended the US refugee resettlement program for at least four months to review security protocols and possibly reinstate travel bans for certain countries. Undoing Biden’s Actions Trump revoked 78 executive orders signed by President Biden, covering topics like COVID-19 relief, clean energy promotion, and diversity initiatives. He also ordered all agencies to preserve records of what he called "political persecutions" under Biden's administration. Diversity Rollbacks Trump rescinded measures promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as protections for LGBTQ+ people and racial minorities. At least a dozen orders related to racial equity and anti-discrimination efforts were overturned. TikTok Ban Delay Trump signed an order to delay the enforcement of a TikTok ban by 75 days to reassess its future. Federal Hiring and Regulation Freezes Trump froze government hiring and new regulations. He also mandated federal employees to return to full-time, in-person work, aiming to reduce the civil service workforce and make room for loyal appointees. Inflation Relief To combat inflation, Trump directed agencies to cut regulations and climate policies that increase costs. He also outlined plans to expand housing supply and lower housing costs. Climate Policy Reversals Trump withdrew the US from the Paris climate treaty, repealed Biden’s ban on Arctic drilling, and rolled back electric vehicle mandates. He emphasized maximizing oil and gas production while reducing regulations. Health Policy Changes Trump pulled the US out of the World Health Organization, criticizing its handling of COVID-19. He also nominated vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head health agencies. Government Cuts Trump created an advisory group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, to dramatically cut federal jobs and agencies. Targeting the ‘Deep State’ Trump ordered investigations into alleged misconduct by federal agencies over the past four years, aiming to address what he called the “weaponization” of government. Free Speech Protections Trump signed an order to combat alleged federal censorship, particularly on social media, under the guise of fighting misinformation. Energy Policies Trump declared a national energy emergency, focusing on maximizing oil and gas production, filling strategic reserves, and boosting exports. His orders aimed to reduce consumer costs and bolster national security while reversing Biden’s push for clean energy. Trump’s actions mark a sharp turn in policies, undoing many initiatives from the previous administration and setting a new course for the country.

Adelaide skies have treated stargazers to a once-in-a-lifetime event, with perfect weather creating the ideal conditions to witness the rare G3 Atlas comet. This celestial visitor, visible only in the Southern Hemisphere, won’t pass by again for another 160,000 years. If you haven’t caught a glimpse yet, there’s still time. The comet will remain visible until around January 23, before continuing its orbit deeper into the galaxy and disappearing from view. Discovered in April 2024, G3 Atlas has captured the attention of international observatories, including NASA. South Australian landscape astrophotographer Will Godward managed to snap an incredible photo of the comet just before it began to fade from the naked eye. “It was magical to witness and capture a naked-eye comet,” he told 7NEWS. “Looking toward Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills, knowing you’re seeing a comet with your own eyes is something that might only happen once in a lifetime.” As one of the brightest comets to pass Earth in the last 20 years—and the third brightest ever recorded, according to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS)—G3 Atlas has left a lasting impression. However, its time with us has been cut short. Reports from Japan suggest the comet has started to break apart, though its tail is still putting on a stunning show. “Sadly, G3 Atlas has disintegrated, but the tail remains visible and spectacular,” Godward said. For those eager to catch a final glimpse, he offered some tips: “Find a clear southwestern horizon about 30 minutes after sunset. The comet will be low on the horizon, so don’t miss this chance.” With the next sighting not expected for another 160,000 years, this is truly a rare and extraordinary event. So, grab your binoculars and head outside for one last look at this cosmic wonder!

ඉන්ධන මිල අඩු කිරීමට යම් කාලයක් ගත වන බව ප්‍රකාශ කළ ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතා ඉන්ධන මිල අඩු කිරීමේ හැකියාව කඩිනමින් සලකා බැලීමට අදාළ පාර්ශ්ව සමඟ සාකච්ඡා කරන බව ද රැස්වීමකදී ප්‍රකාශ කළේය. ලංකා ඛනිජ තෙල් නීතිගත සංස්ථාවේ (CPC) ණය මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරයට අවශෝෂණය කර ගැනීමෙන් පසු ඉන්ධන සඳහා විශාල බද්දක් පනවා ඇති බව ඔහු කටුකුරුන්ද ප්‍රදේශයේ පැවති රැස්වීමකදී පැවසීය. ඛනිජ තෙල් නීතිගත සංස්ථාවේ ඩොලර් බිලියන 3ක පමණ ණය ප්‍රමාණයක් මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරය විසින් අවශෝෂණය කර ගෙන ඇති අතර එම ණය අයකර ගැනීම සඳහා ඉන්ධන සඳහා බද්දක් පනවා ඇති බව පැවසූ ජනාධිපතිවරයා එම ණය මුදල ගෙවන තුරු එම බද්ද ඉවත් කළ නොහැකි බවද පැවසීය. ඉන්ධන මිල අඩු කිරීම සඳහා ණය ගෙවීමේ කාලය ඉක්මනින් දීර්ඝ කිරීමේ හැකියාව සලකා බැලීම සඳහා මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශය, ඛනිජ තෙල් නීතිගත සංස්ථාව, ලංකා බැංකුව සහ මහජන බැංකුව සමඟ සාකච්ඡාවක් කැඳවා ඇති බව ඔහු පැවසීය.

A cyclone off the west coast of Australia is causing a major heatwave to spread across the country this week. According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s heatwave warning service, nearly half of Australia will experience heatwave conditions from Tuesday to Saturday, with some areas facing extreme heat. In particular, Western Australia and Queensland will see ‘severe’ heat, including cities like Perth and Brisbane. Some parts of Queensland may even experience ‘extreme’ conditions. A heatwave is defined by the Bureau as three-day average temperatures that are much higher than normal, both during the day and night. Expect hot days and warm nights in areas under the warning. In Western Australia, temperatures are expected to be between 6°C and 12°C hotter than usual, with Perth reaching highs of 39°C to 41°C from Tuesday to Friday. The humidity on Tuesday will make it feel even worse, which is unusual for Perth. This heatwave follows a record-breaking day in Perth, where temperatures hit 45°C, and in Geraldton, where it reached 49.3°C. In Queensland, the worst of the heat is expected towards the end of the week, with Brisbane seeing temperatures of 35°C to 37°C. The humidity will make it feel even more stifling. The heatwave won't just affect daytime temperatures – the nights will be much warmer too. In Perth, temperatures are expected to stay above 25°C for four nights in a row, with some inland areas staying in the high 20s. Queensland will experience similar warm nights. These hot nights are particularly tough because they make it harder for the body to cool down, increasing health risks. On the plus side, states like Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, and South Australia are outside the warning area and will see milder weather for most of the week.

Ozempic has been making waves for its weight loss benefits and ability to treat various health conditions, but new research highlights some potential downsides. While the drug has many positive effects, it may also increase the risk of arthritis, stomach issues, and other health concerns. A recent U.S. study published in Nature Medicine  analyzed data from about 2.4 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, including 216,000 people who used GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, between 2017 and 2023. The researchers tracked how these drugs impacted 175 health conditions, finding both benefits and risks. The Upside The study revealed that GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, may lower the chances of developing 42 health conditions. Here are some highlights: Heart health:  Users were less likely to experience heart failure or blood clots like deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Brain health:  The risk of Alzheimer’s dropped by 12%, and psychotic disorders like schizophrenia fell by 18%. Addiction:  Addiction risks, such as substance use disorders, decreased by 13%. This could be due to the drug's effect on brain areas linked to reward and impulse control. The Downside On the flip side, Ozempic and similar drugs were linked to increased risks for 19 health conditions, including: Digestive problems:  Users experienced higher rates of nausea, vomiting, gastritis, diverticulitis, and abdominal pain. Arthritis:  The risk of developing arthritis increased by 11%. Pancreatitis:  This condition, which involves inflammation of the pancreas and can have serious complications, saw a 146% increased risk. Kidney issues:  Problems like kidney stones and interstitial nephritis, which impair kidney function, were more common. Low blood pressure and fainting:  GLP-1 users were more prone to these side effects. The Takeaway Ozempic’s benefits are significant, especially for heart and brain health, but its potential side effects shouldn’t be ignored. If you’re considering GLP-1 drugs, it’s important to discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor to determine if they’re the right fit for your health needs.

For the first time in over a century, a former U.S. president has taken the oath of office for a second time after leaving the White House. Donald Trump, now both the 45th and 47th president, follows in the footsteps of Grover Cleveland, the only other president to serve nonconsecutive terms. The inauguration ceremony was held indoors due to the freezing temperatures, marking the official start of what has been called a political comeback for the ages. Just six months after a criminal conviction in a hush money case, Trump has rewritten history yet again. He’s now the first former president—and the first felon—to return to the Oval Office. This comeback underscores his enduring political appeal and ability to weather controversies that would have ended most political careers. Despite a decade of trials, both literal and figurative, Trump is stepping back into the spotlight seemingly stronger than ever. The Republican Party now firmly aligns with his vision, with establishment voices largely sidelined. Meanwhile, influential leaders in finance, tech, and even world governments have been lining up to meet with him during his transition, a stark contrast to the resistance he faced during his first term. Trump isn’t wasting any time. Within hours of taking office, he’s expected to sign executive orders targeting illegal immigration, rolling back diversity and inclusion initiatives, and removing protections for transgender individuals. His broader agenda includes implementing sweeping tariffs, enacting mass deportations, and slashing the size of the federal government. It’s a new chapter in Trump’s already storied political career, and it’s clear he intends to hit the ground running.

වාහන ආනයනය සඳහා පනවා තිබූ තහනම පෙබරවාරි 1 වැනිදා සිට ඉවත් කරන බව ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතා තහවුරු කළේය. ජනාධිපතිවරයා මේ බව පැවසුවේ දැනට රජය සතු සුඛෝපභෝගී වාහන වෙන්දේසි කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් අදහස් දක්වමිනි. ආනයන සීමා ඉවත් කිරීමෙන් පසු ආරම්භක කාලසීමාව තුළ වාහන මිල ගණන් උච්චාවචනය වීමට ඉඩ ඇති බව ඔහු සඳහන් කළේය. රාජ්‍ය වියදම් ක්‍රමවත් කිරීම සහ අතිරික්තය අවම කිරීම සඳහා දැනට ක්‍රියාත්මක ක්‍රියාමාර්ගවල කොටසක් ලෙස මිල ගණන් සමථයකට පත් වූ පසු දැනට පවතින සුඛෝපභෝගී වාහන වෙන්දේසි කිරීමට රජය සැලසුම් කර ඇති බව ද ජනාධිපතිවරයා අනාවරණය කළේය.

Tropical Cyclone Sean has intensified into a powerful Category 3 storm, unleashing record-breaking rainfall and prompting urgent warnings along Western Australia’s northern coast. Authorities are urging residents in the Pilbara region to stay indoors immediately, as the storm poses a serious threat to lives and property. The Bureau of Meteorology upgraded the alert for the area this morning, highlighting the cyclone’s impact on the western coast from Mardie to Ningaloo. Torrential rains exceeding 100mm, along with destructive winds, have put the region under a flood warning. Karratha has already seen an unprecedented 274.4mm of rain in just 24 hours, shattering its all-time wettest day record. To put it into perspective, that’s more than the town’s entire January monthly average of 263.4mm, according to WeatherZone. Currently, Cyclone Sean is packing winds up to 130km/h and is moving west along the Pilbara coast at 17km/h. Forecasters expect it to turn southwest later today, moving further away from land. However, the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services has issued an emergency warning for residents from Thevernard Island to Ningaloo, including Exmouth and North West Cape. The message is clear: it’s too late to evacuate. Residents are being told to shelter indoors immediately. "There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately," reads the department’s urgent notice. Meanwhile, areas like Barrow Island and Mardie to Ningaloo remain under a cyclone watch, while Whim Creek to Mardie is under an advisory to stay informed. Adding to the region’s woes, a storm tide is expected between Onslow and Exmouth during the afternoon’s high tide. Large waves may lead to minor flooding along the foreshore, and locals are being urged to protect their properties. The storm could escalate to a Category 4 later today, but by then, it’s expected to be well off the coast. Cyclone Sean marks the second cyclone of the 2024/25 season in the Australian region, following Cyclone Robyn near Indonesia in November. In a surprising twist, the wild weather wasn’t the only event shaking WA. A 3.8 magnitude earthquake struck Meckering, northeast of Perth, at around 3:10 pm yesterday. Over 400 residents reported feeling the tremors, according to Geoscience Australia. For now, residents in affected areas are bracing for what’s next, as Cyclone Sean continues its path of destruction along WA’s northern coastline. Stay safe, stay informed, and take all necessary precautions.

TikTok is back online for U.S. users after briefly being blocked over the weekend. The platform announced Sunday that it had started restoring access, following assurances from President-elect Donald Trump. In a statement shared on X, TikTok said, “We’re restoring service in agreement with our providers. We’re grateful to President Trump for clarifying that our service providers won’t face penalties, allowing TikTok to stay available for over 170 million Americans and supporting over 7 million small businesses.” The company also emphasized its commitment to protecting free speech, calling this a win for the First Amendment and a stand against censorship. “We’ll continue working with President Trump on a long-term solution to keep TikTok in the U.S.,” the statement added. The temporary block came just hours after Trump posted on Truth Social, urging TikTok to stay online to broadcast his upcoming inauguration on Monday. He pledged to issue an executive order extending the time before any bans or restrictions would take effect, ensuring no penalties for companies that helped keep TikTok running. For now, TikTok users and creators can breathe a sigh of relief as the platform resumes its usual operations.