ශ්‍රී ලංකාව 2024 දී ආකර්ෂණීය සංචාරකයින් 2,053,465 ක් පිළිගත් අතර, එහි තෙවැනි ඉහළම වාර්ෂික පැමිණීමේ අගය සනිටුහන් කරමින් 2023 ට සාපේක්ෂව ශක්තිමත් 38% ක වර්ධනයක් පෙන්නුම් කරයි. මිලියන 2.3 ක අභිලාෂකාමී පුරෝකථනය ගැන සංඛ්‍යා ලැජ්ජාශීලී වුවද, එය තවමත් විශිෂ්ට ජයග්‍රහණයක් විය. රටේ සංචාරක කර්මාන්තය සඳහා. 2024 සඳහා ප්‍රමුඛ ස්ථානය ඉන්දියාවට හිමි වූ අතර, එය 416,974ක් නරඹන්නන් යවා ඇත - එය පෙර වසරේ 302,844 සිට විශාල පිම්මකි. රුසියාව 198,601ක් පැමිණි අතර, එක්සත් රාජධානිය සංචාරකයින් 178,339ක් සමඟ තෙවැනි ස්ථානයට පත්විය. ජර්මනිය සහ චීනය ද ප්‍රබල දර්ශනයක් පෙන්නුම් කළ අතර, පැමිණීම් 100,000 ඉක්මවා ගියේය. නෙදර්ලන්තය පළමු වෙලඳපොලවල් දහයට පුදුමයට පත් වූ අතර කැනඩාව ලැයිස්තුවෙන් පහත වැටුණි. අනෙකුත් කැපී පෙනෙන දායකයින් අතර ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාව, ප්‍රංශය, එක්සත් ජනපදය සහ මාලදිවයින ඇතුළත් විය. දෙසැම්බර් මාසයේදී පමණක් ශ්‍රී ලංකාව නරඹන්නන් 248,592ක් දැක ඇති අතර එය 2023 එම මාසයට සාපේක්ෂව 18%ක වැඩිවීමකි. ඉන්දියාව නැවතත් එම මාසයේ අමුත්තන් 52,881ක් සමඟින් පෙරමුණ ගෙන සිටින අතර රුසියාව 35,268ක් සහ එක්සත් රාජධානිය 18,757ක් සමඟින් දෙවැනි ස්ථානයට පත්ව ඇත. ජර්මනිය සහ ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාව පළමු පස් දෙනා අතරට පැමිණ ඇත. මෙම ආකර්ෂණීය සංඛ්‍යා තිබියදීත්, ශ්‍රී ලංකා සංචාරක සංවර්ධන අධිකාරිය (SLTDA) මාසික පුරෝකථනයන් සමඟ ඉහළ ඉලක්කයක් තබා ඇති අතර, එය වසර පුරා අඛණ්ඩව මග හැරුණි. නමුත් ශුභවාදී බව ඉහළ මට්ටමක පවතී - විශේෂයෙන් 2025 සඳහා, අවසානයේ ඉලක්කය වන මිලියන තුනේ සන්ධිස්ථානය ඉක්මවා යාම, වසර ගණනාවක් තිස්සේ රට හඹා යන ජයග්‍රහණයකි. මෙම කැපී පෙනෙන වර්ධනය සංචාරක ගමනාන්තයක් ලෙස ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ආකර්ෂණය ඉස්මතු කරයි. ගෝලීය සංචාරක වෙළඳපොලේ තවත් වැඩි ප්‍රමාණයක් අත්පත් කර ගැනීම කෙරෙහි අවධානය යොමු කරමින්, දිවයිනේ ජාතිය වාර්තාගත 2025 වෙත සිය දැක්ම තබා ඇති බව පැහැදිලිය.

Steve Smith is set to lead the Australian Test cricket team in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, as current captain Pat Cummins has chosen to stay in Australia for the birth of his second child. Smith, who previously captained Australia before being relieved of the role in 2018, returned to a leadership position as vice-captain in 2021. His recent performances have been impressive, including back-to-back centuries against India. He is also on the verge of significant career milestones, needing just 38 runs to reach 10,000 Test runs and four catches to equal Ricky Ponting's record for the most catches by an Australian fielder. This development comes as Australia prepares for the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, starting on January 29. Cummins' decision to prioritize family commitments has opened the door for Smith's return to the captaincy, marking another chapter in his redemption and ongoing contribution to Australian cricket.

Victorians are gearing up for a scorching weekend, with heatwave conditions set to take hold across the state. Melbourne is expected to hit a sizzling 38°C on Saturday and 37°C on Sunday, after warming up to 30°C today. Some regional areas may experience even higher temperatures. While fire threats in Gippsland and the Grampians have eased, authorities will remain vigilant for strong winds or sudden changes that could spark new concerns. Relief is on the horizon, though—a cool change on Monday is expected to bring much-needed rain. The heatwave isn’t limited to Victoria. In New South Wales, Sydney will enjoy a pleasant 29°C on Saturday before temperatures climb into the mid-30s on Sunday and Monday. Cooler weather is expected from Tuesday, with highs dropping to the mid-20s. In Brisbane, consistent weekend temperatures of around 30°C are forecast, with a chance of rain on Saturday. Adelaide will see a warm 36°C on Saturday with some cloud cover, cooling slightly to 33°C on Sunday. Perth can look forward to a sunny weekend, with a top of 32°C on Sunday. Darwin will be stormy, reaching 33°C both days, while Hobart will enjoy a mild 28°C on Saturday before cooling to 22°C with possible rain on Sunday. Canberra faces a hot weekend with 34°C on Saturday, 35°C on Sunday, and the potential for storms on Monday. Wherever you are, stay cool, hydrated, and safe this weekend!

China is grappling with an outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV), sparking concerns just five years after the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports and social media posts suggest the virus is spreading quickly, with claims of overwhelmed hospitals and crematories. Videos circulating online show packed hospital corridors, with some users mentioning a mix of viruses, including influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and even COVID-19, hitting communities hard. Some posts have even claimed that China has declared a state of emergency, though this hasn’t been confirmed. HMPV typically causes flu-like symptoms but can also resemble COVID-19, making it a challenge for health officials working to monitor and contain its spread. One social media post highlighted the strain on healthcare facilities, especially for children:"China is facing a surge in multiple viruses, including Influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19, overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums. Children's hospitals are particularly strained by rising pneumonia and 'white lung' cases," it said. Authorities are closely watching the situation, hoping to manage this wave of illnesses effectively.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොලිසිය මාර්ග නීති කඩ කිරීම් වාර්තා කිරීම සඳහා විශේෂයෙන් නිර්මාණය කර ඇති ඩිජිටල් වේදිකාවක් වන E-Traffic App හඳුන්වා දී ඇත. උල්ලංඝනය කිරීම් පිළිබඳ සාක්ෂි සෘජුවම බලධාරීන් වෙත ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමෙන් මාර්ග ආරක්ෂාව වැඩිදියුණු කිරීමේදී ක්‍රියාකාරී භූමිකාවක් ඉටු කිරීමට මෙම ඇප් එක පුරවැසියන්ට ඉඩ සලසයි. බාගත කරන්න: https://srilanka-etraffic-app.vercel.app/

South-eastern Australia kicked off 2025 with a breathtaking natural light show! The vibrant aurora australis lit up the skies on New Year’s Day, dazzling onlookers across Tasmania, as well as parts of Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and even New South Wales. This spectacular display was visible to the naked eye, making it a magical start to the new year for many lucky sky gazers.

‘පිරිසිදු ශ්‍රී ලංකා’ ජාතික වැඩසටහනේ උත්සවාකාරයෙන් එළිදැක්වීම ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතාගේ ප්‍රධානත්වයෙන් ජනාධිපති ලේකම් කාර්යාලයේදී ආරම්භ විය. ‘පිරිසිදු ශ්‍රී ලංකාව’ යනු සමාජ හැසිරීම්, පාරිසරික පිරිසිදුකම සහ මිනිසුන්ගේ සදාචාරාත්මක හැසිරීම් වැනි ක්ෂේත්‍ර කෙරෙහි අවධානය යොමු කරමින් ජාතික ජන බලය (NPP) රජය විසින් දියත් කරන ලද වැඩසටහනකි. වැඩසටහන නිල වශයෙන් දියත් කිරීමෙන් පසු පළමු මාසය තුළ දැනුවත් කිරීමේ වැඩසටහනක් සංවිධානය කිරීමට නියමිතය. ‘පිරිසිදු ශ්‍රී ලංකා’ කාර්ය සාධක බළකාය අයවැයෙන් වෙන් කරන අරමුදල් හැර වෙනත් අරමුදල් ලබා ගැනීම සඳහා වෙනත් රටවල් සමඟ සහයෝගයෙන් කටයුතු කිරීමට සූදානම් වේ.

Starting January 1, 2025, Victorians will notice a slight increase in public transport fares. For daily travel, the full fare cap will rise to $11.00, while concession fares will cost $5.50. On weekends and public holidays, the daily cap will be $7.60 for full fares and $3.80 for concessions. This means a 40-cent increase for Zone 1, Zone 1+2 metropolitan fares, and the regional fare cap. Regional Victorians will continue to benefit from fairer fares, with prices capped at the same rates as metropolitan areas. For those using regional town buses, the full two-hour fare will go up by 20 cents to $3.00, and the daily fare will rise by 40 cents to $6.00. These adjustments help support the ongoing operation of Victoria's trains, trams, and buses, ensuring a reliable and world-class network for everyone.

2025 ජනවාරි 01 දින සිට ක්‍රියාත්මක වන පරිදි ආහාර ද්‍රව්‍ය ප්‍රචාරණය සඳහා වයස අවුරුදු 12 ට අඩු ළමුන් ඇතුළත් කිරීම තහනම් කරමින් සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය වෛද්‍ය නලින්ද ජයතිස්ස මහතා විසින් ගැසට් නිවේදනයක් නිකුත් කර ඇත.

Get ready for a scorcher this New Year’s Eve, Australia! Wherever you’re celebrating, it’s shaping up to be warm and mostly dry, though a few spots will see some storms or showers. Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening around the country. New South Wales It’s going to be hot, with temperatures in the mid to low 30s along the coast and climbing to the high 30s further inland. In the northeast, storms could bring heavy rain, strong winds, and even hail. If you’re in Sydney for the New Year’s Eve fireworks, expect warm and humid conditions with a chance of showers easing before midnight. By the time the clock strikes 12, it should be a comfortable low 20s. New Year’s Day will stay mild to warm, with more showers and storms in the east. Victoria Melbourne is looking mild today, with temps in the mid to high 20s, though it’ll be hotter inland. Showers in East Gippsland should clear up by evening. For the evening celebrations, expect a cool and mostly clear night, with the mercury dipping into the high teens by midnight. New Year’s Day will bring slightly cooler weather, though it’ll stay warm and dry inland. Queensland Southern Queensland might get stormy today, but Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast should avoid the worst of it. Out west, it’s scorching, with some spots hitting over 40 degrees! Brisbane’s NYE partygoers can expect mild, humid weather, with a chance of showers and partly cloudy skies. Midnight temperatures will be in the low 20s. Showers and storms will pick up again tomorrow, spreading from the south all the way up the east coast. South Australia It’s hot and dry across the state today, with clear skies. Coastal areas will sit in the high 20s to low 30s, while inland spots will bake in the mid 30s to low 40s. Adelaide is in for a clear and warm evening with light winds, perfect for seeing in the new year. Tomorrow, it’ll cool down a bit in the south, with a slight chance of rain in the far southeast. Western Australia Southern WA is warm and settled, with temps in the low to mid 20s along the coast and climbing into the high 30s inland. Heatwave conditions are hitting other parts of the state, with temps soaring into the low 40s. Perth will be clear and hot tonight, staying warm into New Year’s Day. There’s also a chance dry thunderstorms could extend to the city tomorrow. Australian Capital Territory Canberra is warm and cloudy, with a slight chance of showers. Temps will hover between the high 20s and low 30s. Rain is likely to ease before the evening festivities, with the city cooling to the high teens by midnight. Tomorrow will bring mild to warm weather with partly cloudy skies and maybe a sprinkle of rain. Tasmania It’s a mild day in Tassie, with temps in the high teens to low 20s. Hobart could see a slight shower tonight, but it should be mostly fine for celebrations, with midnight temps around the mid-teens. New Year’s Day will be cool to mild, with scattered showers sticking around. Northern Territory The Top End is sizzling, with low to severe heatwaves across the north and center of the NT. Showers and storms are expected in the north, with temps hitting the mid to high 30s. Down south, it’s even hotter, climbing into the low 40s. Darwin might see rain early in the evening, but it should ease up for New Year’s Eve revelers. Midnight will feel warm and humid, with temps in the high 20s. Tomorrow will stay hot, with storms in the north and sunny, dry weather inland. No matter where you are, enjoy the celebrations, stay cool, and have a fantastic start to 2024!

Starting January 1, Australians will have to dig even deeper into their wallets to renew or get a new passport, as the cost of this essential travel document is set to rise again. Critics are calling it a “backdoor tax grab,” adding fuel to the fire in an ongoing cost-of-living crisis. The price of a standard 10-year Australian passport, already among the most expensive in the world, will increase by $14 to a hefty $412. Since Labor took office in 2022, the cost has jumped a staggering $104. Five-year passports, used by children and seniors over 75, will now cost $208, up from $201, while replacement passports will rise from $250 to $259. While these annual price hikes are part of a legislated indexation process, they come on the heels of a 15% fee increase implemented on July 1, 2024, a move heavily criticized by the Coalition. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham didn’t hold back, calling the fee hikes “over the top revenue-raising.” He noted that passports are becoming so pricey, they’re now comparable to the cost of an international airfare. “Many Australians save for years to afford a special trip to Bali or Fiji, only to find that the passport itself costs nearly as much as the flight,” Birmingham said. “Passports should be a basic entitlement, not a luxury item.” The Albanese government defended the move, with Assistant Foreign Minister Tim Watts pointing out that indexation has been a standard practice for years. He also highlighted the need for the earlier price rise, citing investments in identity security to stay ahead of evolving threats. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) chimed in, emphasizing the value of the Australian passport. "It’s one of the best in the world," a spokesperson said. "With advanced technology and strong anti-fraud measures, Australian passports ensure integrity and offer visa-free access to over 180 countries." And that’s no exaggeration. According to the 2024 Henley Passport Index, Australian passports rank as the fifth most powerful globally, with visa-free entry to 189 countries. Still, for many Aussies, the latest fee increases feel like yet another financial burden at a time when every dollar counts.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging Australians to take a closer look at their electricity plans, as many households are missing out on savings by staying on outdated or expensive deals. According to the ACCC’s latest electricity inquiry report, over 80% of households in the National Electricity Market could save money by switching to a cheaper plan or simply contacting their current provider to ask for a better deal. Despite electricity prices dropping between August 2023 and August 2024, many people are still paying more than they need to because they’re on older plans or haven’t explored their options. “If you haven’t changed electricity plans in the past 12 months, chances are you’re paying too much for your electricity,”  said ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey. The report revealed that households on older plans are spending, on average, $238 more per year than those on newer ones. Brakey encourages Australians to take a moment over the holiday period to check their options on comparison websites like Energy Made Easy  or Victoria Energy Compare . Alternatively, a quick call to your energy provider could uncover a better deal. “We know that customers who haven’t reviewed their plans in a while are probably overpaying,”  Brakey added. Your electricity bill itself might also hold clues to savings. Energy companies are required to include a message on bills every three to four months if a cheaper plan is available. “If you see this message, it’s a clear sign you’re paying more than you should be,”  Brakey explained. Pricing in the retail electricity market has become more complex in recent years, with more consumers on plans featuring time-of-use rates or demand tariffs. These newer options can be harder to navigate, but they often offer opportunities to save. The report found that customers on time-of-use plans  typically have lower annual electricity costs compared to flat-rate plans. However, those on demand tariffs  are paying more on average, with over half of them on plans above the government’s safety net price. “The growing complexity of pricing, particularly with the rollout of smart meters, is a challenge for consumers trying to cut their energy costs,”  Brakey noted. While it’s promising that annual electricity prices have dropped overall and more people are on plans below the government safety net price, many households still need to take action to benefit from these improvements. If you’ve been on the same plan for a while, now is the perfect time to make sure you’re not overpaying for your electricity.