
Australian meth, cocaine, MDMA, and heroin use jumps 34% in one year
Australians consumed 34 per cent more methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and MDMA in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. The survey found that 22.2 tonnes of these

Australia tops global rankings for Workplace Violence and Harassment: A crisis in need of urgent reform
Australia has emerged as the global leader in workplace violence and harassment, with nearly half of the nation’s workforce experiencing abuse at some point in their careers. This rate is more than double the global

Long COVID costs Australian economy $10 billion in one year
New research has unveiled that long COVID inflicted a staggering $10 billion hit on the Australian economy within just a single year. The study, published in ‘The Medical Journal of Australia’, underscores the urgent need

Bendigo Bank warns of social media scams this Scams Awareness Week
Bendigo Bank is issuing a warning to its 2.5 million customers to stay vigilant and not fall for social media scams ahead of Scams Awareness Week 2024, starting Monday 26 August. Bendigo Bank’s Head of

Paul Keating claims Australia is caving to U.S. demands over AUKUS
Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating criticized the Albanese government for yielding to U.S. influence in the trilateral Australia-UK-U.S. (AUKUS) nuclear submarine pact, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Saturday.

Victoria to restrict “silencing of victims” in workplace sexual harassment cases
Victoria is set to implement ground-breaking restrictions on the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of workplace sexual harassment. Announced by the Allan government on Monday, this initiative represents a significant step toward addressing

Melbourne: Australia’s most expensive city for travel
Melbourne has become the most expensive city in Australia for transportation, with average annual costs for households reaching $29,546. This surge is driven by rising insurance and fuel prices, straining family budgets. The Australian Automobile

Wildfires rage across western Greece and the islands, devastating homes and forests
In the past 24 hours, 48 new fires broke out, bringing the total to 109 incidents since the outbreak began. For a second consecutive day, firefighters battled relentless wildfires across Western Greece and several Aegean islands, as authorities reported a record number of fires sweeping through the country. The most

PM Mitsotakis announces generous tax cuts incl. properties ENFIA
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has set as his top priority to implement his pre-election program and proceed with taxation cuts as soon as possible. In his policy statement late on Saturday, he announced several tax

PIPES: Kastelorizo: Mediterranean flash point
That Athens controls this wisp of land implies it could (but does not yet) claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Mediterranean Sea extending 200 nautical miles to Kastelorizo. This would reduce the Turkish

EU agrees to sanction turkey for drilling in Cypriot water
A surprisingly muscular response beyond mere threatening rhetoric out of the European Union over Turkey’s violations of Cypriot territorial waters related to offshore drilling operations: the EU has agreed to bring financial and political sanctions

Archaeology Piece of skull found in Greece ‘is oldest human fossil outside Africa’
A broken skull chiselled from a lump of rock in a cave in Greece is the oldest modern human fossil ever found outside Africa, researchers claim. The partial skull was discovered in the Apidima cave

Athens-Piraeus again in ‘top 10’ in terms of global shipping hubs
The Athens-Piraeus area has returned to the world’s top 10 shipping hubs, according to a recent study by Baltic Exchange. The Greek capital bumped Korea’s Pusan from the “top 10” list, while Singapore remained first,

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake in Kozani, Northern Greece
According to the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens, the epicenter of the quake was located 8 klm south of Kozani, in northern Greece. The earthquake struck at 13:50 on Sunday with a

August 15: Melbourne honours the “Easter of Summer” with splendor and devotion
August 15, the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, is one of the most important celebrations of Orthodoxy and is observed with deep emotion both in Greece and in Greek communities around the world. In Melbourne, celebrations began early in the morning, with the faithful filling churches to honor

Winners and losers in global commodities this year
The global commodities market has experienced significant volatility this year, with prices generally remaining elevated across various sectors. The first half of the year saw orange juice and cocoa prices reach record highs, while crude

WHO reassures: Mpox is not the new COVID – We know how to control its spread
A World Health Organization (WHO) official emphasized today that Mpox, whether it’s the new or old strain of the disease, is not the new COVID-19, as health authorities have the knowledge to control its spread.

The Middle East on a razor’s edge: Tough bargaining for a ceasefire
International concerns over the escalation of war in the Middle East have peaked as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Israel in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. This

Monkeypox: WHO Recommends Vaccination in Affected Areas
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended on Monday that countries affected by the mpox virus (commonly known as monkeypox) initiate vaccination programs, particularly in regions where cases have been reported. The mpox outbreak in the

Sicily shipwreck: Tech tycoon Mike Lynch among the missing
At least one person has died and six others are missing after a luxury yacht was struck by a severe storm and sank off the coast of Palermo, Sicily’s capital. Among the missing is British

159 countries poised to adopt BRICS new payment system
Amid ongoing efforts to create a SWIFT alternative, the BRICS alliance is developing its payment system. This system will play a crucial role in the bloc’s trade, enabling transactions without relying on the US dollar.