
Australia’s productivity collapses to zero amid weak investment and population surge
Australia’s labour productivity has effectively stalled, with new analysis showing growth has collapsed to zero, placing the country near the bottom of advanced economies since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an OECD assessment cited in

Melbourne and Sydney record surge in population
Both Melbourne and Sydney have seen a surge in population growth, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The biggest increase was seen in Melbourne, which jumped by 167,500 people in

Inflation holds steady at 3.4 per cent
Inflation has held stable at 3.4 per cent for the third month in a row, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Inflation in the 12 months to February was driven by increases

One in 20 mortgage holders spend more than they earn, says new RBA report
A new Reserve Bank report reveals a worrying trend in Australia, with one in 20 mortgage holders spending more money than they earn. What’s more, tens of thousands of households are at risk of running

Easter trading hours 2024: What major stores will be opened on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday?
Easter is upon us again and that means a whole heap of confusion with stores across the country either open, shut or operating at different hours. To make things easier for you around the busy

Measles outbreak in Melbourne’s south-east: Residents advised to be on alert
A case of measles in Melbourne’s south-east has prompted local health authorities to alert residents. The patient, a returning traveler to the area, had visited 18 locations in the area between 14 and 19 March

Hundreds of cannabis plants seized in Melbourne’s north
A major cannabis plant seizure has taken place in Melbourne’s northern suburbs as police raided a factory that was operating a sophisticated cannabis cultivation facility. Specifically, police discovered and seized more than 500 cannabis plants

PULS missile system paves the way for Greece’s “Achilles Shield” as defence cooperation with Israel and UAE deepens
Greece is moving decisively to strengthen its military deterrence, following parliamentary approval for the acquisition of the Israeli-made PULS multiple rocket launcher system, a key component of the country’s planned multi-layered air and missile defence architecture known as the “Achilles Shield”. The Special Standing Committee on Armaments Programs of the

Greece hails Pierrakakis’ Eurogroup victory as a win for the nation — Implications for Australia–EU relations
Greece’s Minister for National Economy, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic welcome from the parliamentary caucus of New Democracy after his election as President of the Eurogroup. His elevation to one of Europe’s most influential

OPEKEPE fraud ring in Crete: Subsidy payments routed through bank account of deceased man
A major agricultural subsidy fraud ring in Crete has been dismantled by the Hellenic Financial Police, revealing a sophisticated yet brazen scheme that channelled public funds into bank accounts belonging even to deceased individuals. Authorities

Karystianou urges EU Prosecutor to override Greek ministers’ immunity
Karystianou Urges EU Prosecutor to Override Greek Ministers’ Immunity — The mother of a young woman killed in Greece’s deadliest train crash has called on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) to uphold the primacy

Greek innovation triumphs as THEON signs record defence agreement
Greek innovation triumphs as THEON signs record defence agreement — a development highlighted in an interview with Mononews, where Christian Hatziminas, founder and CEO of THEON Sensors, described the company’s landmark contract with OCCAR as

The 23-year-old farmer who drove the roadblocks and the government crazy with her fighting spirit
The 23-year-old farmer who drove the roadblocks and the government crazy with her fighting spirit has become a symbol of resilience and authenticity in Greece’s ongoing farmers’ protests. Anna Kampani, just 23 years old, has

Director of “Avgi” resigns after controversial front page featuring Alexis Tsipras
A significant internal shock has hit SYRIZA after the director of the newspaper Avgi, Spyros Sourmelidis, resigned following a controversial Sunday front page that placed former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in direct contrast with the

Robert Fico confronts Brussels, claiming EU has abandoned democracy
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has crossed a line Brussels hoped no European leader would openly cross — and he has done so publicly. In a sweeping and highly confrontational statement, Fico accused the European Union of suppressing free speech, manipulating democratic processes, enforcing double standards on energy policy, and

Zoltan Pozsar: The dusk of the petrodollar, the dawn of petroyuan
Credit Suisse contributor Zoltan Pozsar has continued his ongoing series about Bretton Woods III where commodities will dictate the new world order. For his last dispatch of the year, he described how the world is now shifting

Who Was Really Behind the Istanbul Bombing?
Amid a drop in Erdogan’s approval ratings ahead of next June’s elections, there are grounds for some skepticism about who carried out the attack. by Robert Ellis Sunday’s explosion on Istanbul’s busiest thoroughfare, Istiklal Caddesi,

Blowback: Italian police bust Azov-tied Nazi cell planning terror attacks
The arrest of Italian neo-Nazis affiliated with the Ukrainian Azov Battalion highlights the terrifying potential for blowback from the Ukraine proxy war Italian police announced a series of raids against the neo-Nazi Order of Hagal

Ukraine and western allies at odds over missile that exploded in Poland
A disagreement broke out on Wednesday between Ukraine and its western allies over who launched a missile that exploded in Poland, with Nato, Warsaw and the US saying the weapon was likely fired by Kyiv’s

U.S. Forces Deployed to Ukraine to Fight Weapons Smuggling
A “small number” of U.S. military forces are performing onsite inspections in Ukraine to ensure military aid to Kyiv is being properly accounted for. by Mark Episkopos A “small number” of U.S. military forces are

Imran Khan Undergoes surgery after surviving assassination attempt, Shooter Confesses
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan sustained bullet injuries to his leg after being shot at, during his ‘freedom’ rally in Wazirabad. The incident happened at Zafarali Khan Chowk. Pakistan security services have confirmed an attempted assassination

