
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

Ruling ND still in ‘honeymoon period’, latest poll shows; 13.5%-point lead over main opposition SYRIZA
Ruling New Democracy (ND) continues what is apparently a “honeymoon period” after the July 7 election, with one of the first opinion polls of the new autumn season showing the center-right party with a 13.5-percentage

Chemotherapy treatment “postponed” in big Athens hospital due to lack of funds
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Attiko Hospital in Athens were shocked to be informed that their treatment is postponed on indefinite time. The patients were informed by phone last Thursday. Hospital workers’ President and doctor

Parthenon Marbles: Tough words by the Greek President to British Museum
Tough words by the Greek President, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, towards the British Museum on the thorny issue of the Parthenon Marbles. “The British Museum’s obsession is tantamount to supporting Elgin’s cultural grave robbing and theft. And,

Police cracks down gang bringing weapons, ammunition from Albania to Crete
Greek police as cracked down a criminal gang that was bringing Kalasnikov weapons and ammunition from Albania to the island of Crete. A big scale operation conducted by the Police Departments of Chania, Crete, and

Large percentage of Greek High School students graduate lacking essential life skills
Many Greek high schools students graduate practically illiterate in regards to basic life skills, much less skills that would place them in the job market, according to a new report by the Authority for Quality Assurance

Tsipras: “We made mistakes but we took the country forwards”
“We are still here, after four-and-a-half years of struggle, the struggle to keep Greece standing upright,” is how main opposition party SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras started his speech at the 84th Thessaloniki International Fair on

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

Violent Dublin protests erupt after alleged rape of 10-year-old girl by asylum seeker
Violence erupted in Dublin overnight as a protest over the alleged rape of a 10-year-old Irish girl by an asylum seeker turned into a major confrontation with police. According to Irish authorities, six people were

Albanese defends ‘magnificent’ Kevin Rudd after tense encounter with Donald Trump
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has offered his full backing to Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, following a tense but ultimately productive meeting between the former Australian prime minister and Donald Trump in

Hamas hands over two more bodies of hostages to Israel
Hamas delivered two coffins to Israeli forces on Tuesday night, claiming they contained the remains of two Israeli hostages who had been held in the Gaza Strip. The handover was mediated by the Red Cross,

China defends ‘provocative’ jet move after Australia’s protest over South China Sea incident
China has accused Australia of “provocative acts” and “illegal intrusion” after a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) surveillance plane was targeted by flares from a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea on Sunday,

Europe in wartime readiness: Germany urges citizens to prepare emergency backpacks
The European continent, once rebuilt from the ashes of two world wars, is once again gripped by anxiety and preparation fever. With tensions escalating in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific, the spectre

Skopje: VMRO-DPMNE scores sweeping victory in first round of municipal elections
The right-leaning ruling party VMRO-DPMNE, led by Prime Minister Christian Mitskoski, achieved a decisive victory in the first round of municipal elections held on Sunday, October 19, 2025, in the Republic of Skopje. According to

