
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

Horrific Patras Crash: 70-Year-Old with Multiple Sclerosis Drove Wrong Way and Burned to Death – Heartbreaking Accounts Emerge
Patras is in mourning after a deadly accident on the Olympia Odos highway on Thursday, when a 70-year-old woman from Aigio drove nearly one kilometer against traffic before a violent head-on collision. Her car burst

EuroBasket 2025: Spanoulis after heavy loss to Turkey – “We made childish mistakes, but we have one more chance”
Greece’s men’s basketball team suffered one of its heaviest recent defeats on Friday night, losing 94-68 to Turkey in the EuroBasket 2025 semifinal. As of todaay, reactions are still unfolding, with attention now turning to

“Fakelaki” scandal in Athens: Surgeon Dimitris Lymberiadis faces trial over alleged bribe – Patient’s wife recounts her ordeal
The director of cardiac surgery at Athens’ Hippocrateion Hospital, Dimitris Lymberiadis, faces trial today on misdemeanor bribery charges after allegedly demanding a €3,000 cash bribe from a patient’s wife. The complainant, Sofia, who alerted the

SYRIZA infighting escalates: Famellos–Tsipras rift sparks party unity crisis
Tensions within Greece’s SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance party are reaching a boiling point after party leader Sokratis Famellos openly dismissed rumors that former prime minister Alexis Tsipras may form a new political party. Speaking at the 89th

Athens blocks Turkey’s bid to join SAFE: “We will not accept a country threatening with war”
The Greek government has issued a firm warning that it will block Turkey’s bid to join SAFE, the EU’s new defense shield and military technology development program. Ankara’s move is viewed in Athens as “offensive

Heart surgeon Dimitris Lymberiadis, who faces new bribery trial, has past conviction
Dimitris Lymberiadis, director of the Cardiac Surgery Clinic at Hippocrates Hospital, is set to face trial this Friday, September 12, for alleged bribery. The doctor has a previous conviction for taking bribes, having received a

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

East-West prisoner swap: Largest since the Cold War
US President Joe Biden has celebrated the return of three Americans who were imprisoned in Russian penal colonies after secret “sham” trials. They were freed as part of a significant East-West prisoner swap. Biden and

USA: We are working to ensure that North Macedonia respects the Prespa agreement
The assurance that the US is working to ensure that the new government of North Macedonia respects the Prespa Agreement was underlined by Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien. During

Man accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, reaches plea deal
The man accused of plotting the September 11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and two of his accomplices have reached a plea deal with US prosecutors, the Pentagon said Wednesday local time. The trio have reportedly

Maduro under scrutiny at the International Criminal Court?
OAS Secretary General recommends his arrest for bloodshed in Venezuela The turmoil in Venezuela following the recent election results continues to escalate, drawing international reactions. On Wednesday, Luis Almagro, the Secretary General of the Organization

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran
Tehran: Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assassination but suspicion immediately fell on Israel, which has vowed to kill Haniyeh and

Italy and China forge three-year action plan as Meloni aims to reset ties
Italy and China signed a three-year action plan on Sunday to implement past agreements and explore new forms of cooperation, announced Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her official visit to Beijing. That’s a rather

