
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

Australian inquiry alleges Mormon Church exploited tax loophole and operates as a cult
A government inquiry in Australia has received submissions claiming that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as the Mormon Church, functions as a cult and has allegedly exploited a

Inflation surge crushes hopes of interest rate cut in 2025
Australia’s inflation has risen again, effectively eliminating any realistic prospect of an interest rate cut in 2025 and even reviving concerns that the Reserve Bank may be forced to lift rates further. New data from

Albanese government retreats on rural speed-limit cuts after fierce backlash
The Albanese government has abruptly withdrawn its proposal to reduce rural speed limits to as low as 70 km/h, following a wave of public anger and rare internal dissent from Labor MPs. The plan, part

NSW to roll out digital birth certificates for young people aged 16–21
Young people in New South Wales will soon be able to access a digital birth certificate on their mobile phone for the first time, as part of a major step towards modernising identity documents across

Half of Australia’s students missing a month of school as fears about the future surge
A landmark national report has revealed an alarming shift inside Australia’s classrooms, with more than half of government secondary students missing at least a month of school each year. The first State of Australia’s Children

Major student debt relief begins for three million Australians as Albanese government rolls out $16bn initiative
A sweeping cost-of-living boost has begun reaching millions of Australians, with the Albanese government activating its long-promised plan to cut student debt for roughly three million people. The $16 billion initiative—legislated in July—will be implemented

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

Zoe Konstantopoulou attacks Alexis Tsipras: “What he misses is the money of power”
Zoe Konstantopoulou, president of the Freedom Movement (Plevsi Eleftherias), launched a sharp attack on former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, criticizing his political and personal ambitions. Speaking on Open TV, Konstantopoulou claimed that Tsipras’ desire to return to the political

Chatzivasileiou: “Europe must be ready to defend its common values”
A strong message on the future of European security was delivered in Copenhagen by Tasos Chatzivasileiou, MP for Serres and Secretary for International Relations of New Democracy, who headed the Greek parliamentary delegation at the

Sokratis Famellos calls for joint action of progressive parties on Gaza
In a move to coordinate and strengthen Greece’s diplomatic stance amid the crisis in Gaza, Sokratis Famellos, leader of SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance, reached out today to the heads of progressive opposition parties. His goal is to promote

Apostolos Vesyropoulos Dies – Tragic irony of missing defibrillator
The sudden death of Apostolos Vesyropoulos, Secretary of the Parliamentary Group of New Democracy and Member of Parliament for Imathia, at the age of 59, has shocked Greece’s political community. A tragic irony surrounds his passing, as Vesyropoulos had

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

Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF): Up to €2 Billion Package to Support the Middle Class
The government’s economic team is expected to present the final plan for the benefits package immediately after the August 15 holiday, to be announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). The total cost of 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

Was Prigozhin’s Rebellion Live or Memorex?
After this weekend’s whirlwind events in Russia, we’re left with a lot more questions than answers about what happened with Wagner Group’s Yevgeny Prigozhin’s abortive rebellion against Moscow. I’m not here to answer any of

The sinking of the Libyan migrant boat in international waters
Hundreds missing and possibly drowned. A devastating tragedy and a loss of life caused by people trafficking. A concerning and dangerous trend has been making its presence in Greece and political systems from some known

Kyiv’s Long-Term “Last Resort” Plan to Blow up The Kakhova Dam Exposed
A day after Ukraine’s much-heralded counter-offensive appears to have failed, almost before it had even begun, a major dam in the Russian-occupied region of Kherson is suddenly bombed, prompting mass evacuations as floods spread across

Italian Parliament signals support for EastMed pipeline
The Lower House’s Foreign Affairs Committee called on the government to work with the countries involved in the project to assess its development prospects. As the League’s Formentini notes, the pipeline would enable Rome to

A map showing Mycenaean Greek samples to modern populations
Map showing the genetic distance from the average Mycenaean Greek samples to modern populations. The Neolithic and Bronze Ages were highly transformative periods for the genetic history of Europe but for the Aegean—a region fundamental

‘Could be your city’: a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor’s warning
On August 6, 1945, four-year-old Masao Ito was riding a tricycle near his home in Hiroshima when a bomb fell from the sky and changed his life forever. He survived the US nuclear attack on

