MELBOURNE -- Recorded influenza cases in Australia have plummeted 65 percent compared to the same period last year, but infectious diseases experts are urging the public not to underestimate the risk.
The Australian Center for Disease Control released its latest respiratory surveillance report on Friday, showing 33,071 flu cases detected between Jan. 1 and May 31, 2026, down from 96,422 cases over the same period in 2025, the deadliest influenza year this century with 1,701 associated deaths. (Australia-Flu)
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TOKYO -- Japan's parliament enacted a 3.11-trillion-yen (about 19 billion U.S. dollars) supplementary budget for fiscal 2026 on Friday to ease the impact of higher energy prices amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The bill for extra spending was approved at an upper house plenary session by a majority vote with support from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior ally, the Japan Innovation Party, as well as some backing from opposition parties. (Japan-Extra Budget)
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NEW DELHI -- The Indian economy registered a full-year real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 7.7 percent for the financial year 2025-26 (April 2025-March 2026) as compared to 7.1 percent in FY 2024-25, government data released on Friday showed.
Amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, the country's economy showcased resilience with real GDP expanding by 7.8 percent in the January-March period, figures released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation showed. (India-GDP-Growth)
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KABUL -- More than 3,500 Afghan refugees returned to their homeland Afghanistan in a single day on Friday, reported the official Bakhtar News Agency on Saturday.
A total of 682 families, which were composed of 3,574 individuals, returned to Afghanistan on Friday, the state-owned media outlet added. (Afghanistan-Refugees) ■
