Lolly sales boom as Australians seek sweet relief

Australia's ageing population crisis looms

Australia's population aged 65 and over is set to double by 2060, creating significant pressure on the federal budget and aged care system. Perth suburbs including Rockingham, Mandurah and Kalamunda are experiencing rapid ageing, with over 26% of residents already aged 65 or older. The federal government currently spends $98 billion annually on pensions and aged care, with experts warning of a worsening crisis without a comprehensive 10-year planning strategy. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

US and Iran exchange strikes as tensions escalate

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated with both nations exchanging missile strikes after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping. President Trump authorised strikes on multiple Iranian coastal targets following the downing of a US Apache helicopter, while threatening further military action if negotiations fail. US inflation has risen to 4.2 per cent amid the ongoing conflict. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Family escapes devastating Canning Vale house fire

A Canning Vale family of five children, aged seven to teenage years, narrowly escaped a devastating house fire that destroyed their rental home of seven years. The mother, working night shift as a nursing assistant, rushed home to find her house in ruins after her eldest daughter Agat Dow woke her siblings and evacuated them at 4:30am. Fire investigators believe the blaze was likely caused by an electrical fault, with the family having scheduled an electrician to inspect known electrical issues the same day. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Pauline Hanson targets WA Labor seats; Canning Vale fire; US-Iran tensions escalate

Pauline Hanson draws large crowds of supporters in Midland and West Perth during her WA visit, targeting several Labor-held seats. The One Nation leader defends her party's fundraising amid questions from the Prime Minister, while mining billionaire Gina Rinehart hosts her at Hancock Prospecting headquarters. Hanson's popularity and fundraising capacity positions One Nation as a major party based on opinion polling. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Prisoner escapes during brother's funeral; AFL injury scare; Hanson-Albanese clash

An accused drug trafficker, Orijol Rukaj, escaped custody during his brother's funeral in Melbourne after planning the prison break for weeks using phone conversations in Albanian. Police have searched 20 addresses and arrested a suspected accomplice with ties to Albanian organised crime, but the 47-year-old remains at large six weeks after slipping past guards at a cemetery. Melbourne Demons forward Brodie Grundy suffered a fractured vertebrae in a tackle that left him millimetres from permanent paralysis, though he has returned home and is walking. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.