Australia Flags First Annual Budget Surplus in 15 Years 

The Australian government has forecast the nation’s first balanced annual budget in 15 years but has warned that economic pressures such as inflation would push the country into deeper debt in future years. <br />Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced a surplus was forecast for the fiscal year ending June 30 in advance of releasing the government’s economic blueprint for next year that aims to ease the financial hardships of the neediest without stoking stubbornly high inflation. <br />Chalmers did not say how big the surplus would be, but there are reports of a 4 billion Australian dollars surplus expected.