
Australian meth, cocaine, MDMA, and heroin use jumps 34% in one year
Australians consumed 34 per cent more methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and MDMA in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. The survey found that 22.2 tonnes of these

Crackdown on antisemitism: Albanese warned to cut funding to universities failing to act
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under mounting pressure to withdraw public funding from universities, programs, and individuals who tolerate or fail to combat antisemitism, following a major report released today. The report, authored by Australia’s

Australia may face higher AUKUS costs and pressure to join US-China conflict
Australia’s nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS could become more costly and politically fraught, as the US Department of Defence reviews the trilateral agreement under President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. A report from The Age

Bipartisan support for PBS amid Trump’s Pharma tariff threat
Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 200% tariff on pharmaceutical imports has united Australia’s political leadership in support of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The Albanese government reaffirmed its commitment that the PBS is “not

Qantas confirms data breach affected 5.7 million customers, criminal contact made
Qantas has confirmed that 5.7 million of its customers have had personal data compromised in a major cybersecurity breach, with the company now contacting those affected and working with law enforcement following contact from a

ATO GST scam rocks public sector as taxpayer losses hit $2 billion
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is facing one of the worst integrity scandals in its history, after it was revealed that a massive GST refund fraud—amplified on social media—has cost taxpayers over $2 billion. So

Opposition presses Albanese government over lagging productivity
Australia’s economic debate has intensified after Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock cited weak productivity as a key concern in her justification for holding interest rates steady — prompting the opposition to demand urgent action from

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 islands, as authorities reported a record number of fires sweeping through the country. The most

PM Mitsotakis announces generous tax cuts incl. properties ENFIA
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has set as his top priority to implement his pre-election program and proceed with taxation cuts as soon as possible. In his policy statement late on Saturday, he announced several tax

PIPES: Kastelorizo: Mediterranean flash point
That Athens controls this wisp of land implies it could (but does not yet) claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Mediterranean Sea extending 200 nautical miles to Kastelorizo. This would reduce the Turkish

EU agrees to sanction turkey for drilling in Cypriot water
A surprisingly muscular response beyond mere threatening rhetoric out of the European Union over Turkey’s violations of Cypriot territorial waters related to offshore drilling operations: the EU has agreed to bring financial and political sanctions

Archaeology Piece of skull found in Greece ‘is oldest human fossil outside Africa’
A broken skull chiselled from a lump of rock in a cave in Greece is the oldest modern human fossil ever found outside Africa, researchers claim. The partial skull was discovered in the Apidima cave

Athens-Piraeus again in ‘top 10’ in terms of global shipping hubs
The Athens-Piraeus area has returned to the world’s top 10 shipping hubs, according to a recent study by Baltic Exchange. The Greek capital bumped Korea’s Pusan from the “top 10” list, while Singapore remained first,

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake in Kozani, Northern Greece
According to the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens, the epicenter of the quake was located 8 klm south of Kozani, in northern Greece. The earthquake struck at 13:50 on Sunday with a

August 15: Melbourne honours the “Easter of Summer” with splendor and devotion
August 15, the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, is one of the most important celebrations of Orthodoxy and is observed with deep emotion both in Greece and in Greek communities around the world. In Melbourne, celebrations began early in the morning, with the faithful filling churches to honor

Pope Leo XIV: A New Chapter in the History of the Catholic Church
In a landmark moment for the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old Chicago native, has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American to ascend to the papacy. The announcement

Turkey: A Religious Backlash?
A 2018 survey revealed that, over the previous decade, there had been a 4% decline — from 55% to 51% — in the number of people in Turkey identifying as “religious,” accompanied by a rise

Moscow initiates ‘Plan B’ countdown: Kyiv could fall within 60 days
There are growing indications that something significant is shifting on the frontlines. Increasingly, reports suggest that Moscow is preparing to activate a so-called “Plan B” – Moscow initiates ‘Plan B’ countdown: Kyiv could fall within

Attack on Thrace and the Aegean planned by Islamist Erdoğan
Nordic Monitor unveils full invasion plan against Greece – How US and French presence has derailed the offensive. An Attack on Thrace and the Aegean was planned by Islamist Erdoğan. Turkey’s emergency war plans against

One of the Kashmir shooters was a former paratrooper of the Pakistan Army’s Special Services
The Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, 2025, resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including 24 Indian tourists, one Nepali national, and a local guide. The assailants, identified as members of the

Karystianou, “For three minutes, my daughter was alive”
In a powerful statement to the Sunday Times, one of Britain’s leading newspapers, Maria Karystianou expressed her determination to see justice served in the Tempi rail disaster. Karystianou, “For three minutes, my daughter was alive”,