
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

Mitsotakis pushes for EU action on Libya migration route and defence funding
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking after the conclusion of the EU Summit, called for urgent action to address a new irregular migration route emerging from Eastern Libya to Crete. “We will use every means

Karamanlis Inquiry: Fast-tracked parliamentary probe sparks political backlash
The Hellenic Parliament’s special inquiry committee into former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis opened its first session today under accusations of political orchestration, as the government appears determined to fast-track the process surrounding the deadly Tempi

Wildfire disaster in Chios: Tens of thousands of acres burned as blaze continues to rage
Chios is currently experiencing one of the most severe environmental disasters in recent Greek history. For the third consecutive day, an uncontrollable wildfire has scorched vast swathes of the island, with more than 30,000 hectares

Tensions flare with Libya over offshore licensing south of Crete
An unexpected complication has emerged ahead of Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis’ planned visit to Libya, where he was due to hold meetings in both Tripoli and Benghazi. Tensions flare with Libya over offshore licensing

Petro-Loukas Chalkias: The great clarinet virtuoso dies at the age of 90
Petro-Loukas Chalkias was the patriarch of the Epirus clarinet, an authentic representative of the musical soul of Epirus, who honoured his homeland and Greece as a whole with his career and artistry. Through his unique

Greek debt is a ticking time bomb as the Government’s fake stability unravels
Beneath the public relations gloss, the Financial Times has issued a stark warning to investors and potential buyers of Greek debt: Greek debt is a ticking time bomb as the Government’s fake stability unravels and

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

Coronavirus Panic Goes Global: S.Korea Warns of “Watershed Moment”
78,000 cases confirmed, as Italy and Iran scramble to contain major outbreaks. The world is fast approaching a tipping point in the spread of the coronavirus, according to experts, who warn that the disease is

UN to post EEZ maps of Libya, Turkey deal
Athens is bracing for the United Nations’ Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea to post the geographical coordinates outlined in the maritime border agreement signed by Turkey and the Tripoli-based government

Partners with Cyprus in joint Anti-Aircraft defense exercise
France partnered with the Republic of Cyprus in testing its anti-aircraft defense capabilities in a joint military exercise which was conducted across the free territories of the Republic on Monday. Numerous French ”Rafale” fighter jets

Greece – the clearance sale of military bases to the United States
The United States have profited cleverly from Greece’s financial problems in order to force them to sign a contract which would enable the USA to block the ocean passage from the Black Sea to Russia.

A Most Convenient Virus
I prefer to write on things I know about, but once in a while an opportunity presents itself for me to comment on some aspect of widespread mistrust and confusion while resting on a solid

The Terrorists Migrating into Europe
“Most migrant terrorists involved in thwarted or completed attacks were purposefully deployed to the migration flows by an organized terrorist group to conduct or support attacks in destination countries.” — Todd Bensman, “What Terrorist Migration