
News in Review 2025 — Australia
The year that was 2025 in Australia was marked by significant social and political developments relating to security, public order, federal elections, human rights and international alliances. The country faced challenges ranging from mass demonstrations

Tragedy strikes Melbourne cricket: 17-year-old Ben Austin dies after being hit by cricket ball
Melbourne has been left reeling after the death of 17-year-old cricketer Ben Austin, who was struck by a cricket ball during warm-up practice. The incident occurred at Walley Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully, in Melbourne’s

Inflation shock crushes hopes for RBA Melbourne Cup Day rate cut
Melbourne mortgage holders have been dealt a blow after new inflation data released today revealed a higher-than-expected surge in prices, effectively ending speculation about a potential Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rate cut on Melbourne

Australia faces growing crisis as problem gambling hits record levels
A new study by Roy Morgan has revealed that nearly 3.5 million Australians identify as either problem or at-risk gamblers, highlighting a growing social and financial crisis. Of these, 622,000 people are classified as problem

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party rebrands amid rising support and Joyce speculation
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party is undergoing a significant rebranding, with Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson announcing that the party will drop her name from its official title, becoming simply One Nation. The move comes amid

Scammers now targeting Australian children: one in five families affected
Almost one-and-a-half million Australian children have fallen victim to scams over the past two years, according to alarming new research from Finder. The survey reveals that one in five parents said their child was scammed

Japan urges Albanese at ASEAN to lead regional push against China
Japan’s first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has called on Anthony Albanese to “spearhead efforts” for a free and open Indo-Pacific, urging closer Japan–Australia leadership in response to China’s growing assertiveness in the region. During

History responds: 145,000 Greeks fill the cinemas
In just four days, 145,000 tickets were sold in Greek cinemas — an achievement that goes well beyond commercial success and firmly into the realm of a cultural moment. History responds: 145,000 Greeks fill the cinemas. Public interest in the film about Ioannis Kapodistrias cannot be explained in box-office terms

Greek rapper Negros Tou Moria cracks Guardian’s top two Global Albums of 2025
Greek rapper Negros Tou Moria has emerged as one of the standout figures in global music this year, with his latest album Mavri Ellada ranked No. 2 on The Guardian’s Best Global Albums of 2025

Holiday traffic normalizes after Tuesday’s gridlock
After yesterday’s disruptions, traffic on the Athens–Lamia and Athens–Corinth highways is expected to return to normal today, Wednesday, as farmers and traffic police coordinated to improve vehicle flow ahead of Christmas. On Tuesday, drivers faced

Mitsotakis meets Abbas in Ramallah: Greece supports peace in Gaza
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday in Ramallah, ahead of his visit to Jerusalem and participation in the Greece–Cyprus–Israel trilateral summit. Support for the Palestinian Authority and

Trilateral Summit sends clear message to Ankara: “Do not even think of reviving empires”
A strong geopolitical message was sent from Jerusalem on Monday following the completion of the 10th Trilateral Summit between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a pointed warning to those “who

PASOK intensifies internal debate over potential alliances – Geroulanos rules out ND, Kastanidis open to Tsipras dialogue
Intense discussions are underway within PASOK ahead of the party’s upcoming congress, as leaders debate the strategic direction and potential alliances. Former minister Pavlos Geroulanos has firmly rejected any possibility of a coalition with the

Greek Prime Minister to visit Jerusalem for trilateral summit with Cyprus and Israel, talks also planned with Palestinian leadership
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will travel to Jerusalem on Monday to take part in a high-level trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, as regional diplomacy intensifies amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Eastern

Why the EU drifted into irrelevance and how anti-democratic governance accelerated the decline
The European Union’s slide into geopolitical and economic irrelevance has nothing to do with Donald Trump. Here’s Why the EU drifted into irrelevance and how anti-democratic governance accelerated the decline. It is structural, self-inflicted, and rooted in an increasingly anti-democratic system of governance that prioritises regulation over innovation, symbolism over

Premier Jacinta Allan considers Chinese investment to fund Suburban Rail Loop
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has left the door open to Chinese investment to help finance the state’s massive Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) project during her ongoing trip to China. On Tuesday, the second day of

Historic meeting between Bartholomew and Trump at the White House: Religious freedoms and interfaith dialogue in focus
Washington, D.C., became a focal point on Monday afternoon as Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. The meeting, held in the Oval Office at 2 p.m. local time,

Poland: Surge in volunteer military training amid fears of Russian aggression
As Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on this Saturday, 14 September, NATO member Poland is experiencing a surge of public anxiety and action. According to Reuters, over 20,000 Poles have already enrolled in voluntary military

Australian teens traumatised after seeing Charlie Kirk assassination video with no warning
Australia is facing renewed scrutiny over online safety after multiple teenagers reported seeing unfiltered footage of US political commentator Charlie Kirk’s assassination without any warning on Saturday morning. The shocking event occurred earlier this week

USA: Evacuation and intense police activity at Tyler Robinson’s family home – new details emerge
On Friday morning (local time), Washington, Utah, was placed on high alert as authorities ordered the evacuation of the area surrounding the family home of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who has been arrested and confessed to

Qatar PM’s high-stakes Washington visit: Al Thani and Trump to discuss Israel bombing and fragile Gaza ceasefire talks
Diplomatic tensions in the Middle East are reaching a critical point as Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, travels to Washington for urgent talks with US President Donald Trump. According to Politico,

