
Australia deploys Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to Gulf as Iran conflict escalates
Australia will deploy a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance aircraft to the Middle East after a request from the United Arab Emirates, as regional tensions escalate amid Iranian attacks involving drones and rockets. Prime Minister

APRA to cap high-risk home loans amid housing boom
Australia’s banking regulator, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), will impose limits on high-risk home loans starting February 1, aiming to curb the rapid buildup of household debt. APRA announced that no more than 20

Australia faces shortfall in 2030 and 2035 climate targets, minister warns
Australia is projected to narrowly miss its 2030 climate target and is at serious risk of failing its 2035 target without significant policy changes, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has warned. Speaking to Parliament in

Australian inquiry alleges Mormon Church exploited tax loophole and operates as a cult
A government inquiry in Australia has received submissions claiming that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as the Mormon Church, functions as a cult and has allegedly exploited a

Inflation surge crushes hopes of interest rate cut in 2025
Australia’s inflation has risen again, effectively eliminating any realistic prospect of an interest rate cut in 2025 and even reviving concerns that the Reserve Bank may be forced to lift rates further. New data from

Albanese government retreats on rural speed-limit cuts after fierce backlash
The Albanese government has abruptly withdrawn its proposal to reduce rural speed limits to as low as 70 km/h, following a wave of public anger and rare internal dissent from Labor MPs. The plan, part

NSW to roll out digital birth certificates for young people aged 16–21
Young people in New South Wales will soon be able to access a digital birth certificate on their mobile phone for the first time, as part of a major step towards modernising identity documents across

Greece’s political crisis intensifies amid scandal storm
A society at boiling point amid daily scandals and misuse of public funds – growing calls for immediate elections, as the public dismisses manipulated polling Greek society is increasingly on edge, with daily scandals and the alleged misuse of public funds fuelling public anger. Greece’s political crisis intensifies amid scandal

Joint αir defence network between Israel, Greece and Cyprus
Israelis: “Deterrence of Turkey Is the Objective” The prospect of a joint air defence network between Israel, Greece and Cyprus — based on interoperable systems operating within a network-centric framework — represents a truly landmark

Smaragdis: “I received threats over the film Kapodistrias”
The official premiere of Giannis Smaragdis’ new film, Kapodistrias, was marked by intense emotion, as the acclaimed director spoke publicly — with rare candour — about the loss of his wife, Eleni Smaragdi, to whom

Greece and Turkey agree on closer cooperation against organised crime
Greece and Turkey have agreed to significantly strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fight against organised transnational crime, following high-level talks in Istanbul between Greek Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis and Turkish Interior Minister Ali

Mitsotakis unveils major housing, loan and farming measures during Budget speech
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used his address to Parliament during the debate on the State Budget to announce a series of significant policy initiatives targeting housing affordability, Swiss franc loan holders, and farmers. The

Farmers submit demands to government, reject transfer of OPEKEPE oversight to tax authority
Greek farmers have formally submitted a comprehensive list of demands to the government, placing strong emphasis on their opposition to the transfer of oversight and control of OPEKEPE—the agency responsible for agricultural subsidies—to the Independent

Postal voting for Greeks abroad set to expand to national elections
The government has signalled its intention to extend postal voting to Greek citizens living abroad in national elections, marking a significant institutional reform of the country’s electoral system. The announcement was made by Interior Minister

The Battle of the Strait of Hormuz
For the past few hours, amid a howling south-westerly wind (gusts exceeding 50 mph), reflecting on the The Battle of the Strait of Hormuz and practical realities of the United States attempting to blockade all maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports. Admiral James Stavridis, a familiar “authoritative voice” within

Megaquake warning issued for Nankai Trough in Japan
A powerful earthquake struck off Japan’s southern coast on Thursday, causing minor injuries and prompting concerns about future major quakes, particularly from the Nankai Trough. The quake, which registered a magnitude of 7.1, was centered

Yahya Sinwar: New leader of Hamas – Hardliner and fluent in Hebrew
Hamas announced on Tuesday night that Yahya Sinwar is the new leader of the Islamist movement, following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Earlier today, the Saudi news television network Al

Tim Walz: Veteran military man chosen by Kamala Harris as Vice Presidential candidate
Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has selected Tim Walz as her vice-presidential running mate, a decision that surprised some observers. At 60, Walz has held various roles as a former teacher, coach, and military

“Drums of war” in the Middle East: Awaiting Iran’s retaliation – Israel on high alert
The Middle East appears ready to explode as the war atmosphere intensifies just hours after the U.S. declared that Tehran might attack Israel within the next 24 hours. All eyes are on Iran and the

Stock markets around the world are crashing right now, but why?
The answer to this question is the Yen carry trade, a term you’ll probably hear many times this week. So what exactly is the Yen carry trade and why did it cause a market downturn?

Japan’s Nikkei is down 12%, the largest drop ever
Japan’s Nikkei is down 12%, the largest point ever, as fears of a US recession shook global markets. The Topix index erased its yearly gains, experiencing its steepest sell-off since “Black Monday” in October 1987.

