
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

Millions of Australians face financial hardship in retirement, new reports warn
A growing number of Australians are increasingly concerned about their ability to maintain financial security in retirement. Millions of Australians face financial hardship in retirement, new reports warn, with recent studies revealing a significant gap

Australia bans YouTube accounts for under-16s in major child safety overhaul
The Australian government has announced a landmark ban on children under 16 having personal YouTube accounts, marking a major step in its campaign to protect young users from online harm. From December 10, 2025, YouTube

One in Three Students Falling Behind, 2025 NAPLAN Results Reveal
A third of Australian students are failing to meet expected literacy and numeracy standards, according to the latest NAPLAN results released today. The report shows that while some improvements have been made, significant educational gaps

Student Debt Relief Bill passes Lower House, bringing financial relief closer for millions
The Albanese government’s landmark student debt relief bill has cleared the House of Representatives, bringing long-awaited financial relief for more than three million Australians one step closer to reality. The legislation, which proposes a 20

Labor Government to slash medicine prices to $25 despite looming US trade threats
Millions of Australians suffering from chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, severe pain, and menopause are set to benefit from a new policy by the Albanese government that will drastically reduce the price of essential

Coalition softens immigration stance in bid to rebuild migrant trust
The federal Coalition is shifting its rhetoric on immigration, signalling a move away from the hardline narrative associated with former Minister Peter Dutton, in an attempt to reconnect with Australia’s multicultural communities ahead of the

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

China warns Australia: Don’t be dragged into NATO’s military spending push
China’s Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, has issued a strong rebuke of NATO’s new military spending target, warning the Albanese government not to fall in line with what Beijing sees as a dangerous escalation of

Libya’s parliament moves to ratify Turkey-Libya Maritime Agreement despite Greek objections
The Libyan House of Representatives is set to proceed with the ratification of the controversial Turkey-Libya memorandum on the delimitation of maritime zones, despite strong opposition from Greece and other Mediterranean countries. According to reports,

Senior Hamas leader killed in Israeli airstrike
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have announced the killing of a founding member of Hamas and one of the chief architects of the October 7 massacre during a targeted airstrike in the Gaza Strip. Hakeem

Trump turns up the heat: Australia pressured to boost defence spending or face trade penalties
The Trump administration is putting mounting pressure on Australia to drastically increase its defence spending, aligning with NATO’s new benchmark of 5% of GDP. While NATO allies recently accepted this demand, Australia is resisting calls

Trump and Netanyahu reach Gaza ceasefire deal with Arab-led post-war plan
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reportedly agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza within the next two weeks, according to Times of Israel, citing Israel Hayom. The agreement was reached

Key quad meeting in Washington: Australia at the forefront of Indo-Pacific strategy
In a pivotal diplomatic gathering on July 1, the foreign ministers of the United States, India, Japan, and Australia will convene in Washington for the 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, with US Secretary of State