
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

Australians hold 209 million days of unused annual leave as employment landscape shifts
Australian workers are heading into the summer break with a massive stockpile of unused annual leave, collectively sitting on 209 million days of accrued holidays, new data from research firm Roy Morgan shows. The near-record

Surge in social media use replaces sport, reading and arts among Australian children
A dramatic rise in social media use among children and adolescents is reshaping daily routines and pushing aside key developmental activities such as sport, reading and music, according to a major new study by the

Optus fined $826,320 after major verification flaw allows scammers to steal customer identities and tens of thousands of dollars
Optus has been hit with a substantial $826,320 penalty after a serious security lapse allowed scammers to bypass customer verification processes and steal as much as $39,000 from individual victims. The Australian Communications and Media

Albanese issues ultimatum to Turkey over hosting COP31 Climate Talks
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has drawn a firm line in ongoing negotiations with Turkey over the hosting of next year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), ruling out any possibility of co-hosting the event. Speaking

Australian families face rising private health insurance premiums in 2026
Australian families may be set to pay significantly more for private health insurance in 2026, as premiums are projected to rise between 3.9 and 4.4 per cent. According to analysis by Money.com.au, this increase could

Criticism mounts over First Nations Ambassador Justin Mohamed’s $400,000 role
Controversy has erupted over the role and funding of Australia’s First Nations People Ambassador, Justin Mohamed, after his contract was extended and his annual salary increased to $400,000. Aboriginal academic and human rights lawyer Hannah

Postal voting approved for Greeks abroad
Greek citizens living abroad will now be able to participate in national elections through postal voting, after Parliament approved the relevant provisions of the Ministry of Interior’s bill with over 200 votes in favor. The legislation covers Articles 13 to 25, which deal specifically with postal voting, receiving 201 votes

Stefanos Kasselakis: many gay politicians hide their identity in parliament and government
Stefanos Kasselakis, leader of the Democratic Movement, recently spoke in an interview with Crete TV, highlighting what he described as a significant issue in Greek politics: many gay individuals in Parliament and the government conceal

Mitsotakis: Any attempt to change the status quo in Greenland would be catastrophic
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a clear and stern warning on geopolitical stability in Northern Europe and the role of NATO, cautioning that any attempt to alter the status quo in Greenland would be catastrophic,

Greece signals extension of territorial waters as foreign minister asserts strategic strength
Greece is laying the groundwork for a future extension of its territorial waters, with Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis signalling that such a move will come “in due course,” just as Greece has already proceeded with

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

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

US invasion timeline as fears mount of imminent Hormuz flashpoint
US invasion timeline as fears mount of imminent Hormuz flashpoint, with growing speculation that a ground operation targeting key Iranian islands in the Strait of Hormuz could be imminent, according to assessments circulating among former intelligence figures and regional observers. US invasion fears are rising as tensions escalate across the

Calm waters in the Aegean: what Mitsotakis and Erdoğan agreed on — and where they still disagree
A meeting aimed at stability The meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, held during the 6th Greece–Turkey High-Level Cooperation Council, confirmed that the current phase of

Iranian regime accused of executing wounded protesters in hospitals as Trump issues ultimatum
Iran’s ruling regime has been accused of carrying out executions of wounded anti-government protesters inside hospitals, as United States President Donald Trump escalated pressure on Tehran with the threat of further military action. Disturbing reports

EU–US backed power link shatters Turkey–Libya maritime claims
The Egypt–Greece 3 GW electricity interconnector has received a €9.56 million EU grant to support further studies and implementation. EU–US backed power link shatters Turkey–Libya maritime claims. The European Commission has approved the funding for

Israel orders Doctors Without Borders to halt operations in Gaza by February 28
Israel has announced it will terminate the activities of Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières – MSF) in the Gaza Strip by February 28, citing the organisation’s refusal to provide a list of its Palestinian

Gold and silver plunge as trump’s fed pick sparks $US 15 trillion market wipe-out
Global precious metals markets suffered a dramatic sell-off after US President Donald Trump announced his nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, triggering what analysts described as one of the

Great Power Shield: China & Russia naval move forces Trump into strike-or-stand-down moment
Updated Strategic Assessment (Early hours of Friday, 30 January) The intelligence “wild card” long concealed by Tehran has now been revealed. The entry of China and Russia into the maritime theatre — specifically the Sea

