
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

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

France to briefly return Parthenon metope to Greece on occasion of 2021 events
France will reportedly loan a frieze from the Parthenon, displayed today at the Louvre, to Greece on the occasion of events and comme-morations in 2021, the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War

Samos: Tourists and locals evacuated as forest fire is ranging
A big forest fire is raging on the island of Samos and authorities have ordered the evacuation of two hotels as well residents of the area of Mesokampos near Pythagorio. The fire broke out in

Unaccompanied teen migrant accused of fatally stabbing compatriot at Lesvos ‘hotspot’
A minor from Afghanistan, reported as being roughly 15-years-old, was arrested at a “hotspot” on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos (Mytilene) overnight after he allegedly fatally stabbed a compatriot, also identified as a teenager.

First corporate-business tax cut ‘fixed’, according to Greek PM Mitsotakis
Another highlight from Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ wide-ranging interview to “Le Figaro” this week was an announcement that the first reduction in the corporate tax rate, from 28 to 24 percent, for 2019 profits has

Fotis Kontoglou
In 330 AD the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, also known as Constantine I, moved the seat of the Roman Empire to Constantinople, a city known previously as Byzantium, strategically located on main trade route

Greek gov’t to end flight delays with urgent measures
The Greek government has issued several urgent measures in an attempt to reduce a growing problem in Greece. On the surface, all is well as the country’s tourism sector continues to grow. According to the

Iran War Ceasefire: Hormuz Reopens as Two-Week Deal Halts Escalation
Iran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks, guaranteeing safe maritime passage under coordination with its armed forces. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated the arrangement would allow shipping traffic to resume while diplomatic efforts proceed. Ceasefire Deal and Strait of Hormuz Reopening The agreement includes

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

Israel sends shockwaves: “Half of Cyprus is under Turkish occupation and the world looks away”
Israel sends shockwaves: “Half of Cyprus is under Turkish occupation and the world looks away”, as Israel has once again expressed support for Hellenism through a pointed public intervention highlighting the unresolved occupation of the

Strike on Iran looms as Trump issues ‘Ultimatum’ and explicit threat via social media
Strike on Iran looms as Trump issues ‘ultimatum’ with explicit social media threat as geopolitical tensions surge once again. In a move that sharply escalates the crisis, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, 28 January,

Macron bans social media for children under 15, mobile phones banned in French schools
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a major policy change that will ban social media use for children under the age of 15 and prohibit mobile phones in schools across France starting from the next

Mitsotakis from Brussels: Transatlantic ties tested, but signs of cautious stabilisation
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged that relations between Europe and the United States have gone through a turbulent period, while stressing that recent developments point to a modest improvement, following the conclusion of the

Greenland: Cyprus-style bases, NATO’s Arctic footprint and Donald Trump’s geopolitical bargaining
As the European Union struggles to forge a unified response to Donald Trump, new details are emerging about Washington’s proposals regarding Greenland, revealing a complex geopolitical bargain centred on the Arctic, military security and control

