
Capital Gains Tax discount reform under consideration
Speculation is intensifying that one of Australia’s most controversial tax concessions, the capital gains tax (CGT) discount, may undergo significant reform as a central feature of this year’s federal budget. Senior government ministers have stopped

Economic collapse in Iran hits students in Australia
Iran’s deepening economic crisis and ongoing social unrest are now having a direct impact on thousands of Iranians living and studying abroad, with particularly severe consequences for students in Australia. The sharp devaluation of Iran’s

‘Door is open, but I’m not looking’: Ley stands firm after Coalition split
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has moved swiftly to project stability and authority within the Liberal Party following a dramatic and highly public split with the Nationals, declaring she is “absolutely confident” in her leadership despite

Coalition in meltdown as Nationals walk out, declaring agreement with Liberals “untenable”
Australia’s federal Coalition has plunged into its most serious crisis in years, after the National Party formally withdrew from the opposition frontbench, declaring its governing agreement with the Liberal Party “untenable”. The dramatic rupture follows

Australia observes national day of mourning for victims of Bondi Beach terror attack
Australia today marks a national day of mourning to honour the victims of the December 14 Bondi Beach terror attack, which claimed the lives of 15 innocent people and deeply shocked the nation. As part

January 26 protests continue an 88-year First Nations legacy of resistance and survival
First Nations people across Australia are preparing to mark January 26 with rallies, marches and cultural events, continuing a protest tradition that stretches back nearly nine decades and predates the modern celebration of Australia Day

Hate speech and extremism laws pass Parliament as three Nationals defy Coalition line
Australia’s Parliament has passed new hate speech and extremism legislation following an early recall prompted by the Bondi terror attack, marking a significant moment for national security lawmaking—and exposing fresh fractures within the Coalition. The

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 additional preparatory work on the 3-gigawatt electricity link connecting the power systems of Greece and

PASOK calls for elections due to OPEKEPE Scandal
For the first time, PASOK officially mentioned the prospect of calling elections in connection with the OPEKEPE scandal, on the condition that the statute of limitations for any offenses will be prevented. During the meeting

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,

Athens fires back at Ankara over East Med dispute: “Turkey cannot lecture others on International Law”
Greece has issued a stern diplomatic response to fresh accusations from Turkey regarding its stance on the controversial Turkey-Libya maritime agreement. The Greek Foreign Ministry, through diplomatic sources, denounced Turkey’s latest comments as “incompatible with

Mitsotakis pushes for EU action on Libya migration route and defence funding
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking after the conclusion of the EU Summit, called for urgent action to address a new irregular migration route emerging from Eastern Libya to Crete. “We will use every means

Karamanlis Inquiry: Fast-tracked parliamentary probe sparks political backlash
The Hellenic Parliament’s special inquiry committee into former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis opened its first session today under accusations of political orchestration, as the government appears determined to fast-track the process surrounding the deadly Tempi

Wildfire disaster in Chios: Tens of thousands of acres burned as blaze continues to rage
Chios is currently experiencing one of the most severe environmental disasters in recent Greek history. For the third consecutive day, an uncontrollable wildfire has scorched vast swathes of the island, with more than 30,000 hectares

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 additional preparatory work on the 3-gigawatt electricity link connecting the power systems of Greece and

Hong Kong’s major events at protests
Hong Kong’s anti-government protesters have sustained their momentum for more than three months, facing off against police through summer heat and clouds of tear gas. Officers have met demonstrators head on with a variety of

Pipeline Wars Revisited
Pipeline wars are often overlooked in the scheme of things, where pipelines represent competing national interests of a purely economic sort, beyond the usual political rhetoric surrounding ideology and demagoguery. Because a gas pipeline transports

Cyprus repays remainder of Russian loan, two years early
Cyprus’ finance minister said on Monday that the country has repaid ahead of schedule the remaining 1.58 billion euros ($1.73 billion) of a 2.5 billion euro ($2.74 billion) loan it received from Russia in 2011

What is going on in Libya?
Libya is now ruled by the Government of National Accord (GNA). The GNA is recognized by the UN and holds Tripoli but little else. The situation is immensely complex and forever in flux. For eight

US slaps new tariffs on China; One minute later China retaliates
The biggest reason for last week’s torrid stock market rally was rekindled “optimism” that the escalating trade war between the US and China may be on the verge of another ceasefire following phone conversations, fake

Turkey sending fourth energy drill ship into Cyprus’ waters for oil exploration
Turkey has sent its fourth drilling ship to the eastern Mediterranean waters to participate in the exploration for natural gas and oil within the Cypriot maritime economic zones, defying European and international warnings. The Ministry

