
Albanese and Chalmers under pressure to act on negative gearing reform
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers are facing renewed pressure to overhaul Australia’s negative gearing rules amid growing concern about housing affordability and younger Australians being locked out of the property market. Unions

Victoria’s middle class the “new face” of poverty
A growing number of working families are being added to the queues of economically impoverished Australians relying on food donations during the cost-of-living crisis. Foodbank Australia, whose latest needs assessment shows 3.7 million households struggled

Fighting fires from space in record time: how AI could prevent a repeat of Australia’s devastating wildfires
Australian scientists are getting closer to detecting bushfires in record time, thanks to cube satellites with onboard AI now able to detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional on-ground processing of imagery. Remote

Treasurer calms recession fears but admits Aussies face ‘Uncertain times’
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has reassured Australians that the country is not heading for a recession, even as the economy shows its weakest growth in nearly three years. In an interview with Today, Chalmers addressed data

Fourth Victorian poultry farm detects bird flu
Victoria’s bird flu outbreak has now spread to a fourth poultry farm, a development anticipated by authorities amid ongoing investigations. Agriculture Victoria confirmed today that a farm near Meredith, west of Melbourne, tested positive for

Australia’s most trusted brands – 2024
Reader’s Digest has announced the results of the 25th Annual Most Trusted Brands survey. And the results speak volumes about the formula trusted brands use in a volatile market – retaining trust during difficult financial

Anger over medicinal shortages
Complaints are mounting from Australian citizens against the government for relying on international supply of medicines instead of local production as the nation faces a “severe” shortage of pharmaceuticals. It was revealed earlier this week

Turkish blocks research vessel from conducting surveys on behalf of Cyprus
Turkey is reported to have blocked the research vessel Fugro Gauss, sailing under the flag of Gibraltar, from conducting geophysical surveys on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus in a maritime area that Ankara considers part of its continental shelf, according to the newspaper Milliyet and other Turkish media outlets.

Greece tables emergency asylum bill – Immediate deportations for illegal entries from North Africa
The Greek Parliament is debating today a controversial emergency amendment that imposes a three-month suspension on asylum applications by individuals entering the country illegally via sea routes from North Africa. The amendment, attached to a

4.4 Magnitude earthquake strikes off Amorgos coast – no damage reported
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Amorgos in the early hours of Thursday, sparking concern among residents but causing no reported damage or injuries. According to the Geodynamic Institute of Athens, the

Oropos fire: Fierce overnight battle with flames – improvement in Asprochori, concerns shift to Sykamino
A large wildfire continues to burn in the Oropos region of Attica, with two active fronts threatening local communities. One front is advancing toward Asprochori and the other toward Sykamino, where the situation is currently

Greece Plans Detention Centres in Crete After Diplomatic Rift with Libya
Following a diplomatic incident in Benghazi that saw Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar expel a European migration delegation, the Greek government is preparing a new wave of strict measures to stop migrant arrivals from Libya to

Mitsotakis knew everything about the OPEKEPE scandal
“We failed. Trading for a few votes is unacceptable.” Mitsotakis knew everything about the OPEKEPE scandal. There are more scandals, at least two more to be revealed, and there are elections on the horizon as

Greek Security Council (KYSEA) convenes amid Middle East tensions – Athens evaluates risks to stability and national interests
Greece’s top security body, the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA), is convening in an extraordinary meeting today at 12:00 PM, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in response to rising geopolitical tensions

Israeli officials endorse Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza City
Israel’s security cabinet has officially approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza City, a move confirmed by his office and seen as a major escalation in the ongoing conflict that has now lasted 22 months. The decision follows a lengthy security cabinet meeting held in Jerusalem, which began

Shock and dismay from the UN and EU over terrorist attacks in Moscow, but who was behind it?
The EU is shocked and dismayed by the reports of a terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall in Moscow. The EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens

World Happiness Report 2024
While the top ten countries remain largely unchanged, there has been much more action in the top twenty Finland has retained its position as the happiest country in the world for the seventh consecutive year,

Putin: Is he now more powerful than ever?
Vladimir Putin wins fifth term as President of Russia with a record percentage Vladimir Putin has secured his fifth term as president of Russia with a record-breaking percentage, amid protests and allegations. What does this

War in Ukraine: from caution to panic, what Macron’s change of heart hides
This is an exceedingly rare and fascinating article in the French magazine Marianne, who got access to “several confidential defense reports” from the French army on the situation in Ukraine: https://marianne.net/monde/europe/guerre-en-ukraine-endurance-russe-echec-de-la-contre-offensive-ce-que-cache-le-virage-de-macron . This explains the

Erdoğan-affiliated party competing in EU polls sparks fears in Germany
A group of Germans with Turkish roots have formed a political group to compete in the European elections, sparking fears it could be a vehicle for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to expand his influence

Irish people vote in a referendum (75%) to defend traditional family
Women’s value in society comes from performing tasks at home, according to the Irish Constitution. DUBLIN – Irish voters after the referendum reject the attempt to rewrite the 1937 Constitution’s view of women and family