
Australian father stranded in Iraq issues urgent Christmas plea amid legal limbo
An Australian father, Dr. Robert Pether, who spent more than four years in an Iraqi prison under what he calls “bogus charges,” has issued a desperate Christmas plea, urging Australians to push the government to

Penny Wong under pressure at strategic Quad talks amid rising tensions with Trump administration
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has faced intense diplomatic scrutiny in Washington as she joined her counterparts from the US, Japan, and India at a high-stakes Quad summit, amid growing uncertainty in Australia-US relations and

Albanese: ‘US-Australia alliance remains strong – Trump meeting will happen’
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has played down concerns about a delayed face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump, following the latter’s abrupt exit from the recent G7 summit in Canada to oversee American airstrikes

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

Bush Summit 2025: Albanese to champion the regions at Ballarat Summit
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will lead the 2025 National Bush Summit, committing to ramp up support for regional Australia amid a year marred by devastating droughts and floods. The landmark event, organised by News Corp

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

Sussan Ley Vows to Boost Female Representation in Liberal Party Amid Quota Debate
Sussan Ley, newly elected leader of the federal Liberal Party, has pledged to increase the number of women within the party’s ranks, acknowledging a deepening gender divide that contributed to the Coalition’s landslide defeat at

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 queues of up to 20 kilometres due to farmers’ roadblocks, leaving many stranded for hours.

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

Australian father stranded in Iraq issues urgent Christmas plea amid legal limbo
An Australian father, Dr. Robert Pether, who spent more than four years in an Iraqi prison under what he calls “bogus charges,” has issued a desperate Christmas plea, urging Australians to push the government to secure his safe return. Dr. Pether was arrested in Iraq in 2021 and sentenced to

Moscow terror attack a blow to Putin, who promised Russia security
Barely a week since Vladimir Putin secured his fifth presidential term, Russia has been plunged into carnage and disarray. The appalling attack on the vast Crocus City Hall concert venue and shopping complex near Moscow,

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

