News in Review 2025 — Australia
The year that was 2025 in Australia was marked by significant social and political developments relating to security, public order, federal elections, human rights and international alliances. The country faced challenges ranging from mass demonstrations
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
Australia sets tougher PFAS guidelines amid health concerns — But experts warn of high costs
The Australian Government has introduced stricter national limits on cancer-linked “forever chemicals” in drinking water, in a move welcomed by health and environmental experts—but one that could impose significant financial burdens on communities, particularly in
Australia designates white supremacist network Terrorgram a terrorist organisation
In a decisive move to combat domestic extremism, Australia has formally designated the white supremacist online network Terrorgram as a terrorist organisation. The announcement, made by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Thursday, grants law
Key quad meeting in Washington: Australia at the forefront of Indo-Pacific strategy
In a pivotal diplomatic gathering on July 1, the foreign ministers of the United States, India, Japan, and Australia will convene in Washington for the 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, with US Secretary of State
No panic at the pump: Fuel prices hold steady despite Iran-Israel ceasefire
Despite recent tensions in the Middle East and fears of a global oil shock, fuel prices across Australia have remained surprisingly steady. The ceasefire between Iran and Israel — announced after a series of intense
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 cinemas. Public interest in the film about Ioannis Kapodistrias cannot be explained in box-office terms
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
Mitsotakis meets Abbas in Ramallah: Greece supports peace in Gaza
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday in Ramallah, ahead of his visit to Jerusalem and participation in the Greece–Cyprus–Israel trilateral summit. Support for the Palestinian Authority and
Trilateral Summit sends clear message to Ankara: “Do not even think of reviving empires”
A strong geopolitical message was sent from Jerusalem on Monday following the completion of the 10th Trilateral Summit between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a pointed warning to those “who
PASOK intensifies internal debate over potential alliances – Geroulanos rules out ND, Kastanidis open to Tsipras dialogue
Intense discussions are underway within PASOK ahead of the party’s upcoming congress, as leaders debate the strategic direction and potential alliances. Former minister Pavlos Geroulanos has firmly rejected any possibility of a coalition with the
Greek Prime Minister to visit Jerusalem for trilateral summit with Cyprus and Israel, talks also planned with Palestinian leadership
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will travel to Jerusalem on Monday to take part in a high-level trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, as regional diplomacy intensifies amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Eastern
Why the EU drifted into irrelevance and how anti-democratic governance accelerated the decline
The European Union’s slide into geopolitical and economic irrelevance has nothing to do with Donald Trump. Here’s Why the EU drifted into irrelevance and how anti-democratic governance accelerated the decline. It is structural, self-inflicted, and rooted in an increasingly anti-democratic system of governance that prioritises regulation over innovation, symbolism over
Romanian intelligence docs fail to prove election interference
Declassified Romanian intelligence documents, which formed the basis for the cancellation of the recent presidential election results, do not provide evidence of foreign interference or manipulation, according to an analysis of the documents the Romanian
Karamanlis’s explosive warning to Mitsotakis, Gerapetritis, and ELIAMEP
Greece cannot afford to lose control of the region if it is to ensure its own security and stability, as well as that of its partners. Karamanlis’s explosive warning to Mitsotakis, Gerapetritis, and ELIAMEP. Most
Why Syria fell so quickly and where was Iran
The rapid collapse of Syria has left many shocked, but some key factors explain how and why it happened, and where Iran stood in the crisis. Here’s Why Syria fell so quickly and where was
“ELIAMEP calls for Greece to recognize the Pseudo-State”
Myrna Nikolaidou explores the controversial statements made by Maria Gavouneli, Director General of ELIAMEP (Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy), who recently suggested that Greece should recognize the “pseudo-state” in Northern Cyprus, “ELIAMEP calls
South Korea’s Parliament votes to revoke the martial law
In a revealing commentary, Luke de Pulford, Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), has highlighted what he sees as an “extremely dangerous situation” in South Korea. South Korea’s Parliament votes to revoke
German media expelled from German-Chinese FM meeting
German media were reportedly expelled from a meeting between Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing on Monday, according to Handelsblatt. The meeting became tense when Baerbock accused China of
