
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

Australia’s thrilling dawn services and marches honour the Anzacs
Australians came together in a moving show of remembrance, defying the chill of the early morning to join dawn services nationwide, honoring the brave souls who served both at home and abroad. Australia’s thrilling dawn

Australia’s defence strategy focuses on the Pacific
Australia has unveiled its national defence strategy, with a particular focus on the Pacific to counter China’s “coercive tactics”. The 80-page document paints a bleak picture of security in the Pacific and calls for a

Assessing the electoral landscape: Labor’s potential triumph in the current political climate
As the political arena heats up in anticipation of the upcoming elections, all eyes are on the shifting dynamics between the Labor Party and the Coalition. Recent polling data suggests that if an election were

Albanese hints at easing HECS/HELP burden as debt grows
Student debt is a major issue in the lives of many Australian students. With growing concern about how this debt is calculated and managed, the Parliamentary Library is attempting to forecast the impact of potential

The knife attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel declared a “terrorist act”
A 16-year-old boy is in custody on Tuesday after the attack at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley overnight where Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed as the incident was broadcast on the church’s

Dutton attacks Wong’s comments on recognising a Palestinian state
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has said Penny Wong’s speech suggesting a possible future recognition of a Palestinian state was the “most reckless act” by a foreign minister in two decades. In a speech on Wednesday

Turkey’s provocation playbook: Escalation disguised as diplomacy
Turkey’s provocation playbook: Escalation disguised as diplomacy — just days before a scheduled meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ankara has stepped up its aggressive rhetoric, once again placing territorial waters firmly back on the agenda and heightening tensions in the Aegean. Just

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

PULS missile system paves the way for Greece’s “Achilles Shield” as defence cooperation with Israel and UAE deepens
Greece is moving decisively to strengthen its military deterrence, following parliamentary approval for the acquisition of the Israeli-made PULS multiple rocket launcher system, a key component of the country’s planned multi-layered air and missile defence

Joint αir defence network between Israel, Greece and Cyprus
Israelis: “Deterrence of Turkey Is the Objective” The prospect of a joint air defence network between Israel, Greece and Cyprus — based on interoperable systems operating within a network-centric framework — represents a truly landmark

Smaragdis: “I received threats over the film Kapodistrias”
The official premiere of Giannis Smaragdis’ new film, Kapodistrias, was marked by intense emotion, as the acclaimed director spoke publicly — with rare candour — about the loss of his wife, Eleni Smaragdi, to whom

Greece and Turkey agree on closer cooperation against organised crime
Greece and Turkey have agreed to significantly strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fight against organised transnational crime, following high-level talks in Istanbul between Greek Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis and Turkish Interior Minister Ali

Mitsotakis unveils major housing, loan and farming measures during Budget speech
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used his address to Parliament during the debate on the State Budget to announce a series of significant policy initiatives targeting housing affordability, Swiss franc loan holders, and farmers. The

Israel orders Doctors Without Borders to halt operations in Gaza by February 28
Israel has announced it will terminate the activities of Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières – MSF) in the Gaza Strip by February 28, citing the organisation’s refusal to provide a list of its Palestinian employees. In a statement, the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, which oversees the registration of humanitarian

Baltimore: Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses – 6 presumed dead
via the Associated Press A cargo ship lost power and rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, destroying the span in a matter of seconds and plunging it into the river in a

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

