Australia deploys Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to Gulf as Iran conflict escalates
Australia will deploy a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance aircraft to the Middle East after a request from the United Arab Emirates, as regional tensions escalate amid Iranian attacks involving drones and rockets. Prime Minister
Airports brace for busiest day of the year as Easter travel kicks off
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to jam airport queues and crowd roads today ahead of the long Easter weekend. More than 200,000 people are expected to pass through Sydney and Melbourne airports in
Sally Capp to step down as Lord Mayor of Melbourne
Sally Capp has announced she will step down as Lord Mayor of Melbourne after six years in the role. Capp, who was elected in 2018, announced this morning “with mixed emotions” that she would not
Melbourne and Sydney record surge in population
Both Melbourne and Sydney have seen a surge in population growth, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The biggest increase was seen in Melbourne, which jumped by 167,500 people in
Inflation holds steady at 3.4 per cent
Inflation has held stable at 3.4 per cent for the third month in a row, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Inflation in the 12 months to February was driven by increases
One in 20 mortgage holders spend more than they earn, says new RBA report
A new Reserve Bank report reveals a worrying trend in Australia, with one in 20 mortgage holders spending more money than they earn. What’s more, tens of thousands of households are at risk of running
Easter trading hours 2024: What major stores will be opened on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday?
Easter is upon us again and that means a whole heap of confusion with stores across the country either open, shut or operating at different hours. To make things easier for you around the busy
Greece’s political crisis intensifies amid scandal storm
A society at boiling point amid daily scandals and misuse of public funds – growing calls for immediate elections, as the public dismisses manipulated polling Greek society is increasingly on edge, with daily scandals and the alleged misuse of public funds fuelling public anger. Greece’s political crisis intensifies amid scandal
PIPES: Kastelorizo: Mediterranean flash point
That Athens controls this wisp of land implies it could (but does not yet) claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Mediterranean Sea extending 200 nautical miles to Kastelorizo. This would reduce the Turkish
EU agrees to sanction turkey for drilling in Cypriot water
A surprisingly muscular response beyond mere threatening rhetoric out of the European Union over Turkey’s violations of Cypriot territorial waters related to offshore drilling operations: the EU has agreed to bring financial and political sanctions
Archaeology Piece of skull found in Greece ‘is oldest human fossil outside Africa’
A broken skull chiselled from a lump of rock in a cave in Greece is the oldest modern human fossil ever found outside Africa, researchers claim. The partial skull was discovered in the Apidima cave
Athens-Piraeus again in ‘top 10’ in terms of global shipping hubs
The Athens-Piraeus area has returned to the world’s top 10 shipping hubs, according to a recent study by Baltic Exchange. The Greek capital bumped Korea’s Pusan from the “top 10” list, while Singapore remained first,
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake in Kozani, Northern Greece
According to the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens, the epicenter of the quake was located 8 klm south of Kozani, in northern Greece. The earthquake struck at 13:50 on Sunday with a
Greece’s Milos voted “Best Island in Europe” by Travel & Leisure Magazine
The readers of the famous “Travel + Leisure” magazine recently voted the Greek island of Milos as “the best island in Europe” for 2019. The list is comprised of 15 islands across Europe, with Greece
Iran War Ceasefire: Hormuz Reopens as Two-Week Deal Halts Escalation
Iran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks, guaranteeing safe maritime passage under coordination with its armed forces. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated the arrangement would allow shipping traffic to resume while diplomatic efforts proceed. Ceasefire Deal and Strait of Hormuz Reopening The agreement includes
Australia concedes defeat in high-stakes battle to host COP31, handing victory to Turkey
Australia is preparing to concede defeat in its bid to host next year’s major United Nations climate summit, COP31, despite months of lobbying, millions of dollars in preparatory work, and strong public advocacy from senior
Erdogan rejects President Trump’s request to halt imports of Russian gas
The Turkish presidency has dismissed as misinformation claims circulating in some domestic media that “Turkey will halt purchases of Russian natural gas because it has signed an LNG agreement with the United States, and that
Dendias’ stark message on war casualties alarms Europe
A storm has erupted in recent days over Defence Minister Nikos Dendias’ deeply unsettling comments about a supposed shift in Europe’s “culture of sacrifice”. Dendias’ stark message on war casualties alarms Europe and Greece. In
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledges $1 trillion investment to Trump, open to recognizing Israel
Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, promising investments worth $1 trillion in the United States. The unprecedented pledge
Hamas rejects UN Security Council approval of Trump plan for Gaza Force
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has rejected a United Nations Security Council decision endorsing a plan by former U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing that it violates Palestinian rights and imposes international trusteeship over the Gaza
Netanyahu condemns West Bank settler violence: “A handful of extremists do not represent us”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly condemned recent violence carried out by a “handful of extremists” among settlers in the occupied West Bank, stressing that they do not represent the broader settler community. The
