
Negative gearing reforms back on agenda as budget pressures mount
Negative gearing has once again returned to the centre of Australia’s housing and tax debate, with the federal government actively considering changes ahead of the May budget. The discussion reflects growing pressure to address housing

Liberal MP breaks ranks to call for increase to Newstart
Liberal senator Dean Smith has broken ranks with the federal government to call for an increase to the Newstart payment. WA Senator Dean Smith has become the first Liberal MP to publicly back an increase

Aged care homes spending as little as $7 a day on residents food
Some aged care homes spend as little as $7 a day on food for each resident, a royal commission has been told. Celebrity chef Maggie Beer says that sort of budget is inadequate to prepare

Vic wants federal funds to remove cladding
The Commonwealth is being asked to stump up $300 million to help remove dangerous cladding from hundreds of buildings across Victoria. The state Labor government is establishing a $600 million fund, to be overseen by

Asylum seeker tries to set himself on fire at Melbourne detention facility
Another incident of self-harm has occurred in an Australian detention centre. An asylum seeker detained in the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation facility has been taken to hospital after trying to set himself on fire, according

No paperwork, increasing rent: Sydney landlords exploiting international students
International students are being exploited by landlords in Sydney’s tight housing market, a new report has found. International students in Sydney are falling victim to financial exploitation by dodgy landlords, who are overcharging on bonds,

Record number of Aussies rush to file tax returns
A record number of Australians have lodged their tax returns in the hope of getting their hands on a hefty refund. About 650,000 people have already filed their tax returns, with this year’s early rush

Greece must stand ready against Turkey’s revisionist ambitions
Greece must remain vigilant and fully prepared to counter any revisionist ambitions emanating from Turkey, particularly those that challenge sovereignty and stability in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. Greece must stand ready against Turkey’s revisionist ambitions. In the face of rhetoric that seeks to redraw borders or question established international

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

Greece rejects Turkey’s “Straits” claim, defends Montreux Convention
At a UN Security Council meeting on maritime security, organised by Bahrain, Greece responded to remarks by Turkey’s permanent representative, Ahmet Yıldız, who referred to the “Turkish Straits.” “Turkey is making every effort to ensure the safe and free passage of vessels through these waterways. The transit regime through the

20 Turks arrested by Israeli commandos west of Crete, a message to Turkey
What Turkish media report: “The Global Flotilla issued a written statement regarding the attack by the Israeli military on the flotilla in international waters. The statement said that 21 vessels belonging to the flotilla are

US Candidate Mark Lynch vows to ban Turkish imports, force return of Hagia Sophia to Greek Orthodox Church
Charleston, SC — South Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Mark Lynch launched a bold foreign policy pledge tied to one of Christianity’s most symbolic sites, promising sweeping economic sanctions on Turkey until the Hagia Sophia is

Gunfire at White House Correspondents’ dinner sparks evacuation of President Trump amid security breach investigation
A high-profile White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington descended into chaos on Sunday evening after an armed man opened fire near a security screening area inside the venue, triggering a full emergency evacuation of US

Orbán’s masterstroke leaves Brussels in checkmate
In a display of political manoeuvring so bold it borders on the theatrical, Viktor Orbán appeared to recognise early that the European Union, George Soros, Barack Obama and the wider globalist establishment were aligned against

The Battle of the Strait of Hormuz
For the past few hours, amid a howling south-westerly wind (gusts exceeding 50 mph), reflecting on the The Battle of the Strait of Hormuz and practical realities of the United States attempting to blockade all

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

