
Australia to mandate cash payments for essential purchases from 2026
Australia will introduce a nationwide cash mandate requiring major grocery and fuel retailers to accept cash payments from January 1, 2026, in a move aimed at protecting consumers who rely on physical currency for everyday

Does washing fruit and vegetables really remove pesticides?
Testing in Australia has uncovered the banned pesticide thiometon on fresh berries sold in New South Wales, along with high levels of the legal pesticide dimethoate. While within legal limits, experts warn that both adults

Albanese blames pro-Palestinian protests for office closure
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has blamed ongoing pro-Palestinian protests for the closure of his long-standing electorate office in Sydney’s inner west, ending nearly three decades of presence in Marrickville. The office, leased from St.

Australian teens traumatised after seeing Charlie Kirk assassination video with no warning
Australia is facing renewed scrutiny over online safety after multiple teenagers reported seeing unfiltered footage of US political commentator Charlie Kirk’s assassination without any warning on Saturday morning. The shocking event occurred earlier this week

Australia must stamp out Islamophobia, PM Albanese says
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a strong call for unity and social cohesion on Friday, declaring that the country “must stamp out the hate, fear, and prejudice that drive Islamophobia.” His comments came during

Australia’s big four banks slash thousands of jobs – Everyday customers to bear the cost
Australia’s four major banks – ANZ, Commonwealth Bank (CBA), NAB, and Westpac – are continuing a worrying trend of large-scale redundancies, with thousands of positions cut over the past year. Banks aim to boost profits,

Anthony Albanese praises EU for following Australia’s lead on social media restrictions for children
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed the European Commission’s decision to follow Australia’s lead in implementing strict social media restrictions for children under 16. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the creation

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 announcements were described as some of the most substantial interventions of the current parliamentary term.

Mitsotakis at Greek-American community luncheon: Greece returns strongly
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed a luncheon organized by 28 Greek-Australian organizations, highlighting the progress of the Greek economy and the return of young Greeks from abroad. Mitsotakis described it as a “privilege” to

Mitsotakis at UN: Considering a ban on social media for children under 16
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking at the “Protecting Children in the Digital Age” event hosted by Australia during the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, announced that Greece is seriously considering banning social

Mitsotakis–Erdogan meeting in New York likely to be cancelled – “Extremely difficult,” Greek government sources say
The scheduled meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York appears to be heading toward cancellation. According to a senior government source, holding the meeting now seems

Metron Analysis poll: New Democracy leads, opposition fragmented
A new Metron Analysis poll for Mega shows New Democracy holding a 14.6-point lead over PASOK, which shows a slight increase since June. SYRIZA remains in sixth place with 6.2%, while KKE records a small

Mitsotakis–Erdogan meeting confirmed for September 23 in New York
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to meet on September 23 in New York during the UN General Assembly. Government sources indicate the meeting will likely take place

NATO backs Turkey’s entry into SAFE, double veto from Cyprus and Greece
The safeguards imposed by the European Union regarding the participation of third countries in the SAFE defence programme act as an obstacle to Turkey’s involvement. NATO backs Turkey’s entry into SAFE, double veto from Cyprus

Libya parliament speaker declares Turkey–Libya memorandum invalid, opens door to talks with Greece, Egypt and Turkey
Libya’s House of Representatives Speaker, Aqila Saleh, has publicly declared the 2019 Turkey–Libya maritime memorandum “invalid,” marking the first such statement in six years and signalling a potential shift in Libya’s approach to maritime disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Speaking to the Libyan News Agency, just days after an official

Australia to recognise Palestine: Albanese calls for peace and security
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state during this week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, joining the UK, Canada and several European nations in a move he

New Russian provocation in the Baltic – Trump warns of “big problems” as NATO remains on full alert
A new violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian MiG fighter jets has triggered a major diplomatic crisis and heightened tensions across the Baltic region. According to Estonia’s foreign ministry, the jets entered Estonian airspace

NATO on high alert after Putin’s provocations – Emergency council meeting next week
The West has gone on high alert following a series of new Russian provocations that escalated tensions in the Baltic region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised the Alliance’s “swift and decisive response,” noting he held

Erdogan–Trump: Secret talks, upgraded contacts, and growing concerns for Greece
The revelation of a surprise meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Donald Trump Jr. in Istanbul—combined with the upcoming official Erdoğan–Trump meeting at the White House on September 25—has sent shockwaves through regional diplomacy and

UN: Overwhelming approval for Palestinian participation – A strong signal amid geopolitical tensions
On Friday (September 19), the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly approved—by 145 votes in favor, only 5 against, and 6 abstentions—a resolution granting Palestine participation rights in the proceedings of the 80th Session as a

Bulgaria boosts Air Force readiness to defend national airspace
€3.27 billion EU funding secured for defence modernization Bulgaria’s Air Force is on full operational alert to defend the nation’s airspace, either independently or as part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System. Defence

