
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.

Warm welcome for 27 Greek activists from Gaza Flotilla – Greta Thunberg among returnees
With emotional scenes and the victory sign raised high, 27 Greek activists who took part in the “Global Sumud Flotilla” to Gaza returned to Athens on Monday afternoon, following their detention by Israeli authorities. The

Political turmoil in SYRIZA: Alexis Tsipras resigns from parliament – “I’m not quitting political action”
The sudden resignation of former Prime Minister and historic SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras from Parliament has triggered strong political tremors and a new wave of realignments within the centre-left. In a public statement, Tsipras clarified

How Greece is changing the balance of power in the Mediterranean
Greece is entering a new era of naval strength, as the Hellenic Navy undergoes a sweeping modernization under a 12-year defense program that is set to reshape the balance of power in the Aegean and

Greta Thunberg to be deported from Israel alongside 27 Greek activists on Tuesday
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg will be deported from Israel on Tuesday, along with 27 Greek activists, according to a report by Ynet. The group was detained after attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade of

Fierce clash between Adonis Georgiadis and Zoe Konstantopoulou over Panos Routsis: “A predator of power and human pain”
A fierce political clash erupted between Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and the leader of the Plefsi Eleftherias party, Zoe Konstantopoulou, over the case of Panos Routsis — a father of a Tempi train crash victim

Turkey’s ‘Piri Reis’ research vessel sails north of Lesvos – Athens closely monitoring movements
The ship departed Izmir Bay under an illegal Navtex and is expected to conduct surveys in central Aegean waters The Turkish research vessel Piri Reis was sailing north of Lesvos, near the Turkish coastline, on

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

Afghanistan: Women defy Taliban bans by singing online
Women were the first to suffer the restrictions imposed by the new government. Recording themselves while singing, showing only a small part of their faces to the camera: dozens of Afghan women are participating in

UN condemns Taliban ban on women’s Voices in public spaces
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan expressed deep concern on Sunday over a new law recently endorsed by the Taliban that imposes further restrictions on women. The new legislation, published last Wednesday, is based on

RFK Jr. suspends 2024 campaign and joins Trump at Arizona rally
RFK Jr. suspends the 2024 campaign and joins Trump at the Arizona rally, endorsing former President Donald Trump. During an event in Phoenix, Arizona, Kennedy urged voters in red or blue states to support him

Putin’s 702 decree caused outrage in the West
As reported by journalists from China, Russian President Vladimir Putin caused outrage in the West with a new surprise decree. Relations between Russia and the West have reached their lowest point since the collapse of

Why was Telegram’s Pavel Durov effectively kidnapped at Paris Airport?
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested in France today on various charges. Telegram has been a key platform for sharing information about the Israeli actions in Gaza, with thousands of videos

Winners and losers in global commodities this year
The global commodities market has experienced significant volatility this year, with prices generally remaining elevated across various sectors. The first half of the year saw orange juice and cocoa prices reach record highs, while crude

