
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.

Government closes fronts – price cuts and stable electricity rates
The government is attempting to close open political fronts in order to promote a positive agenda that could provide both political and polling relief. In this context, Giorgos Mylonakis, in a letter to the head

Copenhagen: Greece emphasizes protection of Europe’s southern borders amid Russian threats
The informal EU Summit in Copenhagen, hosted by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and chaired by European Council President António Costa, focused on strengthening European defense and supporting Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian

Major reforms announced in Cabinet meeting: Tax cuts, defence overhaul, and legal migration policy
Key reforms were presented at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, focusing on three main areas: taxation, defence, and migration. Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis introduced a comprehensive tax reform bill titled “Tax

How Athens views Erdoğan’s visit to the White House – Turkey’s F-35 prospects
The recent meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, marking the first top-level contact in six years, signifies a new phase in U.S.-Turkey relations. Despite the

Dendias: Greece moves ahead with Two Bergamini frigates – major steps to strengthen the Navy
Greece is moving swiftly to reinforce its Navy, as the deal for two Italian Bergamini-class frigates is expected to be finalised on Monday. Defence Minister Nikos Dendias informed Parliament’s Defence Committee that the Hellenic Navy

Sokratis Famellos: “It is Time for a common progressive response to today’s challenges”
SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance president, Sokratis Famellos, delivered a strong message of political readiness and coalition-building during a meeting of the party’s Political Secretariat. Famellos stressed that both domestic and global developments make it imperative

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

