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
One Nation support surges to record high as Joyce defection and Hanson stunt polarise voters
One Nation has reached the highest level of national support in its history, according to new polling that shows the party surging on the back of Barnaby Joyce’s dramatic defection and renewed controversy surrounding Pauline
Australia’s under-16 social media ban takes effect as major platforms begin lockouts
Australia’s world-first social media ban for children under 16 officially came into force today, triggering sweeping changes across the country’s largest digital platforms and reshaping the online habits of millions of young Australians. The federal
Hanson-Young’s Bluesfest trip adds pressure to overhaul MPs’ family travel rules
Taxpayer-funded travel entitlements for federal politicians have again come under scrutiny, after it was revealed that Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young billed almost $3000 to attend Byron Bay’s Bluesfest alongside a family member. According to travel
Cost of Australia’s power grid overhaul rises to $128 Billion
Australia’s transition to a predominantly renewable electricity system is expected to cost significantly more than previously forecast, with the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) new draft Integrated System Plan revealing a revised estimate of $128
Barnaby Joyce defects to One Nation, triggering major political upheaval
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has formally defected to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, ending months of speculation and setting off one of the most significant realignments in federal politics this term. Standing alongside Hanson
Deported neo-Nazi protester arrives in South Africa after visa cancellation
A South African national who took part in a widely condemned neo-Nazi demonstration in Sydney has arrived back in Johannesburg after being deported by Australian authorities. Matthew Gruter, 35, was removed from the country following
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.
Greece furious over north neighbor’s “Wines of Macedonia”
It came as expected and feared. Companies in North Macedonia omit the geographic term and sell their products with state labeling as simple “Macedonian.” And this despite the Prespes Agreement or because of it that
2,300 Year old Greek Necropolis found in Bari, South Italy
Bari, the capitol of south Italy’s Puglia region was one of the many coastal city states of Magna Greacia (‘Great Greece’) settled by the Greeks from the 8th century BC. The enduring legacy of Greek
Impressive! The moment lights go off as Acropolis joins Earth Hour
It was a moment of magic to see Greece’s famous landmark sinking in the dark. At 8:30 sharp on Saturday night, lights went off in Acropolis as in many other buildings of the Greek capital
Unpardonable and irresponsible lies
The theoretical and easy self-criticism of ministers and SYRIZA cadres is fine, but at some point they have to confront the results. We make mistakes and sometimes unpardonable ones, Deputy PM Yannis Dragasakis told Parliament
Opportunity
The Pasok-centred Movement for change paid a debt of honour to Andreas Papandreou. It is a debt not just because Andreas Papandreou played a leadimg role in fashioning the contremporary centre-left, but also because the
Envelope for the next PM
The climate and atmosphere surrounding the government is not the best. Pressures from the electorate are patently obvious. There are plenty of disputes and initiatives which are collapsing one after the other. These initiatives do
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 at centre of AUKUS push as UK and US call for faster delivery and greater burden sharing
Australia has been thrust firmly into the spotlight of the AUKUS security pact, with both the United Kingdom and United States urging Canberra to accelerate its commitments and take on a greater share of the
Germany: Record number of bankruptcies for businesses and individuals
Germany is experiencing its highest number of bankruptcies since 2014, with experts warning that the peak of the crisis “has not yet been reached.” According to the credit rating agency Creditreform, approximately 23,900 companies will
Hamas signals openness to “freezing or storing” weapons as talks enter difficult second phase
Hamas has indicated it is willing to discuss the “freezing or storing” of its weapons arsenal as part of the emerging ceasefire framework with Israel, according to senior official Bassem Naim, who spoke to the
Modi welcomes Putin with full honours in New Delhi
Russian President Vladimir Putin received a ceremonial welcome in India on Friday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosting him in a display designed to highlight the deep and enduring ties between the two nations. Putin
Europe’s fear isn’t of Russia, it’s of itself
Europe’s fear isn’t of Russia, it’s of itself. The Guardian splashed its front page with the usual hysteria, hoping readers wouldn’t notice the one line that undercut the entire narrative: “We are not planning to
SIPRI reports record arms sales in 2024
Global arms sales hit record $679 billion amid ongoing conflicts The world’s top 100 arms manufacturers reached record revenues in 2024, totaling $679 billion (€586 billion), marking a 5.9% increase compared to the previous year,
