
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.

Golden Dawn ballots destroyed with antiseptic by unknown perpetrators
Unknown perpetrators have destroyed the whole load of municipality elections ballots of the far-right party Golden Dawn in the suburb of Kallithea, south Athens. The perpetrators used antiseptic Bedatine that soaked into the 92,000 ballot

The dilemma of the elections
This year European Parliament and local elections are neither simple nor commonplace. Their crucial nature is patently obvious. They are considered and indeed are a dress rehearsal for the upcoming parliamentary election, which has not

Lanterns to commemorate 100 years from the Pontic Greeks Genocide
Pontic Greeks in Thessaloniki let 100 lanterns high into the night sky in order to commemorate the Genocide of Pontic Greeks first by the Young Turks and then by Kemalist forces. May 19th commemorates the

Greece refutes Turkish claims on status of Aegean Islands
The Greek foreign ministry late on Sunday strongly refuted a claim by its Turkish counterpart that Greece does not respect the demilitarized status of the islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. Earlier Sunday, Turkish Foreign

Historic decision made to rebuild Part of the Parthenon
The Greek Central Archaeological Council (KAS) decided on Wednesday that a part of the Parthenon, now in ruins on the Athens Acropolis, is to be rebuilt using mostly materials which are now lying on the

Venezuela – another failed coup attempt – What’s next?
In the early morning hours of 30 April, 2019, the self-declare “Interim President”, Juan Guaidó, launched what at first sight appeared to be a military coup – Guaidó calls it “Operation Freedom” (sounds very much

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

US fighter jets patrol international airspace around Venezuela, WSJ reports
US fighter jets have been conducting near-continuous patrols in international airspace surrounding Venezuela amid sharply escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Saturday. The development comes shortly

Global Airbus warning grounds Jetstar A320 flights, causes widespread travel disruption
A major global aviation alert has triggered significant travel chaos, with Jetstar confirming that several of its Airbus A320 aircraft are currently unable to depart due to a critical software issue affecting thousands of jets

Israel breaks up Turkish-linked network smuggling arms and funds to West Bank
Israel breaks up Turkish-linked network smuggling arms and funds to West Bank, uncovering what officials describe as one of the most significant counter-terrorism operations of 2025. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police

Cyprus calls on Turkey to negotiate maritime boundaries under UNCLOS
Cyprus Calls on Turkey to negotiate maritime boundaries under UNCLOS, with President Nikos Christodoulides extending an open invitation to Ankara to sit down with the Republic of Cyprus and engage in direct talks on defining

EU delivers landmark decision: Digital platforms to be held liable for online fraud under sweeping new rules
The European Union has reached a historic agreement introducing strict new obligations for digital platforms, social media companies and banks, making them jointly responsible for combating the rapid rise of online fraud. After eight hours

The price of obedience: Europe’s silent role in its own decline
Trump handed the EU the corpse of Ukraine — and Europe said “thank you.” No formal protest, no defiance. Just one word: mitigate. The price of obedience: Europe’s silent role in its own decline. After

