
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

Australia steps up Pacific leadership amid rising Chinese influence
Australia is strengthening its role as a key security and development partner in the Pacific, as tensions mount following Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jnr’s warning that “we are already at war” with China. Prime Minister

Liberal Party turmoil as Jacinta Nampijinpa Price dumped from Coalition frontbench
In a dramatic and controversial move, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has sacked Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the Coalition frontbench, sparking turmoil within the Liberal Party. The decision followed Price’s refusal to apologise for remarks

NAB announces 410 job cuts following ANZ’s mass redundancies
Australia’s banking sector is reeling after National Australia Bank (NAB) revealed it will slash 410 jobs in its technology and enterprise division, just one day after ANZ announced it would axe 3,500 roles. The NAB

Australian travellers remain safe following deadly attacks in Doha – experts reassure
Following recent deadly air strikes in Doha, Qatar, Australian travellers have not experienced flight cancellations or major disruptions. Hamad International Airport continues to operate normally, serving flights to and from Australia. Airlines are avoiding airspace

ALDI enters Australia’s residential solar market
German discount supermarket chain ALDI, well known for its low-cost strategy and streamlined shopping experience, is now venturing beyond groceries into the residential solar energy market in Australia. Starting Wednesday, households in New South Wales,

Australia condemns Israeli strike in Doha – global repercussions
Israel’s airstrike in the Qatari capital, Doha, targeting senior Hamas officials, has triggered strong international backlash. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the move as “wrong” and a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, warning that it

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.

Mothers in Greece Mark World Breastfeeding Week
Hundreds of mothers breastfed their infants in public places in major cities across Greece on Sunday to mark World Breastfeeding Week celebrated throughout the globe. Mothers in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra, Argos, Nafplio, Messolonghi Nafpaktos and

Albanian journalist says Albania’s PM Rama gave the go-ahead to kill Katsifas
The Albanian Prime Minister’s office gave the go-ahead to kill 35-year-old Greek man Konstantinos Katsifas, with the approval of Turkey, said Albanian journalist Kastriot Miftairi on mainstream television. The execution of Katsifas has cast a

Albanian Police kill Greek who raised Greece’s flag in Northern Epirus
A 35-year-old Greek, named Konstantinos Katsifas, was shot dead by the Albanian special forces near the village Bularat (Vouliarates) in Albania’s northern Epirus region, 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the Greek-Albanian border. According to Albania’s

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

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

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

