
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

‘Jewish Artists for Palestine’ disrupt Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall
A group called Jewish Artists for Palestine disrupted the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in London, protesting against “Zionist funding, censorship,” and the treatment of Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham. The interruption occurred Friday night (Saturday AEST)

Wife of accused police killer Dezi Freeman, begs him surrender
Amalia Freeman, the wife of fugitive Dezi Freeman, has issued an emotional plea for her husband to surrender to police, five days after the deadly Porepunkah tragedy. In a statement delivered through her lawyer on

Manhunt for alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman continues – Two arrested in Porepunkah raid
Victoria Police are entering their fourth day in the hunt for alleged cop killer and self-proclaimed sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman, 56, after two officers were fatally shot and a third wounded during a raid at his property

Australia has banned 3 ‘forever chemicals’, Europe wants to ban all 14,000 – Why the precautionary approach makes sense
Australia has recently banned the import, use, and manufacture of three “forever chemicals”: PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS. These compounds persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms, and pose health risks. The World Health Organization

Diplomatic rift deepens: Expelled Iranian ambassador denounces Australia over “lies and baseless allegations”
Australia’s decision to expel Iran’s ambassador has triggered a diplomatic crisis, after the government accused Tehran of links to antisemitic attacks targeting Jewish communities. The envoy, who flew home earlier today, dismissed the accusations as

Brad Battin slams own MPs over Daniel Andrews ‘Stalin’ and ‘Nuremberg trial’ remarks
Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin has publicly lashed out at his own Liberal colleagues after two upper house MPs compared former Premier Daniel Andrews to Joseph Stalin and invoked the Nuremberg trials during a heated

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.

Plevris: Migration alone cannot solve Greece’s demographic challenge
Greece’s Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, emphasized in a recent interview with Ertnews that migration cannot be treated as a cure-all for the country’s demographic problems. Speaking on Monday evening, Plevris highlighted the

Mitsotakis in the Financial Times: Five golden rules for Europe’s green transition
The European Green Deal stands at a critical crossroads, with soaring energy prices and new geopolitical challenges threatening the EU’s strategy for climate neutrality. In an article for the Financial Times, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Finikounda murders: Athens businessman questioned for 4 hours over crucial phone call after double killing
The investigation into the shocking double murder in Finikounda has entered its main judicial phase, with key testimonies now being collected by the Kalamata investigating magistrate. On Saturday, a businessman from Athens — the employer

Athens plans multilateral conference with Turkey, Cyprus, Libya, and Egypt
Athens is preparing an ambitious diplomatic initiative aimed at fostering regional cooperation and dialogue among Eastern Mediterranean states. The Greek government plans to host a multilateral meeting involving Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, and Libya to discuss

Athens mayor Haris Doukas challenges PASOK leadership, calls for unity and dialogue with Tsipras’ party
A wave of political tension has rippled through the ranks of PASOK after Athens Mayor Haris Doukas voiced his discontent over the exclusion of several senior party figures from the party’s upcoming Congress committees, while

Opinion Poll: ND leads by 16.3 points – rising public discontent and political fluidity
A new Opinion Poll survey for October shows the New Democracy (ND) party maintaining a 16.3-point lead over PASOK, but with growing public dissatisfaction and a volatile political landscape. ND records 30.1% (-0.4%), PASOK 13.8%

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

Olympics, Return them to Greece
Holding the games in a different country every four years invites chaos, corruption, and redundant infrastructure. The great Australian journalist Murray Sayle famously said there were only two newspaper stories: “we name the guilty man”

Microsoft President Warns Orwell’s ‘1984’ Reality ‘Could Come to Pass’ in 2024 Without AI Controls
Since its release in 1949, George Orwell’s famous “1984” novel has become a classic literary example of political and dystopian science fiction, even going so far as coining the terms “thought police” and “doublethink,” among

Turkey, a global problem
Turkey has once again escaped the consequences of its actions, this time in Nagorno-Karabakh. It is probably today in the crosshairs of the Pentagon, which wishes to destroy it like all the other states in

British holidaymakers ‘to be given free coronavirus tests to take abroad’
UK travellers will reportedly be issued free coronavirus tests to take abroad under plans to make foreign holidays safer. Fast-turnaround tests will be made available for free to cut the hassle and expense of getting

‘Signal to the world’: Singapore ready and waiting for Australian travel bubble
Singapore’s so-called “Cruises to Nowhere” have been a big hit since being given the green light last November, with more than 120,000 passengers. “They’ve made something that sounds tacky actually quite fun and enjoyable,” said

Flights between India and Australia suspended until May 15
Flights to and from India into Australia have now been suspended, amid increasing concerns over the nation’s escalating COVID-19 situation. Flights to and from India into Australia have now been suspended, Scott Morrison has announced,

