
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.

Revolution! Modern art exhibition at the archaeological site of Delos
An unprecedented exhibition by British sculptor Antony Gormley at the archaeological site of Delos. 29 iron “bodyforms” have been scattered among the ancient columns and stones of what it once was the holy sanctuary for

Crafting a regional policy to contain Erdoğan
Turkey poses a long-term threat to the security of the Middle East. Containing Neo-Ottomanism requires a defensive policy that integrates Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and theKurds into a regional alliance. A new era has dawned in

Micro-brewery sector in Greece surging on back of global beer trend
A burgeoning presence but limited profits are, in general terms, the main characteristics of the micro-brewing sector in Greece so far, although forecasts continue to be very bright – as Greek consumers are following a

Five suitors in next phase of IGB pipeline tender
Five consortia have been approved for the next phase of an international tender to build the Greece – Bulgaria (IGB) gas inter-connector pipeline between the Greek and Bulgarian natural gas grids, a project worth 145

Paralysis
With less than one month to go before the European Parliament election, the difficult situation in which Prime Minister Alexis finds himself is constantly worsening. With the cards stacked against them, none of the initiatives

Ancient Greek shipwreck now open to divers
A remarkably preserved shipwreck on the northern coast of the Greek island Aloneissos has become a remarkable new underwater museum. The ship has played a major role in the way archeologists understand the art of

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

