
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

Rare glimpse into the life of an Aussie lotto winner
A former disability worker has offered up a rare glimpse into life after a $40 million lotto win. This is how he spent it. A North Queensland man has offered a rare glimpse into the

Musk’s SpaceX causes Qantas delays
Qantas has been forced to delay several of its flights to South Africa at the last minute due to warnings of falling debris from Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets reentering earth. Ben Holland, head of Qantas’

Court annuls marriage after Melbourne bride thought wedding was ‘sham’ to boost groom’s Instagram
Judge finds woman ‘believed she was acting in a social media event’ rather than official ceremony A Melbourne couple’s marriage has been annulled after the bride told a court she had thought their wedding was

Demolished history: Developer accidentally tears down the birthplace of AC/DC
A developer in Australia has come under fire for accidentally demolishing the house where legendary rock band AC/DC was formed. The site, located at 4 Burleigh Street in the Sydney suburb of Burwood, was a

Inflation rises above forecast as grocery spending soars
New inflation figures show an increase in the 12 months to November, after it previously fell to its lowest level in three years. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the consumer price index lifted to

Liberal crisis deepens as Pesutto reverses course on Moira Deeming’s readmission
The Victorian Liberal Party is embroiled in turmoil as opposition leader John Pesutto faces mounting pressure. The Liberal crisis deepens as Pesutto reverses course on Moira Deeming’s readmission, evident both from within his ranks and

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.

Athens fires back at Ankara over East Med dispute: “Turkey cannot lecture others on International Law”
Greece has issued a stern diplomatic response to fresh accusations from Turkey regarding its stance on the controversial Turkey-Libya maritime agreement. The Greek Foreign Ministry, through diplomatic sources, denounced Turkey’s latest comments as “incompatible with

Mitsotakis pushes for EU action on Libya migration route and defence funding
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking after the conclusion of the EU Summit, called for urgent action to address a new irregular migration route emerging from Eastern Libya to Crete. “We will use every means

Karamanlis Inquiry: Fast-tracked parliamentary probe sparks political backlash
The Hellenic Parliament’s special inquiry committee into former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis opened its first session today under accusations of political orchestration, as the government appears determined to fast-track the process surrounding the deadly Tempi

Wildfire disaster in Chios: Tens of thousands of acres burned as blaze continues to rage
Chios is currently experiencing one of the most severe environmental disasters in recent Greek history. For the third consecutive day, an uncontrollable wildfire has scorched vast swathes of the island, with more than 30,000 hectares

Tensions flare with Libya over offshore licensing south of Crete
An unexpected complication has emerged ahead of Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis’ planned visit to Libya, where he was due to hold meetings in both Tripoli and Benghazi. Tensions flare with Libya over offshore licensing

Petro-Loukas Chalkias: The great clarinet virtuoso dies at the age of 90
Petro-Loukas Chalkias was the patriarch of the Epirus clarinet, an authentic representative of the musical soul of Epirus, who honoured his homeland and Greece as a whole with his career and artistry. Through his unique

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

Trump extends “olive branch” to Mamdani after New York election victory
Just weeks after dismissing Zohran Mamdani as “the communist running for mayor” and warning he might cut funding or even leave New York if Mamdani won, President Donald Trump has dramatically shifted his tone, offering

Diplomatic flurry in Paris as Barrot holds talks with European ministers on Ukraine and the Trump Plan
Paris is entering a phase of heightened diplomatic activity as European governments attempt to navigate growing pressure over the war in Ukraine and the controversial peace proposal put forward by Washington. France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël

Guardian: Ukraine peace plan appears to be a direct translation from Russian
Growing criticism surrounds a proposed 28-point peace plan for the war in Ukraine, with many observers arguing that the document reflects the strategic interests—and even the linguistic fingerprints—of the Kremlin. According to The Guardian, a

Trump’s “Peace Plan” branded a fantasy as critics warn Russia will only accept battlefield reality
A Ukrainian lawmaker has published what he claims is the Ukrainian translation of US President Donald Trump’s proposed 28-point peace plan — a document that, if genuine, outlines sweeping security, territorial and military conditions for

The Norwegian energy success story and what Greece can learn
As part of my ongoing analysis on NewsBreaks artilce regarding energy policy and national resource management, Michalis Christodoulides examine here how Norway transformed its hydrocarbon reserves into a long-term national advantage — and what lessons

Michael Rubin issues stinging indictment of Turkish human rights abuses
Michael Rubin — a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and one of Washington’s most experienced analysts on Turkey and the broader Middle East — has published a blistering commentary accusing Ankara of systemic

