
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

Statement from the Premier
This week I had another round of scans and a meeting with my care team at the Alfred and got some good news. The broken vertebra has almost fully healed and they’re letting me take

What is the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine? Will it be available in Australia soon? And does it use mRNA?
Source: abcnews The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine has been found to have more than 90 per cent efficacy, paving the way for it to be available later this year in Australia. The successful results from the phase 3

‘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,

Trans-Tasman travel bubble: The big difference between Australia and New Zealand
Stepping foot on-board one of the trans-Tasman bubble flights was a cause for celebration. But the surprise came on the journey home. A year in the making, it was the flight Australia was itching for.

Qantas sticks to international travel plan despite COVID vaccine delay
Despite the majority of Australians unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 until next year, Qantas is holding firm on their plan to fly overseas by October 31. Australia had been aiming to open its international

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 blocks Turkey’s bid to join SAFE: “We will not accept a country threatening with war”
The Greek government has issued a firm warning that it will block Turkey’s bid to join SAFE, the EU’s new defense shield and military technology development program. Ankara’s move is viewed in Athens as “offensive

Heart surgeon Dimitris Lymberiadis, who faces new bribery trial, has past conviction
Dimitris Lymberiadis, director of the Cardiac Surgery Clinic at Hippocrates Hospital, is set to face trial this Friday, September 12, for alleged bribery. The doctor has a previous conviction for taking bribes, having received a

“Kimon” to arrive soon in Phaleron Bay – Greece receives first Belharra frigate
In a landmark announcement, Greece’s Defence Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed that the country’s first Belharra-class frigate, named Kimon, will arrive in Phaleron Bay within the coming weeks. The vessel marks a decisive step in modernising

Strengthened dialogue between State and Church in Mitsotakis – Ieronymos meeting
The meeting held on Monday morning (8/9) between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos, at the Maximou Mansion, once again highlighted the close cooperation between the State and the

Earthquake of magnitude 5.2 strikes Evia, felt strongly in Athens
A powerful earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale shook the island of Evia at 12:27 a.m. yesterday, local time, sending tremors across Attica and particularly the northern suburbs of Athens. According to the Geodynamic

New audio reveals 2nd conversation between Panos Kammenos and alleged Cretan Mafia leader – Mentions Trump and Surveillance
Shocking new details have emerged regarding former Defense Minister Panos Kammenos’s interactions with the alleged head of the Cretan mafia. A second audio recording, legally intercepted by the Hellenic Police, reveals the former minister’s involvement

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

