
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

Inflation shock crushes hopes for RBA Melbourne Cup Day rate cut
Melbourne mortgage holders have been dealt a blow after new inflation data released today revealed a higher-than-expected surge in prices, effectively ending speculation about a potential Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rate cut on Melbourne

Australia faces growing crisis as problem gambling hits record levels
A new study by Roy Morgan has revealed that nearly 3.5 million Australians identify as either problem or at-risk gamblers, highlighting a growing social and financial crisis. Of these, 622,000 people are classified as problem

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party rebrands amid rising support and Joyce speculation
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party is undergoing a significant rebranding, with Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson announcing that the party will drop her name from its official title, becoming simply One Nation. The move comes amid

Scammers now targeting Australian children: one in five families affected
Almost one-and-a-half million Australian children have fallen victim to scams over the past two years, according to alarming new research from Finder. The survey reveals that one in five parents said their child was scammed

Japan urges Albanese at ASEAN to lead regional push against China
Japan’s first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has called on Anthony Albanese to “spearhead efforts” for a free and open Indo-Pacific, urging closer Japan–Australia leadership in response to China’s growing assertiveness in the region. During

RBA Governor Michele Bullock: “Stamp duty is stifling Australia’s economic mobility”
Australia’s Reserve Bank Governor, Michele Bullock, has identified stamp duty as one of the greatest structural barriers preventing the nation from solving its housing and labour market challenges. Speaking at the Daily Telegraph’s Future Sydney

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.

Golden Dawn ballots destroyed with antiseptic by unknown perpetrators
Unknown perpetrators have destroyed the whole load of municipality elections ballots of the far-right party Golden Dawn in the suburb of Kallithea, south Athens. The perpetrators used antiseptic Bedatine that soaked into the 92,000 ballot

The dilemma of the elections
This year European Parliament and local elections are neither simple nor commonplace. Their crucial nature is patently obvious. They are considered and indeed are a dress rehearsal for the upcoming parliamentary election, which has not

Lanterns to commemorate 100 years from the Pontic Greeks Genocide
Pontic Greeks in Thessaloniki let 100 lanterns high into the night sky in order to commemorate the Genocide of Pontic Greeks first by the Young Turks and then by Kemalist forces. May 19th commemorates the

Greece refutes Turkish claims on status of Aegean Islands
The Greek foreign ministry late on Sunday strongly refuted a claim by its Turkish counterpart that Greece does not respect the demilitarized status of the islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. Earlier Sunday, Turkish Foreign

Historic decision made to rebuild Part of the Parthenon
The Greek Central Archaeological Council (KAS) decided on Wednesday that a part of the Parthenon, now in ruins on the Athens Acropolis, is to be rebuilt using mostly materials which are now lying on the

Venezuela – another failed coup attempt – What’s next?
In the early morning hours of 30 April, 2019, the self-declare “Interim President”, Juan Guaidó, launched what at first sight appeared to be a military coup – Guaidó calls it “Operation Freedom” (sounds very much

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

Earthquake disaster in the Philippines: 6.9 magnitude quake kills 72, destroys buildings and bridges
A devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Cebu in the Philippines on Tuesday, September 30, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief. Officials confirmed at least 72 dead and 294 injured, as

Why Greece refuses to send Mirage Jets to Ukraine – NATO and EU pressures mount over Turkey’s role in European defence
Greece is facing mounting diplomatic pressure from NATO allies to increase its military assistance to Ukraine, with the focus now shifting to the possible transfer of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets — a move Athens firmly

Lord William Hague praises Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, criticises Albanese government over Palestinian recognition
Oxford University Chancellor Lord William Hague has praised Australia’s “bold and responsible” move to ban social media for children under 16, calling it a landmark step in protecting young people’s mental health and civic integrity.

Israel intercepts Greek ship “Oxygono” as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza
Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, which had set sail to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, detaining dozens of activists, including internationally renowned Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The Greek ship

Copenhagen: Greece emphasizes protection of Europe’s southern borders amid Russian threats
The informal EU Summit in Copenhagen, hosted by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and chaired by European Council President António Costa, focused on strengthening European defense and supporting Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian

Australian activists claim to have “outsmarted” Israeli military as aid flotilla nears Gaza
A group of Australian activists on board an aid flotilla bound for Gaza claim they have “outsmarted” Israeli forces and are still on course to reach the besieged Palestinian enclave. Australian filmmaker Juliet Lamont posted

