
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

Teenage volunteer firefighter charged with arson in Western Sydney – faces multiple serious offences
A shocking case has emerged in New South Wales, where a 17-year-old volunteer firefighter has been charged with deliberately lighting bushfires across western Sydney. The teenager was arrested early Wednesday in the Lower Blue Mountains

ATO 2024/25 Tax Deadline: What Australians must do before October 31 to avoid penalties
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is reminding taxpayers that the deadline for filing 2024-2025 tax returns is Friday, October 31, 2025. Australians who miss the date could face penalties and fines, officials have warned. When

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.

RBA warns of rising global risks: Overvalued markets, cyber threats, and China’s slowdown
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), in its semi-annual Financial Stability Review, has warned that global financial risks are not easing — in fact, they are rising — as uncertainty continues to cloud the economic

Australia’s opposition demands strong support for BHP in China dispute
Australia’s opposition is urging the Albanese government to actively intervene as BHP faces a reported freeze on iron ore shipments to China following stalled price negotiations. Opposition finance spokesman James Paterson criticized the government’s “hands-off”

‘Mushroom Murderer’ Erin Patterson to lodge appeal against convictions
Erin Patterson, infamously known as the “mushroom murderer,” is preparing to appeal her convictions for three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The Victorian Supreme Court has granted her an additional 28

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.

Cosco-led Piraeus Port Authority submits revised master plan; worth 800 mln€
A revised master plan by the Cosco-managed Piraeus Port Authority was tabled on Friday for review by a shipping ministry ports committee in the coming period. The revised master plan, which according to the port

Mitsotakis to Observer: Athens will ask for loaning of Parthenon Marbles amid 2021 series of events
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referred to the “loaning” of the Parthenon Marbles – 14 friezes or metopes – from the British Museum in London to Greece on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of

Greek state collects 1.138 bln€ with 26-week T-bills issue; yield at 0.15%
Demand for a new tranche of 26-week T-bills was slightly down on Wednesday, compared to similar issues over the past few months, with an auction of 875 million euros of paper attracting bids of 1.536

Teenager killed in horrific accident at Greek amusement park
A 14-year-old girl was killed on Friday at a horrific accident in an amusement park near the Greek sea-side city of Volos. The accident happened at the town of Almyros when the teenager fell from

Yiannis Tsarouchis
The years after the First World War had a tremendous political, social and cultural impact on Greece. The end of the war coupled with the Asia Minor Tragedy almost brought Greece to its knees financially

Greek shipping fleet’s transport capacity more than doubles since 2008; global first place retained
The transport capacity of the Greek-controlled fleet multiplied over the 2007-2018 period, according to the Union of Greek Shipowners, which noted that the fleet increased from 170 million dwt to more than 389.68 million dwt

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

Bombings, demolitions, and displacements: Gaza hit relentlessly by Israel
The situation in the Gaza Strip is worsening dramatically as Israel continues intense airstrikes and ground operations, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis. Dozens of Palestinians are being killed daily, while hundreds of thousands are being

Australia to recognise Palestine: Albanese calls for peace and security
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state during this week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, joining the UK, Canada and several European nations in a move he

New Russian provocation in the Baltic – Trump warns of “big problems” as NATO remains on full alert
A new violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian MiG fighter jets has triggered a major diplomatic crisis and heightened tensions across the Baltic region. According to Estonia’s foreign ministry, the jets entered Estonian airspace

NATO on high alert after Putin’s provocations – Emergency council meeting next week
The West has gone on high alert following a series of new Russian provocations that escalated tensions in the Baltic region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised the Alliance’s “swift and decisive response,” noting he held

Erdogan–Trump: Secret talks, upgraded contacts, and growing concerns for Greece
The revelation of a surprise meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Donald Trump Jr. in Istanbul—combined with the upcoming official Erdoğan–Trump meeting at the White House on September 25—has sent shockwaves through regional diplomacy and

UN: Overwhelming approval for Palestinian participation – A strong signal amid geopolitical tensions
On Friday (September 19), the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly approved—by 145 votes in favor, only 5 against, and 6 abstentions—a resolution granting Palestine participation rights in the proceedings of the 80th Session as a

