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
Anthony Albanese invites UAE retail giant LuLu to Australia
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown keen interest in the international retail chain LuLu Hypermarket, inviting Indian billionaire MA Yusuff Ali to consider expanding the company into Australia. The invitation came during the Prime
US gives green light to AUKUS ahead of Albanese’s visit to Washington
Australia’s largest-ever defence agreement, AUKUS, appears to have successfully passed a US government review, paving the way for its continuation ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Washington next month. The review began in
Federal government’s 5% First Home Deposit Scheme launches tomorrow – concerns over rising prices
Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, October 1, the federal government’s new First Home Buyer Scheme will officially begin, allowing Australians to enter the housing market with just a 5% deposit. The remaining portion will be guaranteed by
Australia cuts deficit by $18 billion through strong labour market and fiscal restraint
The Albanese government has reported a major improvement in Australia’s finances, with the federal budget deficit slashed by $18 billion — a result of robust employment growth, higher wages, and careful spending control. Treasurer Jim
Albanese government launches new agency to prevent defence and veteran suicides
One year after the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide delivered its landmark report, the Albanese government has established Australia’s first independent agency dedicated to preventing suicides among current and former members of the
Australia’s social media age laws praised as ‘world-leading’ at UN
Australia has taken centre stage on the global arena after passing landmark legislation raising the minimum age for social media use from 13 to 16. The reforms, unveiled at the United Nations in New York,
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.
50% of waste in Greece’s seas consists of plastic bags & bottles, aluminum cans
Fifty percent of waste found into Greek seas are plastic bags, plastic bottles and aluminum cans for beer and soft drinks, Professor Giorgos Papatheodorou of the Marine Geology and Natural Oceanography Laboratory at Patras University
Speculation of price hikes for Greeks’ beloved souvlaki/gyros causes outcry, social media frenzy
The recent international rally in meat prices, emanating from the devastating effects of African swine fever disease in China – the world’s biggest producer and consumer of pork – has touched a “raw nerve” in
More than 300,000 ancient treasures unearthed during metro digging in Thessaloniki
Metro digging in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, has unearthed an extraordinary treasure trove of more than 300,000 ancient artefacts, from gold wreaths and rings to statues of the goddess Aphrodite. The construction of a metro network
Ancient Greek migrants built the famous Stonehenge, DNA reveals
Britons who built the famous Stonehenge were product of ancient wave of migrant farmers, that is of Greeks from Asia Minor, DNA tests have revealed. Ancient skeletons have revealed that the arrival of population from
First two PPC orders for LNG approved for July
State-run Public Power Corp. (PPC) is ready to place its first-ever orders for liquefied natural gas (LNG) over the summer from the Revythoussa isle terminal off Piraeus, a move aimed to reduce power generation costs.
Bill protecting unlicensed buildings on beaches revised
A controversial draft bill that has been widely criticized as giving the green light to illegal construction on the country’s coasts has been revised by the government and resubmitted to Parliament. The bill that was
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
SIPRI reports record arms sales in 2024
Global arms sales hit record $679 billion amid ongoing conflicts The world’s top 100 arms manufacturers reached record revenues in 2024, totaling $679 billion (€586 billion), marking a 5.9% increase compared to the previous year,
US fighter jets patrol international airspace around Venezuela, WSJ reports
US fighter jets have been conducting near-continuous patrols in international airspace surrounding Venezuela amid sharply escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Saturday. The development comes shortly
Global Airbus warning grounds Jetstar A320 flights, causes widespread travel disruption
A major global aviation alert has triggered significant travel chaos, with Jetstar confirming that several of its Airbus A320 aircraft are currently unable to depart due to a critical software issue affecting thousands of jets
Israel breaks up Turkish-linked network smuggling arms and funds to West Bank
Israel breaks up Turkish-linked network smuggling arms and funds to West Bank, uncovering what officials describe as one of the most significant counter-terrorism operations of 2025. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police
Cyprus calls on Turkey to negotiate maritime boundaries under UNCLOS
Cyprus Calls on Turkey to negotiate maritime boundaries under UNCLOS, with President Nikos Christodoulides extending an open invitation to Ankara to sit down with the Republic of Cyprus and engage in direct talks on defining
EU delivers landmark decision: Digital platforms to be held liable for online fraud under sweeping new rules
The European Union has reached a historic agreement introducing strict new obligations for digital platforms, social media companies and banks, making them jointly responsible for combating the rapid rise of online fraud. After eight hours
