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.
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
Meeting between Trump and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
In a significant diplomatic encounter, United States President Donald Trump met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the United Nations headquarters in New York. During the meeting, Guterres welcomed Trump and acknowledged the longstanding and
Albanese brushes off concerns before Trump meeting – White House summit set for October 20
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on October 20, brushing aside questions about the deep political differences between the two leaders. Speaking to
Mitsotakis–Erdogan meeting in New York likely to be cancelled – “Extremely difficult,” Greek government sources say
The scheduled meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York appears to be heading toward cancellation. According to a senior government source, holding the meeting now seems
Trump “fires shots” at UN and EU: Tough stance on Putin and fierce criticism on migration and climate
In a speech that caused a stir, Donald Trump fully exploited the podium of the UN General Assembly in New York, turning his address into political theatre. For nearly an hour, the American president attacked
Australia, UK and Canada recognise Palestinian statehood in historic shift – Netanyahu furious
Australia has taken a historic step, joining Britain and Canada in formally recognising an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. The move, announced late Sunday (Sept 22), marks a major break from decades of Western policy
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
