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
One Nation support surges to record high as Joyce defection and Hanson stunt polarise voters
One Nation has reached the highest level of national support in its history, according to new polling that shows the party surging on the back of Barnaby Joyce’s dramatic defection and renewed controversy surrounding Pauline
Australia’s under-16 social media ban takes effect as major platforms begin lockouts
Australia’s world-first social media ban for children under 16 officially came into force today, triggering sweeping changes across the country’s largest digital platforms and reshaping the online habits of millions of young Australians. The federal
Hanson-Young’s Bluesfest trip adds pressure to overhaul MPs’ family travel rules
Taxpayer-funded travel entitlements for federal politicians have again come under scrutiny, after it was revealed that Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young billed almost $3000 to attend Byron Bay’s Bluesfest alongside a family member. According to travel
Cost of Australia’s power grid overhaul rises to $128 Billion
Australia’s transition to a predominantly renewable electricity system is expected to cost significantly more than previously forecast, with the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) new draft Integrated System Plan revealing a revised estimate of $128
Barnaby Joyce defects to One Nation, triggering major political upheaval
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has formally defected to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, ending months of speculation and setting off one of the most significant realignments in federal politics this term. Standing alongside Hanson
Deported neo-Nazi protester arrives in South Africa after visa cancellation
A South African national who took part in a widely condemned neo-Nazi demonstration in Sydney has arrived back in Johannesburg after being deported by Australian authorities. Matthew Gruter, 35, was removed from the country following
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.
Tax breaks
During the years of the crisis Greek citizens shouldered a huge tax burden. Those who did not have the means to hide their incomes – salaried employees and pensioners – bore the bulk of the
Greece resumes migrants deportations to Turkey
Greece says it is restarting deportations of migrants to Turkey in an effort to deal with the increasing number of illegal crossings in recent weeks, the Associated Press reported on Friday. The number of migrants
France to briefly return Parthenon metope to Greece on occasion of 2021 events
France will reportedly loan a frieze from the Parthenon, displayed today at the Louvre, to Greece on the occasion of events and comme-morations in 2021, the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War
Samos: Tourists and locals evacuated as forest fire is ranging
A big forest fire is raging on the island of Samos and authorities have ordered the evacuation of two hotels as well residents of the area of Mesokampos near Pythagorio. The fire broke out in
Unaccompanied teen migrant accused of fatally stabbing compatriot at Lesvos ‘hotspot’
A minor from Afghanistan, reported as being roughly 15-years-old, was arrested at a “hotspot” on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos (Mytilene) overnight after he allegedly fatally stabbed a compatriot, also identified as a teenager.
First corporate-business tax cut ‘fixed’, according to Greek PM Mitsotakis
Another highlight from Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ wide-ranging interview to “Le Figaro” this week was an announcement that the first reduction in the corporate tax rate, from 28 to 24 percent, for 2019 profits has
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
Australia concedes defeat in high-stakes battle to host COP31, handing victory to Turkey
Australia is preparing to concede defeat in its bid to host next year’s major United Nations climate summit, COP31, despite months of lobbying, millions of dollars in preparatory work, and strong public advocacy from senior
Erdogan rejects President Trump’s request to halt imports of Russian gas
The Turkish presidency has dismissed as misinformation claims circulating in some domestic media that “Turkey will halt purchases of Russian natural gas because it has signed an LNG agreement with the United States, and that
Dendias’ stark message on war casualties alarms Europe
A storm has erupted in recent days over Defence Minister Nikos Dendias’ deeply unsettling comments about a supposed shift in Europe’s “culture of sacrifice”. Dendias’ stark message on war casualties alarms Europe and Greece. In
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledges $1 trillion investment to Trump, open to recognizing Israel
Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, promising investments worth $1 trillion in the United States. The unprecedented pledge
Hamas rejects UN Security Council approval of Trump plan for Gaza Force
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has rejected a United Nations Security Council decision endorsing a plan by former U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing that it violates Palestinian rights and imposes international trusteeship over the Gaza
Netanyahu condemns West Bank settler violence: “A handful of extremists do not represent us”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly condemned recent violence carried out by a “handful of extremists” among settlers in the occupied West Bank, stressing that they do not represent the broader settler community. The
