
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

Sydney tragedy: Greek-Australian surfer Mercury Psillakis killed in shark attack
The Greek-Australian community is mourning the tragic death of 57-year-old surfer Mercury Psillakis, who was killed in a shark attack at Dee Why on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The well-known ομογενής, a passionate surfer and respected

Albanese holds fourth call with Trump without confirmation of in-person talks
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has marked his fourth phone call with US President Donald Trump since the Republican’s re-election, describing the conversation as “warm and constructive.” Yet, despite repeated contact, there is still no

Rare ‘Blood Moon’ to illuminate Australian skies on Monday
Millions of Australians will be treated to a rare celestial spectacle in the early hours of Monday, 8 September, when a striking “blood moon” is set to appear. The phenomenon, known scientifically as a total

Flag row erupts in Australian Senate as politics clash over national emblem
A heated political dispute erupted in Australia’s Senate after the national flag became the centre of attention. Coalition Senator Jacinta Price wrapped herself in the Australian flag during her speech to mark National Flag Day. Soon

Australia: Support for Religion in Public Schools Collapses
Support for religious education in Australia’s government schools has reached a historic low, according to new polling that shows a dramatic collapse over the past quarter century. The Roy Morgan survey found Australians evenly divided

Backlash over Daniel Andrews attending Beijing’s military parade
Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has sparked controversy in Australia after being warmly greeted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at Beijing’s massive military parade marking 80 years since the end of World War II. The

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.
Thessaloniki: Protesters against name deal target President Pavlopoulos
About 250 protesters, have gathered outside Thessaloniki’s Music Hall to protest against the deal which will rename Greece’s northern neighbor “North Macedonia”. The protest is being staged on the occasion of the visit of Greek

FYROM’s name change deal may be an achievement for the E.U., but undemocratic
After the disintegration of Yugoslavia in 1991, Greece’s northern neighbor stole the Greek name “Macedonia”—but Athens refused to recognize it, saying it gave legitimacy to territorial, historical, and ethnic claims over the millenial old northern

Costas Karamanlis on Prespa agreement: ND’s criticism ‘powerful and fully documented’
Former Greek prime minister Costas Karamanlis (2004-2009) on Thursday removed any doubts over his stance regarding the contentious Prespa agreement, which comes up for ratification in Greece’s Parliament later in the evening. Karamanlis and his

Greece one of least prepared Countries in EU for electric cars
Netherlands-based automobile leasing and fleet management company, LeasePlan, says that Greece is one of the least prepared countries in Europe to welcome the use of electric cars. This is greatly due to the fact that

EU Parliament groups nominate Tsipras and Zaev for Nobel peace prize 2019
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev have been nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize by the leader of the EU parliament Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group Udo Bullmann,

Greek parliament ratifies Prespes agreement with 153 YES
The Greek Parliament ratified the historical Prespes Agreement with 153 YES. The majority was achieved with 145 SYRIZA votes as well as with the votes of ministers Kountoura (ex ANEL) and Papakosta (independent), two votes

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

Pipeline Wars Revisited
Pipeline wars are often overlooked in the scheme of things, where pipelines represent competing national interests of a purely economic sort, beyond the usual political rhetoric surrounding ideology and demagoguery. Because a gas pipeline transports

Cyprus repays remainder of Russian loan, two years early
Cyprus’ finance minister said on Monday that the country has repaid ahead of schedule the remaining 1.58 billion euros ($1.73 billion) of a 2.5 billion euro ($2.74 billion) loan it received from Russia in 2011

What is going on in Libya?
Libya is now ruled by the Government of National Accord (GNA). The GNA is recognized by the UN and holds Tripoli but little else. The situation is immensely complex and forever in flux. For eight

US slaps new tariffs on China; One minute later China retaliates
The biggest reason for last week’s torrid stock market rally was rekindled “optimism” that the escalating trade war between the US and China may be on the verge of another ceasefire following phone conversations, fake

Turkey sending fourth energy drill ship into Cyprus’ waters for oil exploration
Turkey has sent its fourth drilling ship to the eastern Mediterranean waters to participate in the exploration for natural gas and oil within the Cypriot maritime economic zones, defying European and international warnings. The Ministry

US demands that Turkey should cease all activity in Cyprus waters
The US State Department has called on the Turkish authorities to remove its drilling vessels from the territorial waters around Cyprus and to cease immediately any “unlawful activities”. The demand comes as Turkey has established

