
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

NSW to roll out digital birth certificates for young people aged 16–21
Young people in New South Wales will soon be able to access a digital birth certificate on their mobile phone for the first time, as part of a major step towards modernising identity documents across

Half of Australia’s students missing a month of school as fears about the future surge
A landmark national report has revealed an alarming shift inside Australia’s classrooms, with more than half of government secondary students missing at least a month of school each year. The first State of Australia’s Children

Major student debt relief begins for three million Australians as Albanese government rolls out $16bn initiative
A sweeping cost-of-living boost has begun reaching millions of Australians, with the Albanese government activating its long-promised plan to cut student debt for roughly three million people. The $16 billion initiative—legislated in July—will be implemented

Australian home prices poised to break all records in 2026
Australia’s housing market is set to enter unprecedented territory, with both house and unit prices in every capital city projected to hit new all-time highs by the end of 2026, according to Domain’s Forecast Report

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

Greece expands tourism footprint with new GNTO (EOT) office opening in Melbourne, Australia
Greece has taken a significant step toward strengthening its presence in the Australian tourism market with the official launch of a new Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) office in Melbourne. The office, housed within 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.

UK’s Travel Warning for Greece: Capital controls, alcohol and mosquitoes
The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel warnings for popular British tourists destination. The list concerns more than 200 countries and territories, among them European countries like Greece, Spain and France. The information covers

Employers deny permission to four employees to join Uni entrance exams
Employers have denied permission to four employees, students at the Evening Highschool of Chania, to participate in the general exams for university entrance. The employers did not change the students’ shift in order to facilitate

Ioannina set to elect first Greek-Jewish mayor in country’s post-WWII era
The first Jewish mayor of a municipality in Greece in the post-war period was elected on Sunday, as medical professor Moses Elisaf won a hotly contested race by a razor-thin margin in the northwest lake-side

Greek Island installs lending libraries on its beaches
A group of islanders from Kimolos, located in the southwest of the island group the Cyclades, have installed free lending libraries at all the major beaches of the island to make tourists’ stays even more

The island of Serifos presents “the first smoke-free beach” in Greece
A paradise on Greece’s earth for non-smokers. The first smoke-free beach is here on the island of Serifos in the Cyclades. The pilot program starts this summer in cooperation of local authorities and the Laskaridis

Uncovering Ancient “First Drafts” on Greek Ceramics
The complex and finely painted images on ancient Greek ceramics might appear to us as being effortlessly made, but even the most skilled Athenian vase painters didn’t just wing it. Underneath the brush strokes are

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

