
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

Australia’s Digital ID Bill was swiftly passed through the Senate, sparking an outcry over the lack of debate
The government-backed digital identity scheme, known as the ‘Digital ID Bill 2023’, was rushed through the Senate without thorough discussion, prompting criticism over its hurried implementation. This legislation lays the groundwork for a comprehensive digital

Airports brace for busiest day of the year as Easter travel kicks off
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to jam airport queues and crowd roads today ahead of the long Easter weekend. More than 200,000 people are expected to pass through Sydney and Melbourne airports in

Sally Capp to step down as Lord Mayor of Melbourne
Sally Capp has announced she will step down as Lord Mayor of Melbourne after six years in the role. Capp, who was elected in 2018, announced this morning “with mixed emotions” that she would not

Melbourne and Sydney record surge in population
Both Melbourne and Sydney have seen a surge in population growth, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The biggest increase was seen in Melbourne, which jumped by 167,500 people in

Inflation holds steady at 3.4 per cent
Inflation has held stable at 3.4 per cent for the third month in a row, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Inflation in the 12 months to February was driven by increases

One in 20 mortgage holders spend more than they earn, says new RBA report
A new Reserve Bank report reveals a worrying trend in Australia, with one in 20 mortgage holders spending more money than they earn. What’s more, tens of thousands of households are at risk of running

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

Australian activists claim to have “outsmarted” Israeli military as aid flotilla nears Gaza
A group of Australian activists on board an aid flotilla bound for Gaza claim they have “outsmarted” Israeli forces and are still on course to reach the besieged Palestinian enclave. Australian filmmaker Juliet Lamont posted

Australia’s opposition demands strong support for BHP in China dispute
Australia’s opposition is urging the Albanese government to actively intervene as BHP faces a reported freeze on iron ore shipments to China following stalled price negotiations. Opposition finance spokesman James Paterson criticized the government’s “hands-off”

Zelensky warns of nuclear risk after Russian drone strike near Chernobyl causes power outage at decommissioned plant
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of recklessly endangering global safety after a wave of drone strikes caused a three-hour power outage at the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear facility, site of the world’s worst nuclear

Three Hamas members arrested in Germany
Planned terror attacks against Jewish institutions – weapons seized during raid German authorities have arrested three men suspected of being members of Hamas, accused of plotting terror attacks on Jewish and Israeli institutions across Germany.

EU leaders approve pan-European anti-drone shield
“Frozen” Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defence – Strategic readiness by 2030 European Union leaders have agreed to create a pan-European anti-drone shield, aiming to protect the continent from Russia’s growing use of unmanned aerial

Israeli commandos raid Gaza Aid Flotilla – Greta Thunberg detained amid communications blackout
A dramatic maritime confrontation unfolded late Wednesday when Israeli naval forces intercepted multiple vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla, a pro-Palestinian convoy sailing towards Gaza to break the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid. According to

