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
Regular cannabis use now more accepted by Australians than smoking tobacco, study finds
Source: The Guardian Regular cannabis use has become more accepted than smoking tobacco, the latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) has found. The 2019 data, compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Telstra moves call centres back to Australia after customers made their preference ‘loud and clear’
Source: 9news Telstra has moved all its call centres that service Australian customers and small businesses back to Australian shores to appease its customers. Telstra CEO Andy Penn has announced the move today, saying it
Cybersafety expert’s alarm over Snapchat’s new precise location feature: ‘Literally shows where you sleep at night’
Source: 9news Sometimes it feels like a full-time job keeping our children safe from online predators. So the last thing we need is technology making the job even harder. But a new feature on the
NASA successfully launches its first rocket from newly created Arnhem Space Centre
Source: ABCnews NASA has successfully launched its first rocket from Australian soil in more than a quarter of a century. After rain and wind delayed the launch by more than an hour, the suborbital sounding rocket took
16 hours from Australia to Greece may become a reality with Qantas
Source: Greekcitytimes Qantas has launched direct flights between Australia and Europe with non-stop routes becoming available between Perth to Rome. The new route will be the only direct flight between Australia and continental Europe offered
Australia’s bulk billing clinics are not covered by Medicare subsidies, doctors say
Doctors warn that regional areas will soon be left with few bulk-billing practices if Medicare subsidies for general practitioners are not increased. An increasing number of practices in Australia have stopped using bulk billing in
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.
Plevris: Migration alone cannot solve Greece’s demographic challenge
Greece’s Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, emphasized in a recent interview with Ertnews that migration cannot be treated as a cure-all for the country’s demographic problems. Speaking on Monday evening, Plevris highlighted the
Mitsotakis in the Financial Times: Five golden rules for Europe’s green transition
The European Green Deal stands at a critical crossroads, with soaring energy prices and new geopolitical challenges threatening the EU’s strategy for climate neutrality. In an article for the Financial Times, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Finikounda murders: Athens businessman questioned for 4 hours over crucial phone call after double killing
The investigation into the shocking double murder in Finikounda has entered its main judicial phase, with key testimonies now being collected by the Kalamata investigating magistrate. On Saturday, a businessman from Athens — the employer
Athens plans multilateral conference with Turkey, Cyprus, Libya, and Egypt
Athens is preparing an ambitious diplomatic initiative aimed at fostering regional cooperation and dialogue among Eastern Mediterranean states. The Greek government plans to host a multilateral meeting involving Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, and Libya to discuss
Athens mayor Haris Doukas challenges PASOK leadership, calls for unity and dialogue with Tsipras’ party
A wave of political tension has rippled through the ranks of PASOK after Athens Mayor Haris Doukas voiced his discontent over the exclusion of several senior party figures from the party’s upcoming Congress committees, while
Opinion Poll: ND leads by 16.3 points – rising public discontent and political fluidity
A new Opinion Poll survey for October shows the New Democracy (ND) party maintaining a 16.3-point lead over PASOK, but with growing public dissatisfaction and a volatile political landscape. ND records 30.1% (-0.4%), PASOK 13.8%
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
Powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami fears in the Philippines
A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines early Saturday, sparking tsunami warnings across parts of the Pacific and sending residents scrambling for higher ground. The quake, centred about 20 kilometres offshore from the
Israel approves historic Gaza ceasefire agreement to secure hostage release
Tel Aviv, October 10, 2025 – In a landmark decision, the Israeli government approved in the early hours a comprehensive agreement aimed at securing the release of all hostages in the Gaza Strip, both living
Melbourne scientist among nobel laureates for revolutionary molecular discovery
A pioneering Australian-linked scientific breakthrough has earned global recognition, as University of Melbourne Professor Richard Robson shares the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for creating molecular “sponges” capable of capturing water from desert air and
Macron to appoint new Prime Minister within 48 hours, Élysée confirms
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to announce the next Prime Minister of France within the next 48 hours, the Élysée Palace confirmed late Wednesday. Earlier, outgoing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu told French television that
Colombian President condemns U.S. airstrike on ship with Colombian citizens in the Caribbean
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has denounced a U.S. airstrike in the Caribbean, claiming that the latest targeted vessel was Colombian and that its passengers were Colombian citizens. Writing on X, Petro stated: “A new theater
Netanyahu and Trump hail “historic achievement” with Gaza agreement
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump have exchanged congratulations on what they described as a “historic achievement” following the signing of a pivotal agreement providing for a ceasefire in the Gaza
