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.
Greece tightens gun laws: Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis announces seven tough new measures against illegal firearms possession
The Greek government has announced sweeping new reforms aimed at cracking down on illegal gun ownership and use, following a series of violent incidents such as the recent shooting in the village of Vorizia, Crete.
U.S., Greece, Cyprus, and Israel form joint front for energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean
A new chapter in regional cooperation unfolded in Athens this week as the United States, Greece, Cyprus, and Israel reaffirmed their commitment to energy security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. Meeting at the Zappeion
Greece emerges as a key energy security partner in U.S. talks
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a high-level meeting at the Maximou Mansion with U.S. officials, including Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, ahead of the 6th Ministerial Meeting
Vorisia tragedy: Three brothers surrender after Crete double murder as families plead for calm
Crete remains gripped by shock and grief following the brutal double murder in the village of Vorisia, Heraklion, which has revived painful memories of violent vendettas on the island. Late on Tuesday night, the three
Kimberly Guilfoyle will officially begin her duties in Greece tomorrow with presentation of credentials to President Konstantinos Tassoulas
Kimberly Guilfoyle will officially assumed her role as the new United States Ambassador to Greece, presenting her credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tassoulas, at the Presidential Mansion on Tuesday. The ceremony
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
Fidan raises the war tone: ‘If Diplomacy Fails, the Military Speaks’ – Ankara’s fear of encirclement in the Eastern Mediterranean
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has issued a stark warning, claiming that alliances are forming in the Eastern Mediterranean with the aim of encircling Turkey. In a statement laden with military undertones, Fidan declared that
Ceasefire and hostage talks to begin in Egypt tomorrow
Hamas accepts US peace plan in principle but refuses disarmament — Israel insists on Gaza demilitarisation Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are set to begin tomorrow in Cairo, aiming to achieve a ceasefire in
Trump urges immediate ceasefire as 57 killed in Gaza overnight bombings
At least 57 people were killed overnight in the Gaza Strip following intense Israeli airstrikes, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence, which operates under the Hamas-run administration. The strikes began in the early hours of
Prosecutor’s probe against Israel as “Sumud” flotilla activists testify in Istanbul (Constantinople)
A group of activists who participated in the “Sumud” flotilla — an international convoy that attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza — have begun giving testimony before prosecutors in Istanbul (Constantinople), following their
At least 30 injured in Russian drone strike on Ukrainian railway station
Zelensky condemns ‘barbaric attack’ in Sumy region – victims include railway workers and passengers At least 30 people have been injured following a Russian drone strike on a railway station in the Ukrainian city of
Australian activists detained in Israeli prison – Canberra demands access and answers
Australian consular officials are heading to a notorious Israeli prison where five Australian citizens are reportedly being held after the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla en route to Gaza. The flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid,
