
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.

EU Defence Agency apologizes for controversial Cyprus report amid political backlash
The European Defence Agency (EDA) has issued a formal apology following the publication of a report conducted jointly with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), which sparked widespread criticism for its references to the

The inner circle around Alexis Tsipras: key collaborators shaping his next moves
With Alexis Tsipras stepping down from Parliament and preparing for his forthcoming book on his government’s record, attention has turned to the core team of collaborators surrounding the former prime minister. Their influence will likely

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier belongs to all Greeks – must be kept out of daily political tug-of-war
Greece’s Minister of State, Akis Skertsos, has praised the Prime Minister’s recent decision to assign the Ministry of National Defense exclusive responsibility for protecting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, emphasizing the monument’s national and

Greece and Cyprus invited to Trump’s international summit on Gaza
Greece and Cyprus are among the nations invited by U.S. President Donald Trump to the new international conference on Gaza, set to take place on Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The summit is expected to

KKE to honour political prisoners with memorial event on Gyaros island
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) will hold a commemorative event and pilgrimage this Saturday, October 11, on Gyaros Island — a place of exile and suffering for thousands of resistance

Farmers demand payment schedule as minister Tsiaras promises payouts “in the coming days”
Tensions are rising among farmers in Thessaly as Agriculture and Food Minister Kostas Tsiaras announced that payments to producers will begin “in the coming period,” following a lengthy three-hour meeting in Larissa with agricultural representatives,

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

China temporarily bans BHP iron ore exports, raising concerns in Australia
Prime Minister Albanese urges quick resolution to maintain smooth market operations. China has temporarily banned iron ore exports from BHP, Australia’s largest mining company, sparking concern in the Australian government. According to Bloomberg reports, the

Tragedy in the Philippines: At least 26 dead after 6.9-magnitude earthquake – Buildings collapse, dramatic footage emerges
A devastating 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Cebu Island in the Philippines, leaving at least 26 people dead and 147 injured, according to local media. The quake, which hit late Tuesday night, caused widespread destruction, triggering landslides,

Countdown for Hamas: Trump’s ultimatum and pressure from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey to accept Gaza Peace Plan
Global attention has turned once again to Gaza, as U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a comprehensive 20-page peace plan aimed at halting the bloodshed — accompanied by a stern ultimatum. According to Axios and iefimerida.gr,

Anthony Albanese invites UAE retail giant LuLu to Australia
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown keen interest in the international retail chain LuLu Hypermarket, inviting Indian billionaire MA Yusuff Ali to consider expanding the company into Australia. The invitation came during the Prime

US gives green light to AUKUS ahead of Albanese’s visit to Washington
Australia’s largest-ever defence agreement, AUKUS, appears to have successfully passed a US government review, paving the way for its continuation ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Washington next month. The review began in

Plans for a nuclear strike on an asteroid threatening the moon – challenges and prospects
The scientific community is seriously considering the use of a nuclear weapon to intercept asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a significant chance of colliding with the Moon in 2032. Measuring approximately 55 meters in diameter,

