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.
Greek President warns Europe of Turkey’s “Dangerous Imperial Fantasies”
President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos said on Sunday that Turkey’s military operations in northern Syria constitute “dangerous imperial fantasies” and warned that the EU will not tolerate violations of international law. Speaking at
Athens marks liberation from the Nazis with ceremony on the Acropolis
In a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary since Athens was liberated from German occupation on October 12, 1944, the Greek flag was raised on the Acropolis on Saturday. The event was addressed by the government’s
Archives, possible throne room discovered in ancient Palace on Crete
The Greek Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday that a new storage room for valuables in Zominthos Palace, on the plateau of Mount Psiloritis on Crete, was discovered at the sprawling site during this year’s excavation season.
Greek gov’t measures for workers, businesses affected by Thomas Cook collapse
The Greek government announced on Saturday a series of measures for tourist businesses and workers affected by the collapse of British Thomas Cook. The measures were announced after a meeting of representatives from the Finance,
Turkey furious as Greece, Cyprus and Egypt “condemn its unlawful actions”
Turkey fumes over a joint statement issued by Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. In an angry statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry described as “baseless claims” the trilateral statement that, among others, condemned “Turkey’s unlawful actions in
Greek teen’s art installation spotlights our addiction to plastic
Young people around the world are joining forces and making an effort to combat the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. The international movement Fridays for future climate strikes have inspired students around the globe to
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
Germany unveils new conscription model aimed at building Europe’s strongest army by 2029
Germany is preparing to overhaul its military service system in what officials describe as the most significant shift in defence policy in decades. The governing coalition has agreed on a new framework for conscription, seeking
Ukraine strikes Russia’s oil heartland with major neptune missile attack
Ukrainian forces carried out one of their most significant long-range strikes in months, targeting critical oil export infrastructure at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. The coordinated attack, involving upgraded Neptune cruise missiles and
Russia challenges US proposal at UN Security Council over Gaza: Moscow offers alternative plan
Moscow has presented an alternative draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council concerning the Gaza Strip, challenging the U.S.-led initiative promoted by President Donald Trump. The move comes amid intense pressure from Washington to
Trump threatens $1 Billion legal action against BBC over edited Jan. 6 speech
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion, accusing the broadcaster of intentionally manipulating his Jan. 6, 2021 speech in a documentary aired just days before the 2024 presidential
Israel’s red lines on Turkey align with Greece and Cyprus amid rising destabilisation
A central element of the author’s argument is President Erdogan’s explicit calls for Israel’s destruction, most notably his March 2025 Eid al-Fitr speech praying for the devastation of “Zionist Israel.” The author views this as
Julia Gillard warns Australia’s under-16 Social Media Ban “does not go far enough”
Former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard has called for far tougher regulation of social media platforms, arguing that the nation’s world-first ban on under-16s accessing social media is only “a start” and falls short of
