
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

Statement from the Premier
This week I had another round of scans and a meeting with my care team at the Alfred and got some good news. The broken vertebra has almost fully healed and they’re letting me take

What is the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine? Will it be available in Australia soon? And does it use mRNA?
Source: abcnews The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine has been found to have more than 90 per cent efficacy, paving the way for it to be available later this year in Australia. The successful results from the phase 3

‘Signal to the world’: Singapore ready and waiting for Australian travel bubble
Singapore’s so-called “Cruises to Nowhere” have been a big hit since being given the green light last November, with more than 120,000 passengers. “They’ve made something that sounds tacky actually quite fun and enjoyable,” said

Flights between India and Australia suspended until May 15
Flights to and from India into Australia have now been suspended, amid increasing concerns over the nation’s escalating COVID-19 situation. Flights to and from India into Australia have now been suspended, Scott Morrison has announced,

Trans-Tasman travel bubble: The big difference between Australia and New Zealand
Stepping foot on-board one of the trans-Tasman bubble flights was a cause for celebration. But the surprise came on the journey home. A year in the making, it was the flight Australia was itching for.

Qantas sticks to international travel plan despite COVID vaccine delay
Despite the majority of Australians unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 until next year, Qantas is holding firm on their plan to fly overseas by October 31. Australia had been aiming to open its international

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-Turkish talks: Preparations for Mitsotakis – Erdogan meeting in Ankara
The forthcoming meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marks the start of negotiations between the two countries at a time of relative calm in the Eastern Mediterranean. The

Turkey’s ambition to conquer Greece through military means or demographic shift
Turkey’s ambition to conquer Greece through military means or demographic shift and occupy the Greek Aegean islands remains a concerning issue. The Turkish media persistently asserts that “152 Greek islands and islets in the Aegean

Greece’s minimum wage set to rise today
The new minimum salary to be introduced from today, will amount to 830 euros gross, increased by 6.4%, the government announced on Friday. It will concern at least 560,000 workers already employed in the private

Bicommunal Bi-zonal Federation
For 50 years they have been plaguing us with their three-carat bi-communal bi-zonal federation. Since August 16, 1974, when the Foreign Office finally decided on a “solution” to the Cyprus problem only after the two

Mykonos: where legislation regarding beach use remains unenforced
The incidents of lawlessness on the Greek islands involving businesses seem endless, as they have recently faced legal issues. Last summer, Mykonos was prominently featured on the list of islands where legislation regarding beach use

Tempe Train incident: A year ago the chairman of the engine drivers alleged editing of evidence – he was never invited to the inquiry
A few days after the train tragedy in Tempe, and specifically on March 3, 2023, the former president of the engine drivers, Kostas Genidounias, had spoken about tampering of audio recordings containing the stationmaster’s conversations

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

Greta Thunberg to be deported from Israel alongside 27 Greek activists on Tuesday
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg will be deported from Israel on Tuesday, along with 27 Greek activists, according to a report by Ynet. The group was detained after attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade of

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

