
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.

Wildfires rage across western Greece and the islands, devastating homes and forests
In the past 24 hours, 48 new fires broke out, bringing the total to 109 incidents since the outbreak began. For a second consecutive day, firefighters battled relentless wildfires across Western Greece and several Aegean

Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF): Up to €2 Billion Package to Support the Middle Class
The government’s economic team is expected to present the final plan for the benefits package immediately after the August 15 holiday, to be announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). The total cost of the

Turkish blocks research vessel from conducting surveys on behalf of Cyprus
Turkey is reported to have blocked the research vessel Fugro Gauss, sailing under the flag of Gibraltar, from conducting geophysical surveys on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus in a maritime area that Ankara considers

Albanian Foreign Ministry issues provocative map encompassing Greek territory
“Good neighbourly relations are not just rhetorical niceties. They are practices based on the principles of reciprocity, mutual respect, and a shared understanding of international law. Albanian Foreign Ministry issues provocative map encompassing Greek territory.

Outcry over bribery allegation in public hospital
Immediate Intervention by the Ministry of Health and Minister Adonis Georgiadis A particularly serious allegation regarding a demand for a bribe by a doctor at a Regional Hospital in the country has sparked a strong

Taxi driver arrested in Athens – He demanded €310 for Airport to Syntagma trip
A 20-year-old taxi driver was arrested Friday afternoon by officers of the Syntagma Police Department in central Athens after charging a customer €310 for a ride from Athens International Airport to Syntagma Square—an amount nearly

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

British of Syrian descent identified as attacker who killed two in Manchester synagogue
The British Counter-Terrorism Unit announced that the suspect behind the attack at a synagogue in the Crumpsall area of Manchester, which left two people dead, has been identified as 35-year-old Jihad al-Sami, a British citizen

Earthquake disaster in the Philippines: 6.9 magnitude quake kills 72, destroys buildings and bridges
A devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Cebu in the Philippines on Tuesday, September 30, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief. Officials confirmed at least 72 dead and 294 injured, as

Why Greece refuses to send Mirage Jets to Ukraine – NATO and EU pressures mount over Turkey’s role in European defence
Greece is facing mounting diplomatic pressure from NATO allies to increase its military assistance to Ukraine, with the focus now shifting to the possible transfer of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets — a move Athens firmly

Lord William Hague praises Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, criticises Albanese government over Palestinian recognition
Oxford University Chancellor Lord William Hague has praised Australia’s “bold and responsible” move to ban social media for children under 16, calling it a landmark step in protecting young people’s mental health and civic integrity.

Israel intercepts Greek ship “Oxygono” as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza
Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, which had set sail to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, detaining dozens of activists, including internationally renowned Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The Greek ship

Copenhagen: Greece emphasizes protection of Europe’s southern borders amid Russian threats
The informal EU Summit in Copenhagen, hosted by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and chaired by European Council President António Costa, focused on strengthening European defense and supporting Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian

