
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.

Greece protests Ben Gvir’s call to jail Gaza flotilla activists instead of deporting them
Greece has lodged a formal protest with Israel following controversial remarks by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who demanded that the 470 activists of the “Global Sumud Flotilla” be imprisoned rather than

New NAVTEX issued by Turkey for “Piri Reis” research mission
The oceanographic vessel will conduct “scientific research” from October 4 to 14 — Greece responds with a counter-NAVTEX Turkey is once again testing Greek-Turkish relations, only days after the controversial cancellation of the planned Mitsotakis–Erdogan

New Left and Plefsi Eleftherias say No to the acquisition of a fourth Belharra Frigate
They have submitted a request for a roll-call vote on the ratification of the agreement for the acquisition of a fourth Belharra frigate and the upgrade of the existing ones. The parliamentary groups of New

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

Greek F-16 Viper fly over Cyprus for 65th independence anniversary
Greece marked the 65th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Cyprus with a dramatic display, sending two F-16 Viper fighter jets of the Hellenic Air Force to fly over Nicosia during the military

Internal strife in SYRIZA over defense spending and the 4th Behlarra Frigate
Tensions have emerged within SYRIZA and between SYRIZA and New Left as the government’s defense program, particularly the fourth FDI Behlarra frigate, is discussed in Parliament today. Although SYRIZA’s parliamentary leadership decided to vote in

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

Orthodox mission in Fiji, faith beneath the southern cross
Before the sun lifts its golden veil over Vanua Levu, as the matangi—a soft morning breeze—stirs the banana trees and cassava leaves, a single flame flickers before an icon of Christ. In the stillness of

Australia may face higher AUKUS costs and pressure to join US-China conflict
Australia’s nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS could become more costly and politically fraught, as the US Department of Defence reviews the trilateral agreement under President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. A report from The Age

Son of Haftar visits Greek community in Libya – ‘We are not targeting Greece’
In a symbolic gesture amid rising diplomatic tensions, Al Sadiq Haftar, son of eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, paid a surprise visit to the president of the Greek community in Benghazi, Kanakis Mandalios. The visit

Trump’s tariff threat sparks alarm in Canberra over pharmaceutical exports
The Albanese government is scrambling to respond to a fresh trade threat from US President Donald Trump, who has floated a staggering 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceutical imports and a 50 per cent tariff

Yemen: Another Greek-owned ship attacked by Houthis – two injured, two missing
Another Greek-owned vessel sailing off the coast of Yemen has come under attack by Houthi militants, just a day after their assault on a Liberia-flagged cargo ship also managed by a Greek company. According to

Secret negotiations between Turkey and Syria over maritime zones
A letter signed by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has, for the first time, confirmed that secret negotiations are underway to define maritime boundaries between Turkey and Syria, in anticipation of the post-Assad era. Secret

