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
ANZ and NAB chiefs face parliamentary scrutiny after record fines and misconduct
Australia’s largest banks are facing intense parliamentary scrutiny as the government examines past misconduct, employment practices, and customer protections. ANZ’s new chief executive, Nuno Matos, publicly apologised to a parliamentary committee for the bank’s historic
Australians hold 209 million days of unused annual leave as employment landscape shifts
Australian workers are heading into the summer break with a massive stockpile of unused annual leave, collectively sitting on 209 million days of accrued holidays, new data from research firm Roy Morgan shows. The near-record
Surge in social media use replaces sport, reading and arts among Australian children
A dramatic rise in social media use among children and adolescents is reshaping daily routines and pushing aside key developmental activities such as sport, reading and music, according to a major new study by the
Optus fined $826,320 after major verification flaw allows scammers to steal customer identities and tens of thousands of dollars
Optus has been hit with a substantial $826,320 penalty after a serious security lapse allowed scammers to bypass customer verification processes and steal as much as $39,000 from individual victims. The Australian Communications and Media
Albanese issues ultimatum to Turkey over hosting COP31 Climate Talks
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has drawn a firm line in ongoing negotiations with Turkey over the hosting of next year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), ruling out any possibility of co-hosting the event. Speaking
Australian families face rising private health insurance premiums in 2026
Australian families may be set to pay significantly more for private health insurance in 2026, as premiums are projected to rise between 3.9 and 4.4 per cent. According to analysis by Money.com.au, this increase could
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.
Mendoni: The goal of returning the Parthenon Sculptures is closer than it has ever been in the past 50 years
“The government is working systematically and methodically toward reunification,” said the Minister of Culture — How she commented on the dinner at the British Museum. “Our goal for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures is
Antonis Samaras hints at new party as he attacks Mitsotakis over ‘arrogance’ and ‘betrayal of principles’
Former Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has strongly criticised Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accusing him of turning New Democracy into a “personal property” and abandoning its conservative roots. Speaking in an in-depth interview on Sunday,
Two Ukrainians arrested for brutal torture and murder of compatriot in Agios Panteleimon
Greek police have arrested two Ukrainian nationals, aged 29 and 38, accused of the brutal murder of a 31-year-old compatriot in his apartment in Agios Panteleimon, central Athens. The shocking crime, committed on October 10,
Thessaloniki–Skopje oil pipeline set to reopen after 12 years of inactivity
Skopje government approves payment for fuel transport via VARDAX pipeline – gas interconnection with Greece also advancing The government of Skopje has approved the final measure paving the way for the reopening of the Thessaloniki–Skopje
Nearly 3,000 Civil Defence Shelters across Greece — Government updates parliament on emergency readiness
Greece currently has 2,892 designated shelters available to protect civilians in the event of a crisis, according to new data released by the Ministry for Citizen Protection. The figures were submitted to Parliament by Deputy
Eurobarometer: Greeks most concerned about cost of living and irregular migration — EU’s top challenges
According to recent data from the Eurobarometer survey published on 7 November 2025, Greeks are particularly worried about two major issues: the high cost of living and irregular migration. The survey highlights how these concerns
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
Turkey, a global problem
Turkey has once again escaped the consequences of its actions, this time in Nagorno-Karabakh. It is probably today in the crosshairs of the Pentagon, which wishes to destroy it like all the other states in
British holidaymakers ‘to be given free coronavirus tests to take abroad’
UK travellers will reportedly be issued free coronavirus tests to take abroad under plans to make foreign holidays safer. Fast-turnaround tests will be made available for free to cut the hassle and expense of getting
‘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,
Greek passport eighth most powerful in the world
Due to the enormous ramifications of the global pandemic on travel worldwide, the gap in citizens’ freedom to travel anywhere they wish is the largest in decades, and how the vaccine rollout goes will foretell
U.S. says Turkey violated international law, NATO commitments in Mediterranean
Turkey broke international law and its NATO commitments in the eastern Mediterranean during a dispute with Greece last year over territory, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Bilateral disputes should be settled peacefully and
