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.
Greece navigates diplomatic minefield in Libya: Gerapetritis’ second visit tests Athens’ strategy
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis’ second visit to Tripoli highlighted both the persistence of geopolitical challenges in Libya and Athens’ continued efforts to open up meaningful diplomatic dialogue. While Libyan officials, including Foreign Minister Taher
Plevris confirms permanent closed migrant facility in Crete, enforces tough measures
Migration crisis and government response Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris has confirmed plans for at least one permanent closed identification facility for migrants and asylum seekers on Crete. This decision is a reaction to rising
OPEKEPE scandal: Government triggers inquiry, opposition cries cover-up
The Greek government has ignited a political storm by announcing the formation of a parliamentary inquiry (Exetastiki Epitropi) to investigate the OPEKEPE agricultural payment authority from 1998 to the present day. The move, seen by
Irene Mourtzoukou to testify today over four child murders – Dozens of notes and new attempted murder allegations
Today, Sunday, July 13, Irene Mourtzoukou is scheduled to appear before the Patras investigating magistrate to testify in connection with the chilling case of four child murders — a case she has already confessed to.
Migration Crisis: Key Decisions Taken at Ministry of Migration Meeting on Increased Flows to Crete
A broad meeting was held at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum at noon on July 11, 2025, to discuss the escalating migration flows to Crete. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Migration
DNA for Sale? The untold story of Greece’s newborn screening scandal
It seemed as though Greece had stepped into a remake of Gattaca—a world where every child’s future is predetermined by genetic analysis, infused with a hint of Orphan Black in the veil of secrecy surrounding
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
‘We are building a European Defense Union
The following interview with German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen. Germany and France lead the way for the European Defense Fund. Is it spurred by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and the
Turkey claims airspace violations in the Aegean are “legal”
Turkey has claimed that airspace violations in the Aegean are “legal” and “no threat to Greece.” Calling Turkish flights over Aegean “a threat” is incompatible to good neighborly ties, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in
Recognition of Macedonian language a ‘grave mistake,’ says prominent linguist
Greece committed a “grave mistake” in recognizing the existence of a Macedonian language, prominent linguist and former education minister Georgios Babiniotis said, adding that the clause in the Prespes accord signed between Athens and Skopje
US Urges ‘Calm’ between India-Pakistan Conflict
International powers this week anxiously urged India and Pakistan to avoid further escalation of military confrontation. Given the two nations have gone to war on three occasions during the past seven decades and are both
Venezuela orders PDVSA to relocate to Moscow; Putin affirms support to Maduro
President Nicolas Maduro instructed the Lisbon branch of PDVSA to relocate to Moscow A top Venezuelan official has announced that President Nicolas Maduro has ordered national oil and gas company PDVSA to close its current
The CIA is using Turkey to pressure China
While Turkey has fostered economic links with China in order to solve its economic crisis, it has also publicly denounced the repression of the Uyghurs, basing its accusations on false information. Beijing sent a very
