
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.

“Hello, Greece! What an incredible honor”: Kimberly Guilfoyle’s first message as new U.S. ambassador
Kimberly Guilfoyle has officially arrived in Athens to begin her tenure as the new United States Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic, marking her first day in the post with a warm bilingual message on social

Two dead, several injured in Crete -watch video
Village locked down after deadly vendetta — police fearing revenge attacks The quiet mountain village of Vorizia, in Heraklion, Crete, has turned into what locals describe as a “no man’s land” after a brutal vendetta

Nikos Dendias: Greece’s defence transformation and strategic clarity toward Turkey
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias outlined a comprehensive vision for the modernization of Greece’s Armed Forces, emphasizing innovation, technological autonomy, and national unity during his address at the 4th Naftemporiki Economic Conference at the Zappeion

The day small nations taught the World to say no
Greece’s Oxi Day and Israel’s doctrine of Ein Brera reveal how small nations survive — by turning defiance into strategy, power into peace, and alliances into security. The Day small nations taught the World to

A new face for the Greek Ministry of Defence: Mitsotakis and Dendias at the inauguration
Athens – In a stunning ceremony, the Ministry of National Defence unveiled the new bioclimatic façade of its central building, transforming the historic “Pentagon” into a modern landmark for the capital. The south façade, over

Brian Cox urges return of Parthenon Marbles to Greece
Famed Scottish actor Brian Cox, known for his role in Succession, has taken a clear stance in favor of returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. Speaking exclusively to Greek state broadcaster ERT, Cox commented on

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

NATO backs Turkey’s entry into SAFE, double veto from Cyprus and Greece
The safeguards imposed by the European Union regarding the participation of third countries in the SAFE defence programme act as an obstacle to Turkey’s involvement. NATO backs Turkey’s entry into SAFE, double veto from Cyprus

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Alperen Şengün end feud: “Sport unites us”
A public gesture of unity has ended the brief but heated exchange between Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Turkey’s Alperen Şengün following EuroBasket 2025. Two days after their semi-final clash—where Turkey defeated Greece comfortably—both stars shared

Tyler Robinson confesses killing Charlie Kirk out of “exhaustion from hate” – Disturbing SMS messages revealed
The murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah has shocked both the local community and the international audience, as Tyler Robinson, charged with first-degree murder, reportedly admitted that he killed Kirk because he was “tired of

Australia and Papua New Guinea fail to finalise defence treaty, sign communique instead
A long-anticipated defence treaty between Australia and Papua New Guinea failed to cross the finish line today, with both nations instead signing a communique in place of the formal agreement. The setback is seen as

Tyler Robinson Charged with Charlie Kirk’s Murder – Could Face Death Penalty
Tyler Robinson, 22, has been formally charged in Utah with the premeditated murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a killing prosecutors have called an “American tragedy.” At a press conference, Utah County District Attorney Jeff

Guterres: “I am determined to restart talks on the Cyprus issue”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated he is determined to act toward the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue. Responding to a related question during a press briefing, he said: “I am not pessimistic,

