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.
Athens blocks Turkey’s bid to join SAFE: “We will not accept a country threatening with war”
The Greek government has issued a firm warning that it will block Turkey’s bid to join SAFE, the EU’s new defense shield and military technology development program. Ankara’s move is viewed in Athens as “offensive
Heart surgeon Dimitris Lymberiadis, who faces new bribery trial, has past conviction
Dimitris Lymberiadis, director of the Cardiac Surgery Clinic at Hippocrates Hospital, is set to face trial this Friday, September 12, for alleged bribery. The doctor has a previous conviction for taking bribes, having received a
“Kimon” to arrive soon in Phaleron Bay – Greece receives first Belharra frigate
In a landmark announcement, Greece’s Defence Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed that the country’s first Belharra-class frigate, named Kimon, will arrive in Phaleron Bay within the coming weeks. The vessel marks a decisive step in modernising
Strengthened dialogue between State and Church in Mitsotakis – Ieronymos meeting
The meeting held on Monday morning (8/9) between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos, at the Maximou Mansion, once again highlighted the close cooperation between the State and the
Earthquake of magnitude 5.2 strikes Evia, felt strongly in Athens
A powerful earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale shook the island of Evia at 12:27 a.m. yesterday, local time, sending tremors across Attica and particularly the northern suburbs of Athens. According to the Geodynamic
New audio reveals 2nd conversation between Panos Kammenos and alleged Cretan Mafia leader – Mentions Trump and Surveillance
Shocking new details have emerged regarding former Defense Minister Panos Kammenos’s interactions with the alleged head of the Cretan mafia. A second audio recording, legally intercepted by the Hellenic Police, reveals the former minister’s involvement
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
Netanyahu: Israel discusses demilitarised zone in southern Syria and humanitarian corridor for Druze
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel is currently in talks to establish a demilitarised zone in southern Syria and a humanitarian corridor to support the Druze minority in the region. The statement was
Maduro: No chance of U.S. invasion in Venezuela
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has firmly ruled out any possibility of a U.S. military invasion or regime change in his country, despite the recent deployment of American warships in the Caribbean. Maduro declared that Venezuela
NATO: All member countries to meet 2% of GDP defense spending target this year – Expansion plan up to 2035
All 32 NATO member countries are set to meet the long-standing target of allocating at least 2% of their GDP to defense this year, according to new figures released in Brussels. This goal was established
Ukraine thriller continues – Trump: “In two weeks we’ll know if peace is possible”
The war in Ukraine, now over three and a half years ongoing, remains at a critical juncture. Former U.S. President Donald Trump continues diplomatic efforts to arrange a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Niger Army Reports Killing of Boko Haram Leader
The Nigerien army announced on Thursday that during an operation in the Lake Chad basin, it had successfully eliminated the notorious leader of the jihadist group Boko Haram, known by the alias Bakura, whose real name
Covid-19 linked to accelerated blood vessel ageing, Australian patients included in major global study
A major international study involving Australian participants has revealed that Covid-19 may accelerate the ageing of blood vessels, particularly in women, raising fresh concerns about the long-term cardiovascular risks of the virus. The research, published
