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.
“Medusa 14”: A Greek–Egyptian message of strength and deterrence in the southeastern Mediterranean
The large-scale air–naval exercise “Medusa 14” is in full progress in the wider area of Alexandria, Egypt, from 16 to 26 November. The exercise, which began a decade ago as a bilateral joint-operation initiative between
Greece expands tourism footprint with new GNTO (EOT) office opening in Melbourne, Australia
Greece has taken a significant step toward strengthening its presence in the Australian tourism market with the official launch of a new Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) office in Melbourne. The office, housed within the
“His hand worked like a compressor, it was brutal” – Eyewitnesses describe 29-year-old’s fatal beating of 58-year-old in Neos Kosmos
Eyewitnesses have described extreme violence in the assault that led to the death of a 58-year-old man in Neos Kosmos. The 29-year-old attacker reportedly targeted the man because he had blocked him on the road.
Dendias’ stark message on war casualties alarms Europe
A storm has erupted in recent days over Defence Minister Nikos Dendias’ deeply unsettling comments about a supposed shift in Europe’s “culture of sacrifice”. Dendias’ stark message on war casualties alarms Europe and Greece. In
Mitsotakis calls for return of Parthenon Marbles, highlights tourism strategy
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has reaffirmed Greece’s long-standing position that the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to the Acropolis Museum, describing the issue as “highly complex” and noting that progress in negotiations with the British
Over 23,000 protesters marked the 52nd anniversary of Polytechnic Uprising
Over 23,000 people participated in peaceful demonstrations across Greece yesterday to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic Uprising. Large gatherings were also reported in Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, and other major cities. The central
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’s population reaches 85.8 million amid aging trend
Turkey’s population reached 85,824,854 in the first half of 2025, increasing by 159,910 people, according to data released today by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). Annual demographic changes indicate a clear trend of population aging.
Evacuations begin as Israeli forces move to seize Gaza City
The forced evacuation of residents in Gaza City has begun following Israeli military approval to seize the city, marking a new phase in Israel’s campaign against Hamas. Israeli authorities stated that their operation aims to
Australia to recognise Palestinian State in September
But is creating a new Palestinian State even possible? Relations between Australia and Israel have entered a new period of strain after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese openly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of
Brother of murdered Australian-Israeli Galit Carbone slams Anthony Albanese over Palestinian statehood recognition
The Australian and Israeli communities are shaken by the powerful statement of Danny Majzner, brother of Galit Carbone, the Australian-Israeli woman brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. Mr. Majzner, 63, has strongly
Netanyahu and Trump discuss Israel’s plans to attack Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone on Sunday with US President Donald Trump, where they discussed in detail Israel’s plans for a new military operation in the Gaza Strip. The conversation was made
Israeli officials endorse Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza City
Israel’s security cabinet has officially approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza City, a move confirmed by his office and seen as a major escalation in the ongoing conflict that has now lasted
