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
Liberal MP breaks ranks to call for increase to Newstart
Liberal senator Dean Smith has broken ranks with the federal government to call for an increase to the Newstart payment. WA Senator Dean Smith has become the first Liberal MP to publicly back an increase
Aged care homes spending as little as $7 a day on residents food
Some aged care homes spend as little as $7 a day on food for each resident, a royal commission has been told. Celebrity chef Maggie Beer says that sort of budget is inadequate to prepare
Vic wants federal funds to remove cladding
The Commonwealth is being asked to stump up $300 million to help remove dangerous cladding from hundreds of buildings across Victoria. The state Labor government is establishing a $600 million fund, to be overseen by
Asylum seeker tries to set himself on fire at Melbourne detention facility
Another incident of self-harm has occurred in an Australian detention centre. An asylum seeker detained in the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation facility has been taken to hospital after trying to set himself on fire, according
No paperwork, increasing rent: Sydney landlords exploiting international students
International students are being exploited by landlords in Sydney’s tight housing market, a new report has found. International students in Sydney are falling victim to financial exploitation by dodgy landlords, who are overcharging on bonds,
Record number of Aussies rush to file tax returns
A record number of Australians have lodged their tax returns in the hope of getting their hands on a hefty refund. About 650,000 people have already filed their tax returns, with this year’s early rush
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.
The 23-year-old farmer who drove the roadblocks and the government crazy with her fighting spirit
The 23-year-old farmer who drove the roadblocks and the government crazy with her fighting spirit has become a symbol of resilience and authenticity in Greece’s ongoing farmers’ protests. Anna Kampani, just 23 years old, has
Director of “Avgi” resigns after controversial front page featuring Alexis Tsipras
A significant internal shock has hit SYRIZA after the director of the newspaper Avgi, Spyros Sourmelidis, resigned following a controversial Sunday front page that placed former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in direct contrast with the
Tragedy south of Crete: Seventeen illegal migrants found dead — bodies stored in refrigerated truck as authorities investigate
Greek authorities are facing a major tragedy after 17 bodies of illegal migrants were recovered south of Crete following the sinking of a small boat in rough seas. Only two survivors, aged 16 and 20,
Tragedy in Zakynthos: Father of 2-year-old Leo speaks out — “I took in the pit bull because it was dying, and it killed my son”
The father of 2-year-old Leo, who was killed after being mauled by a pit bull in the village of Agios Leontas on Zakynthos, has spoken publicly in deep grief. The dog, which was kept chained
Farmers begin airport blockades: “This is a warning – we are not backing down”
Greek farmers are escalating their nationwide mobilisations, warning the government that symbolic road and border blockades are only the beginning. Speaking to journalists, representatives from agricultural unions insist they “will not retreat unless justice is
Pavlos Kontogiannidis launches fierce attack on Alexis Tsipras over new party plans
Greek actor and former MP Pavlos Kontogiannidis has issued an unusually harsh public critique of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, accusing him of hypocrisy, political opportunism and an attempt to launch a new political party
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
Australia at centre of AUKUS push as UK and US call for faster delivery and greater burden sharing
Australia has been thrust firmly into the spotlight of the AUKUS security pact, with both the United Kingdom and United States urging Canberra to accelerate its commitments and take on a greater share of the
Germany: Record number of bankruptcies for businesses and individuals
Germany is experiencing its highest number of bankruptcies since 2014, with experts warning that the peak of the crisis “has not yet been reached.” According to the credit rating agency Creditreform, approximately 23,900 companies will
Hamas signals openness to “freezing or storing” weapons as talks enter difficult second phase
Hamas has indicated it is willing to discuss the “freezing or storing” of its weapons arsenal as part of the emerging ceasefire framework with Israel, according to senior official Bassem Naim, who spoke to the
Modi welcomes Putin with full honours in New Delhi
Russian President Vladimir Putin received a ceremonial welcome in India on Friday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosting him in a display designed to highlight the deep and enduring ties between the two nations. Putin
Deported neo-Nazi protester arrives in South Africa after visa cancellation
A South African national who took part in a widely condemned neo-Nazi demonstration in Sydney has arrived back in Johannesburg after being deported by Australian authorities. Matthew Gruter, 35, was removed from the country following
Europe’s fear isn’t of Russia, it’s of itself
Europe’s fear isn’t of Russia, it’s of itself. The Guardian splashed its front page with the usual hysteria, hoping readers wouldn’t notice the one line that undercut the entire narrative: “We are not planning to
