
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.

Karystianou blasts the investigator, asking “Do you grasp the cover-up?”
“After two years, we are still dealing with videos of dubious authenticity that have suddenly surfaced, even though footage from the two contentious days has been in the investigator’s possession. Karystianou blasts the investigator, asking

Santorini: The ultimate eruption nightmare?
Earthquakes in the wider Santorini region appear endless, leaving the scientific community deeply concerned about the ongoing cycle of seismic activity. Santorini: The ultimate eruption nightmare? Indeed, scientists are now openly discussing the possibility of

World Greek Language Day: Greek as a bridge of culture and universal values
The Greek language is one of the fundamental pillars of our civilization, an unbroken chain that connects the past with the present and the future. From Homer’s epics and the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle

Seismic activity in Cyclades: Authorities and experts weigh in on potential scenarios
The picturesque islands of the Cyclades continue to be shaken by a series of moderate to strong earthquakes, with the strongest yet recorded on Wednesday evening (February 5) in the region between Santorini and Amorgos.

The Tembi file, kept hidden for six months by Parliament President and presidential candidate Tasoulas
For six months, the file on the Tembi railway crime has been kept hidden in the drawer of former Parliament President and current presidential candidate Costas Tasoulas, according to Maria. The Tembi file, kept hidden

Eurovision: Turkey takes on “Asteromata”
“Asteromata”, the song by Klavdia that will represent Greece in the Eurovision final in Basel, Switzerland, has become a red flag for the Turks. Eurovision: Turkey takes on “Asteromata”. The Public Radio and Television (TRT)

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

Denmark to ban social media for children under 15
New law to require parental approval from age 13 Denmark is set to ban social media use for minors under 15, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced during the opening session of Parliament, in a move

New political deadlock for Macron – early elections loom on November 16
Elysée tells regional authorities to “prepare” as pressure mounts France is heading into another phase of political turmoil, with President Emmanuel Macron facing mounting pressure from both the opposition and the public — as well

End of passport stamps: EU launches new digital entry/exit system – what travellers need to know
From Sunday, October 12, third-country nationals travelling to Europe will encounter a new, fully digital border control system. The Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace traditional passport stamps with biometric registration, including fingerprints and facial recognition.

Hamas: “We seek guarantees from Trump for a final agreement” – Qatar and Turkey join negotiations
Hamas has demanded concrete guarantees from former and likely returning U.S. President Donald Trump before committing to a final ceasefire agreement that would mark the end of the war in Gaza. Speaking to Egypt’s Al-Qahera

Trump: “Phase one of Gaza peace plan must be completed this week — or mass bloodshed will follow”
US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning, declaring that the first phase of his Gaza peace plan must be completed within this week, or else “mass bloodshed will follow — something no one wants

Friedrich Merz: “Hamas must implement the Trump plan” – Accuses Russia over drone incidents
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged Hamas to implement Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and immediately release the Israeli hostages, arguing that the militant group has now been defeated militarily. He pledged that Germany,

