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.
Revolution! Modern art exhibition at the archaeological site of Delos
An unprecedented exhibition by British sculptor Antony Gormley at the archaeological site of Delos. 29 iron “bodyforms” have been scattered among the ancient columns and stones of what it once was the holy sanctuary for
Crafting a regional policy to contain Erdoğan
Turkey poses a long-term threat to the security of the Middle East. Containing Neo-Ottomanism requires a defensive policy that integrates Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and theKurds into a regional alliance. A new era has dawned in
Micro-brewery sector in Greece surging on back of global beer trend
A burgeoning presence but limited profits are, in general terms, the main characteristics of the micro-brewing sector in Greece so far, although forecasts continue to be very bright – as Greek consumers are following a
Five suitors in next phase of IGB pipeline tender
Five consortia have been approved for the next phase of an international tender to build the Greece – Bulgaria (IGB) gas inter-connector pipeline between the Greek and Bulgarian natural gas grids, a project worth 145
Paralysis
With less than one month to go before the European Parliament election, the difficult situation in which Prime Minister Alexis finds himself is constantly worsening. With the cards stacked against them, none of the initiatives
Ancient Greek shipwreck now open to divers
A remarkably preserved shipwreck on the northern coast of the Greek island Aloneissos has become a remarkable new underwater museum. The ship has played a major role in the way archeologists understand the art of
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
How Putin rebuilt Russia into a global power
Many wonder how the Russian economy manages to stay afloat under numerous sanctions, maintain low debt levels, and even outperform the West in certain production sectors. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow—a once-great
Six Secret Service agents punished over Trump assassination attempt failures
Six U.S. Secret Service agents have been disciplined over serious security failures during the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The agents, whose identities were not
Orthodox mission in Fiji, faith beneath the southern cross
Before the sun lifts its golden veil over Vanua Levu, as the matangi—a soft morning breeze—stirs the banana trees and cassava leaves, a single flame flickers before an icon of Christ. In the stillness of
Australia may face higher AUKUS costs and pressure to join US-China conflict
Australia’s nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS could become more costly and politically fraught, as the US Department of Defence reviews the trilateral agreement under President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. A report from The Age
Son of Haftar visits Greek community in Libya – ‘We are not targeting Greece’
In a symbolic gesture amid rising diplomatic tensions, Al Sadiq Haftar, son of eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, paid a surprise visit to the president of the Greek community in Benghazi, Kanakis Mandalios. The visit
Trump’s tariff threat sparks alarm in Canberra over pharmaceutical exports
The Albanese government is scrambling to respond to a fresh trade threat from US President Donald Trump, who has floated a staggering 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceutical imports and a 50 per cent tariff
