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.
Government closes fronts – price cuts and stable electricity rates
The government is attempting to close open political fronts in order to promote a positive agenda that could provide both political and polling relief. In this context, Giorgos Mylonakis, in a letter to the head
Copenhagen: Greece emphasizes protection of Europe’s southern borders amid Russian threats
The informal EU Summit in Copenhagen, hosted by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and chaired by European Council President António Costa, focused on strengthening European defense and supporting Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian
Major reforms announced in Cabinet meeting: Tax cuts, defence overhaul, and legal migration policy
Key reforms were presented at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, focusing on three main areas: taxation, defence, and migration. Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis introduced a comprehensive tax reform bill titled “Tax
How Athens views Erdoğan’s visit to the White House – Turkey’s F-35 prospects
The recent meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, marking the first top-level contact in six years, signifies a new phase in U.S.-Turkey relations. Despite the
Dendias: Greece moves ahead with Two Bergamini frigates – major steps to strengthen the Navy
Greece is moving swiftly to reinforce its Navy, as the deal for two Italian Bergamini-class frigates is expected to be finalised on Monday. Defence Minister Nikos Dendias informed Parliament’s Defence Committee that the Hellenic Navy
Sokratis Famellos: “It is Time for a common progressive response to today’s challenges”
SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance president, Sokratis Famellos, delivered a strong message of political readiness and coalition-building during a meeting of the party’s Political Secretariat. Famellos stressed that both domestic and global developments make it imperative
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
Bloomberg warns the World: Turkey’s naval ambitions surge with two new frigates
The commissioning of two new Turkish frigates this month marks a significant step in Ankara’s naval expansion, strengthening its influence in the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas, and extending its reach beyond these regions. This
Greece rises against a failing state in the wake of the Tempi tragedy
The Tempi tragedy, which in February 2023 claimed the lives of 57 people, remains an open wound for Greek society. Greece rises against a failing state in the wake of the Tempi tragedy. Last Sunday,
What is DeepSeek, and why did it shake US tech stocks?
A Chinese tech startup called DeepSeek has sent shockwaves through US stock markets and reignited debate over economic and geopolitical competition between the United States and China. So, What is DeepSeek, and why did it
Skopje’s PM Mitskoski defies Prespa Agreement, fuels nationalist rhetoric
The policy of Skopje’s Prime Minister, Christian Mitskoski, towards the Prespa Agreement remains uncompromising, as Skopje’s PM Mitskoski Defies Prespa Agreement, Fuels Nationalist Rhetoric marked by open violations of the agreement and a nationalist tone
Greece’s out of touch government played and lost in Ukraine
Veteran journalist and Kathimerini director Alexis Papachelas has criticised the Mitsotakis government’s handling of foreign policy, stating that Greece’s out of touch government played and lost in Ukraine. During a recent Prime Time broadcast on
Trump returns to power after unprecedented comeback, emboldened to reshape American institutions
Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th president of the US, promising a “revolution of common sense” and taking charge as Republicans assume unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the
