
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.

Greece bans imported pork from Bulgaria amid African swine fever outbreak
Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva said on Friday that Greece has decided to ban imported pork from her country, due to an outbreak of African Swine Fever disease that has been detected in thousands of animals

Major archaeological discoveries made in Neolithic site in Central Greece
Greece’s Ministry of Culture issued a statement on Friday afternoon, regarding recent discoveries in a neolithic settlement that is located in Phthiotis region and dates back to 6,000 – 5,800 BC. The settlement, known to

EU prepares sanctions as Turkey presses on with drilling off Cyprus coast
The EU has agreed to bring financial and political sanctions against Turkey after repeat warnings over the past weeks. European Union officials on Mon-day agreed political and financial sanctions against Turkey after Ankara went ahead

Mitsotakis unveils reform-heavy, pro-market policy statements in Parliament address
New Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referred to practically every reform promised by him and his conservative New Democracy (ND) party over the past four years – and then some – expressing a pro-market, meritocracy-based

Exquisite ancient statuettes of Apollo, Artemis unveiled for first time in Chania next week
A pair of small statuettes, depicting mythical Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis, will be presented on Today at the archaeological museum in the west Cretan city of Chania (Hania), the product of excavations at

Athens municipality: Most quake-damaged buildings are abandoned structures
The city of Athens, the biggest municipality in the greater Athens agglomeration, so far announced that 15 buildings in its boundaries were significantly damaged from the 5.1 on the Richter scale earthquake that struck the

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

Why the world’s biggest powers can’t stop a Middle East war
The United States’ ability to influence events in the Mideast has waned, and other major nations have essentially been onlookers. Over almost a year of war in the Middle East, major powers have proved incapable

What is Diddy accused of? From JLo to 1,000 baby oil bottles and TikTok conspiracy theories
The 54-year-old rapper and music mogul was arrested by federal agents in New York this September, facing charges of trafficking, sexual assault, and rape – “He exploited his connections with celebrities”. Diddy’s arrest is leading

Horror in Malaysia: Over 350 arrests for child sexual Abuse – Raids on Islamic Institutions
The Malaysian police announced on Saturday that a total of 355 individuals have been arrested as part of an investigation into hundreds of incidents of physical and/or sexual abuse of children in shelters and host

Afghanistan: Taliban’s Draconian laws now impacting men too
For the past three years, since the Taliban took control in Afghanistan, women have faced a myriad of restrictions on their individual rights and personal freedoms, starting with their attire. In contrast, men in urban

Lebanon counts its wounds, Israel prepares for new assault – Hundreds dead, thousands injured
Tensions are escalating in Lebanon, as Israel struck targets in the southern part of the country and the Bekaa Valley throughout Monday. At least 480 people have lost their lives. Hezbollah responded with rocket fire.

“The government is pursuing a foreign policy of a NON-sovereign state!”
George Aifantis on Militaire News doesn’t mince his words with the current government strategy against Turkey’s recent unbridled aggression. He believes that, in light of Greece’s stance, “The government is pursuing a foreign policy of

