Australian Greek tennis star, Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the 2023 Australian Open due to a knee injury.
According to The Guardian, the athlete has a tear in his lateral meniscus and a cyst which is not career threatening but could become problematic should he play in this year’s grand slam.
The announcement, made at Melbourne Park on Monday afternoon was made by Kyrgios and his physiotherapist.
“It’s just bad timing,” Kyrgios said. “That’s life, you know. Injuries are part of sport … I’m not doubting that I’ll be back to my full strength.”
“Devastated obviously. It’s my home tournament … and going into this event as one of the favourites, it’s brutal,” Nick Kyrgios said.
The world No.19 was meant to play his first-round match against Russian tennis player, Roman Safiullin tomorrow.
The Inaugural Greek Community Cup got off to a great start yesterday at the Partridge Street Reserve in Lalor as the first games of the tournament were held in a competitive atmosphere.
In perfect conditions following yesterday’s heatwave, the tournament kicked off with Group Two competitors Heidelberg United FC and West Preston SC facing off.
The entertaining game ebbed and flowed and ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw. Jonathon Tsangas opened the scoring for the Cup for West Preston and Tadiwanashe Hove equalised for the Bergers.
The second match kicked off at 3pm and featured the home club Mill Park SC facing their Group 3 rivals Oakleigh Cannons.
In what was an entertaining and competitive game, Mill Park came out on top in a 2-1 victory.
Matthew Oghanna opened the scoring for Mill Park in the 12th minute only to have Oakleigh’s Roy Gregory equalise in the 26th minute.
Mill Park however thrived on their home ground and got back out in front 6 minutes later when Dean Joncevski scored and managed to hold of Oakleigh to claim the points.
The Cup continues this week on Tuesday 17 January at 7PM when Altona East face East Kew and Heidelberg look to claim their first win against tournament debutants Malvern City.
ABOUT THE GREEK COMMUNITY CUP
The Greek Community Cup (Greek Cup) is a Greek community of Melbourne initiative aimed at bringing together teams of Greek heritage and identity on the football pitch. The Cup will feature teams from across competitive leagues in both Men’s and Women’s football.
The Greek Community Cup is presented by the Greek Community of Melbourne with support from the Australian Football Skool.
In 2023, the Cup will be hosted by the Mill Park Soccer Club commencing on 15 January with the Men’s final being played on Saturday 11 February.
Anastasios Giamouridis, a business partner of Bill Papas, in documents filed in the Federal Court said that he “did not know of, nor participated in a sheme,” concerning the alleged fraud of Forum Group issuing fake invoices, The Australian reports.
Mr Giamouridis, whose statement comes as an attempt to avoid paying 10m refund for the manufacture of food digestion machines, confirmed being a 1 per cent shareholder in Mazcon, Bill Papas’ business, which Westpac alleged of receiving funds from the fraud.
The bank supports that Mr Papas and Vincenzo Tesoriero were allegedly masterminds of a lease contract scheme. Westpac claims that Mr Papas used part of the funds for his waste disposal business Iugis, which according to the Australian, he planned to grow into a $1bn business focused on disposal technology and food digestion machines.
Forum Finance director Bill Papas and Liverpool FC managing director and chief commercial officer after inking the deal to sponsor the team with the Iugis brand. Photo: The Australian
Mazcon was also involved in the purchase of Greek football team Xanthi, by Mr Papas, in a 15m deal and Giamouridis was for a short period, chief executive of the team. Westpac claims that Mr Papas purchased many properties, companies and a football team, in a move funded by him sending millions to Greece.
The bank claims that Mr Giamouridis received millions in order to manufacture and store thousands of waste digestion machines for Bill Papas. The answer from Mr Giamouridis’ lawyers came in the court, mentioning that “he denies receiving payments from (Forum Group) which he had no legitimate basis to receive.”
“The funds were used to acquire assets, namely prototypes for food digesters and food digests, but not to acquire the jointly owned real property nor the Tesoriero real property,” they wrote.
Westpac earlier claimed Mr Giamouridis received some $10.7m from Forum between June 2019 and December 2020. In his defense, he answered that he had “no notice that the funds were fraudulent obtained … nor that the funds were infected with any wrongdoing.”
Methana is as sleeping beauty, a volcanic peninsula with more than 30 craters. Situated in the north-westernmost of Aegean, Methana allows the visitors to discover impressive lava domes and craters, age-old man-made terraces, archaeological sites, tiny fishing villages, thermal baths, and amazing views on the surrounding Saronic Gulf.
On the top of the list of best destinations is London, with the NYT noting that the bustling city is preparing for the coronation of King Charles.
Regarding Greece, Methana is one of the places one should visit in 2023, which ranks 39th on the list.
Athens’s nearest active volcano, Methana, sits on a peninsula of the same name some 30 miles southwest of the Greek capital. Though largely unknown to tourists, the area is slowly evolving, in part because of its increasing popularity as a hiking destination.
In recent years, groups of locals have managed to reopen and map old walking paths, some of which date back to the Mycenaean Era, creating hiking trails that attract visitors from around the world. So far, more than 18 miles have been cleared and marked. The Methana Volcano Challenge, first organized in 2021, offers a trail run across the peninsula’s sloping landscape.
Uluru (Ayers Rock), Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, Australia.Admirals Arch, Kangaroo Island / Image: South Australian Tourism Commission
In this year’s edition you can also find two destinations from Australia. In number 7 of the list is Kangaroo Island. It is a nature lover’s paradise, with prolific native wildlife, dramatic coastal sightseeing and bountiful farmlands. Kangaroo Island, 13km off the coast of South Australia, is one of the best places in Australia to see wild animals like koalas, kangaroos, sea lions and seals.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park ranks 29th on the list. The park, formerly called Uluru National Park, features spectacular geological formations that dominate the vast red sandy plain of central Australia.
Uluru, an immense monolith, and Kata Tjuta, the rock domes located west of Uluru, form part of the traditional belief system of one of the oldest human societies in the world. The traditional owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta are the Anangu Aboriginal people.
“As I have repeatedly made clear, I strongly oppose the Biden administration’s proposed sale of new F-16 aircraft to Turkey,” Senator Bob Menendez, Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement on Saturday.
The State Department sent an informal document to Congress on Thursday notifying that it is preparing the potential $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
The intention to proceed with the proposed deal sparked an immediate objection from the senior US lawmaker who has long opposed the deal.
The Biden administration has said it supports the sale and has been in touch for months with Congress on an informal basis to win its approval. However, it has failed so far to secure a green light.
While the sale is still in the informal review process, Congress is also unlikely to approve the sale as long as Turkey refuses to proceed with the ratification of Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership.
The notification, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes as Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu prepares to visit Washington on Wednesday for talks as the two NATO allies struggle with a host of disagreements including over Syria and weapons purchases.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was disregarding human rights and democratic norms and engaging in “alarming and destabilizing behaviour in Turkey and against neighbouring NATO allies,” Menendez said in his statement.
“Until Erdogan ceases his threats … and begins to act like a trusted ally should, I will not approve this sale.”
Menendez also said he welcomed news of the sale of new F-35 fighter aircraft for Greece, referring to Athens as a “trusted NATO ally” and saying the sale “strengthens our two nation’s abilities to defend shared principles including our collective defence, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.”
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment, saying the department does not confirm or comment on proposed arms sales or transfers until the administration has formally requested approval from Congress.
The much-awaited Antipodes Festival in Melbourne and Greek Festival in Sydney are proud to announce that one of Greece’s most significant and respected vocalists, Alkistis Protopsaltis will perform at both festivals.
As part of an elite group of Greek artists who introduced contemporary Greek music to the international stage, Alkistis Protopsaltis promises to offer an unforgettable experience at the Greek Fest in Darling Harbour- Sydney, on Sunday 19 February and The Antipodes Festival 2023, on Saturday 25 February.
Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris stated, “Alkistis Protopsaltis is one of the most successful female artists in Greece. Her concerts are always highly energetic and her ability to connect with the audience has seen her career go from strength to strength. Her last visit to Australia was in 2002 and we are excited to have her back on our shores and part of the Greek Fest @ Darling Harbour”.
Cultural Programs Chair of the GCM Leo Vlahakis commented, “We are so happy to have Alkistis Protopsalti at the Antipodes Festival 2023. She is an artist who can appeal to Melbourne’s diverse and often multigenerational Greek audience. Her unique voice and the variety of her songs will offer to the visitors of the festival a show which will leave them wanting more”.
Along with Alkistis Protopsaltis, the Festivals will offer a wide variety of live Greek entertainment, children’s activities, live music, dancing and an array of mouth-watering Greek culinary delights, there will be something for the entire family to enjoy!
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, European countries which have been heavily reliant on Russian pipeline gas for years had to start storing their own energy supplies.
Europe turned to liquified natural gas (LNG), an energy source that is transportable and flexible and which is largely imported from Qatar, Australia, Algeria and the United States.
In Europe, one of the only LNG fixed terminals that exist which receives and stores the fuel is on the Greek island of Revithoussa.
Without this island, European countries could not keep heating and electricity supplies running this winter.
To date, many European countries are limited in LNG import capacity and are now endeavouring to quickly build new LNG infrastructures.
Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni said at the museum’s architectural competition launch that, “Athens, with its millennia of history, is perhaps the only metropolis that does not have a museum dedicated to its history and archaeology”.
The new museum, which is adjacent to the historic Academy of Plato, will facilitate a space for Greece’s centuries-old history.
According to The Archaeologist, the new building will be bioclimatic preventing pollution to the environment and will prioritise accessibility for people with disabilities.
An architectural competition was also announced for the museum with over 160 offices showing interest from Greece, Europe and America.
The new museum is said to provide significant historical and cultural value, regenerating one of the most degrading areas of Athens.
The site of the new building was given by the Academy of Athens to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports.
The Greek city of Trikala will be the first city centre in Europe ever to pilot the use of fully automated ‘delivery droids’.
According to AMNA, the ‘delivery droids’ are trained through the use of lasers and a charted route.
Constructed by the Italian firm YAPE, they are designed to follow a preset route, recognise obstacles in their path and modify their movements according to the movement of pedestrians, bicycles and other unpredictable factors.
The robot-like device was presented in the European programme SHOW by e-Trikala, the University Research Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (EPISEY) and the University of Geneva.
The aim of the pilot project is to test an innovative way to transport goods in city centres, taking into account traffic, time, electrical load and other technical data.
The ‘delivery droids’ will deliver Christmas letters to the Post office.
For their first task, the droids started at the “Elves’ Mill”, delivering letters written by children from the Elves’ Post Office to “Father Christmas”.
Their next task will be to negotiate the pedestrianised road of Asklipiou in the city centre to deliver mail, newspapers and small packages from suppliers to local shops.
At the moment, there are similar droids used inside controlled, indoor spaces and the aim is to see whether these droids can survive in a normal urban environment.
The magazine ranks countries against factors such as healthcare, cost of living, visas, housing and climate.
Greece earned 7th place because of the country’s, “stunning natural beauty, warm hospitality, an affordable cost of living, some of the best food in the world, and a rich, deep history.”
The country is the spot for any history lovers, as it is the birthplace of democracy, was home to revered philosophers like Aristotle, Socrates and Plato, and features archaeological sites that date back thousands of years.
There are also over 300 national and private museums across the country.
The Parthenon: an archaeological site that dates back thousands of years.
International Livingsaid, “the small country with big history” is coupled with stunning islands which keep anyone endlessly exploring.
The country’s weather offers the best of both worlds, averaging 250 sunny days with hot summers and snowy, rainy, cold winters – depending on where you live.
According to International Living, it is also a place where “hospitality is a real thing”referencing Greece as an “emotionally driven” country operating with its heart.
The larger older population also gives the country character as older men play cards at ‘kafenios‘ and elderly women sit outside storefronts gossiping and sharing their recipes.
Greece scored high in regards to their cost of living, the standard of living and medical treatment with basic needs such as food and transportation 20 percent cheaper than the United States.
But finally, one factor that won Greece a spot in the top 10 places to retire and settle down in 2023, is the country’s food.
Noted as “healthy, affordable, and delicious food” by International Living, Greece’s stuffed roasted tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese pies, and mouth-watering fish to creamy, honey-drizzled yogurt will keep you in Greece forever!
