Four Australian water-bombing helicopters and seven crew are due to touch down in Greece on Saturday after jetting from Wellcamp Airport to Perth on Thursday morning.
The Russian aircraft Antonov An-124, chartered by Sunshine Coast company McDermott Aviation from Industrial conglomerate Mytilineos, will carry the Australian water bombers to Greece.
The first two Bell 214B aerial water-bombing helicopters and supplies were loaded onto the Antonov An-124 in Wellcamp Airport in Queensland.
Another two Bell 214B helicopters were loaded on the Antonov-124 in Perth.
From here, the four Australian helicopters will head off en board the Antonov An-124 to Greece’s capital Athens via Sri Lanka.
NSW has set another record for the highest daily COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began in March last year.
The state recorded 390 new locally acquired COVID-19 infections in the 24 hours to 8:00 pm yesterday, 250 of which were not linked to a known case or cluster. 58 were infectious in the community and 43 were in the community for part of their infectious period.
Health authorities said two more people also died after contracting the virus.
One was an unvaccinated woman in her 40s who died in her south-western Sydney home who was a close contact of a previous case.
The other was a man in his late 90s in the Hunter New England region. He was fully vaccinated but was in palliative care.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the high number of daily cases, particularly the cases who were infectious while in the community, didn’t look like it would decline.
“I anticipate, given the large number of cases we have had in the last few days, but unfortunately this trend will continue for at least the next few days,” she said.
Victoria:
The number of mystery cases in Melbourne’s outbreak has surged to eight after four more unlinked infections were recorded on Thursday.
The state recorded 15 new local COVID-19 cases, eight of whom were in quarantine during their infectious period.
But only 11 of the latest cases have been linked back to current outbreaks, with the source of the remaining four under investigation.
Contact tracers were already grappling with four mystery cases spread across Glenroy and Brunswick West.
James Delinicolis is one of two Sydney police officers who have plead guilty to misconduct on Thursday.
Senior Constables James Delinicolis, 30, and Angelo Dellosa, 31, of Bankstown Transport Command attempted to pick up women for sex while on duty using fake names and what they call a “bat phone”, according to court documents.
The pair plead guilty to one count related to their sexual encounter with a 17-year-old schoolgirl following an anonymous police complaint made last June.
Downing Centre Local Court heard both men will be sentenced for a single charge of misconduct in public office after downgrading their original charges.
The pair of longtime friends were facing charges of attempted sexual assault and recording an intimate image without consent.
The officers approached at least six adult women for sexual encounters while on duty over 2019 and 2020, a statement of agreed facts reveals.
They used a so-called “bat phone” which they used “when they wanted to communicate with women while on duty” and gave the names “Jamie”, “Dimitri” and “Allen”.
When Delinicolis first spoke to the girl outside a train station in March 2020, he was in a police vehicle in full uniform with three colleagues and she was in her school uniform, the court documents state.
He asked her name, where she lived, whether she was single and how old she was.
The agreed facts make it clear the girl told him she was 18, despite actually being 17.
Delinicolis then “discreetly” handed her a post-it note from inside his police notebook, from where he kept a pile of similar notes, with the name “Dimitri” and a phone number.
“She’s old enough,” he commented to his colleagues, according to the facts.
Delinicolis later exchanged explicit messages and nude photographs with the teen on WhatsApp and suggested meeting up.
He asked her to skip school the next morning, told her “don’t tell your friends” and at one point pressed her for an answer, adding “quick I have to make arrest”.
Before the meeting, colleagues overheard Delinicolis and Dellosa talking about a schoolgirl and they were warned: “Are you seriously talking about a schoolgirl? … Really, you guys aren’t that stupid, are you?”
The court documents describe details of the meeting between the three in a hotel room, including sexual acts which were filmed on a mobile phone.
When she asked Delinicolis whether he had done “this” to other girls, he replied “Yeah, with teenage girls still in school”, according to the documents.
The facts state that as the two officers put on their uniforms to go to work, they told the girl: “Don’t tell anyone because we are police and we might lose our job.
According to the agreed facts, days later, the pair laughed about their encounter in a locker room and when a colleague overheard, they were again warned to “be careful”.
The teenager eventually blocked Delinicolis’s phone number and ceased communication.
When interviewed, Delinicolis denied being the one who made the initial contact with the girl and lied about having not approached any other women for sex while on duty.
Both Delinicolis and Dellosa had variations to bail conditions to reduce their reporting obligations to one day per week, while Dellosa had a ban on social media removed.
It is the August of the year 1938 and Greece struggles to recover from the repercussions of the Asia Minor Catastrophe. Children’s mortality rates are soaring high. A woman named Aglaia Kyriakou is driven by her love towards the ailing and destitute children.
Her Marriage with Panagiotis Kyriakos:
Aglaia Antoniades, as her family name was, married Panagiotis Kyriakos (1835-1900), a professor at the School of Medicine. They did not bear children of their own, and Panagiotis passed away at the premature age of 54.
The benefactor, Panagiotis Kyriakos.
Aglaia Kyriakou thereon devoted her time to reading and charity work. As she was touched by the raging childhood mortality rates of the time, and by means of her strong bonds with the medical community, Aglaia revealed her thoughts to the microbiologist Kyriakos Kyriazidis (1877-1933) who was one of the first to teach children pathology at a university hospital.
In a secret trust, she donated the entirety of her property, which amounted to 15.000.000 drachmas, for the foundation of a Paediatric Hospital, bearing the title “Aglaia Kyriakou & Sryridonos Antoniadis Children’s Hospital”, ever since located in Goudi, a district in Ampelokipoi, at the centre of Athens.
Aglaia’s Vision Incarnated:
The inauguration of the Children’s Hospital took effect within a surprisingly short time span-in light of the notoriously slow bureaucratic procedures of the Greek State. The land upon which the hospital was built was donated by the neighbouring paediatric hospital, “Hagia Sophia,” which was operating since 1900.
The architectural designs were commissioned to a three-member committee, made up of: Fokionas Kopanaris, Yeorgios Makkas and the architect and Aglaia’s brother, Ioannes Antoniades. Ioannes Antoniades was a prominent architect of his time. His fame was radiating both within and beyond the borders of Greece. He held an active role in the supervision of Parnitha’s Sanatorium, and was awarded with a prize for the exemplary and state-of-the-art technical plans by the Technical Chamber. On the 8th of November, 1844, the founding stone was set. The hospital was competed and fully equipped within the first months of 1938. Yet, the construction costs exceeded the donation. Therefore, the Greek State approved the covering of the remaining cost also passing a law that provisioned the annual granting of the construction form the government budget.
The inauguration ceremony took place on the 27th of April, 1938.
On the 15th of August, 1939, the hospital opened its gates to the public, equipped with 20 beds, 10 for each Paediatric Ward, the 1st and the 2nd ward respectively.
The Second World War:
The Second World War and the German occupation in Greece, among a host of crimes and atrocities, also severely disrupted the hospital’s operation. Part of the hospital’s facilities are forced out of the Athenian centre to the suburbs of Penteli. The Nazis commandeer the building of the hospital, forcing its relocation for a second time, this time to Chalandri, under the roof of the Rizareion Church Foundation.
The liberation from the Nazis’ forces marked a new era of reconstructions and extension of the hospital’s facilities and services.
Antonios Antoniades and the Obstetrician Hospital:
Antonis Antoniades – Brother of Aglaya Kyriakou, Founder of Obstetrician Clinic.
Antonios Antoniades was the brother of Aglaia Kyriakou. He was a lawyer and an avid supporter of his sister’s vision. Beyond conferring substantial amounts for the completion of Children’s Hospital, he complemented her action for the protection of the children and women. The loss of his beloved wife, Irinoula, and that of his treasured sister, encouraged him to commission, post-mortem, the foundation of the Obstetrician Gynaecology Hospital of “Emmanuel and Spryridon Antoniades”. Emmanuel was the name of the eldest Antoniades siblings, who had passed away many years prior to Aglaia and Ioannes.
The name of Antoniades’ family is tied to the most long-standing contributions during the fiercest struggles that befell on Greece. An everlasting light of hope in the midst of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the Second World War.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has addressed the country’s expansive wildfires in a news conference in Athens on Thursday.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis described the wildfires as “the greatest ecological catastrophe of the last few decades”.
“We managed to save lives, but we lost forests and property,” Mitsotakis said.
“We are in the middle of August and it’s clear we will have difficult days ahead of us” until the main season during which fires break out is over, he said.
The Prime Minister acknowledged climate change amidst mounting criticism for the timing and extent of firefighting efforts.
“The climate crisis — I’d like to use this term, and not climate change — the climate crisis is here, and it shows us everything needs to change” he said, adding he was ready to make the “bold changes” needed.
“This is a common crisis for all of us,” he said.
Mitsotakis says authorities have battled around 100 active blazes each day.
The largest fire has burnt more than 50,900 hectares in northern Evia since August 3, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Emergency Management Service.
Beekeeper Antonis Vakos, 49, assesses his mostly destroyed beehives, following a wildfire near the village of Voutas on the island of Evia, Greece, August 11, 2021. (REUTERS/Stelios Misinas)
The fires in Evia have swallowed up pine trees and consumed scores of beehives crucial to the trade of Greece’s famed pine honey.
About 40 per cent of Greek pine honey is collected in Evia’s now ravaged north, says a local beekeepers’ cooperative head Stathis Albanis.
“First we tried to save our houses. Unfortunately we could not save our hives,” Vakas said.
Greece is the European Union’s (EU) fourth-biggest exporter of honey and the EU’s eighth biggest producer, according to the latest Eurostat figures.
Beekeeper Antonis Vakas is lamenting the loss of his trade.
“The destruction is immeasurable,” Vakas said.
“Beekeeping has been destroyed. We are destroyed. There is no green anywhere. Bees cannot exist without green.”
The fire department say 106 blazes broke out across Greece in the 24 hours to Thursday evening.
The recent fires follow the most intense and protracted heat wave experienced in the country since 1987.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is celebrating his 23rd birthday with a spot in the quarter-finals of the National Bank Open on Thursday.
The Greek star defeated Tokyo Olympics singles silver medalist Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 to reach the last eight in Toronto for the second time.
The crowd at the Aviva Centre sang “Happy Birthday” to the winner after he completed the match, and tournament officials presented the 2018 finalist with a cake.
Stefanos Tsitsipas receives a birthday cake to mark his 23rd birthday at the Canadian Open (Credit: AP)
“Casper is a player that has been developing very good recently. He had an amazing clay-court season,” Tsitsipas said.
“He’s someone that serves very well, has a very good serve-and-first-ball pattern that works really well for him. I think he’s probably one of the best players out there to have the serve and first ball inside the three first shots that he hits.
“It’s definitely something that I’m going to have to pay attention to, and apply more pressure towards that.”
Cyprus’ latest tourist attraction, the Museum of Underwater Sculpture of Ayia Napa (Musan), features a collection of 130 sculptures in a newly created Marine Protected Area.
The works at the museum, located in the resort town of Ayia Napa, range from botanical to figurative, including more than 90 sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor, a British artist known for his site-specific creations that turn into artificial coral reefs.
Photograph: Costas Constantinou/Musan.
With more than 1,000 sculptures installed around the world, including the Great Barrier Reef, deCaires Taylor specifically works with a type of cement that enables coral growth.
The site of the museum is in a marine protected area in Pernera, on the south-eastern coast of Cyprus and was selected specifically in order to emphasise its protected status. The works are installed all the way down to about 10 metres and spread out across more than 167 metres of sand.
Photographs: Jason deCaires Taylor/Musan.
Musan’s sculptures are made of sea materials, including stones, rocks and shells, and are meant to live harmoniously among the marine life. The museum has stated its intent to enrich the biodiversity of the area to allow the sculptures to turn into coral reefs and eventually an “underwater forest.”
Tourism is also a goal for the Cyprus government, which has backed the establishment of the museum. In 2014, the Ayia Napa municipal council proposed the idea and work began on Musan three years later. According to the Cyprus Mail, the cost of the museum has reached €1 million.
Visitors can dive or snorkel Musan for free, although reservations must be made ahead of time. The surrounding area will also have diving centres and schools for visitors.
If you’re looking to make a dish that will have your family and friends craving for more, without spending endless hours in the kitchen, then we might have just the thing for you!
Lamb-chops, also known as paidakia for those of us from Greece, are one of the most traditional and beloved dishes for family gatherings. However, the long preparation time may serve as a bit of a deterrent in our attempt to cook it.
Well, that’s no longer an excuse as we have provided for you an easy and fail-proof method of making the most delicious lemon-garlic lamb chops that your loved ones have ever tasted! All you’ll need is:
8 lamb chops (1-2 per person)
2 table spoons of pure olive oil
3-4 tablespoons of pure lemon juice (about one whole lemon)
2-3 tablespoons of dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons of thyme leaves
4 crushed cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of salt, pepper
Photo: Simply Delicious Food.
HOW TO MAKE:
Pre-heat a pan on strong fire (about 200 degrees)
Marinate the chops with the lemon juice and olive oil, then slowly add garlic, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes
Put the chops in the pan, let them sit, then flip them over after about 2-3 minutes (or until they reach that gold colour)
Flip them over to the other side and let them cook until the fat has caramelized and gone crispy
Remove and serve with lemon on the side
And that’s it. That’s all you’ll need to enjoy some delicious lamb-chops and serve them up to your family and friends. Enjoy!
Every year, August 15 holds special significance for all Greeks and that is due to a celebration that serves as the high point of their summer holidays.
On this day, the Christian Orthodox religion celebrates the Dormition of the Virgin Mary who, as Jesus Christ himself, was resurrected to live on forever in heaven.
This day has been hailed as “the Easter of summer” in Greece and the message of hope and victory over death itself has gone on to inspire many people from across the world.
Here are some of the most popular festivities and traditions that take place all around Greece during the August 15th national holiday – also known as ‘Dekapentavgoustos.’
1. In Patmos, which is also known as the isle of the Apocalypse, is where most of the devout followers of the religion gather to take place in the procession of the Epitaph, a tradition that has its roots from the Byzantine era.
2. In Tinos, hundreds of faithful or even simple bystanders gather to pray at the church of the Megalochari. The most popular tradition that is associated with this day says that all those who have received the blessing of the Mother of Christ in their lives will go up the many stairs that lead to the church on their knees.
3. In the village of Siatista of Kozani, this day marks the tradition of the horseback pilgrims, who ride their decorated animals all the way into the Mikrokastro monastery to pay their respects. Their return to the village marks the beginning of the celebrations which go on until the early morning hours.
Photo: Dimitris Papamitsos / Prime Minister’s Press Office.
4. The Koufonisia islands have become a popular tourist location in recent years, so it makes sense that they would have their own unique way of celebrating the occasion. Followers hop on small boats to head down to the Kato Koufonisi, which is where the chapel of Panagia is located. Then, once they’ve completed their prayers and it’s time to head back, the boats enter into a mini-race to see who will make it back to the Pano Koufonisi first. Once they all get back, it’s time to celebrate under the sounds of Greek music, with plenty of food and drinks to go around!
5. In the island of Kefalonia, they have a particularly unique way of celebrating this holiday, as there are many small, non-venomous snakes that appear there during this time of year. At the town of Markopoulo they have named the local church after them (Panagia Fidousa) as it is said that they bring good fortune to the locals and even more so to those daring enough to touch them.
Those are but a few of the many holidays that go on all around Greece on this day, to celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos.
It’s worth pointing out that August 15 is also a popular name day, so you may want to check your social circles to see if you have anyone called Panagiotis, Panagiota, Maria, Marios, Despina or any abbreviations like ‘Takis’ or ‘Giota’.
Big Fat Greek at Woodbine has been impacted by the strict lockdown of the Campbelltown Local Government Area (LGA) in NSW, but that didn’t stop owner, Peter Sinadinos, from taking part in a small act of kindness this week.
Mr Sinadinos decided to reach out to the Mayor of Campbelltown, George Brticevic, and donated 20 vouchers worth $20 each to give to people in the community who are struggling due to the current COVID-19 crisis gripping the state.
“A good meal at the Big Fat is about $17, so $20 is a good start to have the benchmark for where we want to get to with helping the community,” Mr Sinadinos tells The Greek Herald.
“We just want to thank the community. They’ve been great. They’ve supported us so it’s time for us to support them.”
Big Fat Greek at Woodbine donated $400 worth of vouchers to those in need.
In response, Mayor Brticevic thanked Mr Sinadinos and his team for their generosity and complimented them on their lamb mixed gyros meal.
“I cannot believe the generosity of the Campbelltown business community,” Mayor Brticevic wrote on Facebook.
“The food was fantastic… Looking forward to the loud Greek music as well!”
Mr Sinadinos later adds that these vouchers aren’t the only thing he has planned for the locals, telling The Greek Herald he is also looking into putting a meal deal together for tradies to show them appreciation for their hard work.
