Perth Glory can today confirm that Chris Ikonomidis will not be re-signing with the club.
The 26-year-old, who is currently out of contract, joined Glory in 2018 and was a key part of the Premiership-winning squad during his first season.
In total, he made 41 A-League appearances for the club, scoring 16 goals and during his time with Glory, also re-established himself as a regular member of the Socceroos squad.
Glory CEO, Tony Pignata, was quick to point out that every effort was made to re-secure Ikonomidis’ services.
Chris Ikonomidis is set to move on from Perth Glory FC.
“We made an excellent offer to Chris in order to try and keep him at Glory,” he said.
“Unfortunately, he has declined the opportunity to re-sign for the club and instead opted to take up an offer elsewhere.
“While we are naturally disappointed that we won’t see Chris in purple again next season, it is very much an amicable parting of the ways and on behalf of everyone associated with the club, I would like to thank him for the significant contribution he made on and off the field during his three years here in the West.
“We would also like to wish him all the very best in the next chapter of his career.”
NSW recorded 98 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
This afternoon, NSW Health also reported the death of a woman in her 50s who was a confirmed COVID-19 case. She was a resident of south western Sydney and a close contact of a COVID case.
Of the locally acquired cases, 61 are linked to a known case or cluster – 43 are household contacts and 18 are close contacts – and the source of infection for 37 cases is under investigation.
Fifty-four cases were in isolation throughout their infectious period and 17 cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period. Twenty cases were infectious in the community, and the isolation status of seven cases remains under investigation.
NSW recorded 98 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. pic.twitter.com/XjBvjJzvKg
NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said at a press conference this morning that the state won’t see the effects of a harsh lockdown for ‘another four or five days.’
This comes as Victoria’s Premier, Daniel Andrews, confirmed this morning that the state’s current lockdown won’t end at 11.59pm tomorrow night.
“I know this is not the news people want to hear,” he said.
However, Mr Andrews said the state has dodged “weeks and weeks” of lockdown by issuing stay-at-home orders late last week and not a moment longer.
Daniel Andrews.
“We have made great progress and we have avoided 1000s of cases. Knowing what we know now, lockdown was the right course, that was the right call at the right time.”
The Premier says the lockdown extension will be determined by tests which are currently in the lab and he hopes to give an update tomorrow.
Victoria recorded 13 new cases of COVID-19 today, all of which are connected to current outbreaks.
New data shows that crashes are down by more than half around Pennant Hills Rd since the NorthConnex tunnel opened in NSW in October.
This data is obtained thanks to GPS chips hidden away in most cars and trucks built since 2014. These chips record and map if drivers swerve or brake hard in one of these vehicles.
Toll road operator, Transurban, has told The Daily Telegraph the technology is the future of road safety.
“This is shaping up as the ‘missing gap’ in road analytics, using accurate and real-time data to proactively identify trends and patterns before a crash happens,” Transurban head of operations, Adam Lloyd, told The Daily Telegraph.
Data from the NorthConnex tunnel show crashes and near misses are down.
Emily Bobis’ role in all of this is to make sense of the more than a billion “packets” of information collected every day from vehicles on Sydney roads.
She is a 26-year-old entrepreneur and co-founder of the company Compass IoT.
“When a vehicle swerves or brakes suddenly we get the data from the car manufacturer, which includes location, speed, g-force, roll, pitch and yaw of the car,” Ms Bobis told The Daily Telegraph.
Emily Bobis. Photo: ASPL Group.
“Road safety data has tended to rely on police reports from accidents where someone has been seriously injured or killed and trends take two or three years to develop.
“Our data is proactive and provides information about near-misses, not just crashes.
“In Australia, on average, we have 1000 deaths and 35,000 injuries every year, which is a lot of family, friends and loved ones we can potentially prevent from being seriously injured or dying.”
The data is supplied by vehicle manufacturers, who do not track cars constantly but instead record instances of violent changes in speed or direction.
Efstathios Stamatopoulos is best-known for his novels, novellas, and short tales written under the pen name Stratis Myrivilis.
He is considered a member of the ‘Generation of the 1930s’ and was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The Greek Herald delves into the life and motivations of the anti-war novelist, examines his insights and sentiments, and charts his rise as one of the most influential writers of Greece in the 20th century.
Early life:
Born as Efstathios Stamatopoulos on 30 June, 1890, Stratis was a Greek writer. He became known with the artistic nickname Myrivilis, a name of the mountain slope above his paternal home.
In 1890, Myrivilis was born in the municipality of Sykamineas on the north shore of the island of Lesbos. He spent his youth there until 1905, when he was transferred to Mytilene, the island’s capital, to study at the secondary school.
In 1910, he completed his education and accepted a position as a local schoolmaster, but after only one year, he resigned and enrolled at Athens University to study law. However, his academic studies were cut short when he enlisted to participate in the First Balkan War in 1912.
Following the Balkan Wars, he returned to Lesbos, which was now free of Turkish occupation, and rejoined with his country Greece. He established himself as a journalist, poet, and fiction writer there.
Stratis Myrivilis published roughly six collections of short stories, seven novels, and several other works in his career spanning six decades (Source: Wikipedia)
‘Red Stories’ marks his debut in the literary scene in 1915:
In 1915, he released his debut book, Red Stories (‘Κόκκινες Ιστορίες’), which consisted of six short stories that together made one novel. Five years later, in 1920, Myrivilis married Eleni, and together, they had three kids.
During World War I, Myrivilis served in the army of Eleftherios Venizelos’ a breakaway government on the Macedonian Front. He also served in the Asia Minor Campaign, which catastrophically failed, following this he returned to Lesbos.
From April 1923 to January 1924, Myrivilis wrote and published his first version of his First World War novel “Life in the Tomb” in the weekly newspaper Kambana. In the novel, Myrivills shows his personal impressions and of World war 1 through the protagonist Antonis Kostoulas. Antonis records in his letters experiences, thoughts and feelings, during the period, that he is fighting on the Macedonian Front in 1917 and later he intends to send to his beloved wife.
In 1930, a more extended, updated version was published in Athens, and Myrivilis quickly became popular across Greece. “Life in the Tomb” established him as a true master of Greek prose. Following the popularity of Life in the Tomb, Myrivilis relocated to Athens and worked as the editor of the daily newspaper Demokratia.
He was appointed General Programme Director of the Greek National Broadcasting Institute in 1936, a position he held until 1951. Although during the time of German occupation, he resigned, following a final broadcast in which he reminded the Greek people of their noble resistance to the Italian invasion of Greece and encouraged them to continue resisting with dignity and unity.
Later life:
A bust of Stratis Myrivilis by sculptor Lucia Georganti sits in Pagkrati Square, Athens (Source: Wikipedia)
Following the occupation, he was recruited to the Library of Parliament.
In 1946, he created and was elected as the first president of the National Society of Greek Writers.
After being nominated unsuccessfully six times, he was eventually welcomed to the Academy of Athens in 1958, a belated appreciation of his significant contribution to Greek literature.
On July 19, 1969, he died in an Athens hospital after a chronic illness.
AN0M messages sent in the days before the nationwide Operation Ironside sting showed an increasing awareness the app was “bad,” a court has heard.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court was told during a bail application for George Katsambas – a NSW man arrested on a South Australian warrant – that messages linked him to the bust, The Advertiser reports.
Mr Katsambas, 48, was arrested on unrelated charges at Sydney Airport on May 27, having been granted an exemption to fly to Greece for three weeks for unspecified family reasons.
The flight was scheduled only days after several drivers were arrested in Perth in possession of large quantities of drugs that prosecutors allege was linked to Mr Katsambas.
George Katsambas.
According to The Advertiser, a Commonwealth prosecutor told the court that messages allegedly sent by Mr Katsambas showed an intention to remain out of Australia.
Prosecutors also allege that later in the conversation, Mr Katsambas wrote: “Bro, someone told me today that AN0M is bad.”
Mr Katsambas was released on bail by a NSW Supreme Court judge only to be arrested two weeks later as part of the nationwide Ironside arrests in June this year.
He is accused of trafficking 7kg of methamphetamine marked with the letter “H” to Western Australia, The Advertiserreports.
George Katsambas being led into the Adelaide Magistrates Court where he was facing drug trafficking related charges in February, 2004.
Magistrate John Wells heard that prosecutors would allege Mr Katsambas and his co-accused exchanged more than 8000 messages in 78 days, averaging just more than 100 a day.
Michael Abbott QC, for Mr Katsambas, said the evidence linking the messages to his client was tenuous at best.
“I say that there is an incorrect attribution of this material to Mr Katsambas and there is no suggestion he ever had an AN0M phone in his possession,” Mr Abbott said, according to The Advertiser.
Mr Wells granted Mr Katsambas home-detention bail to live with a relative in Adelaide provided a cash surety of $5000 was lodged with the court.
A 26-year-old woman whose body was found in the sea off the island of Folegandros on Friday was alive when she was pushed to the sea from a rocky coast by her 30-year-old boyfriend, according to the coroner’s report.
The report gives drowning as the cause of death. The body has multiple injuries, apparently from striking rocks.
Her boyfriend has confessed to killing her after an argument. The car they both were riding on swerved off the road near the beach of Lygaria in the northern part of the island; the couple got out and continued arguing.
Fishermen later spotted her body floating close to the beach. The boyfriend was found several hours later, apparently wandering aimlessly.
According to media reports, he told police the murder happened in “the heat of the moment.”
The car they both were riding on swerved off the road near the beach of Lygaria. Photo: Keep Talking Greek.
The victim, known only as Garyfalia, was from a village near the city of Corinth in the Peloponnese. She and her eventual murderer had gone to Folegandros on a camping holiday.
Speaking to Skai TV, the victim’s mourning mother called the murderer a “coward.”
”Teach your boys to be manly, to respect women. To not be thugs. I wish I could say a last ‘I Love You’ to my daughter,” she appealed to others.
“I don’t believe in the bad moment. I believe in bad people and bad behaviors. We’ll do something for Garyfalia so that no other girls die like that. It is a femicide.”
Garyfalia is the latest victim of a series of murders against women in Greece. There have been ten femicides in 2019- 2020 alone. In May this year, 20-year-old British-born young mother Caroline Grouch was murdered by her 33-year-old Greek husband who is in jail pending trial.
Born in Germany with a Greek-German background, Caroline Rovithi captures two cultures in her art that is simply described with one word. Breathtaking.
The Greek Herald spoke with Caroline to find out more about her artistic journey and how her artwork is influenced by her Greek culture.
You’re a self taught artist, what got you interested in pursuing art as a life-long career?
When I am creating a work of art I feel an abundance of emotions that feed my soul. It is like an ideal “relationship” that is constantly renewed. Full of intensity, passion, madness, love, words and emotions, that define and guide my life. It is the reason for my existence.
Can you talk a bit about the inspiration behind most of the artworks you do now?
Definitely G R E E C E !! This country is a work of art, a masterpiece which I am blessed and privileged to experience everyday. Living in Greece gives me the strength and drive to create art, to inspire, motivate, and celebrate my country. My mission is to promote Hellenism and the love for Greece worldwide by creating bright, bold, and empowering works of art showcasing the beauty, spirit and strength of my country even in turbulent times.
How have your artworks progressed over the years in terms of artistic improvement as well as your conceptual understanding of art?
Both my constant restlessness as an artist and my year long experience as a creative director have contributed in developing a unique skill of combining ideas, concepts and visuals and transforming them into an artwork.
What has been your favourite piece of artwork? Why?
There are 2 of them
The first one:
The “Crying Greek flag” which I created during a challenging period for Greece with the economic crisis rising. It is a large Greek flag, standing strong and proud although it is hurting and crying. At that time I was living abroad and every time I visited Greece I came across sad people, having huge financial difficulties, coping with anxiety while feeling helpless and at a dead end. This first flag is how all these emotions where expressed. That was the beginning of my series of conceptual artworks about my country.
The second one:
A few years later I created the “ New tsarouchi Air” during the peek of the the crisis, I wanted to emphasize that “WE CAN DO IT”, Greeks can do it! I used the tsarouchi shoe, an object with tradition and heritage, and “upgrated” it so it can ”adjust” to the new era of Greece without loosing it’s identity.
Can you tell me about your latest project?
For the past 1 ½ year I have been working with all my heart on “ALL YOU NEED IS GREECE” an inspirational project I have created to promote Hellenism and love for Greece worldwide.
It includes :
my new book that will be published in October 2021 (www.keybooks.gr) a colorful & emotional “coffee table – art book” with a collection of conceptual artworks that capture the essence of the Hellas. Ιconic symbols bridge history with the modern era, blending Greece’s heroic past with bright colors and contemporary imagery, while accompanied by texts of important Greeks.
2 short films that will promote the concept
I am very honored that this project will be under the auspices of EOT (Greek National Tourism Organization) and I want to express my gratitude to its President of Ms. Angela Gerekou who believed in this and supports me from the first moment.
What influences and motivates you to keep making new artworks and continue to strive for improvement?
I want to inspire people through my art, to create an emotional connection, that makes them smile, dream, believe, travel … If I can accomplish that for at least one other human being my life has a meaning, a purpose.
The Flavours of Greece festival, organised by the Greek Community of Melbourne, was inaugurated on Tuesday, July 13, with a wonderful evening dedicated to the hero Daskalogiannis, at the Greek restaurant Philhelline.
Consul General Emmanuel S. Kakavelakis, members of the Board of Directors of the Greek Community of Melbourne and dozens of people had the opportunity to learn about the history and actions of the hero of the Cretan Revolution of 1770, enjoy Cretan delicacies and listen to lively music.
This year, the Festival is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek Revolution of 1821, and its program includes special events in Greek restaurants in Melbourne, where every night is dedicated to the heroes of the Revolution.
Photo: The Greek Community of Melbourne
The menu of the evening included rich Cretan dishes, prepared by Giannis and Souzi Reraki, such fava beans, grilled goat in the oven and many Cretan delicacies, accompanied by wonderful Greek wine.
Those who participated in this beautiful evening enjoyed live Cretan music and songs by Sifi Tsourdalakis, Paddy Montgomery and George Rerakis.
Various exhibits from Greece, the revolution and ancient Greece, curated by Giannis Rerakis, were presented at the popular restaurant.
Photo: The Greek Community of Melbourne
Mr. Kakavelakis, who comes from Chania, referred in detail to the hero Ioannis Vlachos, known as Daskalogiannis, who was born in 1722 in Anopoli Sfakion, Crete. He was the leader and hero of the Cretan Revolution of 1770. Also speaking about Daskalogi was journalist and radio announcer Mrs. Rena Fragioudaki, who comes from Crete.
“Through the Festival we try to connect our culture and history with modern moments, with Greek cuisine and Greek music, and to promote them to a wider audience,” said the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis.
“For the 200th Anniversary of the beginning of the Revolution of 1821, our Community organised multiple events. This year the Festival ‘Flavours of Greece’ is dedicated to this Anniversary. With the cooperation of Greek restaurants in Melbourne, we organised special events dedicated to the heroes of the Greek Revolution.
Photo: The Greek Community of Melbourne
“This is a special initiative that has found a great response both in the Greek community in Melbourne and in the wider Australian society.”
The next event of the Festival will take place at the restaurant ‘Mykonos’, where the heroine Manto Mavrogenous will be honoured.
For more information visit greekcentre.com.au and for booking trybooking: https://bit.ly/36Cy9P1.
Dr Amy Manos will become a mum for the first time this year — and is now also one of the first pregnant women in the state to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Reported by The Daily Telegraph, The St George Hospital-based registrar became pregnant with her first child in December last year, just before the Covid-19 vaccines became available.
“At that time and for most of my pregnancy the advice regarding vaccination for Covid was to not get vaccinated during pregnancy, so my plan was to get vaccinated post-giving birth,” Dr Manos said.
“As a health care worker I was in 1B but could not get vaccinated based on that official advice.”
But on June 9, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommended pregnant women could safely get the Pfizer vaccine at any stage of pregnancy.
Dr Amy Manos is one of the first pregnant women in NSW to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19. Photo: Daily Telegraph
“This is because the risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19 is significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn baby,” RANZCOG said.
“They also found the vaccination was likely to provide some antibodies to the baby, passing through while still in the womb and in my breastmilk so I was keen to get that vaccination done,” Dr Manos said.
The day after, Dr Manos became one of the first in NSW to get her first dose at the St George Hospital Vaccination Hub.
“I was 26 weeks pregnant and fully vaccinated by 29 weeks,” the 31-year-old said.
“I was aware that pregnant women are immune-suppressed and at higher risk of complications of Covid and shown to be associated with premature labour in Covid-infected mothers so I wanted to do everything to protect myself and my baby, based on expert advice.
“I think it’s incredibly important for anyone in our community to get vaccinated when they are able to, particularly for pregnant women, because we do know we can be at a higher risk of complications if we get Covid.
“I want to be part of the message to push the benefits of vaccination in terms of keeping ourselves safe, keeping babies safe and keeping the community safe.”
Take action, inspire change, and make every day a Mandela Day.
That is the message to all citizens as we recognise Mandela Day on July 18.
The day was established in 2009 by the UN General Assembly to honour the “promotion and quality of peace” that Nelson Mandela embraced in his life and for which the former South African president fought.
“By becoming someone who makes every day a Mandela Day by taking action against poverty, you can show others that actions speak louder than words,” says Mandela Day organisers.
“Positive change was the gift left to all of us by Nelson Mandela, but it can only become a living legacy if we take up his challenge.”
Il presidente dell’Anc Nelson Mandela mostra il pugno ai suoi sostenitori al suo arrivo in occasione del primo comizio elettorale del 15 marzo 1994, Le elezioni sudafricane si sarebbero tenute il 27 aprile (WALTER DHLADHLA/AFP/Getty Images)
We all know Nelson Mandela as a leader and modern inspiration, but like everyone else, he was supported by those closest to him. One of the men who provided the greatest support to Mandela was anti-apartheid campaigner and lawyer George Bizos.
Bizos, who came to South Africa as a 13-year-old fleeing the Nazi occupation of Greece, played a key role in the legal fight to end apartheid, the racist system used to oppress South Africa’s Black majority for decades.
The soft-spoken but determined Bizos represented Mandela from his treason trial in 1964 until the former South African president’s death in 2013.
The two met as law students. During Mandela’s years in prison, Bizos helped to look after his family, and he played a key role in negotiations for Mandela’s release in 1990.
George Bizos in 2011 touring the building where Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo had a law office in Johannesburg. Photo: Denis Farrell/Associated Press.
Bizos is credited with getting Mandela to add the words “if needs be” to his speech from the dock in which he said he was prepared to die for his ideals.
The addition was seen as an escape clause, avoiding any impression that Mandela was goading the court to impose the death penalty.
Bizos remained active in human rights work in South Africa well into his 80s with the Legal Resources Center. In 2014 he questioned witnesses during an inquiry into the shooting deaths of several dozen protesters by police during a strike at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine in 2012.
Bizos considered himself Greek and South African to the core. During the struggle against apartheid, he said he drew on his schooling in Greece about democracy and freedom.
