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Greek Australian expat, Alex Savidis, reveals what the new ‘Covid normal’ is overseas

The Greek Herald
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Greek Australian expat, Alex Savidis, reveals what the new ‘Covid normal’ is overseas

Alex Savidis and his young family moved from Sydney to the US in August 2020 to open new cafe, In Common NYC, in the city’s Hudson Yards and what happened next was unexpected.

Alex’s cafe project was not only delayed a full year due to the pandemic, but he and his partner, Dana, also both caught COVID in January, suffering a bad flu and fatigue.

Their two-year-old son didn’t get it, and Dana, who was eight-months pregnant at the time, gave birth to a healthy baby six weeks later, having a planned home birth to avoid COVID-filled hospitals.

Since then, Alex told The Daily Telegraph, life feels quite normal.

“This summer everyone has moved back to the city, apartments are hard to find again and there’s a buzz about the city with people eager to get out and make up for lost time,” Alex said.

Alex says everyone has moved back to the city.

“The real change came entering summer 2021, when the city opened back up completely and it took some time after that before indoor dining was allowed at max capacity. Before that was only 10 per cent capacity.”

Currently in the US, people are not required to sign in when entering establishments, though the current guidelines are that masks are required for unvaccinated people and optional for the vaccinated.

“In the supermarkets you’ll see a mix of people with and without masks and nobody is getting hassled for their personal decision,” Alex said.

People wearing masks in NYC.

“Restaurants, bars and gyms all now require to ask for ID and proof of vaccination if anyone wants to go in and use the facility, otherwise outdoor dining is the option for unvaccinated people.”

And what about travel?

“People can move around within the country freely – international travel requires a vaccine or negative COVID test before flying,” Alex said.

“Many of my friends have had trips locally and internationally with no issues. Europe, South and Central America and the Caribbean have all been popular destinations.

“People are just living! You can quarantine when you come back or get a negative COVID test.”

Source: The Daily Telegraph.

Anthony Koutoufides and Olympia Valance in new season of Dancing With The Stars

Andriana Simos
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Anthony Koutoufides and Olympia Valance in new season of Dancing With The Stars

AFL legend, Anthony Koutoufides, and actress, Olympia Valance, will be hitting the dance floor this year as they join the new season of ‘Dancing With The Stars: All Stars.’

Koutoufides won the dancing show in 2006 and decided it was time to return after 15 years.

“This will certainly test the old body but looking forward to the challenge again. Bring it on!” Koutoufides wrote on Instagram.

Greek Australian actress, Olympia Valance, will also be returning to the dance floor after first appearing on season 16 of the show in 2019.

“All Stars baby! Let the games begin,” Valance wrote on social media following the announcement.

READ MORE: Olympia Valance reveals ‘ongoing battle’ after private photos leaked and shared online.

Koutoufides and Valance will be joined by 10 other series winners including TV host, Grant Denyer (2006), actor, Bridie Carter (2007), and former AFL player, David Rodan (2014).

Newcomers, Deni Hines, Sam McMillan, Kris Smith and Cameron Daddo, will also try their hand at dancing for the first time as wildcard entrants.

“My two young girls are absolutely obsessed with dancers and ballerinas and I thought if they could see me with real live professional dancers, I’d become a cool dad,” Kris Smith, who shares two daughters with Sarah Boulazeris, told The Daily Telegraph.

“And also, if the last few months have taught me one thing, it’s to take every opportunity and enjoy it.”

Production is currently underway on the latest ‘All Stars’ season that will again be hosted by Sonia Kruger and Daryl Somers on Channel 7.

READ MORE: Daughter of footy legend, Anthony Koutoufides, to model at Melbourne Fashion Festival.

Greece opens new migrant camp on Samos island amid tougher policy

The Greek Herald
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Greece opens new migrant camp on Samos island amid tougher policy

Greece has opened a new migrant camp on the island of Samos that replaces an obsolete and once overcrowded facility.

The new facility cost about 43 million euros. It will house up to 3,000 people, about a third of them in 240 small houses and the rest in large halls, Greek Migration and Asylum Minister, Notis Mitarakis, said on Saturday.

“Today Samos is finding tranquility and leaves behind the shameful scenes at Vathy,” Mitarakis said.

“The new closed, monitored facility offers much better living conditions, is outside city limits, and has much enhanced security measures to protect the beneficiaries, personnel but also local communities.”

The new migrant facility.

The remaining 550 migrants in the old Vathy facility will now be transferred to the new one beginning on Monday.

Greece is bracing for a new wave of migrants after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, although Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has vowed to halt the influx long before it reaches Greece’s border. Samos lies close to the Turkish coast.

Source: AP News.

Bilateral tax treaty between Greece and Australia to be negotiated next year

The Greek Herald
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Bilateral tax treaty between Greece and Australia to be negotiated next year

The Morrison Government will expand Australia’s tax treaty network to support the economic recovery and ensure Australian businesses are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will emerge in the coming years, the Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has announced.

The Morrison Government’s plan will allow Australia to enter into 10 new and updated tax treaties by 2023, building on our existing network of 45 bilateral tax treaties.

The plan will ensure Australia’s tax treaty network will cover 80 per cent of foreign investment in Australia and about $6.3 trillion of Australia’s two-way trade and investment.

Negotiations with India, Luxembourg and Iceland are occurring this year as part of the first phase of the program. Negotiations with Greece, Portugal and Slovenia are scheduled to occur next year as part of the second phase.

READ MORE: Double Taxation Agreement between Greece and Australia only a matter of time.

Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, announced the tax treaty.

The Government welcomes views from the public to inform the negotiations and will be consulting with interested stakeholders.

Tax treaties improve tax system integrity through the establishment of a bilateral framework of cooperation on the prevention of tax evasion, the collection of tax debts and rules to address tax avoidance.

Businesses will be provided with greater tax certainty which will encourage increased economic integration through foreign investment and trade.

In the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Budgets, the Government provided $11.6 million to Treasury and the Australian Tax Office to support this expansion of our tax treaty network.

READ MORE: Betty Alexandropoulou on trade and double taxation agreement between Australia and Greece.

COVID-19 Australia-Cyprus Forum to compare responses to the pandemic

The Greek Herald
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COVID-19 Australia-Cyprus Forum to compare responses to the pandemic

The Australian Alumni Association of Cyprus is proud to present the COVID-19 Australia-Cyprus Forum in association with the Australian High Commission in Cyprus and The University of Cyprus.

The last two years have been trying for all institutions and every individual across the globe. The pandemic seems to have caught our communities unprepared, ripped through them and forced everyone to spring to action, to adapt, to organise, to mobilise, to find the most effective means of combating this deadly virus.

All systems underwent a rigorous crash test: Healthcare institutions, political and economic systems, law enforcement agencies, information technologies, and communication channels. Nothing remained unaffected and especially human relations and behaviours.

  • Dr Constantinos Tsioutis.
  • Professor Allen Cheng.

So, what have we learned from all this in Australia and Cyprus? How can the accumulated scientific research, evidence, data and knowledge help us respond to the current challenges posed by the pandemic and in particular the Delta variant? How can we make effective use of evidence and good practices?

The Australian Alumni Association of Cyprus is bringing together esteem scientists, clinicians and researchers from both countries, who have been and continue being on the frontline, to reflect on the responses to the pandemic, the immunisation programs, the current situation, vaccines and vaccination rollouts. What was done well, what was done poorly, and what were the outcomes and lessons.

  • Dr Stefanos Herodotou.
  • Dr Nikolas Dietis.

You are invited to join the forum on Wednesday, 22nd of September, 2021, at 10:00 in Cyprus and 5:00pm AEST in Australia. The event will be broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube.

The Australian Alumni Association of Cyprus strongly believes that the cooperation and involvement of academics, practitioners, politicians, economists, media representatives, and the wider community in the two countries can help make use of scientific data, develop policies, and assist in crisis planning and management.

Talking at the event will be: Professor Allen Cheng, Dr Constantinos Tsioutis, Dr Nikolas Dietis and Dr Stefanos Herodotou.

For further details, please contact:

Sakis Fidogiannis, President Tel.: 99 476969 or Cleo Tziva, Secretary, Tel.: 99 329360.

Alleged fraudster, Bill Papas, appears at Xanthi football game

The Greek Herald
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Alleged fraudster, Bill Papas, appears at Xanthi football game

Alleged fraudster, Bill Papas, has made his first appearance at the football club he owns in northern Greece, attending a friendly match at Xanthi FC, the Australian Financial Review reports.

This comes despite telling the Australian Federal Court in August he had sold shares in the company that reportedly owned the Greek Super League 2 side.

Mr Papas, who has been in Greece since June 21, attended the match between Xanthi and Olympiacos B on Saturday in Greece, with Xanthi chief executive Anastasios Giamouridis and club vice-president Fanis Ouzounidis.

Bill Papas is holed up in an apartment near the Thessaloniki seaside in northern Greece. Photo: The Australian Financial Review.

Mr Papas was spotted by several local Xanthi media outlets, including Thraki Sports and Sports Addict. He even made a statement on the football club’s website.

READ MORE: ‘Extreme anxiety and panic attacks’: Bill Papas breaks silence on Westpac fraud allegations.

“I am very happy to be here today at Xanthi Arena, to watch AOX and be close with the fans and the whole team that works every day for the best result,” he said in the statement.

Bill Papas is at the centre of Westpac fraud allegations.

“After a particularly difficult year with the restrictions of the pandemic, the most important thing today is the return of our fans to the stadium. AOX has the right infrastructure and all the specifications for a really strong year. With zest, co-operation and consistency, all our goals will become achievable.”

READ MORE: NSW Financial Crimes Squad opens investigation into Bill Papas and Forum Finance.

In civil proceedings before the Federal Court, Mr Papas, the Xanthi club president, is alleged to have defrauded Westpac, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking of Japan and French bank Société Générale of nearly $400 million.

Source: Australian Financial Review.

EU leaders pledge cooperation on climate change and security in Athens Declaration

The Greek Herald
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EU leaders pledge cooperation on climate change and security in Athens Declaration

The leaders of Europe’s Mediterranean countries pledged late Friday to expand cooperation in the fight against climate change and to back common security and defense initiatives in the European Union.

The meetings in Athens were held in the aftermath of massive summer wildfires that ravaged parts of southern Europe, and the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

The nine Mediterranean countries expressed their “strong conviction that urgent and ambitious global action” to fight climate change is needed at national, regional and local levels, according to a joint statement issued after the talks got underway.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, shows the view of the Greek capital to French President Emmanuel Macron, center, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, left background, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, center background, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Photo: AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis.

Attending the talks were President Emmanuel Macron of France, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and leaders and senior representatives from Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia and Portugal.

“(The climate initiative) is absolutely the right move at the right time because we all see that climate change is heavily affecting the Mediterranean region,” said European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, who also joined the talks.

Participants reaffirmed their commitment to goals set out under the Paris accord, the worldwide global climate pact, called for closer integration of climate change policies across Europe and further cooperation within the EU’s trans-national disaster response mechanism.

French President Emmanuel Macron makes statements during the EUMED 9 summit. Photo: AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis.

“We are all convinced of the importance of cooperation on the economy, climate, technology, and on the strategic and military level, to reinforce European sovereignty” Macron said.

“We must be able to face challenges and threats that affect our neighborhood, and create alliances so that we can effectively manage the consequences of these challenges.”

Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, welcomed support expressed by visiting leaders over efforts to avoid a refugee crisis from Afghanistan reaching Europe.

He also hailed a joint call on Greece’s neighbour Turkey to “abstain, in a consistent and permanent manner, from provocations or unilateral actions in breach of international law” regarding controversial oil-and-gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

“One thing is sure: We will not allow a repeat of the uncontrolled migration that we experienced in 2015,” Mitsotakis said.

More than a million refugees and migrants, mostly from wars in Syria and Iraq, crossed into Greece and on to other European Union countries in 2015-16. Greece has since hardened its borders and received extensive support from the EU border protection agency Frontex.

Source: AP News.

Winners announced for the ‘Ambassadors 200’ competition

The Greek Herald
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Congratulations to the 200 winners who deservedly receive the title “Ambassadors” in Victoria’s ‘Ambassadors 200’ competition to mark the Greek Revolution bicentenary. The names of the winners are:

Aivaliotis John, Alevizos Leigh, Alexopoulos Mary, Amirsonis Dion, Anagnostakis Nathaniel, Anastasiadis Adamantios, Anastasiou Nathanail, Andrikopoulos Sotirios, Angelatos Gerasimos, Antoniou Nicholas, Antoniou Serafim, Antonopoulos Nektaria, Athanasiadis Arianna, Athanasiadis Kyriakos, Athanasiadis Dimos, Athanasiadis Anthea, Athanasopoulos Lazarus, Bakali Eva, Ballis Nikki, Ballis Dimitra, Barbagiannis Alexandra, Batsakis Amelie, Batsakis William, Bauzon Alexi, Bombos Jasper, Bracoulias Antonia, Bridgman Elyssa, Chhiev Natalee, Chronopoulos Vasili, Delfas Stephanie, Dellios Amelia Lexi, Demetriou Arthur, Dipierdomenico David, Doukas Victoria, Drougas Daniel, Drougas Alexis, Emmerson Sammuel, Emmerson Zoe, Falduto Zane, Fardis Anabelle, Fardis Diahna, Fountoulakis Michael, Fousias Zabetta, Geneopoulos Anastasia, George Gigu Ayden, Georges Mattea, Georgiou Eleni, Gong Lai Lai, Goudis Marina, Goudis Nickolaos, Goutoglou Christopher, Grigoropoulos Paschalis, Gurfinkel Samuel, Haddad John, Hadjiharalambous Giovanni, Haralambakis Mikayla, Haramis Rudi, Hassan Fatat, Hazipanagiotou Alexandra, Iliadis Nicole, Isari Despoina, Johnson Dimity, Jolley Stacey, Kakaras Stephanie, Kakaras Johnny, Kakolyri Nefeli, Kalivas George, Kalomiris Amelia, Kapetanea Christina, Karac Mladen, Karagiannakis Victoria, Karagiozis Ioanna, Karagiozis Eleni, Karalexis James, Karamitros Mia, Karamzalis Eftyhia, Karanikola Alexandra, Karanikos Constantina Dina, Karatzas Dimitra (Sienna), Kasimiotis Anthony, Katakis Elessa, Katakis Emanuella, Katelanis Eleni, Katsaros Eleni, Katsipodas Yianni, Khatchmanian Victoria, Khoury Sarah, Kirkotsios Elena, Kolivas Evan, Konstantinidis Anastasia, Konstantinidis Tziovannis, Kontos Joseph, Kopanidi Rafaella, Koroneos Chloe, Kosmas Vasia, Kotsiris Marie, Kotzapanagiotis Frank, Koukouras Evangelia, Koumi Christen, Kousourakis Helen, Koutsovasilis Lucas, Kouzoumis Mia, Kouzoumis Alexander, Kozirakis Tsambika, Kyriakoudis Anastasia, Lazarou Alexia, Lazos Emmanuel, Leah Krystal, Leah Georgia, Li Cecilia, Loukaitis John, Lountzis Dionysios, Makris Paul, Manolis James, Manolis Anastasia, Markakis Kristina, Mawal Ketrina, Menelaou Eleni, Micallef Veronica, Milas Konstantine, Millar Michaela, Miltiadous Helen, Miltiadous Andrew, Mrak Josef, Muratore Marco, Muratore Antonio, Nguyer Alex, Nicolaidis Gia, Nicolaou Nicholas, Ntoulelari Eirini

O’Neil Ryan, Palaskas Poppy, Papachristoforos George, Papachristoforos Calista, Papadakis Manie, Papadopoulos Nefeli, Papadopoulos Magdalene, Papakatsikas Chris, Papatsonis Alexandros, Parastatidis Zara, Patsaki Eirini, Patsaki Viktoria, Peripetsakis Mary, Petrou Helena, Petrousis Evangelina Dimitra, Pezos Kristina, Phassouliotis Leah, Phelghati Ella, Pititto Nicolas, Pletas Francine, Pop Maria, Pouris Eleni, Pouris Christina, Psarianos Angelos, Psomiadis Angelos, Radimisis Zoe, Rentoulis Taiya, Rigogiannis Hariklia, Rigogiannis Maria, Sako Cecilia, Salamousas Athina, Sarigianoglou Kalliope, Saxionis Gregory, Sidiropoulos John, Simou Magdalini, Smirnakos Ava, Soundy James, Souris Angelos, Stamoulis Anastasia, Starakis Natassa, Stefanidis Christian, Talias Manni, Tallent Phoenix, Theodoridis Sevastian, Tioulis Vaios, Tochovitis Angelos, Triantafillou Christina, Triantafillou Constantia, Tsalkos Mia, Tsiloulis Victoria, Tsiounis Zoe, Tsiounis Nektarios, Tsoulakos Aristidis, Vakras James, Varsamis Leon, Varytimidis Despina, Vatca Anastasia-Ioana, Vezos Spyridon, Vezou Konstantina, Virtanen Lola, Viskas Aidyn, Vlahos George, Warren Sarah, Wielgosz Jacob, Zarbos Orestis, Zarkos Georgia, Zarras Michael, Zoukis Kristina, Zoukis Georgina.

Anthony Albanese MP – Opinion: Labor’s four-step plan to tackle COVID

The Greek Herald
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Anthony Albanese MP – Opinion: Labor’s four-step plan to tackle COVID

One thing Labor has learned from tackling past global crises is that a plan for Australia to get through this crisis has to be more than just a plan in name.

A genuine plan to get us through Covid-19 involves expertise, learning from past mistakes, addressing the problems of the present and anticipating the challenges of the future.

This is what underpins Labor’s four-part approach to overcoming the pandemic: a speedy vaccination rollout, a safe end to lockdowns, protecting our children and, armed with the best expert advice, preparing for what’s coming.

Those preparations mean avoiding own goals such as the one the Government scored when it rebuffed an approach from Pfizer in June last year offering early access to its vaccine.

Scott Morrison talks a lot about hope, but yet when hope came knocking, they locked the door. The first step must be speeding up the vaccination rollout.

Labor’s proposal of a $300 payment to every fully vaccinated Australian would plant a foot on the accelerator.

Experience shows that incentives like this work. It would put a jab in the arms of Australians and a shot in the arm of the economy.

Compared to the costs that lockdowns inflict on our nation every week, the price tag for such a program would be far less. It will be an effective investment in our nation’s future.

As we speed up the initial vaccinations, we also need to be securing booster shots.

Those first two jabs are essential, but they are not the end of the story.

Vaccination leave for those who need it is another crucial ingredient.

We need to remove every conceivable obstacle that might stand between an Australian and their jab.

Speedy vaccinations and fair access to vaccines are the road to the safe ending of lockdowns.

Nobody wants lockdowns to last a day longer than they have to.

That is why Labor is supporting the national plan while seeking to strengthen it. A faster route to the safe ending of lockdowns would be an effective world class national contact tracing COVIDSafe app. Such an app would be one of the practical ways whereby we could ensure our contact tracers are world class and support businesses, which want to protect their customers and their workers.

The third part of our plan is the protection of our children, not least vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds.

Canada is one country that has treated it as a race and has already fully vaccinated 60 per cent of that age group.

The most effective way for us to emulate their success is through a school-based program and that is something we should be preparing right now.

The Government needs to either include them in national targets or specify vaccine targets for that age group.

Children should be vaccinated quickly, and their parents deserve to know when – not least the great many dealing with the added stresses of home schooling.

We desperately want to see our children back at school, but not if it involves putting them at risk of coming home with COVID.

We also need to secure a paediatric vaccine supply for children aged under 12 to prepare for when vaccines are approved for this age group.

The US Government entered into an agreement with Pfizer in June to ensure doses are available for 65 million children there when approval is given.

We should also make sure our schools are properly ventilated to minimise the risk of COVID spread.

Anthony Albanese.

Fourth, we need to prepare for the future – and part of that has to be manufacturing mRNA vaccines here.

The pandemic has been a wake-up call to us all, reminding us how risky it is for Australia to be the last link in the global supply chain.

We cannot be content pleading for leftovers from nations that did plan ahead.

We have the people, the talent and the resources to stand on our own feet.

We also need purpose-built quarantine.

As the old quarantine station on the North Head of Sydney Harbour reminds us, it is part of our heritage. It was the right idea then, it is the right idea now.

Throughout the pandemic, Labor has made constructive proposals.

In that spirit, let’s learn from the mistakes made with vaccines and quarantine.

Australia needs certainty going forward.

Let’s ensure we have the comprehensive plan that gives it.

ANTHONY ALBANESE MP
LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
MEMBER FOR GRAYNDLER

This opinion piece was first published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, 17 September 2021.


Edith Piaf and Dimitris Horn: Their Athens meeting and the passionate love letter

Andriana Simos
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Edith Piaf and Dimitris Horn: Their Athens meeting and the passionate love letter

It’s a love story not many know about. France’s great cultural icon, Edith Piaf, meets with Greek stage and movie actor, Dimitris Horn, and later sends him a passionate letter saying she would “give everything up” for him.

Piaf met Horn at a tour stop in Athens in 1946, the year she released her signature song La Vie en Rose. 

Later, in a letter dated September 20, 1946, Piaf, who was then 31 and at the height of her fame, proclaimed her everlasting love for “My Taki.”

“I love you as I have never loved anyone, Taki, don’t break my heart,” she writes to Horn, urging him to visit her in London or Paris.

Edith Piaf wrote a letter to Horn.

“I would like to live very near you, I think that I could make you happy and also believe that I understand you very well. I know that I am capable of giving everything up for you.”

The letter was partially released ahead of an auction by Vergos Auctions in Athens in 2009. It was kept under lock and key in the Greek capital along with a telegram, marked “urgent” and also addressed to Horn.

In the telegram, sent two months later, the clearly infatuated chanteuse again declares her love for the up-and-coming thespian, beseeching him to write to her under the name Mme Bigard at 26 Rue Berry.

But it seems the love affair had waned by that time, as there is no evidence Horn responded in kind and both had other lovers.

Dimitris Horn.

Horn had a longstanding romance with a popular Greek actress and married twice before his death in 1998. He never spoke publicly about his acquaintance with Piaf.

READ MORE: On this day in 1998, Greek actor Dimitris Horn died.

Piaf met the European middleweight boxer, Marcel Cerdan, who, of Piaf’s many lovers, was considered to be her greatest. She died of cancer in 1963, aged 47.

In the end, officials at the Greek auction house told CBC that the handwritten letter and envelope, along with the telegram and a theatre program from a performance Piaf gave in Greece, were sold for $2,702 AUD to a private collector.

“We will never know how Horn felt [about Piaf], but with their blind passion these manuscripts testify that it was clearly a case of love at first sight for Piaf,” Petros Vergos, Greece’s leading auctioneer, said.

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