A moving photo of 81-year-old Panayiota Noumidi taken during the fires that devastated the Greek island of Evia this year has been named among TIME Magazine‘s ‘Top 100 Photos of 2021.’
Taken by Konstantinos Tsakalidis, the photo encapsulates the horror and fear that struck residents of Evia and other parts of Greece in August as fire destroyed forests and villages.
Speaking to Star.gr back in August, Panayiota said she lost sight of her husband in the flames moments before the iconic image was taken.
“At the moment of the photo, the flames were coming towards us and my husband ran with the bucket to throw water behind our house where the fire was. I lost sight of him and cried, ‘help, help!’,” Panayiota said.
Panayiota explained she could not find her husband (pictured) as flames engulfed their home.
Panayiota was later reunited with her husband and taken to a hospital for treatment, but was discharged because she wanted to return to Gouves, her home of 34 years, and inspect the damage. Her home was saved.
The photo joins a number of other iconic images on the list including the moment George Floyd’s family cheered a jury’s verdict into his death, the time the Taliban walked into Kabul then knelt in prayer, and also the time where National Guardsmen slept in the US Capitol.
The coronavirus pandemic has lumbered the Mediterranean island of Cyprus with a 6 million kilogram stockpile of its prized white halloumi cheese.
Demand crumbled for the island’s biggest export over the past year due to COVID-19 lockdowns across Europe which shut down the hospitality sector and impacted tourism.
In response, Cypriot Commerce Minister, Natas Pilides, said the Cypriot government is mobilising its embassies abroad to help shift the backlog of halloumi to other markets.
“Through the foreign ministry, we have contacted all the embassies to help dispose of stocks through bilateral arrangements,” Ms Pilides said.
Although cheesemakers said exports are picking up, they are selling fresher products because if they unloaded old stock to regular clients the prices would slump.
In April, the European Union registered halloumi as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) after a seven-year campaign.
This means halloumi stocks produced before October 1 cannot carry the EU’s PDO brand, which is why authorities are also seeking markets outside the bloc.
In the longer term, and despite the pandemic, securing the PDO registration is expected to boost halloumi exports.
UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, believed in 2012 that the Parthenon Marbles should “never have been removed from the Acropolis,” according to a letter published by The Guardian.
The letter was drafted in response to an appeal by George Hinos, then head of the New Democracy party in Ilia, Greece. He wanted the marbles to be returned before the Olympic Flame was to be lit and sent to London for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Responding to Mr Hinos’ appeal, Johnson, who was the then-mayor of London, noted:
“This is a matter on which I have reflected deeply over many years. In an ideal world, it is of course true that the Parthenon marbles would never have been removed from the Acropolis and it would now be possible to view them in situ.”
Parthenon Marbles letter from Boris Johnson. Photograph: Helena Smith / The Guardian.
However, one thing remains unchanged between Johnson’s 2021 and 2012 position on the matter. The British PM maintains his position to defend the interests of London above all else.
“Much as I sympathise with the case for restitution to Athens, I feel that on balance I must defend the interests of London,” he concluded in the letter.
The release of this letter comes just one week after Johnson met with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, where he ruled out discussing the Parthenon marbles, saying it was a matter for the British Museum.
This refusal for repatriation comes despite UNESCO stipulating that intergovernmental talks should take place to resolve the long-running dispute.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, proposed on Wednesday that the EU’s executive arm make having a booster shot against COVID-19 a condition for some Europeans to travel freely across the bloc, amid a resurgence in infections.
Mitsotakis has written a letter to European Commission (EC) head, Ursula von der Leyen, to propose that a COVID vaccine booster dose be considered for citizens over 60 years old.
Such a measure, Mitsotakis said in his letter, must be reflected in the European digital certificate and in the delegated act concerning the validity period of the European digital certificate that the EC plans to adopt this week.
Mitsotakis has written a letter to European Commission (EC) head, Ursula von der Leyen (right).
“Such a policy initiative will help our health systems to cope more efficiently with a heavy winter of hospitalisations but also to sustain control over the virus and pandemic without moving to new horizontal restrictions that would put in jeopardy the recovery of our economies and the freedom of movement,” Mitsotakis wrote.
“I believe that mandating the third dose as part of the certification of vaccination for citizens over 60 would be an important step in our fight against the pandemic.”
This request comes after COVID-19 cases continue to remain high in Greece with health authorities announcing 7,108 new cases and 93 deaths in the country on Wednesday.
A woman whose parents died after contracting COVID-19 at St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner is the latest to come forward.
Branka Lyons told a coronial inquest on Wednesday her father became a “breathing skeleton” after he wasn’t fed, while her mother was “dosed on antipsychotics”.
Lyons teared up as she recalled the scene at the home while it dealt with an outbreak in July 2020.
“I’ve got my mum and dad beside me, I’m doing this for them,” she said.
Lyons says her father Jakov Pucar, 90, could only eat pureed or minced foods and became a “breathing skeleton” before being hospitalised.
He was diagnosed with COVID-19 a day later.
“I don’t think my dad had anything to eat the whole time they were there … he was a skeleton.”
Lyons said her dad was given morphine against her wishes, which she said may have hastened his decline.
She says her mother, 82, “cried her heart out, she was heartbroken”.
Replacement aged care worker Robert McDougall told the inquiry he couldn’t believe what he saw at the home.
“I’ve spoken to the department of health to please shut this place down,” said Mr McDougall. It is unclear whether he is referring to the Victorian or commonwealth health department.
Ms Lyons recounted how she heard replacement staff barge into her mother’s room at the Fawkner facility while she was speaking with her, with the phone left off the hook as the worker repeatedly and aggressively asked her mother their name.
“They spoke to her harshly and abruptly, it broke my heart,” she said.
Ms Lyons said she asked for mother to be taken to the Northern Hospital with her father.
She said her mother was instead taken to Wantirna Health, about a 50-minute drive from the Northern, where she was given a “cocktail of drugs” and “dosed on antipsychotics and antibiotics”.
“My main concern was the antipsychotics because my mother was not psychotic, she needed comfort and care and someone to talk to her gently and reassure her,” said Ms Lyons.
“She didn’t get that.”
Ms Lyons said she didn’t receive a phone call from Wantirna Health before her mother’s death, robbing her of the opportunity to be by her side when she passed.
“Our elderly deserve better than this,” she said.
An independent review of major Covid outbreaks in aged care facilities found that testing and contact tracing delays “often impeded effective responses to and control of Covid-19 outbreaks”, something which has improved with the establishment of the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre.
Randwick City Councillor, Anthony Andrews, was first elected to Council in 2000 at the age of 26 and he has been serving the constituents of Central Ward ever since. This year, during the local government elections on December 4, he hopes to be the first person of Cypriot heritage to become the Mayor of Randwick City Council.
To find out more about his plans if he is re-elected, The Greek Herald sat down with Cr Andrews and discussed his political career and future aspirations.
1.How did you get into politics?
From a young age I always wanted to be a leader and give back to my community. Further, I saw the struggles my grandparents had with English as a second language and wanted to be their voice in our community just like many other Greeks and Cypriots in the Randwick City Council area. I was first elected to Council 21 years ago and I was 26 years old. Prior to getting involved in politics, I was Assistant Secretary of the Cyprus Community of NSW.
2.How does your Greek heritage influence your work?
Being of Greek heritage does influence my work and the passion I have being a Councillor. My Greek values and heritage are very important to me. With one of the biggest Greek Orthodox parishes in the City of Randwick, that being St Spyridon Parish, and a Greek school, namely St Spyridon College, I am there to represent their interest and achieve the best possible outcomes for my community.
Cr Andrews with his family.
Every year I assist the parish in organising events such as the Epiphany at Yarra Bay and the closing of streets for Easter celebrations. My most satisfying achievements was the renaming of a street which borders our church after the founding principle of the college, the late Mary Hamer.
3. What have you achieved so far as a Councillor?
As a councillor I have achieved many things but if I had a name eight major achievements they would be:
Lobbied for the expansion of Botany Cemetery, now known as Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, so we have ample space in future years to bury our loved ones.
Helped our seniors by increasing pensioner rebates from $250 to $350 per year.
Rezoning of Malabar Headland to a National Park and established walkway from Malabar to Maroubra.
Established a community partnership with the South Sydney Rabbitohs football club and the building of a new training facility for the club at Maroubra.
Revitalisation of Heffron park including new playing fields, tennis and basketball courts, walking paths and bike tracks and new gymnastics and indoor sports centre.
Oppose inappropriate development at both Maroubra Junction and Maroubra Beach.
Coastal Walkway from Coogee to Maroubra Beach.
Construction of a car park for our students, teacher and visitors at St Spyridon Senior School Maroubra at the centre of Anzac parade, opposite the school.
4.What are your plans if you are re-elected this year?
Cr Anthony Andrews.
If re-elected on December 4, I would be honoured to become the Mayor of Randwick City Council. I have been on Council for over 21 years and feel it’s now time for me to become the mayor and the leader of this great Council I have served so well. If I become Mayor, I will be the first Mayor of Cypriot heritage, something which I am very proud of.
5.What message do you have for our readers and the Greek Australian community more broadly?
The message that I have for your readers is to get behind and support all your Greek and Cypriot candidates at the up-and-coming elections. I feel that we need to support each other and that our community has a voice in local government.
6. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
My motto has always been that there should been no politics in local government. That’s why I am an Independent Councillor. I listen to my community not to political party bosses.
The people of Randwick are my bosses and I listen and will continue to listen to what they want and need to make Randwick City Council a better place to live.
On December 4, I ask that they Vote 1 in Group D in Central Ward, Randwick City Council.
The Greek Herald wants YOU to design its special Christmas edition print cover.
The theme of The Greek Herald’s Christmas Kids Cover Competition is ‘What does Christmas mean to you?’ and designs can take any form – from drawings of Christmas trees to paintings of Santa Clause and digital artworks.
Please note, all designs MUST be A4 portrait size.
The Greek Herald‘s editorial team will then select one winner for the front page.
Ten finalists will also have their designs printed inside the Christmas edition.
How to enter:
All artworks must be submitted by Friday, December 10, 2021 at 12:00pm AEST to info@foreignlanguage.com.au with the subject line: Christmas Cover Competition.
In the body of the email please include your name, age and preferred contact number.
Winners will be announced on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.
Get creative and help us bring a bit of Christmas cheer to everyone’s lives this year!
The Australian Open won’t adopt the ATP’s new toilet break rules enacted in response to the Stefanos Tsitsipas-Andy Murray feud last year.
The ATP has said players will only be allowed one bathroom break per match, and it can only be taken at the end of a set.
Time violations will be used as punishment if any player breaches the allotted time limit.
Currently, the Australian Open – governed by the ITF – allows players to take two toilet breaks in best of five set matches for a “reasonable” amount of time.
Fact of the day. It takes Stefanos Tsitipas twice as long to go the bathroom as it takes Jeff Bazos to fly into space. Interesting. 🚽 🚀
The issue came to a head last year when Tsitsipas and Murray clashed at the US Open in New York City.
Tsitsipas took a two-minute at the end of the second set, and an eight-minute break before the fifth set.
Murray claimed Tsitsipas was “cheating” during the final set, and doubled down on those claims post match after Tsitsipas scored victory.
Andy Murray of Great Britain after a 5th set miss to Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece on day one of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament (Photo: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sport)
“It’s just disappointing because I feel it influenced the outcome of the match,” Murray said.
“I’m not saying I necessarily win that match, for sure, but it had influence on what was happening after those breaks.”
Nick Kyrgios also weighed in on the matter, when the chair umpire in charge of his first round match insisted he walk to his towel placed in either corner of the court.
“It’s not part of the game. So, texting someone’s part of the game too? Taking 20-minute bathroom breaks is part of the game? I need to take a shit, part of the game,” Kyrgios said.
At the time, Tsitsipas claimed he did nothing wrong according to ATP rules.
Peter Poulos delivered his inaugural speech as a member of the NSW Legislative Council on Tuesday.
The event occurred virtually due to current COVID-19 restrictions in the state, however, a small number of attendees were present.
This included, but is not limited to, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, NSW Shadow Minister for Small Business, Property and Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis, Peter’s wife, Vicki Poulos, and their three children.
Poulos is the first Greek-Australian Liberal in the NSW Legislative Council since the late Hon (Jim) James Samios in 2003.
In his speech, the long-time Liberal Party member touched on an Indigenous voice to Parliament, his faith, small business, pushback against COVID-19 vaccination, land clearing, and housing.
He began by calling for an Indigenous voice to Parliament, while recognising the “English traditions and influences within our institutions which permeate across this state and beyond.”
He referenced Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens and Archbishop Iakovos of America as his inspirations for their “preserved humanity in the face of great upheaval.”
“The rule of law, the separation of Church and State, our language, our independent judiciary, our freedom of religion, our parliamentary democracy, our freedom of association and expression, our right to lawfully own a firearm and… the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise…”
“I will commit myself to defend these very ideals. I am dutifully bound to do so,” he said.
He says the government has a “non-negotiable” duty to small businesses like the one he grew up seeing his parents run in south Sydney.
“I grew up in a small business family and observed the long hours over seven days and the constant pressures attached to it. I remain and will always be a strong supporter of small business…”
He also voiced his support of those unvaccinated against COVID-19, while calling the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination an “unnecessarily polarising issue”.
“I am unequivocal in supporting vaccinations and the advice of our medical experts,” he said.
“However, there remains to this day a number of our citizens who choose not to be vaccinated. This is their choice, and I respect their right to do so.”
He called for more sustainable rates of land clearing, while insisting the state needs to incentivise industries to do so.
“We ought to be guided by sound scientific and sustainability principles,” he said.
“We are obligated to do so both to current and future generations. And we owe it to nature.”
He went on to propose tax reform to make housing more affordable for young people, while supporting stamp duty concessions for seniors who decide to downsize.
He wrapped up by thanking his parents John and Maria, Greek migrants from Achaia and Laconia, respectively, and his late grandparents Emmanuel and Diamanta Livanos.
“[My parents] migrated to New South Wales over 65 years ago. Each of you experienced great hardship and poverty. You survived the war and a famine to somehow venture to a great southern land … so that your son could stand here today as a proud Greek Australian…”
He also thanked his extended family, including his wife Vicki and their three children, who were in attendance.
The Christmas tree in Syntagma Square lit up on Tuesday as a COVID-safe crowd watched on.
The annual event, in which the surrounding buildings and streets are decorated with 350,000 lights and green garlands, marks the beginning of the holiday season in Greece.
The 19-metre fir tree from Karpenisi is decorated with 60,000 multicoloured lights.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis watch on from a hotel (Photo: Nikos-Giorgos Papachristou)
Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew watched on from afar.
Bakoyannis said the annual ceremony came early this year to help “leave behind the negative atmosphere of the [ongoing] pandemic”.
