Andreas Embirikos was a Greek surrealist poet and the first Greek psychoanalyst.
Early Life:
Embirikos was born on the 2nd of September 1901 and came from a wealthy family as his father was an important ship-owner.
He was born in Brăila, Romania, but his family soon moved to Ermoupolis in Syros. When Embirikos was only seven years old they moved to Athens.
While he was still a teenager, his parents divorced.
Andreas Embirikos.
Embirikos started studying philosophy at the University of Athens, but he eventually decided to move to Lausanne to stay with his mother.
The following years, Embirikos studied a variety of subjects both in France and in the United Kingdom. It was in Paris where he decided to study psychanalysis together with René Laforgue.
Body of Work:
Embirikos’ poetry can be defined by two major tendencies.
On the one hand, he was one of the major representatives of surrealism in Greece. His first poetic collection, Ipsikaminos, was a heretic book, characterised by the lack of the punctuation and the peculiarity of the language.
Embirikos was the first Greek psychoanalyst.
On the other hand, much of his work also dealt with the “Greek trauma.” With a frenzied sense of humour and well-meant boldness, he always tried to combine what is genuinely imaginary with the simple fact.
Death and Legacy:
Embirikos died in Kifissia, Athens in 1975. His mother preceded him by only two years.
Together with George Seferis, Embirikos was the most important representative of the “Generation of the ’30s.” He contributed greatly to the introduction of modernism in Greek letters and he helped change once and for all the poetic atmosphere of Greece.
Seven people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the suspected murder of missing Hells Angels bikie gang associate, Kerry Giakoumis.
The Adelaide man was last seen alive at the Hells Angels clubhouse in Lipton Drive, Thomastown in Melbourne’s north on June 10 last year.
Detectives believe it is likely a dispute took place in the clubhouse on the night the 29-year-old was last seen that may be connected to other members or associates of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang.
Police believe Mr Giakoumis was murdered at the Hells Angels headquarters in Thomastown. Photo: AAP / Julian Smith.
Detective Superintendent Paul O’Halloran previously said police believed he was murdered in the clubhouse before his body was disposed of in the Jackson Creek area in Diggers Rest.
Detective Superintendent Paul O’Halloran confirmed the seven arrests. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers raided residential properties in Keilor Downs, Mernda, West Melbourne, St Albans, Laverton and Diggers Rest.
She said searches at those properties were ongoing and the seven people would be interviewed by police.
Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said on Wednesday that Greece does not want a repeat of the “massive migration flows” seen in 2015, and that he disagreed with the head of the European Parliament who said that member-states need to do their part in accepting Afghan asylum seekers.
“I would politely disagree with his assessment regarding the decision taken yesterday [Tuesday] by the European Council at the level of ministers regarding Afghanistan,” Mitsotakis said at a panel of the Bled Strategic Forum 2021, in Bled, Slovenia.
We don't want a repeat of the uncontrolled, unregulated massive migration flows we experienced in 2015. We have agreed that we need to protect our borders in a disciplined and principled manner with full respect to international law.
“What we said was very clear: that we do not want a repeat the uncontrolled and unregulated massive migration flows we experienced in 2015,” he added.
“I stand by this decision by representing a country that was a victim to a policy which ended up in highlighting significant failures of the European institutions, as we have yet to agree on a common Pact on Migration and Asylum.”
Speaking earlier at the same panel, David Sassoli, who is the European Parliament President, said he was “very disappointed” with Tuesday’s Home Affairs Council conclusions.
A strong and common European voice on the international stage is more necessary now than ever.
We must not shy away from our commitments or responsibilities.
Europe must not turn its back on those whose lives are in danger in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/SxpHN0PteV
“We have seen countries outside the European Union come forward to welcome Afghan asylum seekers, but we have not seen a single member state do the same,” he told attendees.
“Everyone rightly thought of those who worked with us and their families, but none had the courage to offer refuge to those whose lives are still in danger today.”
Pope Francis is planning to visit Greece and Cyprus as part of a tour in Malta and Slovenia that will possibly take place later in the autumn, according to reports on Wednesday.
“Slovakia is on the program, then Cyprus, Greece and Malta,” the pontiff told Spain’s Cope radio, confirming reports of his visit earlier this summer.
The exact dates of the Pope’s Apostolic Journey “will be announced once it has been confirmed,” a spokesperson for the Vatican told the Times of Malta.
Pope Francis visited Greece in 2016.
“This decision will also consider the Covid situation to ensure the health and safety of the Holy Father, the faithful and all those involved, as the Church has always done in consultation with the health authorities,” the spokesperson added.
Pope Francis travelled to Greece in 2016, visiting the Moria migrant and refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos.
His visit to Cyprus will make him only the second Roman Catholic pontiff to ever travel to the eastern Mediterranean island nation. Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI was the first pontiff to travel to Cyprus in 2010.
Polychronidis with his coach. Photo: Nikos Karanikolas / Hellenic Paralympic Committee.
The 39-year-old lost in the final to Adam Peska of the Czech Republic.
Initially, when Peska was ahead 3-0, he forced Grigoris to chase him to the score. In the next three sets, the Greek Paralympian managed to equalise, winning each set 1-0.
Polychronidis won the silver medal. Photo: Elef Boccia Ramps / Facebook.
Polychronidis has ranked first in the World Ranking List since 2018 and has won four Paralympic Medals (Gold in London 2012, Silver & Bronze in Rio 2016, Silver in Beijing 2008), as well as 35 medals in official international boccia competitions and 18 consecutive Greek Championships.
The other Paralympian medallists so far are Panagiotis Triantafyllou, Demosthenes Michalentzakis, Dimitrios Bakochristos, Antonios Tsapatakis, Athanasios Konstantinidis andEfstratios Nikolaidis.
The club has announced that five players from last year’s roster will re-join the team, while new signings are soon to follow.
More specifically, defenders Michael Glassock and Ben van Meurs, alongside midfielders William Angel, Brendan Cholakian and Darcy Burgess, have all agreed to remain at the club throughout 2022.
The 21-year-old defender Michael Glassock record\ed 17 appearances and one goal before last season came to a premature end. As for the rest of this group of players, van Meurs has played 26 times and scored twice for the blue-and-whites, Angel has 28 appearances across three seasons, while Darcy Burgess is one short of that. Finally, Brendan Cholakian was quick to gain his position in the team’s midfield, as only last season he was able to score twice in 15 games.
The club’s CEO John Boulous made the following statement regarding the renewal of the collaboration with the aforementioned group of players:
“Over the coming weeks we will be announcing both the players that have re-signed for the Club as well as our new signings that will call Olympic home in 2022.”
“Today, we would like to welcome back defenders Will Angel, Michael Glassock and Ben Van Meurs, while midfielders Brendan Cholakian and Darcy Burgess will be back in Blue in 2022”.
Player re-signing announcement | We are delighted to announce the first group of players returning in 2022. Welcome back defenders Will Angel, Michael Glassock and Ben Van Meurs, while midfielders Brendan Cholakian and Darcy Burgess will be back in Blue”. pic.twitter.com/VauStFhHZb
Additionally, club manager Ante Juric pointed out that his team’s potential will greatly increase with the inclusion of this group within the squad:
“These players will again provide a great mix of youth and experience within our squad”.
“As we know the 2021 season was cut short and with a young squad, we were in the top 5 and had qualified for the Round of 32 of the FFA Cup. We are confident we will build on this strong foundation set last season from a squad full of youth, aspiration and enthusiasm for the season ahead”.
Yianni Skoulakis has many talents. He’s a proud Cretan, laouto player and a Leading Aircraftman for the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF).
It’s for these reasons The Greek Herald asked Yianni to perform Cretan music live on our Facebook page on Saturday, August 21 and he definitely didn’t disappoint.
With such a glowing and positive response from our readers, we just had to find out more about this Leading Aircraftman and in his open and humble way, Yianni was more than happy to share where his passion for the laouto and the RAAF comes from.
His grandfather and the laouto:
Originally from Hobart in Tasmania, Yianni was immersed in the Cretan culture from a very young age and always wanted to learn how to play the laouto like his grandfather.
“My pappou Yianni, who died before I was born, he bought a laouto in Crete in 1951 [and brought it to Australia with him]. I never knew how to play it, but we had it because it was the only thing we had of him,” Yianni tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
Yianni’s pappou in 1951.
“This laouto was beautiful. We still have it. It’s nearly 100 years old. It’s got whalebone inscriptions on it. It’s a masterpiece.
“But I grew up all my life hearing Kritika and I’d always see it in the case there at our house and I was always thinking, ‘I would like to learn it’.”
Yianni learnt how to play the guitar first at 11 years old and then two years later, when he was 13, he visited Crete with his family and had ten laouto lessons from Harilaos Vlastakis.
“I learnt ten songs with him, just real basic stuff and he was shocked at how quickly I was picking it up… and I fell in love with it. After the tenth lesson, my mum and dad bought me the laouto that I was playing on,” Yianni explains.
Yianni playing his pappou’s laouto.
“Then we came back down to Tassie and I started playing my pappou Yianni’s one as well. Everything else was pretty much self-taught.”
Since then, Yianni has never looked back. He plays the laouto at home at least two hours every day and can also be seen performing at events hosted by the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW.
“I’m very passionate. I get very emotional when I play and I think of it like a tribute to my grandfather who I never got to meet,” Yianni says passionately.
“I like entertaining people, especially the oldies, because I play the very traditional stuff from the 30s, 40s, 50s… and I love seeing them get emotional and think of their childhood.”
Joining the RAAF:
When Yianni isn’t entertaining people with his laouto playing, he’s also busy working as an avionics technician with the No. 37 Squadron. He says another family memory ultimately led him to join the RAAF in 2018.
Leading Aircraftman Yianni Skoulakis. Photo by- Corporal David Said.
“It started when I was eight years old. My dad bought a 1949 Cadillac and I remember he had a book on the history of Cadillacs and it talked about that car he had… and said the wings for the fins at the rear of the car were inspired off a World War II aircraft, which was the Lockheed P-38 Lightning,” Yianni explains.
“I was obsessed with that plane and then I got really into World War II and all the other aircraft and innovations and all that, and that led up to me wanting the military life. That was probably around Year 10.”
Yianni says he did initially get ‘a bit of pushback from my family because they always think worst case scenario,’ but that didn’t stop him. He ended up doing a gap year in the navy, before transferring over to the RAAF.
“I’d say it’s the closest to a family I can get while being away from the family. That’s why I like it. The routine too because I’m a very routine kind-of person,” Yianni says.
“To me, there’s no better feeling serving. It’s like giving back. The Australians helped during WWII and now that we migrated to Australia, well my grandparents… it’s like a thank you, you could say.”
Chris Sperou, 82, is an adrenaline junkie and has been flying aeroplanes as a stunt pilot for more than 60 years.
His first flight was just as risky as his next.
“Basically, I was self-taught,” he grins to ABC News.
”The instructor would say ‘go out and do some revision and come back’.”
“I’d go out and put the aeroplane through its paces, so all the advanced [aerobatics] was self-taught”.
Mr Sperou said he wants to continue flying for as long as he can (Photo: ABC News)
Sperou’s love for aviation began in Ceduna in South Australia’s south and took him on an international stage.
Sperou has represented Australia in international aerobatic championships several times, along with winning a swag of awards locally, and competed at the World Aerobatic Championships six times.
“I’ve flown in a formation of three aeroplanes, and we won the Australian title seven times and I’ve been the Australian champion 13 times in solo aerobatics,” he said.
Mr Sperou and his long-time flying buddy, Warren Stewart, 83, say they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon.
“People ask me that, they say because of your age how do you keep going? Buggered if I know,” Mr Stewart told ABC News.
But Mr Sperou knows that time will come one day.
“When I’ve got to start thinking about it while I’m up there doing it, [it’s time to] give it away,” he said.
“Until then, he’s happy to keep turning his life upside down.”
Last season’s top scorer in the Dutch league cited the Greek-Australian’s presence as the main reason for signing with the Celts.
It was one of this transfer season’s most talked-about rumor and now it has finally come to pass. Giorgos Giakoumakis, the former AEK and OFI Crete player, has agreed terms with Celtic Football Club and after a highly successful season with Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo, will be moving to Glasgow on a five-year-deal.
Speaking to Celtic TV, Giakoumakis made special note of coach Ange Postecoglou, pointing out that it was his attacking-minded playstyle that eventually made him choose the Bhoys over a number of other interesting offers he was given: “It was one of the main reasons that I wanted to sign for this beautiful club, because the style of play is something that really suits me.”
🇬🇷 𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝟙𝟘𝕥𝕙 𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 📝
Giorgos Giakoumakis has joined #CelticFC on a five-year deal, subject to international clearance! 💪#WelcomeGiakoumakis 🍀
The 26-year-old also spoke about one of his former colleagues who also had the opportunity to play for Celtic, leaving quite a lasting impression on the fans, Giorgos Samaras: “During this time, I was watching a lot of his games (for the club.) We also worked together in Greece. He is now the president of the beautiful club from which I came from, OFI Crete, I played there two years ago. So we really know each other and we keep in touch. I’ve heard many great things from him, which is why I’m looking forward to playing for Celtic. He told me this is a big club with crazy fans and the atmosphere (at the Celtic Park) is amazing. The only target for every game is to win.”
Giakoumakis capitalized on last year’s excellent season in the Netherlands, which saw him score 26 goals in 30 games, taking the title for best goal scorer. Besides Postecoglou, he will also meet fellow Greek and former AEK teammate Vasilis Barkas at his new club.
He says life was very tough for Afghan nationals who had to leave their families behind to flee the Taliban.
“The trauma will be very raw,” he told SBS on Monday.
“The Australian people can wrap their arms around these people, let them know that we want them to be here, that we’re glad that they’re here, that we’re going to care for them and take care of them.”
Mr. Aristotle has been appointed co-chair of the new Advisory Panel on Australia’s Resettlement of Afghan Nationals.
The man tasked with coordinating the nation's humanitarian intake – of 3,000 Afghans fleeing the Taliban – has described their level of need as extreme. Paris Aristotle has told SBS World News he wants Australians to open their arms to the new arrivals. @pablovinalespic.twitter.com/lCeynqqt8v
Australia’s evacuation efforts in Afghanistan ended late last week with an official withdrawal from its military operation in the country.
4100 people were evacuated in the nine-day rescue mission but Aristotle says some of the more vulnerable Afghans were having their desperation to flee exploited.
“People are offering to fill out applications for $8000 and they would guarantee a Visa,” he says.
“In one case I heard $15,000. It doesn’t cost anything like that,” he said.
The Australian government has committed 3000 places out of its existing humanitarian visa program to resettle Afghan refugees after the Taliban takeover.
