Ange Postecoglou looks to be on the road to riches in Scotland after claiming two victories in his first two games in charge of Celtic FC.
In his first game in charge against Sheffield Wednesday, Postecoglou fought back from a goal down to beat his opponents 3-1.
“We grew into the game, and to their credit for the better part of the first half and then the second we played some decent stuff and scored a couple of good goals and finished strong,” Postecoglou told Celtic TV following the match, which was played in Wales.
Ange Postecoglou’s first game as #CelticFC boss ends in a win! 👏
“There’s nothing wrong with winning, particularly in the manner in which we did because we didn’t start well, we didn’t play well.”
Postecoglou followed up his victory with a 2-1 win on Saturday night over Charlton at Newport, Wales.
First half goals from Karamoko Dembele and Albian Ajeti put Celtic in command at Dragon Park before former Hearts striker Conor Washington pulled a goal back late on.
“The first half was quite good, we controlled the game pretty well,” Postecoglou told Celtic TV.
“In the second half it got a little bit stretched and chaotic but to be fair, for a lot of these guys it’s their first game for quite a while but they worked hard and that’s the main thing.
🗣️ "First-half was good, we controlled the game. For a lot of these guys it's their first game for quite a while but they worked hard and that's the main thing." 👍🍀
Everything came so easily for Ash Barty at the start of the Wimbledon final. Hard to believe one player would grab the first 14 points of a major championship match.
Surely, it couldn’t stay that one-sided, right? Of course not.
Still, Barty used that perfect start and a strong-enough finish to get the job done, holding off Karolina Pliskova’s comeback bid to win 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3 at the All England Club on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title.
“It took me a long time to verbalize the fact that I wanted to dare to dream it and say I wanted to win this incredible tournament. … I didn’t sleep a lot last night. I was thinking of all the ‘What-ifs,’” the No. 1-ranked Barty said. “But I think when I was coming out on this court, I felt at home, in a way.”
Australia’s Ashleigh Barty reacts to the crowd after defeating the Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova in the women’s singles final on day twelve of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
She adds this trophy to the one she won at the French Open in 2019.
Barty is the first Australian woman to win Wimbledon since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980. Barty was a teenager when they first met and she considers Goolagong Cawley an inspiration and a mentor.
“Evonne is a very special person in my life,” said Barty, whose outfit was a tribute to the dress Goolagong Cawley wore when she won the tournament for the first time, 50 years ago. “I think she has been iconic in paving a way for young indigenous youth to believe in their dreams and to chase their dreams. She’s done exactly that for me as well.”
Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, left, holds the winners trophy, alongside runner-up the Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova as they pose for the media after the women’s singles final, on day twelve of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
In the first Wimbledon women’s final to go three sets since 2012, Barty went up 3-0 in the decider and never relented. It also was the first since 1977 between two participants who never had been that far at the All England Club.
“Being able to reset at the start of the third was really important, just for me to continue to turn up each and every point,” said Barty, who climbed into the stands to hug her coach, Craig Tyzzer, and others. “That’s all I was really focusing on, just trying to do the best I could every given point, regardless of what the scoreline was.”
Greece’s Civil Protection on Saturday afternoon warned locals to evacuate the wider area around the village of Nimborio in southern Evia due to a raging wildfire burning forestland in the area.
Authorities send an emergency message though the European Emergency Number 112 to inform all residents to move further south, towards the towns of Marmari and Karystos.
A force of 64 firefighters with 3 groups on foot and 23 vehicles were deployed along with five helicopters and five aircraft, of which 4 are Canadair and one is a BERIEV-200.
“The situation is nightmarish despite the fight we are giving from the air and on the ground. The front [of the fire] is big,” Karystos Lefteris Raviolos told the state-run news agency ANA-MPA.
He said winds in the area measured 6 to 7 on the Beaufort scale.
In an emergency press briefing on Saturday afternoon, Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias said a total of 51 fires broke out since daybreak, with the most serious being the one in Evia. He added, however, that there was currently no risk to homes and infrastructure.
A total of 56 fire fighters, two teams on foot, the motorised fire brigade team METPE, a helicopter, two airplanes and municipality water trucks have been deployed in Aspropyrgos and police have suspended traffic on Zoodochos Pigis Avenue in Aspropyrgos from NATO Avenue to the Papastratos factory and the Elefsina-Dervenochoria road from the Kanaki factory.
Fire-fighters are battling at least five seperate wildfires in Greece on Saturday, some of which started on Friday.
Nothing changes if nothing changes goes the saying and a group of Greek Australian women with the name ‘Golden Angels’ are committed to making a difference in the lives of children in palliative care and their parents.
“Petroula Gekas and I heard that the government stopped supporting kids in palliative care and we wanted to do something about this,” Founder of Golden Angels, Vicki Antoniou, told The Greek Herald.
And so, they did.
The two ladies organised the first High Tea in 2014 and the event was supported by nearly 380 members of South Australia’s Greek and wider community.
“After the first year Petroula left due to work and family commitments and it was my husband’s idea to put a committee together,” says Vicki.
“We are now 13 women who work voluntarily and give up our time to support those children but I always say we are 14, because we have Panayia (Virgin Mary) looking over us.”
“The Golden Angels Committee consists of Jo Chapley, Angela Gondzioulis, Sylvia Hristo, Vas Koumoulas, Betty Livaditis, Zoi Papafilopoulos, Sia Patsouris, Tina Psaromatis, Patty Sardelis, Mary Skandalis, Stella Tsagouris, Peggy Veloudos and myself,” Vicki says, expressing her gratitude for the ladies who she now calls family.
Due to the group’s collective efforts the latest High Tea held in November 2019 was attended by more than 1000 people and raised over $186,000.
“We work in collaboration with the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation to support children who are being cared for by the palliative care service and their parents in all aspects of their life including funeral costs, equipment for home use to enable the child to remain at home longer, and transportation assistance so that a parent can travel with the sick child,” says Vicki.
Our wonderful friends the Golden Angels raised an outstanding $186,314.61 at their High Tea event held in November last year!
The funds will establish the Golden Angels Palliative Care Support Fund.
With the funds raised during the years the Golden Angels have funded and contributed to essential programs to shine some light in the lives of children and families who need it the most.
“We are in awe of the Golden Angels ability to rally the Greek community in support of some of our community’s sickest children and their families. The funds raised by the group’s fundraising efforts have made a significant impact on families whose lives are devastated by illness,” said Jane Scotcher, Chief Executive of Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation (WCHF).
Jane Scotcher, Chief Executive of Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation (WCHF)
“They have funded key projects such as equipment enabling children to be cared for in their homes, funded an art therapist, supported funeral expenses and were major contributors in the development of the Laklinyeri Beach House Program at Victor Harbor, a specially designed holiday home for families to have a much-needed holiday – sometimes their last as a family.”
The construction of the @WCHFoundation Beach House is complete!
Earlier this week the wonderful team at Bella Build and Design officially handed over the Beach House keys to the WCH Foundation.
Although the pandemic has paused big gatherings and events, the Golden Angels continue to work tirelessly and selflessly behind the scenes towards their next project.
“Our vision is to build a hospice facility for palliative care children in South Australia as the state doesn’t have one but at the moment, we focus on creating a more spacious and comfortable space for these kids and their families at Adelaide’s new Women’s and Children’s Hospital,” Vicki says.
“We know we are working for a reason. We are helping palliative care children and their families and this is really a great thing. Something exceptional,” she says proudly.
“I often say, ‘we cannot change the journey for these families, but we can certainly make it easier’ and the Golden Angels help to make that possible,” Jane Scotcher concludes.
Questions fought with problems. On one hand trying to trace your DNA can be viewed as a nationalistic pursuit. On the other it could be a way to find lost family members.
I share my DNA map here and I must say I was shocked when I got this as both sides of my family, as far as I know, come from Asia Minor, Constantinople (now Istanbul) and Nicomedia (now IZMIT) with some heritage from Argyroupoli in Pontos (now Gumushane) so I was surprised to see so much Peloponnesian DNA when we have no relatives there at all.
One explanation is that the ancient Ionians travelled form there to Asia Minor to set up colonies of which my family on both mother’s and father’s side come from.
I had expected some Turkish but all the results I got were Greek and some Caucasian. I suspect they do not have enough markers needed to give a more accurate result. However, it seems I have more Greek DNA than many of my friends who originate from mainland Greece but whose DNA’s include Albanian, Bulgarian, Italian with a minority of Greek DNA. Does that mean I am more Greek than many in mainland Greece and the islands? How is that possible?
There has been much racism towards the people from the north who may have Slavic roots (knowlingly or unknowingly). Many were under pressure by Greek government policies to assimilate with the Greek nation and speak only Greek. With the influx of the Greeks from Asia Minor during the population exchange many of them were treated abominably and called “Turkish seeds” even by academics such as Giorgios Vlachos in a book about Eleftherios Venizelos. Well, well, with a name like Vlachos, he should have kept quiet. Our names often give away our roots.
Though DNS tests can be confusing indeed. Next week I continue on this idea we have of what makes you Greek.
Join the discussion – add your DNA details and comments on our FB page.
On Saturday night, all Australians will be cheering on World No. 1 Ash Barty as she takes on Karolína Plíšková to claim her second career Grand Slam.
After her semi-final victory, she became the first Australian woman to reach the final since her idol and mentor Evonne Goolagong Cawley won her second Wimbledon title in 1980.
Speaking to ABC News, Ipswich Mayor Theresa Harding said having the Wimbledon final falling in NAIDOC week and following on from Goolagong Cawley gave the achievement extra significance.
“Ash is a very proud Indigenous woman and she’s been very open that Evonne Goolagong Cawley is her role model and an icon for her,” she said.
Ash Barty says she hopes to win the Wimbledon women’s final in honour of her grandpa.(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
“I can absolutely assure you we’ll be laying everything out for Ash when she gets [home].”
She is wearing a specially designed dress in tribute to the iconic scallop outfit Cawley wore that day.
“It’s a really special anniversary for Evonne,” said Barty.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be in a position to wear an outfit inspired by her. Now to kind of give myself a chance to create some history almost in a way that’s a tribute to her is really exciting.”
Win or lose Barty will extend her gap ahead of Naomi Osaka atop the women’s rankings — a win that would see her move a whopping 2,299 points clear.
Barty was welcomed home a champion after her 2019 French Open title and became world number one soon after.(AAP: Darren England)
Also win or lose, she will claim a place in the heart of all Australians, as the humble tennis player looks to turn into one of the nations greatest national treasures.
“Being able to play on the final Saturday here at Wimbledon is gonna be just the best experience ever!” Barty said.
“I’m incredibly proud of myself and my team and now we get a chance on Saturday to live out a childhood dream.”
“I’m excited I could repay them the favour in a way, of giving us an opportunity as a collective, as a whole, to do something pretty special this week.”
The match will be broadcast on Channel 9 and streamed on Stan Sport at 11:00pm Saturday in the eastern states of Australia, 10:30pm in the central time zone and 9:00pm in the west.
South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said a few days ago that youngsters Peter Mamouzelos and Blake Taaffe would become the “future of the club”.
On Friday, fans got a small glimpse into this very future, and the talents of both kids shone brighter than possibly even Bennett expected.
The Rabbitohs were missing a lot of big names in their dominant victory against the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday night. Most notably Latrell Mitchell and Damien Cook, who are preparing to face teammate Dane Gagai on the Origin stage on Wednesday.
Not that the missing players appeared to worry the Rabbitohs attacking force, with Milne, Johnston and Walker combining for one of the greatest trio of performances so far this season.
Without masterclass hooker Cook, the missing hole in the Bunnies pack was filled by Greek Australian Peter Mamouzelos, earning his first ever starting spot in the NRL – Making his debut off the bench against the Knights less than a month ago.
Anybody listening Andrew Voss’ commentary on Friday night would’ve heard the name ‘Mamouzelos’ ring about every 30 seconds. The reason: He was everywhere.
Mamouzelos had 64 running metres and managed 8 runs throughout the match. But the 20-year-olds biggest impact came in defence, making 25 tackles on the field – the third most tackles in the Rabbitohs squad behind Nicholls and Su’a, who both knocked up 26 tackles.
The Greek Australian played with more passion than I’d seen in a 20-year-old in a long time. And the best part was, he barely put a foot wrong the whole match.
Not even looking at the youngsters stats and focusing on his on-field highlights, Mamouzelos got his side two six again calls, challenged the strength of one of the NRL’s toughest forwards in Jason Taumalolo, and provided the bursts of energy needed to stop multiple Cowboys attacks and shift the tide towards the Rabbitohs favour.
He even copped a nasty head-high whack from Heilum Luki, which saw the Cowboys player get sent of for 10 in the bin.
It’s not to say the youngster didn’t have any room for improvement, he is only 20-years-old and still has plenty to learn from his more experienced teammates. However, the level of involvement with, and without, the ball showed Mamouzelos has the potential to reach Cook’s expertise.
While Bennett failed to mention them in his post match press conference, Mamouzelos and Taaffe, who earned his first-ever NRL try, would have certainly impressed the experienced coach.
Mamouzelos and Taaffe, alongside fellow Greek Australian Lachlan Ilias, have been described previously as “best mates” by Mark Ellison, Head of Football at South Sydney.
“(Thy are) inseparable at training and outside of footy, and they have similarly strong combinations on the field as well having played and trained alongside each other for the past three years,” Ellison said.
Mamouzelos joined from the Maroubra Lions and has been a mainstay in the Rabbitohs’ Jersey Flegg side throughout 2019 and 2021. He has represented Greece in seven matches including World Cup Qualifiers throughout 2018 and 2019.
In 1951, Christian Dior held one of the most iconic photoshoots in Greek fashion history, capturing women standing outside the Parthenon on the Acropolis. This month, the fashion agency recreated that famous photo for their new runaway show in Athens.
The show venue was set up at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, where the first modern Olympic Games were held and the only large stadium in the world constructed entirely of marble. The exclusive content Dior posted on social media regarding the show at the Panathenaic Stadium had more than 85 million views in just five days.
The Central Archaeological Council (KAS), the main guardian of Greece’s cultural heritage, green-lighted the use of several key sites for the shoot.
Dior’s choice of presenting the new collection in Athens not only promoted the country but also brought in direct revenue for the state; some 700,000 euros just for the permits to conduct shoots in archaeological sites and museums.
Speaking to Greece Is, Dior’s chief communications officer Olivier Bialobos did not fully agree with the word “revival” to best describe the aesthetic spectacle taking place. “I would say that it is a new view of a historic photograph. We have definitely not attempted to recreate the 1951 photo”.
The French selected 10 Greek female photographers to work with exclusively on this project.
Maria Grazia Chiuri was inspired by the works of Italian Surrealist Pioneer Giorgio de Chirico. Based on the profound memories of Greece, Maria Grazia Chiuri depicts a supernatural scene condensed in the contrast of silent light and shadow.
Mihalis Lefantzis said he always had a positive attitude towards the project, so the result only justifies his stance.
“The breaks, pauses and rhythm of this visual event were very interesting”, he says.
“Until recently, the old school “gesture” of contrapuntal breaks from garments in harmony with fragments of monuments in the background attempted a formalistic veneer of sanctity, frozen in space and time. But there is nothing static or unchanged about sanctity.
“Despite the contrapuntal breaks with numerous historical references, I discerned that Dior’s modern attempt is not a simple ‘promotion’ of the iconic brand on the Acropolis; it is a profound dialectic interaction with the monuments, redefining the idea of sanctity with particularly refined aesthetic criteria.
“On the opposite end of the spectrum I see a conservative version of this veneer of sanctity, which is gambled with to promote subjective needs and claims on monuments and archaeological sites. Of these two versions, the more experimental but also more progressive is the former, the one adopted by the Greek state.”
Ten Greek American and Cypriot American organisations have sent a letter to US President Joe Biden ahead of the anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of the Mediterranean island to express their concern over the “new and renewed existential threats” posed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The letter, which was republished by Ekatherimini, shows the organisations draw attention to Erdogan’s recent decision to reopen Varosha, a beach resort abandoned by Greek Cypriots fleeing Turkey’s invasion in 1974.
The organisations point out that Biden is in a “unique position” to make Cyprus a higher policy priority in American foreign policy. They request that the President demands that the United Nations assert its jurisdiction over Varosha.
Read the full letter below
Dear President Biden:
As we approach the 47th anniversary of Turkey’s illegal invasion of the Republic of Cyprus, the undersigned ten nationwide Greek American and Cypriot American Organizations write to convey grave concern regarding the new and renewed existential threats currently facing Cyprus coming from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On October 6, 2020, Turkey re-opened the beach in Varosha, the fenced-in area of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus which Turkey has occupied since it unlawfully invaded the Republic of Cyprus in 1974. This action violates United Nations resolutions and international treaties to which the US and Turkey are signatories. In particular, Turkey is in direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992) that address the transfer of this area to the United Nations and the 1979 High Level Agreement between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities that stated that priority should be given to the resettlement of Famagusta, of which Varosha is a subdivision, under UN auspices. During the past year, President Erdogan and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar have spoken openly about their support of a “two-state” solution regarding Cyprus–the permanent partition of the island. As such, President Erdogan’s attempt to change Varosha’s status demonstrates a lack of interest in resuming serious settlement talks in favor of pursuing tangible steps to advance a “two-state” solution regarding Cyprus, which contravenes the positions of the United Nations and the US government.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) meets with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan at Beylerbeyi Palace in Istanbul November 22, 2014. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY – Tags: POLITICS)
In addition, Turkey’s actions violate a European Parliament Written Declaration in 2012, which called on the government of Turkey to act according to UN Security Council Resolutions and previous European Parliament Legislative Committee reports and return the Famagusta sealed-off section to its lawful inhabitants.
Moreover, the US government has previously reaffirmed its support by endorsing the Statement by the President of the United Nations Security Council on October 9, 2020, calling for “the reversal” of Turkey’s actions vis-a-vis Varosha. However, Turkey has not reversed its actions regarding Varosha. Therefore, mere rhetoric or criticism of Turkey no longer suffices. Substantive action needs to be taken immediately. UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) explicitly states that an effort to change the status of Varosha necessitates the transfer of the area to the administration of the United Nations. To that effect, we urge your Administration to call upon the United Nations to enforce UN Security Council resolution 550, in which Varosha would be under the U.N. control.
According to press reports, President Erdogan will visit Varosha this July 20 and purportedly make further announcements about its status. It is essential for the United States government and the international community to be proactive and head off any further illegal actions of Turkish expansionism against Cyprus. A failure to act will only embolden President Erdogan in his pursuit of a “two-state” solution regarding Cyprus, which would be a disaster for the people of Cyprus and would not be in the United States’ best interests. It would constitute an egregious violation of the rule of law and fundamental principles of the United States and the international community.
In many ways, President Erdogan’s efforts to change the status of Varosha in furtherance of a “two-state” solution poses as dire a threat to Cyprus’ sovereignty as Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974. When Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, Secretary Henry Kissinger refused to take actions that potentially could have remedied the crisis due to a desire to appease Turkey. The Congress, with the support of Senators such as yourself, imposed an arms embargo on Turkey in February 1975 over the objections of Secretary Kissinger. The US government must not engage in the same diplomatic malpractice regarding Cyprus as it did in 1974.
On January 27, 1989, as a United States Senator, you wrote a letter to a Greek American leader from Delaware, Dr Dean Lomis, then-Chairman of the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), stating: “… we must urge the new Administration [President George H.W. Bush] to make Cyprus a higher policy priority in American foreign policy … We cannot lose sight of the fact that the rights of Greek Cypriots have been trampled upon, and we must ensure that their claims to ancestral land and property seized during the 1974 invasion are not compromised. Finally, we must send a signal to Turkey that until it has removed every last soldier from Cyprus, it will never be recognized as a full member of the international community.”
For decades, you have been a staunch advocate for a Cyprus whole, free, and at peace. As President of the United States, you are in a unique position to make Cyprus a higher policy priority in American foreign policy, as you have previously stated. Therefore, we urge you to warn President Erdogan against further aggression toward Cyprus and to send a clear message that Turkey will face punitive and dire consequences if further actions toward the Republic of Cyprus are pursued that threaten its sovereignty and cause instability. In addition, we respectfully request that you direct the US government to demand that the United Nations assert its jurisdiction over Varosha.
Respectfully submitted,
George Horiates, Supreme President American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA).
Nick Larigakis, President American Hellenic Institute (AHI).
Philip Christopher, President International Coordinating Committee – Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA).
Kyriacos Papastylianou, President Federation of Cypriot-American Organizations (FCAO).
Endy Zemenides, Executive Director Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC).
Maria Pappas, President Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce.
Dr James F. Dimitriou, President & Chairman of the Board of Directors American Hellenic Council of California.
Michael Alexandrou, President PanHellenic Federation of Florida.
Bill Mataragas, President Hellenic American National Council (HANC).
Varnavas Zagaris, President PanCyprian Association of Florida.
Foster+Partners has unveiled its design for Marina Tower, a residential project set to become the tallest building in Greece.
According to Archdaily, the building is located in Ellinikon, on the outskirts of Athens, and is part of a larger development plan meant to transform the site of the former airport into several new neighbourhoods centred around a large coastal park.
The 200-metre tall tower at the heart of the masterplan includes 200 dual-aspect apartments across 45 floors. The Marina Tower seeks to embody the character of the Greek coastal landscape, with a morphology composed of two volumes connected by multiple platforms containing water features, showcasing a strong focus on natural light and ventilation.
According to the architects, the project is set to be “the first green high-rise building in Greece” and “a model of sustainable design, incorporating best environmental practices and cutting-edge international safety protocols”. Upon completion, the building will be one of six tall structures developed within Ellinikon.
“Ellinikon masterplan gives new direction to urban development in Athens, bringing together new ways of living, working and playing, centred on a metropolitan park – a generous amenity for local communities and the city of Athens. Our proposals for Marina Residential Tower build on these sustainable principles to generate a new paradigm for high-rise living and a green beacon in the landscape,” Antoinette Nassopoulos-Erickson, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners.
The Ellinikon Masterplan envisions a new coastal development in Greece that repurpose the existing infrastructure to create a polycentric district comprising several neighbourhoods with a diverse mix of functions.
