Police in Greece have detained a Turkish consular official on suspicion of spying, a senior Greek source said on Friday, in a case likely to further strain troubled relations between the two NATO allies.
Turkey’s foreign ministry swiftly condemned the arrest, saying it violated the consular official’s rights.
The official, a Greek national employed with the Turkish consulate on the island of Rhodes, was arrested on Friday after being questioned a week ago. A second Greek national was also arrested.
“One person was working at the Turkish consulate in Rhodes and the second man worked on a passenger ship which was operating the Rhodes-Kastelorizo line as a cook,” a police official told Reuters.
Kastelorizo is a small Greek island just off the Turkish coast.
Turkey’s foreign affairs ministry said the consulate worker was a secretary at its Rhodes representation.
“In the process that led to the arrest of our employee, who holds Greek nationality, Greece violated his freedom, security and respect for private and family rights in the framework of the European Convention of Human Rights and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,” the ministry said.
One of the suspects was accused of photographing movements of Greek armed forces in the Aegean Sea. Greek media have reported that both individuals are members of Greece’s Muslim minority based in the north of the country and that they had been under surveillance for several months.
Greece and Turkey have long running tensions, ranging from the divided island of Cyprus to exploration rights in the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea. Tensions flared in August when Turkey sent a seismic exploration vessel into waters claimed by Greece.
Dan Tehan will take over as Trade Minister under a cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday.
The Prime Minister will also elevate fresh faces to his frontbench including former SAS captain Andrew Hastie and Queenslander Amanda Stoker to assistant ministerial roles.
Mr Tehan will take on the key trade portfolio, putting the former diplomat at the forefront of repairing Australia’s relationship with China. Alan Tudge takes over Mr Tehan’s former portfolio of education, now combined with youth affairs.
In a larger than expected change-up, Greg Hunt will be given the difficult Aged Care portfolio alongside his current Health portfolio. Tasmanian senator Richard Colbeck retains responsibility for aged care services, including the delivery of residential and home care packages and regulation of the sector.
“This is about elevating aged care into the cabinet … because of the seriousness of this issue, the size and scale of the reform program that will need to be implemented post the royal commission report,” Mr Morrison said, denying that Senator Colbeck had been demoted after a rocky performance during the pandemic.
“One of the things that I think happen, often, when there are reshuffles is there is tendency to look at these things always in personal terms and the internal politics and, to be honest, what matters is aged care and the care of elderly Australians,” he said.
Paul Fletcher takes back responsibility for urban infrastructure and cities, which he held under former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, in addition to his existing portfolios of communications and arts.
David Coleman, who has been on personal leave for a year, will return to Parliament and the outer ministry as assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention. Alex Hawke takes on Mr Coleman’s former role as immigration minister while ACT senator Zed Seselja is elevated to the ministry to take on the international development and Pacific portfolios.
Jane Hume will also be elevated into the ministry, although she keeps the same responsibilities for superannuation and financial services, with the digital economy added.
Mr Hastie becomes the assistant minister for defence, after fellow West Australian Steve Irons stood aside, while Senator Stoker will assist Attorney-General Christian Porter.
There are no changes to the Nationals on the frontbench.
Mr Morrison characterised the reshuffle as a “modest set of changes”, saying it was important at this time to have stability, certainty and constancy.
Over the course of the last year, Helen Kari, a first-generation Greek Australian, donated her late mother’s ‘kentimata’ (crochets) and some of her own Minoan Crete themed artwork to the Greek Museum of Adelaide.
Helen’s family, originally from Pyrgos Ilias, immigrated to Australia with her parents in 1954, when she was 5 years old, on board Castel Verde.
“I remember the day we were leaving our village and the parental home where I was born. My father went to lock the door with a key and as he put it in the door the key snapped. He then turned around to my mother and told her in Greek ‘den prokeitai na gyrisoume pisw’ (we are never going to come back)” Mrs Kari, 71, tells The Greek Herald and goes on to describe the journey to Australia.
“My mum was constantly seasick. We arrived with no relatives here. We came on our own. We were taken to a disused army camp, outside Melbourne, in Bonegilla. Three days later, my father was separated from us and he was sent on a train to Adelaide. We thought he’d go to a farm, work for the day and come back to the camp. But it wasn’t to be the case.
“After four months we were reunited with my father. It was very hard time not only for my parents but for many migrants in the 50s.”
Immigrants’ donations to be showcased in upcoming Exhibition
More than sixty years later, Ms Kari’s family heirloom and art pieces along with other exhibits from Greek and Cypriot artists, will be on display in the upcoming Celebration of Handcrafting Exhibition that will be hosted from Saturday 19 December 2020 to Saturday 2 January 2021 from 9.30 am to 5 pm each day (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) at Flambouro Hall, in Glenelg.
Asking her why she decided to donate these pieces to the Museum, Ms Kari replies that she enjoys the idea of Greeks creating a legacy in Australia for the next generation.
“I was downsizing my house and we had to get rid of a lot of stuff. Amongst those, were crochets my mother had made as a girl and she had given all her children a piece each.
“Although they were precious to me, I had them for 45 years in a cupboard and have never used them in my house. My children aren’t going to use them either. So, I heard about the Museum and became interested in the idea of Greeks building a legacy in Australia for future generations,” Ms Kari says.
The Exhibition focuses on three distinct aspects of Greek heritage and its core is the original works of the late Gregory Poufera. These works include paintings and three-dimensional pieces made of matchsticks.
A not-for-profit association, established in May 2019 the Adelaide Greek Museum’s purpose is the promotion and preservation of the Greek culture in Australia. Most of the exhibits come from donations and the founders hope to create a permanent home for their ever-growing collection.
*Entry to The Celebration of Handcrafting Exhibition is free but gold coin donations are appreciated. Along with the Exhibition, the Museum is also hosting a series of Lectures and Movie Nights. Admission fee for movies is $10 per person, free for under 19. For more information visit the Museum’s FB Page or call 0457 456 339
At 6am on Friday morning, roughly 75,000 NSW students received their HSC results via text message, signifying the end of their high school journey and their introduction into the next stage of their lives.
George Savellis, from Sydney Grammar School, managed to break the Mathematics Extension top 10, which recognised as one of the most difficult and competitive HSC subjects.
Greeks mean business when it comes to the HSC, as was made clear this year by Patrick Anastasiou and Peter Markopoulos, who each ranked 5th and 18th in the state in business studies respectively.
St Euphemia student Angeliki Georgakopoulou excelled in her final HSC exams, placing 3rd in the state in Studies of Religion 2-unit, along with placing 18th in Advanced English, one of the largest subjects in the state.
MLC student Olivia Papasavvas also received top achiever honours, placing 10th in the state for Food Technology.
Olivia Arvanitis (left) and Yianna Nikos (right).
As was announced yesterday, Olivia Arvanitis, from Meriden School in Strathfield, came first in Biology. Yianna Nikos, from Presbyterian Ladies’ College Sydney in Croydon, also received first in course honours for Textiles and Design.
Greek students shined in modern Greek language subjects this year. For Modern Greek Beginners, four of the top five students all came from the NSW School of Languages, with Bill Athanassiou from Newington College claiming the fourth place spot.
In the Modern Greek Continuers rankings, students from the Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre excelled claiming the top four rankings. Mihalis Dovellos from St Spyridon College was the only student not from the Community Language school to make the list.
Below is a list of the top ranking students for Greek language subjects in the 2020 HSC:
Modern Greek Beginners
Jacqueline
Koutsoubos
1
NSW School of Languages
Jamie
Christoforou
2
NSW School of Languages
Lukas
Lis
3
NSW School of Languages
Bill
Athanassiou
4
Newington College
Tom
Karahlis
5
NSW School of Languages
Modern Greek Continuers
Maria
Kontou
1
Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre
Maria
Kapsabelis
2
Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre
Nestor
Harilaou
3
Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre
Katerina
Kalogerakis
4
Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre
Mihalis
Dovellos
5
St Spyridon College
Modern Greek Extension
Maria
Kontou
1
Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre
Katerina
Kalogerakis
2
Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre
Eleni
Grouva
3
All Saints Grammar
Nestor
Harilaou
4
Saturday School of Community Languages Kogarah HS Centre
The COVID-19 infection has spread to outside the clustered Northern Beaches area, with a positive COVID case visiting Cronulla RSL on Wednesday, 18 December.
In a press conference led by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, it was announced that the total number of COVID-19 cases in NSW has extended from 18 to 28.
Up to 8pm last night, there were 15 locally acquired cases linked to the cluster, the two from the previous day brought it to 17.
There was one additional case in a person who travelled to Queensland, who also obtained it from that cluster.
Then, from 8pm last night to now, there has been 10 additional cases, meaning in the past 48 hours, 28 cases have been attributed to the cluster.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP.
The premier urged all northern beaches residents stay home as the state works to get on top of its cluster.
“As soon as NSW Health gets that information about that venue or that someone has acquired the disease, you will get it in real time, the same time as I do,” she said.
“But to avoid confusion, we will be doing one daily update at 11am on the numbers.”
Cronulla RSL announced on their Facebook page that a confirmed case had visited their venue on Wednesday, the 16th of December 2020. A timeframe has yet to be provided.
One of the cases linked to the Avalon cluster had already flown to Queensland before contact tracers could get in touch with them.
The NSW Premier said they will be cracking down on international aircrews landing in Sydney from Tuesday, putting them into police-managed hotel quarantine.
“The issue isn’t the guidelines, it’s unfortunately when people breach the guidelines or choose not to self-isolate,” she said.
States and territories have been quick to reimpose border restrictions on people travelling from New South Wales in response to the state’s growing coronavirus outbreak.
The news will come as a heavy blow to people who were hoping to cross state lines to see their families at Christmas.
Here is a brief on the current restrictions enforced by each State.
Queensland
Queensland’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, said the new rules would apply to anyone who had been in the Northern Beaches region on or since Friday, December 11.
If that’s you, and you are already in Queensland, you are required to get tested for the virus and quarantine in your home or accommodation until 14 days after the date you left the Northern Beaches.
The COVID-19 cluster in the Northern Beaches of NSW has now increased to 17 positive cases resulting in new advice for anyone in or coming to Queensland from the area. See full statement here: https://t.co/4G3NZ3DwL8
If you arrived in Queensland on a flight from Sydney after midnight (12am Friday, December 18), the same rule applies.
Finally, if you arrive in Queensland after 1am on Saturday, you’ll be required to go into hotel quarantine at your own expense.
Victoria
Victoria has asked anyone who’s been in the Northern Beaches area since December 11 to “stay at home and get tested tomorrow”.
“They should stay at home until results are available and especially avoid visiting aged care facilities and hospitals. Further guidance will be issued as information becomes available,” the state’s Department of Health and Human Services said.
In addition, anyone who was in the Northern Beaches region or other NSW exposure sites on or since Friday, December 11 and arrives in Victoria after 12.01am on Friday, December 18, must get tested and quarantine in their home or accommodation for 14 days from the date they left the Northern Beaches.
South Australia
South Australia has not made any announcements yet. Currently, those who have come from NSW are urged to monitor themselves and isolate if they develop symptoms.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP.
ACT
There are no current restrictions for travellers moving to or from the ACT, however this is being monitored closely.
Western Australia
In Western Australia, anyone arriving from New South Wales from Friday onwards will have to quarantine for two weeks.
If you travelled to WA from NSW since December 11, you must get tested and then self-isolate until you get a negative result.
“I understand these changes will cause frustration and uncertainty for some people, and be very upsetting for many families looking to reunite and spend Christmas together,” Premier Mark McGowan said.
“This has been a difficult decision to make, but we need to follow the health advice and do what is in the best interest of all Western Australians.”
Tasmania
Tasmania has banned anyone who’s been in the Northern Beaches area on or since December 11 from entering the state.
If you’re already there, you have been asked to call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to advise it of your movements and book a test.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory has declared the Northern Beaches a virus hotspot.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner has announced anyone travelling to the NT from the region must undertake 14 days of supervised quarantine in either Alice Springs or Darwin, at a cost of $2500 per person.
“If you are intending to travel to the Northern Territory from an identified COVID-19 hotspot, you are advised to rethink your plans,” the NT government said.
“Anyone who has already arrived in the Northern Territory from Northern Beaches Council LGA on or after December 11 needs to arrange for a COVID-19 test and self-quarantine while awaiting the test results.”
For the first time in 60 years, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has failed to secure approval for his government’s 2021 budget.
A total of 29 lawmakers voted against the budget and 24 in favour, said Parliament Speaker Adamos Adamou. Anastasiades’s ruling center-right Disy party lacks a majority in parliament.
Shortly after the Parliament voted against the Budget, President Anastasiadis issued a written statement.
“I fully understand and respect the positions of the parties, which, either as a result of a different economic view, or individual views on policy areas, have taken a negative stance in approving the state budget,” Anastasiadis wrote.
“But what I do not understand is the negative vote of the Democratic Party, which is trying to blackmail the legally elected government and neutralize other independent institutions.”
“The current behaviour of the Democratic Party does not serve the presumed goal, nor the well-understood interests of our society, which under the unprecedented conditions we are experiencing today, has the absolute need to support the State.”
Cyprus ended its so-called golden passport program on Nov. 1, citing longstanding weaknesses and abuses.
The Cypriot parliament’s speaker Demetris Syllouris resigned in October, after an Al Jazeera report caught him on video offering to help a fictitious Chinese businessman with a criminal record attain citizenship. Jho Low, a Malaysian linked to the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal, was among the beneficiaries of the program offering citizenship to foreign investors.
Opposition lawmakers had demanded that the state auditor office investigate all cases where Cyprus passports were issued under the program. The government declined to do so on advice from the country’s attorney general, who has already appointed a committee to examine the program.
Lawmakers approved stopgap legislation after the budget vote so that the government can make payments in January 2021 to avoid a shut down. Anastasiades’ administration can also resubmit the budget with changes for another vote at a later date.
European Union member states will begin vaccinations against Covid-19 in 10 days, Germany said, as Europe tries to catch up with Britain and the United States after what some have criticized as a slow EU approval process for the jabs.
“In Germany we will start, if the approval comes as planned, on Dec. 27. The other countries in the EU want to be able to start and want to start from Dec. 27,” Health Minister Jens Spahn said before an online meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel and executives from vaccine maker BioNTech.
As a member of the EU, Germany is obliged, by and large, to wait for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to approve the vaccine. The EMA is expected to make an announcement on Dec. 21.
A senior EU official said on Wednesday the bloc could give its final approval for the vaccine, developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech, on Dec. 23.
That will be weeks after Britain, which left the EU early this year, approved the shot on Dec. 3 for emergency use, followed by Canada on Dec. 9 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Dec. 11.
In Britain, around 140,000 people have already received the jabs, BioNTech Chief Medical Officer Oezlem Tuereci said at Thursday’s online event.
According to Spahn, the vaccine should become available to all 27 EU member states at the same time, regardless of their financial strength, thanks to negotiations led by the European Commission that he said were an “important signal of European solidarity”.
Merkel said Germany was looking forward to starting life-saving vaccinations, a day after the country reported 952 deaths related to the coronavirus, its highest daily number yet.
“If we look at how many people are dying of coronavirus now, we know how many people this [vaccine] can save,” she said.
BioNTech’s Tuereci said the “marathon” was not over yet for the vaccine maker.
“Our team here at BioNTech has been working through nights and weekends, has put off vacations. They will continue over Christmas to make sure delivery can happen quickly,” she said.
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has signed an agreement with Troulis Royal Collection to open The Royal Senses Resort Crete, Curio Collection by Hilton in 2021.
The 179-room hotel boasts spectacular sea views and a dedicated beach and marina, while celebrating the timelessness of Cretan hospitality in a contemporary way.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Hilton said, “Crete is one of Greece’s most popular islands, thanks to its warm climate, rich history and picturesque villages.”
“Royal Senses Resort Crete will make a stunning addition to our rapidly growing Curio Collection of unique hotels, which includes upcoming properties in destinations including Lisbon, London and Reykjavik.”
The Royal Senses Resort Crete
The island’s unique landscape and rich cultural heritage make it ideal for curious travellers and anyone wanting to experience everything Greece has to offer by visiting one, very diverse, destination.
The hotel will be located in the picturesque Rethymno region on the northern part of the island, which has the best weather and attractions that Crete has to offer, including the Melidoni Cave and Knossos Palace.
Eleni Troulis, President of Troulis Royal Collection, said “We are delighted that the Royal Senses Resort Crete, Curio Collection by Hilton will be the first in Greece to join this stunning selection of handpicked properties.”
“Having successfully operated its sister property, the Royal Blue Resort, since 2009, we are now excited to be expanding our portfolio and partnering with Hilton.
Courtesy Royal Senses.
“It’s the perfect collaboration for us, as it combines the resort’s contemporary appreciation of Crete’s multifaceted culture and our family’s hospitality values with Hilton’s strong international customer appeal.”
The hotel will feature state of the art facilities including a spa, indoor and outdoor pool, water park, tennis courts as well as a private beach and marina.
The Royal Senses Resort Crete will join the portfolio of unique Curio Collection by Hilton properties, including The Trafalgar St James London, Aleph Rome Hotel, The Britannique Naples and Grand Hotel des Sablettes Plage.
The Royal Senses Resort Crete, Curio Collection by Hilton will be located at Panormo Rethymnon, 740 57, Crete, Greece.
They say that at Christmas time all roads lead to home. It’s a time when you are confronted with certainties and challenges in life, while also setting goals for the new year, which you almost never fulfill.
The only fact in these bright days, rich with Christmas ornaments, is that even for a while, you pull out the lost child in you, who was always anxiously waiting to sing the carols, to eat sweets and of course, get his gift from Santa Claus.
Today, you may have answered definitively and irrevocably the question of whether there is a Santa Claus, but going back to your childhood, you were overjoyed in the certainty that this chubby bearded man would defy all obstacles, even enter the dirty chimney, to not disappoint you.
If, of course, you want to do a more thorough research on the existence or not of Santa Claus, all you have to do is travel, when the borders finally open for international travel, to his village.
Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus in Finland. Photo supplied.
George Frantzoglou will tell you with a smile that Santa’s village “flashes” like a decorated dot in the pale Arctic landscape and if you are lucky, you will hear a “welcome” in your native language.
The Greek of Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa Claus in Finland, left Greece four years ago and moved to the village where every day is Christmas.
“It is now a daily routine for us and especially my children,” George Frantzoglou tells The Greek Herald from Finland.
George Frantzoglou and his family left Greece four years ago. Photo supplied.
“My children like it very much. All this story about Santa Claus, his elves, the fairies, the magical Christmas, the reindeer. All this emits a magic that fascinates adults, especially the children. However, they really like nature. This is what they ask for the most – contact with nature,” Frantzoglou, who works as a tour guide in the village, says.
Until last year, Rovaniemi was the ideal place to get into the Christmas mood. Joulupukki (Santa Claus in Finnish) was always there, the snow wrapped everything like a white veil and near the Arctic Circle, a magical world unfolded for young and old.
But how is it this year?
Rovaniemi is the ideal place to get into the Christmas mood. Photo supplied.
“This year is very strange. We have a snowy and decorated Rovaniemi, which is practically empty. We are talking about a city of 60,000 inhabitants, which extends over a large area,” Frantzoglou says.
“This is obviously a big blow to businesses, many of which make a living from tourism. It is an empty city. The village of Santa Claus may be decorated, Santa Claus is here, but I walked through it today (early December) and it looks like a ghost village, but music is still heard.
“To give you an idea of magnitude, last year at such a time it was crazy. Every day the village of Santa Clause had 4,000 to 5,000 visitors and today it is empty.”
This year’s Christmas will also be different for Frantzoglou, who is from Nafplio, for another reason as well.
This year’s Christmas will be different for Frantzoglou. Photo supplied.
“Usually I spend the holidays working since it is the season with the most tourism. But it seems as though I will spend them with my family this year. After all, I have always been a fan of Christmas. It is my favorite holiday,” Frantzoglou says.
“But not in terms of decoration and the cosmopolitan part of Christmas. I liked the celebration for the fact that it’s intertwined with the snow, the cold and the warmth that it emits.”
The only sure thing is that the kids of the Greek in Rovaniemi will ask him for gifts and Christmas and their visit to Santa Clause will still take place as always because they live so close to his village. The ultimate “fairy tale” of Christmas is already taking shape this year, albeit in a different way…
