A 20-year-old Albanian man allegedly confessed to the murder of a Santorini hotel owner, who was found charred in a blaze last Friday.
The 20-year-old Albanian builder confessed after he was brought to the Thira Police Department in the morning, initially arrested for illegal stay in the country.
The builder had worked for the victim, with the hotelier owing him 200 euros. The hotel owner allegedly refused to give him the money, resulting in a confrontation.
Police jeep in Santorini. News 24.gr/KARAGIANNAKIS GIANNIS
After knocking the hotel owner unconscious, he was covered with vodka and set on fire, causing him to be charred. It is noted that the crime was not strictly financially motivated, as the victim’s watch, safe, along with anything else of value, was left untouched.
The 20-year-old allegedly claimed that the owner of the hotel attacked him with an iron rod. He also reportedly said that he set him on fire to hide his traces.
Robotics expert Steven Potiris recently completed his PhD thesis, exploring ways to improve the efficiency of crop mapping on a national scale.
Crop mapping can allow national and multinational agricultural agencies, insurance agencies, and regional agricultural boards to prepare an inventory of what was grown in certain areas and when. Providing phenotype data for breeding research, the system must be able to detect and segment each plant from its background.
“They breed two crops together in the hopes of making some kind of genetic gains, for example making them more resistant to drought or making them produce larger plants faster,” Steven said.
“But the problem is that when you breed plants, one single plant can have a lot of variations. And so you don’t typically want to just breed two plants and go ‘let’s see if this works’.”
An example of a result of the developed instance segmentation model, which allows the accurate association of phenotypic traits to each individual plant.
Rows of iceberg lettuce grown in both crop- and weed- overlap conditions, which presents significant challenges to segment plants individually.
Steven says that these tests need to be conducted on a large scale, due to the amount of variability that can occur. Currently, tests such as these are conducted in indoor research farms and research facilities.
“It’s not very cost effective. You typically are always operating at a loss in that way,” Steven said.
“There are multiple reasons for that, and sone of them is that it’s actually very hard to measure the crops.”
Explained in his thesis, Steven has designed an unmanned ground vehicle to produce some of these measurements, attributing phenotype measurements from an RGB camera to individual plants.
“By doing that, you can increase your sample size to thousands, hundreds of thousands and still be in a commercial environment where that crop is also saleable.”
Various inputs (water, herbicides and nitrogen) were applied in an experiment to create a diverse dataset among cos and iceberg lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower crops. The labelled datasets are used to train both implicit and explicit instance segmentation models, and the results are compared against crop-crop and crop-weed overlap factors.
According to the Australian Government Health Department, there are currently three genetically modified (GM) crops that are grown in Australia: cotton, canola and safflower. All GM crops grown in Australia (commercial and experimental) is approved by the Regulator only if a scientific assessment shows that they are safe for people and the environment.
According to Steven, the university didn’t give permission for any of the 2000 crops planted to be eaten or taken home, in accordance with current crop development laws.
Steven’s thesis paves the way for the use of unmanned vehicles to be a vital asset in the production of crops on a large, national scale.
“Many people don’t actually know how prolific in everyday life crop breeding is,” Steven said.
“I would say definitely there’s a large proportion of of crops which have been successfully bred using older methods, and basically the benefit of my work is that it can be applied to an outdoor setting in which it is commercially viable to do these experiments.
“You get the benefits of planting commercially and running your experiments at the same time… and with very little manual effort.”
Proud Greek-Cypriot, Koraly Dimitriadis, has been named as a finalist at the Queensland Poetry Festival with her poetry film titled ‘Mediterranean Madness.’
Koraly tells The Greek Herald that ‘Mediterranean Madness’ is about identity and fitting in within Australia, while also focusing on “being misunderstood by Anglo-Australians because of the direct nature of Cypriot communication.”
“It was inspired by a lover I had where we couldn’t see eye-to-eye!” Koraly cheekily adds with a laugh.
The film which accompanies Koraly’s poem ‘Mediterranean Madness.’
The video which accompanies Koraly’s poem was filmed in Limassol, Cyprus, at Lady’s Mile Beach and also at a home location.
To get the footage she wanted, Koraly worked with a small team including Artemis Evlogimenou as the film maker, with assistance from Olga Aristodemou as the dialect coach.
She says she chose to shoot the video at Lady’s Mile because it’s one of her favourite beaches in Limassol.
“Limassol is also my mum’s city (she grew up in the nearby villages), so most of my family lives there and that is usually where I base myself when I go,” Koraly says.
“I have been fortunate to receive numerous travel grants from the Cypriot Ministry of Education to travel to Cyprus, perform my poetry, and also work on my debut fiction manuscript, Divided Island.”
The film which accompanies Koraly’s poem ‘Mediterranean Madness.’
With such a clear passion for poetry, which also includes a few poetry videos in the Cypriot dialect, it should have come as no surprise to Koraly when she was named as a finalist at the Queensland festival.
But the ever-humble writer, poet and performer, says she actually was shocked but excited.
“I was shocked as I have never been a finalist for a poetry film competition before! I was also excited to draw attention to the beauty of my Cypriot heritage,” she concludes.
If you would like to vote for Koraly, you can do so here. Voting closes on December 2.
On December 1, 1913, Crete was officially integrated into the Greek state. The union came after Crete suffered centuries of warfare and Ottomon leadership, making this new unification even more significant.
Cretan History:
In 1669, Crete fell to the Ottomon Empire, ending the previous Venetian occupation of the Island which had lasted over 450 years. The entire period was a difficult and often bloody struggle for the people of Crete, as they suffered to maintain their rights and welfare.
Over the centuries, there were several unsuccessful revolutions and uprisings, which often led to worsened conditions for the Cretans.
On December 1, 1913, Crete was officially integrated into the Greek state.
Years later, Crete took part in the Greek War of Independence in 1821. Whilst the majority of Greece succeeded, Crete did not. The large number of Turks and Turko-Cretans on the island and the lack of supplies restricted their ability to conquer their own independence.
Even though Cretans fought for their independence as hard as mainland Greeks and made the same sacrifices, the Great Powers had prevented Crete from joining Greece and becoming part of the new Hellenic Nation.
Over the next 90 years, the Cretans continued their struggle and led several more uprisings against the conqueror. The most successful of course being the Great Cretan Revolution, where Crete gained its autonomy under the blessings of the Great Powers.
Under the protection of the Great Powers and the high sovereignty of the sultans, the Cretan state was created during 1898 – 1913.
Announcement of the Union:
On November 1st, 1913, Sultan Mehmed the 5th resigned from every right of domination over the Great Ocean. It was exactly one month later when Crete was officially incorporated into the Greek State.
The joyous event was held in sunny Chania in Crete, on Sunday December 1, 1913. In the presence of King Constantine and Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos.
In what is often described as a festive atmosphere, this day marked a significant occasion for the people of Crete, indicating the end of their centuries of struggle. At last Crete was free and officially included in the Greek state.
The popular Benaki Museum kicked off its online art auction yesterday, with a number of priceless artworks up for grabs.
The auction runs until December 7 and includes over 240 works of art by 138 different artists, with prices starting at just 50 euros.
The works of art have been donated not only by artists who have previously exhibited their work at the museum or have collaborated with the Benaki Shop, but by the museum’s friends and supporters as well.
The popular Benaki Museum kicked off its online art auction yesterday, with a number of priceless artworks up for bidding.
Local Greek media say the auction has been launched to raise funds for the Benaki Museum, as it is facing significant funding shortfalls in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Back in October, CEO of the Benaki Museum, Haris Siampanis, told Ekathimerini that the museum had “lost significant revenues.”
“Like many other organisations, we lost significant revenues not just from exhibition tickets, but from museum shops, educational programs, events, rent and, obviously, from corporate and private donations [during the economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic].”
CEO of the Benaki Museum, Haris Siampanis.
At the time, Siampanis also indicated that the Benaki was seeking to establish a permanent presence in Australia. This news was later confirmed after it emerged that the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne would house the Benaki.
This meant Melbourne would become the first city to house a permanent Benaki Museum outside of Greece.
You can bid for artworks from the Benaki Museum here.
When the coronavirus pandemic broke out earlier this year, virologists around the world quickly pivoted their focus to developing vaccines and treatments for the virus.
But Professor Jimmy Dikeakos at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry in the United States, says the issue with this was that countless other epidemics currently raging – and killing millions every year – have been forgotten, at least for now.
One of these epidemics is HIV and AIDS.
“We need to not only remember those currently living with HIV, but the individuals we weren’t successful in saving because the therapies didn’t exist yet. We need to maintain World AIDS Day so we don’t lose sight of the goal,” Mr Dikeakos, who is currently studying the HIV protein Nef, says.
Professor Jimmy Dikeakos at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
And to remember those people effectively, we need to know what HIV and AIDS is in the first place. Here are some basic facts:
Statistics:
HIV still exists in Australia. There were 833 new HIV diagnoses in Australia in 2018.This is the lowest number of diagnoses since 2010.
In 2019, roughly 38 million people around the world were living with HIV.
There is no vaccine or cure for HIV, however, there are highly effective treatments. People with HIV take medications on a daily basis to maintain their HIV at an undetectable level and to keep them healthy.
What is HIV and AIDS:
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a condition that can cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). HIV and AIDS are not the same thing.
Left untreated, HIV attacks the body’s immune system making the body vulnerable to infections and medical conditions that the immune system would normally be capable of controlling.
People with HIV take daily treatment to prevent the virus from advancing into AIDS. Without treatment, people with HIV are at risk of developing AIDS.
AIDS refers to the illnesses that can develop as a result of untreated HIV or in a person where current treatments have failed, and occurs when a person’s immune system has been severely damaged by HIV infection.
People living with AIDS will be more likely to develop infections or certain cancers — diseases that wouldn’t usually trouble a person with a healthy immune system.
How is HIV transmitted?
HIV may be present in blood, semen, vaginal fluid, menstrual fluid, rectal fluids, and in breast milk. HIV may be transmitted when such fluids from a person with HIV enters the body of a person without HIV such as during unsafe sex where preventative measures are not used.
HIV may also be transmitted through the sharing of needles or through unsterile tattooing and piercing processes.
How can I help prevent HIV transmission?
Practice safer sex.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV – PrEP is a HIV medication which prevents people acquiring HIV.
Treatment as Prevention (TasP) – HIV medicine is called anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The use of ART as prescribed reduces the amount of HIV in a person’s body and may lead to what is called ‘viral suppression.’ This reduces the likelihood of onward transmission of HIV to a HIV-negative person.
Please note these are not all the ways HIV transmission can be prevented. You can find more information here.
The Morrison Government is making further changes to the Family visa program to support applicants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
From early 2021, the Government will allow certain Family visas which have been applied for outside Australia, to be granted while the visa applicant is in Australia.
This temporary concession will be for people who are in Australia and are not able to travel offshore to be granted the visa due to COVID-19 related border closures.
The Government estimates the change will benefit about 4000 visa applicants currently in Australia, predominately Partner applicants.
Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Alan Tudge, said the changes would be temporary.
Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Alan Tudge, said the changes would be temporary and will be reviewed in line with any changes to Australia’s international travel restrictions.
“These are common sense changes to reduce the impact that the travel restrictions are having on our immigration program,” Mr Tudge said.
“Importantly, this will allow a foreign national who is a partner of an Australian citizen to progress their visa, without having to leave the country.
“I know this will be a relief to those Australians who were concerned that their loved one may have to leave the country with no certainty as to when they could return.”
These changes are in addition to the Government’s decision to almost double the number of Partner visa places in 2020-21.
It is expected that three quarters of these visas will go to those already onshore, with the increase in numbers addressing nearly all the present applicants awaiting for finalisation of their visa.
The World Travel Awards 2020 were broadcast live from Moscow, Russia on November 27 and in some great news, Greece was recognised at the international event.
The Greek Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourist Organisation were jointly awarded the World’s Leading Tourist Board.
Greek Minister of Tourism, Haris Theoharis, expressed Greece’s gratitude in receiving the award and added that this was the first time Greece had been honored with the distinction.
Greek Minister of Tourism, Haris Theoharis, expressed Greece’s gratitude in receiving the award.
“With great joy and pride we accept the highest distinction of the World Travel Awards on behalf of our country,” Mr Theoharis said.
“Greece has fully earned the title of the World’s Leading Tourist Board. The international community recognises our hard work and methodical efforts, the care for health and safety that we managed to offer to millions of tourists who were hosted this summer in Greece.”
The tourist season in Greece this year has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with Greece’s Finance Minister saying in April that Greece should expect a recession of up to 10 percent due to tourism losses.
To combat some of these losses, the Tourism Ministry launched its ‘Greece From Home’ online platform, which is aimed at reinforcing the country’s positive image during the pandemic.
Eight ancient Greek tombs of various types were discovered during recent excavation works by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia in southern Greece on a privately owned plot of land.
The Greek Culture Ministry said the tombs date from the end of the 4th to the 2nd century BC.
In one of the tombs, a bronze urn with a floral decoration on the handles was found.
They are part of the western necropolis of the ancient city of Elis, from which more than 200 tombs dating to the late Classical and Hellenistic period have been excavated to date.
Of particular importance are the findings in one of the tombs, which has a bronze urn with a floral decoration on the handles and lion heads where the handles meet the rim, and a bronze folded mirror.
Greek-American political advisor and communications expert, Jen Psaki, has been named press secretary in US President-elect Joe Biden’s new all-female White House communications team.
Psaki was the White House communications director under President Barack Obama from 2015 to 2017 and had previously been spokesperson for the US Department of State, among other roles.
She is replacing Kayleigh McEnany, who has been the latest person to work in the role during Donald Trump’s administration.
Jen Psaki has been named press secretary in US President-elect Joe Biden’s new all-female White House communications team.
Psaki will also be joined in the White House communications team by:
Kate Bedingfield as White House communications director.
Symone Sanders will be vice-president-elect Kamala Harris’ chief spokeswoman.
Elizabeth Alexander will be first lady Jill Biden’s communications director.
Karine Jean Pierre as deputy White House press secretary.
Ashley Etienne as communications director for the vice-president, and
Pili Tobar will serve as deputy communications director.
On Twitter, Psaki paid tribute to the incoming team, saying they were “some of the most talented, battle-tested communicators out there.”
President-elect Joe Biden also commented on his decision to choose an all-female White House communications team for the first time in US history, saying he was “proud” of his decision.
“These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better,” Mr Biden said in a statement.
“Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a President, and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House.”
