The Australian Financial Review’s annual Young Rich List is out for 2020 and, unsurprisingly, entrepreneurs and e-commerce sites have dominated the list once again this year.
One of those entrepreneurs is Greek Australian, Kayla Itsines. She, and her ex-fiance Tobi Pearce, were ranked 27 on the list and are worth an estimated $209 million.
The Adelaide locals remain joint owners of Sweat, the fitness empire they created in 2014, initially as an e-book workout guide. The value of the business and their substantial South Australian property portfolio has been split equally between them.
Greek Australian, Kayla Itsines, was listed in the Australian Financial Review’s Rich List for 2020.
Sweat adapted quickly to the pandemic with shuttered gyms triggering the release of “no equipment” workouts. The app was also free for the month of April. The couple, who welcomed a baby girl last year, put their Adelaide home on the market in September.
Itsines and Pearce first stormed onto the Financial Review Young Rich List in 2018 with an estimated wealth of $486 million.
The list has been ranking the wealthiest self-made Australians aged 40 and under since 2003, and while this year’s list was dominated by the usual tech suspects like Atlassian’s Scott Farquhar and Afterpay’s Nick Molnar, there were a few new surprise entrants from other sectors including beauty founder and author, Zoë Foster Blake.
The AFR reports there was also an increase in women on the list compared to last year—12 made the list versus nine last year.
On this day, the notable Greek actor, Alekos Alexandrakis, was born.
With a theatrical career spanning over 50 years, Alexandrakis was one of the most influential and remarkable actors in the Greek film industry and has left an enduring legacy.
Early life:
Alekos Alexandrakis was born into a wealthy family, being the son of a lawyer from Mani, Peloponnese. His childhood was filled with literature, elite sports and top tier education, shaping his intellectual worldviews. He excelled at fencing and by age 15 he became a member of the Greek national team.
Alexandrakis in the 1951 film ‘A Night in Paradise’. Source: IMDb
At age sixteen, he decided to enter the School of Trials, with hopes to become a Navy Officer. But instead, he was deeply inspired by a theatrical performance by Karolos Koun, encouraging him to enrol into the Royal Theater. He later studied at the Drama School of the Greek National Theatre. Here he began his noteworthy career in the performing arts.
Career:
On July 9, 1949, Alexandrakis made his stage debut, performing in an Athens production of Daphne Du Maurier’s “Autumn Tide.” His first performance captured the audience and drew rave reviews and grand impressions on the up and coming actor.
Kathimerini critic, Emilios Chourmouzios, famously wrote of Alekos, “Show weapons. Finally, a lover in the Greek theater.” Alekos’ first performance was certainly an indication of his outstanding career to come.
Alexandrakis starred in more than 75 movies.
Soon after, the actor was offered to star in movies by Finos Films, a leading Greek production company owned by Filopimin Finos. In the same year, Alekos made his onscreen debut with the film “Two Worlds.” And this was only just the beginning. Alekos continued to star in countless films, becoming famous for his irresistible charm and phenomenal acting skills.
Whilst excelling in his acting career, he also kept himself busy in his love life, marrying four times, which all unfortunately ended in divorce. However, he remained with his final partner Nonika Galinea for 21 years, although they never married.
As well as acting on stage and on screen, the Greek actor also delved into the world of film production. He directed plays, as well as films such as “Triumph” (1960) with Karydis-Fuchs and “The Dream District” (1961), which was awarded at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.
Legacy:
Alexandrakis left behind a huge legacy.
In total, Alekos Alexandrakis starred in more than 75 movies and was a popular figure across Greece in his time. He played significant roles in the theatre and left a memorable mark on each and every member of the audience.
In the last few years of his life, he passed on his wisdom and expertise, teaching at the Diamantopoulos Workshop in Greece.
In 2001, Kostantinos Stefanopoulos, the then President of the Hellenic Republic, awarded him with the Golden Cross of the Order of Honour for his contribution to the performing arts in Greece.
Alekos Alexandrakis passed away in 2005 after a long battle with cancer.
His contributions to the theatrical industry in Greece will forever be cherished and remembered.
Perth Glory has confirmed that Patricia Charalambous has signed with the club for the Westfield W-League 2020/21 season.
She joins three other new recruits including Sarah Carroll, Caitlin Doeglas and Jamie-Lee Gale.
“Boasting a combined tally of nearly 150 W-League appearances between them, the talented quartet will bring a wealth of invaluable experience to the Glory squad this year,” Perth Glory said in a statement.
26-year-old defender Charalambous has a strong Glory pedigree having spent two seasons in the West before joining Cypriot side Apollon Limassol and then returning to Australia to link up with Canberra United last year.
Glory Head Coach, Alex Epakis, believes that all four players will make a very positive impact this year.
“Pat, Sarah, Caitlin and Jamie-Lee bring a strong background of experience from within the W-League and in particular, have a strong connection to the club,” Mr Epakis said.
“They each have a firm understanding of the type of environment we are wanting to create this season and will play an important part in helping to build that and guide the younger players on and off the field.”
On November 8, 2005, the notable Greek actor, Alekos Alexandrakis, passed away.
With a theatrical career spanning over 50 years, Alexandrakis was one of the most influential and remarkable actors in the Greek film industry and has left an enduring legacy.
Early life:
Alekos Alexandrakis was born into a wealthy family, being the son of a lawyer from Mani, Peloponnese. His childhood was filled with literature, elite sports and top tier education, shaping his intellectual worldviews. He excelled at fencing and by age 15 he became a member of the Greek national team.
Alexandrakis in the 1951 film ‘A Night in Paradise’. Source: IMDb
At age sixteen, he decided to enter the School of Trials, with hopes to become a Navy Officer. But instead, he was deeply inspired by a theatrical performance by Karolos Koun, encouraging him to enrol into the Royal Theater. He later studied at the Drama School of the Greek National Theatre. Here he began his noteworthy career in the performing arts.
Career:
On July 9, 1949, Alexandrakis made his stage debut, performing in an Athens production of Daphne Du Maurier’s “Autumn Tide.” His first performance captured the audience and drew rave reviews and grand impressions on the up and coming actor.
Kathimerini critic, Emilios Chourmouzios, famously wrote of Alekos, “Show weapons. Finally, a lover in the Greek theater.” Alekos’ first performance was certainly an indication of his outstanding career to come.
Alexandrakis starred in more than 75 movies.
Soon after, the actor was offered to star in movies by Finos Films, a leading Greek production company owned by Filopimin Finos. In the same year, Alekos made his onscreen debut with the film “Two Worlds.” And this was only just the beginning. Alekos continued to star in countless films, becoming famous for his irresistible charm and phenomenal acting skills.
Whilst excelling in his acting career, he also kept himself busy in his love life, marrying four times, which all unfortunately ended in divorce. However, he remained with his final partner Nonika Galinea for 21 years, although they never married.
As well as acting on stage and on screen, the Greek actor also delved into the world of film production. He directed plays, as well as films such as “Triumph” (1960) with Karydis-Fuchs and “The Dream District” (1961), which was awarded at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.
Legacy:
Alexandrakis left behind a huge legacy.
In total, Alekos Alexandrakis starred in more than 75 movies and was a popular figure across Greece in his time. He played significant roles in the theatre and left a memorable mark on each and every member of the audience.
In the last few years of his life, he passed on his wisdom and expertise, teaching at the Diamantopoulos Workshop in Greece.
In 2001, Kostantinos Stefanopoulos, the then President of the Hellenic Republic, awarded him with the Golden Cross of the Order of Honour for his contribution to the performing arts in Greece.
Alekos Alexandrakis passed away in 2005 after a long battle with cancer.
His contributions to the theatrical industry in Greece will forever be cherished and remembered.
The consultation process between the Greek community and La Trobe University closed on Wednesday but that doesn’t mean people are slowing down their efforts to save the university’s Greek Studies Program.
A petition set up by university students was handed in to La Trobe on Wednesday with 6,244 signatures and it actually remains open until a decision has been made.
This petition came in the face of a number of Government ministers and Greek community leaders also voicing their concern about the discontinuation of the course.
Campaign to save the Greek Studies Program of La Trobe University continues
They are:
Labor MPs Maria Vamvakanou, Peter Khalil, Ged Carney, and Green Senator Janet Rice.
More than 50 community organisations.
City Councilors, including the Mayor of Hume.
Greek MPs from Victoria: Kat Theofanous, Steve Dimopoulos, Nick Staikos and Lee Tarlamis.
The General Secretary of Hellenes Abroad, Mr Giannis Chrysoulakis.
Top academics from all over Australia.
Former Labor Party leader, Bill Shorten, also wrote a letter to the university, saying “the interruption of these programs causes deep frustration in the Greek community in Australia.”
“Melbourne, and especially my constituency Maribyrnong, has a proud Greek presence. Many of my constituents in the Greek community have contacted me, expressing their concerns about the La Trobe University proposal,” Mr Shorten wrote.
“As La Trobe University is the only Victorian institution offering such a program, Victorian students wishing to study Modern Greek will miss the opportunity to enrol in their desired course.
“The interruption of these programs causes deep frustration in the Greek community in Australia who want their children and others to have the opportunity to study in one of their mother tongues.
“I call on La Trobe to reconsider its proposal and ensure that the Modern Greek Language Program continues.”
Former leader of Victoria’s Liberal Party, Matthew Guy MP, also expressed in a speech to the Victorian Parliament his support for the Greek Studies Program, asking the Victorian Minister of Higher Education to ensure to continuation of the program.
“I think it is very important that La Trobe University, the university in our northern suburbs, an area that I have represented in this Parliament for eight years and has a large population of Greek-Australians, maintain the Greek language program,” Mr Guy said in Parliament.
“As a former Minister of Multicultural Affairs, I can attest to the strength of the Greek community in this state, but the most important thing is the special importance given to the teaching of the Greek language.
“We all know that from this Parliament – many members from both sides have participated in the Speak Greek in March program and in many other programs focusing on the Greek language. La Trobe University… has a long history for the Greeks of Victoria, our Greek community.
“The Greek presence is huge at La Trobe University so it is important that we maintain the teaching of the Greek language.”
Konstantinos Adraktas, the Greek man who invented the first electric car to enter production worldwide, has died.
Adraktas invented the Enfield 8000, a small electric car model that was manufactured in Greece in the early 1970s.
The news of Adraktas’ death was made public by Vassilis Apostolopoulos, the managing director of the Athens Medical Group, in a Facebook post.
“Konstantinos Adraktas… was a friend of my father and mine, and a neighbour in London during my student years. We had a great relationship and appreciation of each other,” Apostolopoulos wrote.
“A graduate of MIT in astronomy and astronautics, he worked for NASA and I personally rate him as the man with the highest IQ I have ever known. Rest in Peace.”
The history of the Enfield 8000:
Enfield Automotive, based in the Isle of Wight, UK, had won a major contract to produce around 100 cars, following proposals from Ford and Leyland.
Shortly before the production started, the owner of the company, the shipowner Giannis Goulandris, decided to move the factory to Syros.
Presentation for the promotion of electric mobility in Greece in front of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Photo: Eurokinissi.
Adraktas came on board and invented an electric car which had an 8.2-horsepower electric motor, a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour and an autonomy of 80 kilometres. It was very small in size – just 2.7 metres.
A total of 123 cars were built and they are now considered collectibles.
The car was last seen on display next to Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as he held an event last June around the government’s ‘Green Agreement and the Promotion of Electricity.’
10-year-old, Jonathan Loukas, is among seven students who have been recognised as part of the Westpac Youth Impact Challenge for developing innovative ideas to help solve issues facing Australian communities.
Launched in May 2020 by social enterprise Fiftysix Creations, in partnership with Westpac’s financial education specialists The Davidson Institute, the challenge invited Australian students to submit innovative solutions for issues they care about, while also contributing to one of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Jonathan, who was born in Athens in 2010 and moved to Australia when he was 2 years old, chose to utilise his biggest passion – preserving languages and sharing cultural knowledge between generations.
Jonathan Loukas won the Westpac Youth Impact Challenge. Photo supplied.
His winning project is a community skills exchange program which invites kids, who have a non-English speaking background and are good with technology, to go to community clubs and cultural groups to teach their skills to the elderly. In exchange, the elderly will help teach kids the language of their cultural background.
The McCallums High Public School student tells The Greek Herald his project was inspired by his yiayia who always asks him to help her with technology.
“I spend a lot of time with my yiayia because my parents work long hours and she always asks me to help her with technology since she doesn’t know how to use it. Every day she would ask me to show her village on Google Earth and she would get so excited,” Jonathan, who is in Year 4, tells The Greek Herald.
“She also likes to contact her family and friends in Greece using Messenger but didn’t know how to do it until I showed her. In return, she would help me with my Greek homework (we do two hours of Greek each week at my school at McCallums Hill). It was good for both of us.”
To enter the challenge, Jonathan had to submit an application form, film two pitch videos, do two live panel interviews and attend one online workshop which was 7 hours long.
The winners of the prize each receive a Microsoft Surface laptop, a $3,000 scholarship to attend SingularityU Australia Summit: A Future By Design in Sydney, a 12-month membership to ‘The Entrepreneurship Lab,’ and a 12-month mentorship package from the Australian School of Entrepreneurship and Westpac’s Davidson Institute.
Jonathan with his dad Themistoklis. Photo supplied.
Jonathan cheekily says these prizes were another motivation for him to enter the challenge, later adding that he feels extremely proud he won first prize.
“When I heard about the Westpac Youth Impact competition, I’m not going to lie, a small part of my motivation to apply was the 1st prize, which was a new laptop,” Jonathan says.
“But (winning) makes me feel proud of myself… I never thought I’d make it this far and it feels good to have won.
“I just want to thank my Yiayia for inspiring this project. I know she gets frustrated when I can’t communicate in Greek with her very well so hopefully if this project takes off and becomes big enough, we can save dying languages across Australia and the rest of the world.”
An inspirational message from a young Greek Australian who clearly has a bright future ahead of him as an entrepreneur.
A Turkish court sentenced hundreds of military and civilian personnel at an air base to life prison sentences Thursday, proclaiming them guilty of involvement in the 2016 failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
A total of 475 defendants, including some generals and fighter jet pilots at the Akinci air base, on the outskirts of the capital, Ankara, had been on trial for the past three years, accused of directing the coup and bombing key government buildings, including a section of Turkey’s parliament.
The massive trial was one of two main trials against suspected members of a network led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed attempt.
Gulen, who was also named among the defendants, has denied involvement in the coup that resulted in around 250 deaths and injured thousands. About 30 coup-plotters were also killed.
In one of the biggest cases related to the plot to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, 337 ex-pilots and other suspects have been sentenced to life.
The court convicted four men — civilians accused of liaising between Gulen’s movement and some military officers — of crimes against the state, attempts to kill the president as well as 77 counts of murder, and sentenced them to 79 separate “aggravated” life sentences without the possibility of parole. Fifteen officers, including one-star generals, were also sentenced to the same term.
All 19 were held responsible for the deaths of nine people who were killed by gunshots and 68 people who died in aerial attacks on the parliament building, a police special operations headquarters, the Ankara police department and an area close to Erdogan’s presidential complex.
A total of 318 other defendants were also sentenced to life prison terms. The court acquitted 70 of the defendants of all charges. Other defendants received prison terms ranging between six and 16 years.
The court ruled that Gulen, an alleged top operative in his movement and four other defendants still wanted by the Turkish authorities, should be tried separately over the charges.
The defendants are expected to appeal Thursday’s verdicts, which were welcomed by members of Erdogan’s ruling party.
Police officers stand guard at the entrance of the Sincan penal institution at the 4th heavy penal court near Ankara. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images.
“We are experiencing the joy of seeing the defendants, who were already put on trial by the public’s conscience, receive their punishment,” the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Leyla Sahin Usta, a deputy chairman of the ruling party as saying. “This is the end of the era of coups in Turkey.”
Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul tweeted: “the Turkish justice system is continuing to bring the treacherous coup-plotters to account.”
Busra Taskiran insisted that her fiance, Yunus Kilicaslan, who was a trainee F-16 pilot at the time of the coup, was wrongly accused.
Kilicaslan and other trainee pilots were “convicted today for life despite not taking part in the coup attempt, despite not taking part in any activity that night, despite fighting (against the coup) by locking themselves in a room,” she told The Associated Press.
Taskiran said: “They are very young, when they were thrown in prison, they were 24 and 25, now they are convicted for life? How do you explain this in the spirit of justice?”
The father of another convicted trainee pilot, Alper Kalin, said the court had failed to consider evidence that pointed at some trainee pilots’ innocence.
“We are not happy with this verdict. We will carry this to the appropriate places,” said Ali Kalin.
Prosecutors accused the coup-plotters of using Akinci air base as their headquarters. Turkey’s military chief at the time, Gen. Hulusi Akar, who is the current defense minister, and other commanders were held captive for several hours at the base on the night of the coup.
The prosecutors charged the defendants with attempts against the state and constitutional order, an attempt to assassinate the president, leading a terrorist organization and murder, among other charges.
The trial, which opened on Aug. 1, 2017, was part of a post-coup crackdown that has imprisoned tens of thousands of people and seen another 130,000 fired from their government jobs.
On the opening day, dozens of the defendants were paraded into the courthouse handcuffed, with two paramilitary police officers on each arm, as some protesters threw stones and shouted “Murderers!”
Greece’s government spokesman on Thursday announced a week-long extension to the country’s current lockdown due to the continued spread of the coronavirus.
Stelios Petas said the lockdown, which was due to end on November 30, would be extended to the morning of December 7.
“The decision is necessary as the epidemiological load continues to be high,” Petsas said. “In particular, in some areas it is a source of concern.”
Greek health authorities said there were 2,018 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours. There were also 99 deaths, raising the total to 2,001. A record 608 patients are on ventilators.
The number of confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic has reached 99,306.
24-hour strike by civil servants:
The lockdown announcement came amid a 24-hour strike by civil servants on a variety of demands, including better workplace protection against the coronavirus.
The strike disrupted public transport and services, while several hundred people defied a ban on gatherings imposed due to the pandemic, holding protests in Athens and the northern city of Thessaloniki.
Hospital staff wearing face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19 take part in a rally at Evangelismos hospital during a 24-hour strike, on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Photo: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris.
About 400 people gathered in central Athens for the protest march, while about 150 striking workers also gathered briefly for a protest rally in Thessaloniki.
Ferries to the islands were halted and the Athens metro system and tram were shut for Thursday’s strike, although buses continued to run in the capital.
Flights that had been canceled or rescheduled went ahead however, as air traffic controllers called off their strike after a court ruled their participation illegal.
Greek journalists were also participating with a two-hour work stoppage between 11 am and 1 pm, during which no news broadcasts were aired.
For the first time, the European Parliament, by a large majority, voted in favor of the imposition of strict sanctions on Turkey.
The result of the vote was 440 votes in favor, 193 against and 53 abstentions.
The vote was focused on an amendment tabled by Greek and Cypriot MEP’s regarding Turkey’s partial reopening of the Cypriot coastal town of Varosha, which violates UN Security Council resolutions.
The results of the vote in the European Parliament.
The amendment states that the European Council must “maintain its unified position vis-à-vis unilateral and illegal actions by Turkey” and “take action and impose tough sanctions” on Turkey, “in response to [its] illegal actions.”
The resolution, titled Escalating tensions in Varosha following the illegal actions by Turkey and the urgent need for the resumption of talks,’ states that further sanctions “can only be avoided through dialogue, sincere cooperation and concrete progress on the ground.”
Επικοινώνησα τηλεφωνικά με τον επικεφαλής της ομάδας των Ε/βουλευτών ΝΔ στο ΕΛΚ @v_meimarakis για να τον συγχαρώ. Με δική του πρωτοβουλία & των @LefChristoforou@loucas_fourlas υπήρξε αυτή η σημαντική επιτυχία. Συγχαρητήρια σε όλη την Ελληνική και Κυπριακή Αντιπροσωπεία στο ΕΛΚ. https://t.co/DWcAnbVHjU
Greece’s Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, congratulated the Greek and Cypriot MEP’s on their success via Twitter.
“On the initiative of Lefteris Christoforou and Loukas Fourlasere, there has been this significant success. Congratulations to the entire Greek and Cypriot Delegation to the EPP,” Dendias wrote.
