A massive Greek flag was hoisted onto position with a bug crane near the border with Turkey on Thursday (May 14), marked by local media as the “Largest Greek flag ever”.
The gigantic 600 square metre flag was hoisted in the Port of Alexandroupoli, taking part in ceremonies to mark 100 years since the liberation of the city of Alexandroupoli.
The 600 square metre dimensions were set to commemorate 600 years of Bulgarian and Ottoman oppression. The flag raising service was joined by hundreds of guests, with social distancing measures in place.
Wow! Greeks in Alexandroupoli unfurled a 600 sq. meter flag to honor the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Western Thrace.
600 sq. meters to commemorate 600 years of Bulgarian and Ottoman oppression. Ζήτω! pic.twitter.com/oIYOwzQclJ
NSW Teachers Federation warned it was prepared to take “whatever action is necessary” to ensure the government upheld an agreement to give teachers and principals a 2.28 per cent pay rise in January, Sydney Morning Herald reports.
NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said the union will consider “all options” to defend their members’ rights, not ruling out industrial action.
“We’re demanding that the agreement be honoured. We’re not negotiating anything. We have an agreement,” NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said.
Gavrielatos is joined by the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA), whose public sector union pay agreements end on June 30.
If the government continues with this wage freeze, NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said the option of industrial action would be a matter for the branches.
NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes. Photo: NSW Nurses and Midwives Association
“Should the government proceed with this, I have no doubt our members will be very frustrated.”
Mr Holmes said the union would not “trade off our wages for jobs” and accept a pay rise lower than the 2.5 per cent cap – the maximum amount public sector wages can increase each year.
“Why would you ask those hardworking nurses and midwives to pay out of their wages to keep the rest of the service going. That shouldn’t be a question asked of them,” he said.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet revealed last month he had been developing a cabinet proposal to halt public servants’ pay rises for 12 months, yet says the government has not yet made a decision on its wages policy.
“Of the 4.1 million people employed in NSW, 90 per cent are employed in the private sector and many of these people are facing the prospect of massive pay cuts and job losses,” he said.
Greece’s largest carrier Aegean Airlines said on Thursday it will gradually restart flights from Athens to some major European destinations by the end of May, ending a suspension prompted by the new coronavirus pandemic.
Aegean, a member of the Star Alliance airline group, suspended its international flights on March 26 as a result of flight restrictions related to the coronavirus crisis.
Airlines around the world grounded flights as civil aviation authorities imposed restrictions and countries closed borders and imposed lockdowns to try to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.
The carrier said it will restart operations from its Athens hub to Munich, Zurich, Frankfurt and Geneva, initially with a reduced timetable. It will also add more flights to Brussels – the only international destination that had not been suspended.
Aegean will increase flights in its domestic network from May 18-25, adding capacity to destinations including Heraklion and Chania in Crete, Thessaloniki, Alexandroupolis and the islands of Rhodes, Corfu, Lesbos, Chios and Samos.
“Aegean is willing to gradually and with extreme cautiousness restore its network while fully respecting the tremendous national effort to control the COVID-19 outbreak within the country,” the carrier said.
Greece was one of the effective European countries in handling the pandemic, containing the spread of COVID-19 infections to 2,770 confirmed cases and 156 deaths.
In preparation for the resumption of flights, Aegean said it has already stepped up precautionary measures, including the mandatory use of masks during flights and aircraft cleaning and disinfection procedures.
Greek authorities say two Afghan men have been jailed for six years and nine months each after being convicted of participating in riots this week at a migrant detention centre near the border with Turkey where some 150 unaccompanied minors are being held.
The two men, aged 22 and 23, were found guilty by a court Thursday of causing serious property damage, assault, and participation in a violent revolt and were each fined 1,375 euros. Both men told the court they had not been involved in the violence.
Twenty-six minors, all from Afghanistan, were also arrested following the rioting at the detention centre where protesters threw kitchen appliances at police, caused extensive property damage and set fires, according to officials from the detention centre.
The minors were to be tried separately at a later date.
Despite repeated complaints by human rights groups, Greece continues to detain many unaccompanied minors. The government says it is trying to expand efforts to move the minors to other European Union countries. About 250 migrants are currently being held at the detention site.
The Morrison Government is rolling
out extra measures to ensure people experiencing domestic, family and sexual
violence know where to get help during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Help is Here campaign will include advertising of two national helplines, 1800RESPECT and MensLine Australia, across television, social media, radio and newspapers, as well as in shopping centres, hospitals and GP surgeries.
Member for Reid, Dr Fiona Martin, welcomed the new campaign and said it will show all Australians that there is free and confidential help at all hours, every day, if they are feeling unsafe in their homes.
“It’s important that anybody who feels unsafe in their home is able access help,” Dr Martin said.
“The campaign aims to make sure everybody in Reid is aware of the two national hotlines where they go for support. Tough times do not excuse tougher times at home.”
Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Anne Ruston, also supported the campaign and said it will direct people more easily to the hotlines where they can talk directly and confidentially via online chat or phone.
“The campaign delivers the strong message that violence and abuse are never acceptable, no matter the circumstances,” Minister Ruston said.
“Increased stresses at a time like this are known and understandable but they are not an excuse for causing physical or psychological harm.”
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, more than 15 percent of contacts for MensLine Australia have been COVID-19 specific, while 1800RESPECT has seen an 11 percent increase in people accessing support when compared with the same time last year.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or at risk of domestic, family or sexual violence contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) 1800respect.org.au or MensLine Australia (1300 789 978) mensline.org.au
Physical distancing and hand washing are still the order of the day, as socialising in moderation and gathering in small groups outdoors are back in our tentative post-ISO world. With the number of COVID-19 cases remaining relatively low in Australia compared to other countries, the federal government provided a three-step roadmap for states and territories to start carefully relaxing some restrictions on our movement.
However, since this roadmap was released last Friday, state and territory Premiers have decided to pick and choose measures from the map to suit their own citizens and regions. Confusion obviously ensued.
But to ease some of this confusion, The Greek Herald has compiled a handy list outlining everything you need to know about what you can and can’t do this weekend in your hometown. Here goes nothing!
New South Wales (from Friday, May 15):
Household visits will move to five people at a time, including children.
Ten guests are allowed at weddings.
Indoor funerals will be allowed up to 20 mourners and up to 30 for outdoor funerals.
Religious gatherings and places of worship can have up 10 worshippers.
Children are asked to head back to school for one day a week. This will increase over the coming weeks.
Cafes and restaurants can seat up to 10 patrons at any one time but they must comply with the four-square-metre ruling.
Pubs and clubs will be allowed to open their restaurants.
Retail stores are allowed to be open and people can shop, so long as social distancing is maintained.
There is no set distance in place for travel but NSW residents must still have a reasonable excuse to be out and about.
Victoria (since Wednesday, May 13):
Five guests are allowed in homes.
Ten people are allowed to hold public gatherings. Victorians can return to the golf course or have a kick of footy with up to 10 people.
Fishing is allowed but social distancing must be adhered to.
Indoor funerals can be attended by 20 people, and 30 people for outdoor funerals.
Religious gatherings, auctions and open-house inspections can occur with only 10 people present.
Shops are open with social distancing but leisurely window shopping is not on.
Restaurants and cafes are open for takeaway only.
Public playgrounds, pools, outdoor gym equipment and caravan parks stay out of bounds. National parks are open again but no camping is allowed.
Prep, grade one and two and years 11 and 12 will go back to school on May 26. Years three to 10 will return on June 9.
Local or regional travel is discouraged.
Queensland (from Friday, May 15):
From 11:59pm, Queenslanders will be able to gather in groups of up to 10 people from any household in many settings including parks, restaurants, cafes, beauty salons and public libraries.
Public amenities including pools and parks will be fully reopened and open homes and auctions will be able to be staged with the 10-person limit.
Weddings can have 10 guests while funerals will be allowed up to 20 mourners for an indoor service and 30 for an outdoor function.
The recreational travel limit will also be extended to 150 kilometres from your home.
Schools will start a staggered reopening with all kindergarten, prep and year 1 students, as well as year 11 and 12 students in high schools, returning to classes.
Western Australia (from Monday, May 18):
Non-work gatherings, indoor and outdoor, are capped at 20 people.
Cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, community clubs and casinos can have a maximum of 20 seated dine-in patrons, counting both those inside and outside, with staff on top of that. They must still observe the 4-square-metre rule.
A pub can only serve a drink with a meal. Reopening pubs just for drinking will be considered for a later phase.
Weddings and funerals are capped at 20 attendees indoors, 30 for outdoor events.
Places of worship, community facilities and libraries will reopen for 20 attendees at a time.
Non-contact community sports can involve 20 people. Same goes for fitness classes.
Public pools are open but only for 20 patrons per pool.
Retailers are encouraged to reopen in accordance with the 20-person, 4-square-metre rules.
The state’s hard border to overseas and interstate travellers remains in place, which requires anyone entering WA to go into quarantine for 14 days.
Tasmania (since Monday, May 11):
Funeral limits have increased to 20 attendees.
Aged care visits are opened to two visitors, once per week.
State border restrictions remain in place, including bans on regional travel. But exercise is allowed up to 30 kilometres from home.
From May 18, public gathering limits will increase to 10 people, and up to five for household visits. Weddings and religious gatherings will also be allowed to have 10 people attend.
From May 25, primary school, plus year 11 and 12 students, will return to classrooms with all remaining students in years 7 to 10 back on June 9.
South Australia (since Monday, May 11):
School students returned to school as usual on April 27 while at universities and TAFE’s, face-to-face learning resumed May 11.
Household visits from up to 10 people are allowed as long as there is enough space to keep 1.5 metres apart and four square metres per person indoors.
Regional travel is being encouraged and camp grounds and caravan parks are open, making South Australia the first state to do so.
Restaurants and cafes are open for 10 patrons if they sit outside.
Auction and home inspections have restarted.
Up to 30 people can attend an outdoor funeral, with 20 people allowed at indoor funerals.
Public swimming pools and places of worship have reopened, although gathering numbers of maximum 10 still apply.
Northern Territory (since Friday, May 1):
No limits on household visits, although social distancing must be upheld.
Weddings and funerals have no limit as long as social distancing guidelines are adhered to.
Playgrounds, parks and reserves have reopened.
Public swimming pools and water parks also have the green light, and NT residents are allowed to go fishing with friends and play golf.
You can shop at your leisure but there’s no eating at food courts just yet.
Pubs, restaurants, cafes are serving takeaway food and drink only.
Students are expected to return to school in term two.
ACT (from Saturday, May 16):
Household visits are capped at 10 people both inside and outside with social distancing.
Weddings can have 10 attendees, while 20 people can attend an indoor funeral and 30 an outdoor one.
Boot camps can take place outdoors with a maximum of 10 people.
A 10-person limit applies to places of worship.
Cafes and restaurants will be able to reopen with 10 seated guests.
Students will begin to return to public schools from May 18 for a staggered reopening of schools.
Two adults and any dependent children can leave the ACT and enter New South Wales for the purposes of providing care and support.
Former Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, has accused the Greek government of authoritarianism over its crackdown on young people gathering in squares in Athens.
In a message addressed to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday, Varoufakis said the government’s actions to stop the gatherings were ‘unprecedented.’
“A government that cares for the health of young citizens that meet at a square can send the police to politely recommend that they keep safe distances, or perhaps return to their homes,” Varoufakis wrote.
“But what can one say about a government that sends fully equipped police to beat unarmed people without any warning.
Varoufakis (right) and Greek PM Mitsotakis (left) discussing the future of Greece. Source: The National Herald.
“The same young people that in a few days it will force to go back to school without any plan for testing them or their teachers, with laughable protection measures within classrooms and corridors.”
According to the current leader of MeRA25, this move indicated either a foolish government or a government planning new forms of authoritarianism.
“For MeRA25 the answer is clear, we do not believe your government is foolish, we consider that you revolve around the axis of authoritarianism, which demands the sacrifice of the many at the altar of the parasitic oligarchy whose interests you serve.”
The Mitsotakis government is yet to respond to these comments.
The ancient Olive Tree of Vouves (Elia Vouvon) is located in the village of Ano Vouves on the island of Crete. It is believed to be the oldest olive tree in the world which still produces highly-prized olives.
Although its exact age cannot be verified using radioisotopes as the tree’s heartwood has been lost through the centuries, scientists from the University of Crete have estimated it to be 4,000 years old. It is presumed that the tree first appeared in 1100BC, in the sub-Minoan period of Cretan history.
The olive tree’s trunk is now hollow, making it difficult to accurately determine its age. Source: Argophilia.
Due to this unique ecological and historical importance, the tree has been declared a “natural heritage monument” by the Secretary General of the Region of Crete.
Olive Tree Museum of Vouves:
The Olive Tree Museum of Vouves is ideally located next to the special Olive Tree of Vouves and it is visited by over 20,000 people each year from around the world. Mostly they are impressed by the tree’s enormous shape and the imposing volume of its trunk, which is characterised by unusual twists.
Entry to the museum is free and people gain access to a wealth of exhibits that demonstrate the cultivation of olive trees in the area and the processing of olives for olive oil and other purposes.
About 594,300 Australians lost their job in April 2020 as a result of government restrictions and business shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bureau of Statistics says the unemployment rate jumped from 5.2 percent seasonally adjusted in March to 6.2 percent seasonally adjusted in April.
But economist Danielle Wood from The Grattan Institute told the ABC this morning that experts were expecting the unemployment figure to be higher.
“I mean certainly in terms of the number of people becoming unemployed it is extremely high by historical standards and the rate we are seeing unemployment shoot up again, is like nothing we have ever seen,” Wood said.
“Really, what is going on here as well is we have seen a fall in the participation rate at the same time as a lot of people just decided it wasn’t worth looking for work in the individual environment.
“So in terms of that headline unemployment figure, certainly a bit lower than what we are expecting, but it does really bring home just how significant and how fast this shock has been.”
Greece’s Civil Protection authority announced on Wednesday a series of guidelines that will allow 515 privately or municipally run beach clubs to open to the public as of Saturday.
Following the recommendations of the Health Ministry’s special advisory committee on the coronavirus crisis, these restrictions include a cap of 40 people per 1,000 square meters of the facility’s area and a distance of at least 4 meters between sun umbrellas.
Catering facilities on the grounds of beach clubs can only offer takeaway service and are prohibited from delivering food and drinks to customers’ umbrellas, as well as from selling alcoholic beverages.
Even sport that requires any form of physical contact between participants has been banned.
The experts also “strongly recommend” that staff wear masks to cover their nose and mouth, though this is not mandatory.
The move to open beach clubs comes in the face of the swimming ban being lifted last week in Greece.
![‘Largest Greek flag ever’ hoisted to honour liberation of Alexandroupoli [VIDEO]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Screen-Shot-2020-05-15-at-9.47.11-am-768x434.jpg "‘Largest Greek flag ever’ hoisted to honour liberation of Alexandroupoli [VIDEO]")
