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Former Socceroo, Mark Koussas, lucky to be alive after triple bypass surgery

At the age of 57, Mark Koussas is more active than most. When he’s not going for walks with his lovely wife Faye, he’s surfing the waves at the local beach.

Flash back to the early 1980’s, and you could find Mark not only playing for Sydney Olympic in the then-National Soccer League, but he also made two international appearances for the Socceroos and was awarded the Adidas Golden Boot after scoring four goals in the 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship.

It’s for these reasons that many will be shocked to learn that just last week, Mark underwent a triple heart bypass on three arteries which doctors told him were 90 percent blocked.

He was diagnosed with heart disease – a condition which affects the normal functioning of the heart and represents one in five of all deaths in Australia.

In fact, The Heart Foundation also states that 46 percent more men are hospitalised due to the disease than women. This is a statistic which Mark never believed he would relate to until one day when he was on a walk and he began to feel a burning sensation in his chest.

“Mark had a back operation about ten weeks ago and didn’t do any physical activity until recently, when he thought he’d start going for walks again. That’s when he noticed he was getting a reflux sensation in his chest,” Faye Koussas, Mark’s wife, tells The Greek Herald.

“But then three weeks ago, we went for a gentle walk to the local park and he had to come back within five minutes. This time he felt heaviness in his armpits and his chest pain was worse.”

It was at this moment that Faye says Mark ‘realised the warning signs’ of heart disease and ‘acted very quickly.’

“Mark went to the cardiologist to get an ultrasound for his heart and the cardiologist told him his heart looked good, but he needed to do an angiogram as well,” Faye says.

Mark and his wife Faye are very active. It was during one of their walks that Mark experienced a burning sensation near his heart.

“He did the angiogram and the cardiologist realised Mark’s arteries were more than 90 percent blocked. So they decided to do a triple bypass. It all happened really fast and he didn’t get a chance to think about it.”

The surgery went well even if it was intrusive. Mark had to undergo three grafts from his left arm, right leg and groin. But unfortunately, in post-surgery recovery, Mark contracted a bladder infection from the catheter removal.

“Within 24 hours, he just went downhill. He had contracted a bladder infection which had gone into his bloodstream. His haemoglobin was low and it couldn’t fight the infection. So they decided to do a blood transfusion until eventually, his condition improved,” Faye explains.

Whilst this was a scary turn of events, Faye says Mark still considers himself lucky because his heart hasn’t been damaged.

“Everyone’s telling us that he’ll feel like a new person after this. We’ll be surfing by Christmas!” Faye jokes.

Mark, who’s still recovering from his ordeal and found it difficult to talk during the interview, laughs quietly in the background and adds some serious words of advice.

“I was the last person to think that I would’ve experienced something like this given I’ve been fairly fit all my life,” Mark tells The Greek Herald.

“So if you notice anything that’s not normal, don’t wait for the next day or a week later. Get it sorted out straight away. I’m fortunate I had a strong heart and it managed to put up with some of the damage, but I didn’t know for how much longer it would.

“Time’s not on your side when things start going wrong so get tested sooner rather than later.”

A powerful message on World Heart Day today from a very active and otherwise healthy man, who many would say is the last person they’d expect to undergo a triple bypass.

Scott Morrison looks to Greece’s at-home quarantine system as a model for Australia

People arriving in Australia could be allowed to quarantine at home under a proposal health experts are considering.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is considering whether people coming from “safe” countries could isolate at home.

“I think home quarantine can play a role in the future and it’s something that is being considered by the AHPPC, particularly as we move beyond the phase we’re in now,” he told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

“We do look… to have our borders open up at some point to safe locations, whether it be New Zealand or parts of the Pacific, or places like South Korea or Japan, or countries that have had a much higher rate of success, then there are opportunities to look at those alternative methods.”

Two weeks hotel quarantine is mandatory for overseas arrivals and some domestic travellers entering states and territories with closed borders.

The ACT is an exception, with people allowed to spend their stints at home.

Mr Morrison noted “many” countries allow at-home quarantine for people coming in from lower-risk areas, citing Denmark and Greece as examples.

Hong Kong and Japan are also considering relaxing their travel restrictions for numerous lower-risk countries, including Australia.

“When it comes in, that will obviously be determined principally by the health advice that can provide a green light to those sorts of options,” Mr Morrison said.

“But I’m hopeful it’s something we can move to.”

In the early stages of the pandemic, people arriving in Australia quarantined at home until hotel systems were established.

Mr Morrison said the Chinese-Australian community following home quarantine rules was “vital” to the nation’s success in managing the first virus wave.

Mr Morrison was also asked whether he took any responsibility for giving states a short period of time to get the hotel quarantine program up and running in March.

“It was actually the states and territories that were most urgent in moving forward and they made the recommendation to move so quickly to establish hotel quarantine and we supported that,” he said.

“That was a genuine decision then by the National Cabinet at the initiation of the states and territories to move as quickly as they did.

“I welcomed the fact that they were so keen to move so quickly and get those quarantine arrangements in place.”

Mr Morrison said Victoria’s hotel quarantine bungle was a “great shame” for the state, noting their experience was “quite different” to the rest of the country.

Source: SBS News.

Greek School of Canberra students conclude term three with Embassy of Greece tour

More than 70 students from the Greek School of Canberra, aged from five to sixteen, along with their teachers, had the opportunity to enjoy a tour of the Embassy of Greece over two days last week and meet with the Ambassador of Greece to Australia, Georges Papakostas. 

“The Ambassador, His Excellency Georges Papacostas, was kind enough to host the kids, for a tour of the embassy premises and gift them with a book about Greece as well as a map of the country. He also challenged the kids to locate on the map the part of Greece that their families originate from. 

“The Ambassador and the teachers gave the students a historical insight on the artefacts in the Embassy, from the head of Poseidon to a model of an ancient Greek battle ship – which was a favourite among the kids. We then discussed about the Greek flag and the story behind it and Mr Papacostas spoke about the beautiful sites of Greece.

“It was a great two days and the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra as well as the parents of the Greek School, greatly appreciate the Ambassador’s time and effort. A special thanks goes to Gizmos Cafe, that provided all the dinners for the kids – they heard of what we were doing and were all too happy to support,” Principal of the Greek School and President of The Greek Orthodox Community of Canberra, John Loukadellis, told The Greek Herald.

“The Embassy is a large building and home to numerous replicas of archaeological artefacts. As the ‘OXI Day’ 80thAnniversary is fast approaching, we thought this visit would be a great opportunity for the kids to further connect with their history and culture,” Greek School of Canberra Lead Teacher, Anastasia Constantine, said. 

“The younger ones were impressed by the duplicate of a ‘triiris’ and the older ones with the help of the Ambassador -who made sure to spend time with each and one of the kids- enjoyed locating their ancestral towns on the map.

“We are grateful for the support of the parents and the wider Community. We are all united with the common goal to pass on the Greek spirit and the love for our language, culture and religion to our younger Greeks,” concluded Ms Constantine. 

St Haralambos Greek Orthodox Parish and police in Victoria join forces during emergency

Over the weekend, Manningham police in Victoria worked together with members of the St Haralambos Greek Orthodox Parish in Templestowe to respond to an emergency incident involving a member of the local Greek community.

According to a statement on Facebook by Manningham Police, police were called to a home in Doncaster on Friday evening to assist paramedics tend to an elderly Greek person.

Following the resolution of the incident, Manningham police contacted Father Elias Kentrotis at St Haralambos to assist in providing welfare support and pastoral care to the family and patient.

Manningham police were proud to work with members of the St Haralambos Greek Orthodox Parish in Templestowe over the…

Posted by Eyewatch – Manningham Police Service Area on Sunday, 27 September 2020

On Monday morning, police attended St Haralambos to thank Father Kentrotis for his assistance.

“While there, police discussed how they could assist with other church initiatives such as the Church Youth Group,” the Facebook statement reads.

“This was a fantastic example of emergency services working with the community, and we’re looking forward to working with St Haralambos in the future.”

The Order of AHEPA NSW Inc enters voluntary administration after legal in-fighting

In a press release The Greek Herald received today by The Capital Group, it has been announced that the Order of AHEPA NSW Inc has entered voluntary administration. This is sad state of affairs for all involved and ultimately, both parties will be impacted negatively and this is nothing more than a cost to the Greek Australian community.

READ MORE: AHEPA NSW Inc victory short lived as Court of Appeal overturns decision.

PRESS RELEASE:

Greek Community Association, The Order of AHEPA NSW Inc has appointed Michael Hird and Alan Walker of Cor Cordis as Administrators to recover approximately $3.5 million owed to creditors.

The amount owed relates primarily to legal and consulting fees connected to longstanding internal corporate governance issues and a proposal to redevelop the Bexley Bowling Club.

The Bexley Bowling Club proposal sharply divided members of the Association and exacerbated historical differences amongst members concerning membership and constitutional issues.

The Supreme Court of NSW has dealt with the Associations governance issues on no less than three occasions in recent times with the NSW Court of Appeal finally determining the issues on 26 August 2020.

Draft orders were made by the NSW Court of Appeal and have yet to be finalised.

Cor Cordis Director, Michael Hird, said the aim of the Administration was to maximise the return to creditors and to preserve, as much as possible, the Association’s assets.

He will also assist the Association to implement changes that may be ordered by the NSW Court of Appeal that may enable the Association to return their efforts to the admirable objectives of their charter.

“Our intention is to reach an amicable, fair and productive outcome for the Association which
has a rich history having been first established in Australia in 1934.”

The next report to creditors is planned to be finalised on 8 October 2020, with a second meeting to follow. Creditors will be advised in due course.

Free HSC support sessions offered for parents and students by new Ministry

St Ypomoni Family and Friends Ministry is a new initiative set up four weeks ago with the support of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios and His Grace Bishop Emilianos, and it’s kick-started its community work just in time for the upcoming Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams!

The HSC is a credential awarded to students in NSW who successfully complete their studies in Year 11 and 12. It also involves a series of final exams which run for about four weeks from October to November.

To help out, the Ministry is holding five free HSC support sessions via Zoom for students, and one special session for parents who want to learn how to support their children during the exams.

St Ypomoni Family and Friends Ministry is pleased to announce HSC Support for students and their families. Sessions and…

Posted by St Ypomoni Family and Friends Ministry on Sunday, 20 September 2020

Mr Asterios Zouriakis, who will be running the parents session, tells The Greek Herald that these classes are important as parents will learn how they can help their child manage stress.

“The parents session will be like a wellbeing program. We will start to think of students as athletes moving towards their final race and then ask ourselves how we can help them,” Mr Zouriakas says.

“From there we will provide parents with the tools to help their child move away from automatic negative thoughts to positive enhancing thoughts. It’s all about reframing.”

For the student sessions themselves, Mr Zouriakas stresses that they will be taught by volunteer teachers with experience in the HSC syllabus for English, HSIE, Ancient History and Modern History.

“We will be looking at the syllabus points of each subject and answer any last minute questions the students might have,” Mr Zouriakas says.

“With English, for example, we will look at specific texts, discuss how to answer questions with specific HSC verbs and we will also look at the PEEL technique.”

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can attend any of the following classes once you register via this link.

  • English: Tuesday, September 29, 10-11am.
  • HSIE (Society and Culture): Wednesday, October 30, 10-11am.
  • English: Tuesday, October 6, 10-11am.
  • Ancient History: Wednesday, October 7, 10-11am.
  • Modern History: Thursday, October 8, 10-11am.
  • Parents Session: Thursday, October 1, 7.30pm.

On This Day: Famous Greek singer, George Dalaras, was born

Known as the “Greek Bruce Springsteen,” singer George Dalaras is one of Greece’s biggest contemporary music stars and a living folk legend. To mark his 71st birthday today, we take a look back at his life and musical achievements so far.

Early Life:

George Dalaras was born in Nea Kokkinia, Piraeus, Greece, on September 29, 1950, to a family of musicians. His father, Loukas Daralas, was a well-known bouzouki musician and a performer of rembetika music.

As a teenager, Dalaras — who inverted the third and fifth letters of his last name — played guitar and sang at Piraeus’ bouzoukia, or nightclubs, and made his recording debut in 1965 on his father’s rendition of “Wry Thorn.” 

When Dalaras was a teenager he played guitar and sang at Piraeus’ nightclubs.

Dalaras soon began to cut his own records, releasing his first song, “Prosmoni” (Anticipation), in 1967. The song made indirect reference to Greece’s political turbulence and was instantly banned by authorities of the military junta that ruled the country from 1967 until the mid-1970s.

Personal Life:

Since 1983, Dalaras has been married to Anna Ragousi, who is also his manager and a former politician who served with the PASOK government in 2009 and 2011. They have one daughter, Georgianna.

Music Career:

In 1972, Dalaras, along with singer Haris Alexiou, received his big break in the Greek music industry when their album “Μικρά Ασία” (Asia Minor) went gold, his first album to do so.

He also collaborated with Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, recording Eighteen Little Songs for the Bitter Homeland, whose text was based on the poems of Greek lyricist, Yiannis Ritsos.

Dalaras’ 1979 hit, “Paraponemena logia” (Saddened words), became the theme song for an entire generation of young Greeks.

Following that success, in the early 1980’s, Dalaras became the first musician to take modern Greek music from small local clubs to large concert halls and arenas. He performed two sold-out shows at the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium of Athens.

Today, Dalaras’ personal albums total beyond 70.

He has sold more than 15 million records in his career and is regarded as one of the biggest names in contemporary Greek music.

He has toured extensively throughout the world and was even invited to sing for Nelson Mandela on his birthday.

Humanitarian Work:

Dalaras was named as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in October 2006.

Always coupling music with social responsibility, Dalaras has supported causes associated with labour movements and discrimination. But his biggest concerns are those close to the heart of the Greek people.

In the early 1990’s, he turned his attention to northern Cyprus, occupied since 1974 by Turkish forces. Dalaras traveled to the United States to support the cause, holding a benefit concert at the Brendan Byrne Arena in the Meadowlands of New Jersey.

Dalaras also became particularly interested in the Kurdish cause and spoke out against the war in Yugoslavia and the American bombing campaign.

The singer has since received the John F. Kennedy Award, presented by Senator Edward Kennedy, in recognition of his humanitarian work. 

He was also named as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in October 2006.

Greece busts migrant trafficking ring, dozens of aid workers accused

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Greek police have accused 35 people from several foreign non-governmental aid organisations of illegally helping refugees and migrants to enter from Turkey.

Those accused allegedly provided information to people-smugglers, in at least 32 instances, on the Greek coastguard’s position and possible locations to disembark on the Aegean island of Lesvos.

The group faces criminal charges related to organised crime and espionage, police said on Monday. It was not clear from the statement whether any arrests were made.

Two foreign nationals – identified by national broadcaster ERT as an Afghan and an Iranian – were also part of the alleged operation, the police said.

No information was given on the aid groups in question or the identities of the suspects.

In a statement, Migration Minister, Notis Mitarachi, said authorities were cooperating with many NGOs but would not tolerate NGOs “with illegal activity.”

A Greek police source told Reuters that a “preliminary” investigation was still under way.

Refugees relocated from Lesvos:

Meanwhile, Greek authorities on Monday began transferring hundreds of refugees from Lesvos to reduce chronic overcrowding that has caused hardship and fanned tensions with locals.

More than 700 people were to sail to the Greek mainland on board a ferry late on Monday, organisers said, three weeks after a sprawling camp on the island burned down.

READ MORE: Moria ‘completely destroyed’ as fire tears through migrant camp.

Another group will leave on Thursday, state agency ANA said.

Migrants – most of them wearing face masks – gather outside the temporary refugee camp in Kara Tepe as they wait to depart from Lesbos

Some 2,500 refugees and asylum seekers are to be relocated overall, following coronavirus tests, according to the migration ministry.

More than 12,000 asylum seekers were left homeless on September 8 after a fire ravaged the Moria camp on Lesvos.

A makeshift tent facility was hurriedly erected to house some 9,500 people. The government is now in talks to build a smaller permanent camp on the island.

Six Afghan youths are on trial for arson in connection to the fire. They deny the charges.

READ MORE: Greece to build permanent migrant centre on Lesvos to replace Moria.

Source: Al Jazeera.

Fears grow as cruise ship sailing in Greece suffers coronavirus outbreak

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A cruise ship carrying about 920 passengers was expected to dock at Piraeus port near Athens, after 12 of its crew members tested positive for the coronavirus, an official at Greece’s Civil Protection agency said on Monday.

The Mein Shiff 6, operated by TUI Cruises, departed from Heraklion in Crete on Sunday with all passengers having tested negative before boarding.

But sample tests on 150 crew members out of a total of 666, detected 12 infections. They were immediately isolated. The ship’s operators said six of the 12 had since tested negative.

12 crew members on board the Mein Schiff 6 tested positive for the coronavirus.

“They are all asymptomatic,” the civil protection official said.

The Maltese-flagged ship had been en route to Corfu via Piraeus. As soon as the diagnoses came in, its captain halted the voyage and moored the vessel off the Aegean isle of Milos. Authorities in Athens later instructed him to make straight for the capital’s port city.

Greek media said all 922 of the ship’s passengers would be confined to their cabins for the duration of the journey.

However Tui, operating the luxury liner in conjunction with the US firm Royal Caribbean, denied that passengers were constricted in their movements.

Sabine Lueke, a spokeswoman for Tui, said: “They can use the ship in the normal way. The cruise will go on as planned.”

The vessel is expected to dock at Pireaus at 0200 GMT and Greek health authorities will board the vessel and conduct repeat tests to the 12 crew members.

Officials indicated no one would be allowed to disembark.

Pompeo pledges US support to ease Greece-Turkey dispute

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US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said on Monday that Washington will use its diplomatic and military influence in the eastern Mediterranean to try to ease a volatile dispute between Greece and Turkey over energy rights.

“The United States and Greece reiterated their dedication to enhancing their close cooperation as NATO allies, using all appropriate means at their disposal in order to safeguard stability and security in the wider region,” the two countries said in a joint statement after Pompeo met with Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias.

“The United States and Greece… also reaffirmed their belief that maritime delimitation issues should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law.”

Relations between Greece and neighboring Turkey deteriorated sharply this year over allegedly disputed maritime boundaries and exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias speak during their meeting in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Photo: AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos, Pool.

Turkey sent a research vessel, accompanied by warships, to search for energy resources in an area Greece claims is on its own continental shelf and where it claims exclusive economic rights. Athens sent warships of its own to the area.

READ MORE: Pompeo to Turkey: Immediately reduce tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Pompeo welcomed the decision of Athens and Ankara to restart exploratory talks and said maritime disputes should be solved through dialogue, not demonstrations of power.

“We’ve watched the Greeks move in that direction trying to achieve that,” he told Greece’s ANA state news agency.

“We hope the Turkish government will see it the same way, and we hope the exploratory talks not only get kicked off right, but it’s important that they’re resolved in a way that delivers outcomes that each of the two nations find more than acceptable.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) and Greek Minister for Development and Investment Adonis Georgiadis touch elbows during a signing agreement ceremony in the northern city of Thessaloniki Photo: AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos, Pool.

READ MORE: Turkey, Greece agree to resume talks after four years.

European Union members will meet later this week to discuss imposing sanctions on Turkey for its actions.

Pompeo becomes first US Secretary of State to visit Thessaloniki:

Pompeo began a five-day regional tour of Greece in the northern city of Thessaloniki, making him the first US Secretary of State to visit the city.

Security was tight, with the venue of Pompeo’s meeting with Dendias changing from the originally planned location, a local ministry, to a hotel for security reasons, authorities said.

During his visit to Thessaloniki, Pompeo signed a bilateral science and technology agreement, and hosted energy sector business leaders for a discussion to highlight energy diversification and infrastructure projects in Greece.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits the Jewish Museum in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Photo: AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos, Pool.

He also joined members of Thessaloniki’s Jewish community to commemorate Yom Kippur at the local Jewish Museum, as police cordoned off a large section of the city center.

Later Monday, he flew from Thessaloniki to the Greek island of Crete where he is scheduled to meet with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and visit a US naval base at Souda Bay on Tuesday.

About the time Pompeo was due to fly to Crete, about 1,500 people gathered in Thessaloniki’s center for two separate demonstrations to protest his visit, carrying signs reading “The hawk of war is not welcome in our country,” and “The murderers of the peoples are not welcome.”

Protesters later burnt a US flag in front of the American Consulate building.

Historic or not? Greece and US lost in translation over North Macedonia:

In the joint statement signed on Monday between the US and Greece, there were also confusing messages about whether Washington and Athens consider the North Macedonia name change deal (Prespa Agreement) historic or not.

The initial US-Greece statement referred to a “historic” Prespa Agreement. The English version of the statement was immediately published on the Greek foreign affairs ministry website but the Greek version was not published at all.

However, a couple of hours later, the word “historic” disappeared from the joint statement posted on both the website of the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry and of the US embassy in Athens.

Neither side has so far provided an explanation for this change.

READ MORE: Leaders of Greece and North Macedonia discuss Prespa Agreement.