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Greek billionaire to pay $58 million to his assistant for sexual harassment

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Greek billionaire to pay $58 million to his assistant for sexual harassment

A woman who once worked for businessman Alkiviades “Alki” David won her sexual harassment suit against the Greek billionaire, with jurors ordering David to pay $58 million (€52 million) in damages, her lawyer said on Monday.

According to Attorney Gloria Allred and her associates, David would regularly grab the claimant, Mahim Khan, by the neck and simulate oral sex. This would allegedly happen twice or three times a week.

The LA panel also heard that David repeatedly groped Khan and exposed her breasts on one occasion. A jury eventually found him liable for battery, sexual battery, and sexual harassment.

Allred said it was one the biggest sums to ever be awarded in a case like this. She noted that “women like Ms Khan are no longer willing to suffer in silence.”

‘System is broken’

Khan worked as production assistant in David’s LA based-firms. The Greek national is an heir to the Coca-Cola Hellenic shipping and bottling company and also heads several media firms, including hologram and online streaming businesses. His net worth is estimated at $2.6 billion.

David started the trial representing himself but was stripped of this right after repeated profanity-laced outbursts against Khan and her lawyers. He denied her claims and accused the judge of blocking witnesses who would speak in his favor.

“This trial proves that not only is the system broken,” he said in a statement on Monday. “It’s in a state of emergency. It’s an emergency for employment law, for business and innovation in the state of California.”

The businessman is set to appeal the decision.

The latest verdict comes after David was ordered to pay a total of over $14 million to two different women earlier this year in similar cases.

Sourced by: (AFP, AP)

The Acropolis named most “immersive experience” for kids, by kids

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The Acropolis named most “immersive experience” for kids, by kids

Athens’ Acropolis took first place in the ‘Top 5 most “Immersive Experiences” in the world at the Family Traveller Excellence Awards 2019.

The event hosted by UK magazine voted the renowned Greek attraction one of the best experiences for kids.

The “Immersive Experiences” category, is reserved for the top five tours, treks and programs that extend beyond tourism and allow families to fully immerse themselves in the destination. This category is decided by children’s votes.

This year, the children placed the Acropolis at the top due to its “rich history and creative experiences”.

The list also included Crans-Montana in Switzerland, Cite de l’espace in Toulouse, Jamaica, and Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Italy.

Newborn baby found in ancient urn in Sicily expands Italy’s connection to Ancient Greece

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Newborn baby found in ancient urn in Sicily expands Italy’s connection to Ancient Greece

Employees from “Open Fiber” who were lying fibre optic cables in the southern part of Sicily were surprised to discover two ancient burial sites underground, which are believed to be connected to an ancient Greek city. One of the urns was discovered with the remains of a newborn baby inside.

The 2500-year-old remains have started an archaeological investigation, which officials say will continue to expand the theory of an ancient burial ground dating back to the first Greek inhabitants of Italy, said The Local Italy.

Among the artefacts found was a hydria, an ancient vase, with a fine continuous-wave decoration along its rim. Hydria were traditionally used to carry water but have also been known to serve as a cinerary urn. In this case, the vase was used to accommodate the small bones of a newborn baby.

Just two weeks prior, a sarcophagus with an intact skeleton was discovered just a short distance away, reports the Italian government. Large slaughtered animals were also reportedly found at the site in what may have been part of a funerary ritual.

The Department of Cultural Heritage believes that the cemetery may be a part of Borgo, a necropolis that was first excavated at the beginning of the 20th century. A large block between the two may have served as a boundary between the city and its burial ground, reports Italian publication La Sicilia.

Additionally, more than a dozen ceramic objects were discovered, each constructed in the style of Fikellura and likely produced in Rhodes more than 2,500 years ago.

“Once again, Gela confirms itself as one of the Sicilian places that can tell an important part of our ancient history,” said president of the Sicilian Region Nello Musumeci in a translated press release, adding that the discovery is confirmation of the high attention paid to the Gelese territory, which is considered to be a “precious treasure chest of archaeological evidence.”

Gela is believed to be one of the earliest settlements of immigrating Greeks from the nearby islands of Rhodes and Crete. The graves at this site are of particular importance because they belong to some of the first people to inhabit the new colony, bringing with them rich ceramics that are still coveted across much of Europe today, according to Britannica.

Musumeci says that he intends to continue the work of evaluating the area in light of the recent findings.

Turkish President to meet with Kyriakos Mitsotakis at NATO Summit

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Turkish President to meet with Kyriakos Mitsotakis at NATO Summit

Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has stated that he plans to meet with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in London, amid tension between the two neighbours.

Erdogan reportedly stated that he will be briefing the Greek Prime Minister on an “effective” maritime border’s agreement, which was signed between Turkey and Libya’s internationally recognised government’s last week.

Speaking ahead of the North Atlantic summit, Erdogan also said that Libya may withdraw their ambassador from Greece before Athens can expel him, due to a response to the deal signed with Ankara by the Tripoli-based government of Fayez al-Sarraj.

On Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement disputing the existence of the continental shelf of Kastellorizo in the southern Aegean.

Ecumenical Patriarch sends sympathy and support over Australian bushfires

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Ecumenical Patriarch sends sympathy and support over Australian bushfires

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has sent a letter of sympathy and support to Australian Archbishop Makarios, for the bushfires devastating the country.

The letter stated that “it is with profound sorrow that we have watched the suffering of many people due to the devastating fires which have arisen in recent days in your beloved Christ-loving province.”

Patriarch Bartholomew added, “we seek through this letter to express our wholehearted sympathy towards your beloved Sanctity and through it, to the charitable Clergy and the Christ-loving people of the wounded territories of our Holy Archdiocese of Australia. In as much as we testify for the Holy and Great Church of Christ, we also declare personally, our loving interest and positive support.”

The Patriarchal letter also stated, “having ourselves come from a history of spiritual ordeals and the suffering of our People, we express to all, as a sponsor of good cheer, the immeasurable concern and paternal affection towards our troubled people and our Patriarchal prayer and blessing for a speedy recovery to serenity and normality. We also extend our condolences to the relatives of the victims and to all those who have been tormented unjustly in this cruel and harsh ordeal.”

Patriarch Bartholomew is the current Archbishop of Constantinople, which is the highest position in the Eastern Orthodox Church around the globe.

Stefanos Tsitsipas: ‘My goal is to become world No. 1’

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Stefanos Tsitsipas: ‘My goal is to become world No. 1’

In an interview, Stefanos Tsitsipas spoke about his future goals. The Greek player said: “My goal is to become the world No. 1 at some point. But for me, the most important thing is to feel comfortable when I am competing on the court.

The more I play, the better I feel. My father makes me feel better, he gives me confidence and I know that with his help I will be doing very well in the future. He is calm and he gives me good suggestions so that I can handle myself.

But lately, I have been feeling even better because I fell in love. It’s a magical situation, it makes you think. Love makes you feel much better every day.” In an interview, Tsitsipas’ fellow Greek player Maria Sakkari spoke about him winning the ATP Finals title in London.

She said: “It was a big title for Greek tennis. What he did was unreal. I am very happy for him because he really deserves it. I sent him a message and he answered. I think he will now go on holidays and then he will prepare ahead of the next year.”

On people saying they may be in a romantic relationship, Sakkari concluded: “At some point, they should stop because both of us said we are not dating each other. That’s true. Each one has own life. We are friends because we are athletes and we are the only Greeks playing abroad.”

On how being a famous athlete encourages men to try and date her, Sakkari concluded: “I definitely receive so many messages from men who would like to start dating me. But I cannot say they really flirt.”

Sourced by: Tennis World USA

Greek PM Mitsotakis to visit White House in January 2020

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Greek PM Mitsotakis to visit White House in January 2020

The White House released a statement this morning, that Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, will visit the White House on January 7, 2020.

According to the statement, “this visit will celebrate the strong economic, security and cultural ties between the United States and Greece, an important North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ally”.

The statement suggests President Trump will use this visit to advance the USA’s interests throughout the eastern Mediterranean.

President Trump has emphasised three areas of focus with Greece’s Prime Minister; telecommunications and security in regards to 5G, countering malign influence in the region and promoting religious freedom worldwide.

Pope Francis will welcome 33 asylum seekers, and more, from Lesvos to Vatican City

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Pope Francis will welcome 33 asylum seekers, and more, from Lesvos to Vatican City

Pope Francis’s Almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, on Monday went to the Greek island of Lesvos alongside several representatives of the Comunità di Sant’Egidio and will return to Italy on Wednesday with 33 asylum seekers.

Later in December another 10 refugees will be brought to Italy and procedures to request international protection will be set in motion.

The refugees will be hosted by the Holy See, through its Almoner’s Office, and the Comunità di Sant’Egidio Catholic pro-migrant and diplomatic community.


When Pope Francis’s travelled to Lesvos in April 2016, he brought back with him three Syrian families to Italy that the Holy See then provided accommodation and support for, while the Comunità di Sant’Egidio was put in charge of their integration.


In May 2019, the pope said that he wanted to something similar again for families from Afghanistan, Cameroon and Togo.


A statement from the Holy See noted that talks had been held with the Italian interior minister and that permission had been granted.

Sourced via ANSA

UNHCR Chief’s visit to Lesvos refugee camps “extremely disturbing”

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UNHCR Chief’s visit to Lesvos refugee camps “extremely disturbing”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, described his visit to Greece’s refugee camps in Lesvos as “extremely disturbing”.

His account of his visit via social media showed the UNHCR Chief to be particularly moved by his experience, saying the conditions were “unacceptable” and he supports “urgently” moving people (particularly children travelling alone) to the mainland.

His trip to Athens held the intent of discussing improving the situation on the islands with governments, municipalities and civil society, to better integrate recognised refugees into Europe.

Though, he showed a lack of support for the current government’s new legal responses. He noted that “patience and hospitality is now less visible than before”, in regards to Greece’s handling of the crisis.

The current New Democracy government believe the refugee crisis is a response to the previous Syriza government’s “open door policy” toward arrivals. The current government has listed most recent arrivals as “economic migrants” rather than refugees. Under the EU-Turkey deal which was signed in 2016, negotiations were put in place to support Syrian refugees who were considered “asylum seekers”. Now, 95% of refugees to Greece are from Afghanistan, which allows Greece and Turkey to abandon their commitments to the EU-Turkey deal, and not class non-Syrians as asylum seekers, despite the fact that they may well be.

Greece has put plans in place to shut down overcrowded refugee camps on islands like Lesvos, and replace them with “holding centres” to process new arrivals. A holding centre is the equivalent of a detention centre, whereas the “hot spots” currently set up on Lesvos allow asylum seekers to roam freely while they are being processed.

Grandi condemns this decision “I made clear to the government that UNHCR policy is against detaining asylum seekers,” Grandi said.

Greece has called upon the European Union a number of times to assist in a more cohesive plan regarding the refugee and migration crisis.

Grandi also agreed that “Europe has to get its act together”.

The new European Commission President, Usula von der Leyen promised to present a proposal to revamp the EU’s migration policies in 2020.

Greece speaks out in support of Albania and North Macedonia joining EU

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Greece speaks out in support of Albania and North Macedonia joining EU

As a consequence of French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision in October to call for a temporary hold on EU accession discussions for Albania and North Macedonia, Greece has been able to claim a new role in regard to two of its northern neighbours, one of public advocacy.

Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias was able to reiterate Greece’s full support for the EU accession prospects of North Macedonia, during his visit to Skopje on November 26th.

Dendias emphasised that this depends on Skopje implementing important reforms and on an alignment with the European acquis during eventual accession negotiations.

“I share North Macedonia’s disappointment about the 28 EU member states not reaching a positive decision on starting accession negotiations,” Dendias said and added that “on our part, we have done all we could towards reaching a positive decision on this issue, in coordination with our EU partners.”

He added, “we have a joint future if we act in good faith. Greece supports the EU accession of North Macedonia and other Western Balkan countries. This is our common goal. Starting talks will be a significant step forward, and it’s one of Greece’s main goals.”

Dendias revealed that he invited both his Albanian and North Macedonian counterparts to a working breakfast with EU foreign ministers’ on December 9.

Bilateral concerns

Briefly visiting Skopje on November 26 and meeting with Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, Dendias noted that relations with North Macedonia had “dramatically improved” since the Prespes Agreement was signed in June 2018, ending a decades-old dispute between the two neighbours.

Dendias added that “some issues” of the controversial deal ratified earlier this year, such as an agreement on trademarks, needed to be dealt with as soon as possible, and explained that Greece was focused on ensuring full implementation of the details of the agreement. Operational level meetings on trademark issues and on the opening of new border crossings are planned to start shortly.

In response, Dimitrov said that he also saw the need for full implementation of the terms of the Prespes Agreement and went on to refer to Greece as a “strategic partner, neighbour and friend” of North Macedonia, noting that both countries must take advantage of the new possibilities opened up by the accord.

When asked about the April 2020 national elections in North Macedonia having a potentially negative impact on the Prespes Agreement, Dimitrov said it must be implemented despite any and all elections, as it had become part of his country’s legal system and accordingly could not be challenged by anyone in North Macedonia.

While in Skopje Foreign Minister Dendias also met with North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.

Earthquake diplomacy and Washington’s eye

Dendias left Skopje hurriedly to stop briefly in Albania, expressing sympathy for the earthquake victims and helping to initiate a now massive Greek contribution to the international earthquake relief effort. Dendias visited Durres, near Tirana and close to the quake’s epicentre, the same day that the city had been hit with a 6.4 Richter tremblor.

Washington is surety watching these interactions. It is still unknown whether President Donald J. Trump will reschedule his postponed September meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, but Greece’s positive engagement with its neighbours should increase the possibility that this will happen soon.

Sourced by: New Europe

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