Facebook will restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content.

The announcement comes in response to proposed new laws in Australia that would force tech companies to negotiate with media companies over how much to pay them for news content.

The move would also prevent people overseas from sharing Australian content on the social media site.

In a statement, Facebook said it had made the decision after being unable to find a “solution” in discussions with the Australian government.

“The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content,” William Easton, Facebook’s Australia and New Zealand managing director, said.

“It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia. With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter.

“Unfortunately, this means people and news organisations in Australia are now restricted from posting news links and sharing or viewing Australian and international news content on Facebook.”

The ban appears to have come into effect for at least some users, who are now unable to post links to Australian news articles on their Facebook pages.

The move comes a day after Nine and Seven West Media reportedly made multi-million-dollar deals with Google for use of content.

“We understand many will ask why the platforms may respond differently,” the Facebook statement says.

“The answer is because our platforms have fundamentally different relationships with news. Google Search is inextricably intertwined with news and publishers do not voluntarily provide their content.”

More to come.

Greek takeaway shop owners Paraschos Tsantes and his wife Sofia Frangos-Tsantes were left shocked after a car careered into the restaurant carpark, smashing into several cars and taking down a fence.

Emergency services were called to the Barnacle Bill fish and chip shop on Anzac Highway at Plympton about 11:30pm on Tuesday. The driver, a 62-year-old woman, was taken to Flinders Medical Centre with minor injuries.

SA Police said she appeared “grossly intoxicated”, and said she had just left a nearby drive-through bottle shop when she allegedly hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

The car went through the fish and chip shop’s fence, “collided with the permanent outdoor dining furniture, through another fence and then hit two parked cars”, police said.

CCTV footage provided by Paraschos Tsantes and his wife Sofia Frangos-Tsantes, who have owned and operated the Barnacle Bill outlet for 34 years, shows the airborne car slamming through the fence.

Speaking with ABC News, Mr Tsantes said he was “very upset” and likened the mess left by the incident to an “explosion”, saying it was “very lucky” no-one was killed.

“Lucky there were no customers because sometimes the customers sit on the outdoor tables,” he said.

He arrived at the store around midnight, after a phone call from police, and said the car had hit the fence as it “jumped” through the air.

“We’ve never seen anything like this. This is unbelievable,” Ms Frangos-Tsantes said.

In a statement, SA Police said a blood sample would be taken from the driver to determine her blood-alcohol content, and that she is “likely to face driving charges”.

Sourced By: ABC News

An open letter has been issued by the Pan Lesvian Federation of Australia and NZ to all Hellenes and Philhellenes, claiming that the conflict with Turkey is bringing opportunity of an “easy gateway” into Europe through Lesvos.

In the joint letter by Honourable Secretary Andrew Tsounis and President Dimitri Barmakellis, the Pan Lesvian Federation of Australia and NZ said they expect refugees to treat their “next stepping stone” with respect.

See the full letter below:

Ongoing conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean and the opportunity of an easy gateway into Europe has made Lesvos a steppingstone for refugees fleeing war zones and poverty in East Africa.

The proximity of the Turkish coastline to Lesvos has through a throng of social media enticed a steady stream of refugees entering the inland in search of refuge. The local authorities of the island are overwhelmed.

The local residents were at first heartbroken in the light of the human suffering; however, this has turned to regret and disgust as the large number of refugees are taking advantage of the good nature of the residents.

Some 1.2 million refugees from war zones have crossed into Greece since 2015. Lesvos located in the eastern Aegean is only 12km to the Turkish coastline at its closest point and this has created an opportunity for many to take advantage of. The Turkish government has adopted an open-door policy to put pressure on the EU in its dealings with them. The Greek government has taken a host of steps in response to the Turkish Government’s decision, including deploying military and coast guard forces to the border, suspending asylum applications and vowing to deport those who enter the country illegally.

This however, is too little too late, “the horse has bolted”.

Some Greek residents, meanwhile, have taken matters into their own hands by forming civilian patrols aimed at stopping the flow of migrants. In Lesvos an interim makeshift camp designated for 3000 people has grown around the small town of Moria which recently housed up to 15,000 asylum seekers.

They are free to move about in the community with little restrictions. Lesvos is a holiday destination for many that live overseas, such as us here in Australia and many have family homes that we stay at during our time in Greece. Unfortunately, due to the global Covid 19 restrictions, tourism has disappeared from Lesvos for the time being.

These refugees, however, opportunist that they are, have taken to breaking into these properties and making themselves at home. The local police are at their stretching point.

Local politics and divisions between the two local municipalities need to be set aside for the good of the island.

Descendants of Lesvos now living in Australia have watched with distaste and disappointment as the events have been evolving on the island.

We as Australians cannot comprehend the ineffectiveness of the local and National authorities of Greece in processing the refugees to move them on to their next destination. But we are also amazed and angered at the reckless behaviors that some of these refugees have adopted, braking into homes, desecrating churches, and even cutting down olive many trees the symbol of Lesvos. In late January 2021, some hope was announced, it was revealed through local media channels that the Greek Government has secured 16 million Euro in funding to support the establishment and construction of facilities to house refugees whilst their applications were being processed.

The conditions surrounding this funding and the proposed type of construction is still unclear to the local communities that are directly impacted by the creation of purpose built facilities for fleeing refugees. What is known is that 6000 sqm near the town of Moria has been earmarked for this facility, again without consultation with the local residents and the municipal authorities.

It seems that the planning is in the advanced stage of design and construction. For the locals and those outside of Lesvos who have an attachment to Lesvos, it is hoped that the proposed centre is a transient facility, processing the refugee applications and then moving these people on to their next destination. In no way should it be a permanent or semi-permanent arrangement. The proposal to temporarily house refugees in purpose built temporary accommodation is a good move by the Government, however, this must be supported by efficient and timely processing of applications to help move people on to their next destination. Lesvos has had difficulty in accommodating, and will not be able to fully house the influx of refugees.

This announcement brings some hope to alleviate the problem of overcrowding, malicious damage, theft, and the constant fear the locals have in not knowing who is living amongst them. We, who reside far from the front line of Lesvos, watch the news as it trickles out of Lesvos. These events as they unfold and the uncertainty of the future outcomes, has seriously discouraged investment and support in the island economy by those Lesvians living overseas. Living in Australia, we have expectations as to how refugees are treated and managed with respect and dignity, however we also expect the refugees to treat their next stepping stone also with respect and appreciate the assistance of the local people and the government authorities of Greece.

Canberra bikie Axel Sidaros, 25, was sentenced to 14 years’ jail in 2019 when a jury found him guilty of seven charges, including attempted murder, after an attack on the home of former Comanchero boss Peter Zradkovic.

Yesterday in court, ABC News reports, Sidaros had nearly five years cut from his original sentence, after he was tried twice for the crimes.

CCTV footage of the 2018 incident shows three men sneaking into the backyard and then firing into the house. Mr Zradkovic, who lost the top of a finger in the shoot out, can be seen firing back as he runs out of the house.

The incident ended after petrol poured around cars in the drive way was ignited and exploded and the men fled.

Sidaros won a new trial after an appeal and was ultimately cleared of the charge of attempted murder.

But Justice David Mossop yesterday upheld the rest of the convictions including arson, agreement to inflict grievous bodily harm and committing an act of endangering life.

Justice Mossop found Sidaros remains a member of the Comancheros, and has been involved in violence in prison and remains hostile to authorities.

“[He] is someone who craves acceptance and thought he had found it with the Comancheros,” he said.

Sidaros has already lodged an appeal against the second convictions, maintaining he has no knowledge of the events.

He will be eligible for parole in 2024.

Sourced By: ABC News

On Monday, The Greek Herald first reported an incident which saw a mix-up of two bodies placed in the wrong caskets leaving two Greek Australian families devastated.

During a funeral service last Friday, Despina Nicolopoulos was farewelling her late husband of 57 years.

The family opened the casket to pay their respects to their beloved husband, father and grandfather, and saw the body in the casket was not their family member.

“My daughter say ‘Mum not my father this one… another man’,” Despina told 7News on Tuesday.

“Terrible thing to happen,” Mrs Nicolopoulos said.

The family later found out that her late husband’s body had been buried two hours earlier.

Despina’s son, Bill, explained during the same interview that although the family acknowledges the mistake was “a pure accident” it is “just devastating”.

The funeral home, Euro Funeral Services, told 7News that the mix-up occurred during a routine procedure and that both families were offered a refund over the ordeal.

Euro Funeral Services Funeral Director, Spiro Haralambous apologised for the incident saying he wished he could “turn it back for the families”.

“The procedure is normally that one should check the ID on the body before they actually put the coffin lid with the name plate on the coffin,” Haralambous said.

“This is where that procedure was not followed through.”

The Nicolopoulos family, is now enquiring to find out how their loved one’s body could be exhumed without permission or consent.

READ MORE: Funeral mix up sends shockwaves through Sydney’s Greek community