Labor is urging the Berejiklian Government to safeguard Government departments and services against cyber attacks ahead of today’s parliamentary Inquiry into Cybersecurity.
Recent media reports indicated Cyber Security NSW is investigating another major attack on the Government.
The Shadow Minister for Better Public Services Sophie Cotsis said: “The Berejiklian Government has continued to ignore repeated warnings that it needs to take urgent action to protect departments and services against cyber attacks.”
“The Government cannot be trusted to defend the personal information of its citizens,” Ms Cotsis said.
“It has still done nothing in response to the NSW Auditor General’s warnings last year that the personal details of 4 million Service NSW customers’ remain at risk following a major breach.”
The data breach followed the Department of Customer Service disclosure in its Annual Report that the number of cyber security incidents reported to Cyber Security NSW increased 50 per cent on the previous year (page 36).
The report also found:
– 30 percent of agencies do not provide training to employees in relation to data protection and breach management
– 30 percent of agencies do not maintain a register of data breach incidents
– Those agencies which do maintain a register of data breach incidents often fail to record important information, with no agencies recording the estimated cost of any data breach which occurred
The Auditor General, for the third year in a row, has warned that the Government needed to prioritise improvements to cyber security as a matter of urgency.
Sophie Cotsis: Berejiklian Government ignoring repeated warnings to defend against cyber attacks
Greek restorer tends to Istanbul church artefacts that ‘live through centuries’
Greek restorer Venizelos Gavrilakis uses microscopes, cotton swabs and a delicate touch to bring artefacts back to life in churches in Istanbul, where concerns have grown about the preservation of its Byzantine history.
Since moving from Thessaloniki eight years ago, Gavrilakis, 44, and his colleagues have preserved icons, frescos and paintings in 25 Greek Orthodox churches in the city, he said.
Their latest job restoring artefacts including a 16th century depiction of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ took longer than planned due to coronavirus-related restrictions.
Throughout the city’s Christian Byzantine and then Muslim Ottoman history, before Turkey’s modern republic, many such religious and cultural works were damaged or lost in war or abandonment, or altered by less-skilled painters.
Gavrilakis, who gives a lifetime guarantee for his work, said the restoration is meant to send a message of unity and longevity at a time when the pandemic has temporarily kept many worshippers apart.
“The pandemic will pass, in order to fight it we all should remain spiritually united,” Gavrilakis said. “Our work on these precious and timeless artefacts will always be there for the people to see it and get inspiration and strength from it.”
Turkey’s decision last year to convert the famed Hagia Sophia as well as the Chora church, another local Byzantine landmark, into mosques sparked criticism from some church leaders and Western countries. Some experts also worried the conversion could harm frescos and other artefacts in the 6th century Hagia Sophia.
Gavrilakis trained in Italy and Greece, where he had worked on more than 40 churches in the north. In Istanbul the oldest icon he and his team, called Ieri Parakatathiki Labs, have restored is a Fayum portrait from the 2nd or 3rd century B.C.
The artefacts, he said in an interview, “remind people of the unlimited possibilities of the human mind that can create such wonderful things that live though the centuries.”
Sourced By: Reuters
Coronavirus cases in Greece hit quadruple digits as third wave fears grow
Greece on Tuesday recorded 1,261 new cases of coronavirus and 22 fatalities, hitting quadruple digits for the first time since December.
Eighteen of the 1,261 cases involved international visitors tested upon arrival, with authorities conducting a total of 37,591 tests over the past 24 hours.
A total of 244 patients remain intubated in intensive care units while 1,131 have left ICU.
Fears of a third wave have grown as the country observes more cases of the UK and South African mutation of the virus, which was identified in Thessaloniki. Infectious Diseases professor Nikos Sypsas said the vaccine is less effective on the South African mutation.
“There are 3 mutations at the moment which infect more. It’s the British, the South African, and the Brazilian mutations,” he said.
“There are very strong indications that the vaccines are less effective for the South African mutation.
“There is a possibility that the virus overcomes immunity and this will mean that we have to back to square one, back in the era of Wuhan,” Sypsas said.
“If the South African strain prevails in Greece, then it’s like having a new virus that the vaccines do not cover.”
The possibility of a third wave and how ESY is to deal with it were discussed on Monday in a teleconference convened by Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias, his deputy Vassilis Kontozamanis, Health Ministry Secretary-General for Primary Healthcare Marios Themistokleous, General Secretary of Health Services Ioannis Kotsiopoulos and the president of Greece’s ambulance service (EKAV), Nikos Papaefstathiou.
The ministry’s new operational plan, which was presented at the meeting, outlined the necessary interventions to increase the capacity of hospitals for the treatment of Covid cases in case this is necessitated by the pandemic’s course.
The plan is modeled on the one followed in Thessaloniki, where during the second wave, intensive care beds in ESY hospitals quadrupled, while reserves from the private sector were also utilized.
Nick Kyrgios recovers to defeat Alexandre Muller at Murray River Open
Nick Kyrgios has made a winning return to the court for the first time in 12 months, claiming a thrilling three-set win over Alexandre Muller at the Murray River Open.
Kyrgios was stunned early by the world no. 209, who took the opening set 6-3, before steadying to claim the final two sets to run out a 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) win.
The 25-year-old’s match was not without drama, fighting through an injury scare in the second set before he was involved in a back-and-forth with chair umpire Adel Nour in the third-set tiebreaker.
Kyrgios took charge of the tiebreaker when he stormed out to a 4-1 lead, but was left frustrated when Muller won three consecutive points to tie it up 4-4.
The Australian stormed through his service games for the majority of the contest, and was left annoyed when a ball boy did not have the ball ready for him on time prior to a point which he eventually lost.
But the drama with the ball kids was not the only talking point from the contest, with Kyrgios seemingly struggling with an apparent knee injury in the second set.
He came into the match with his left leg bandaged and appeared to grimace after a number of points during the second set.
Kyrgios requested, and was granted, a medical timeout at the end of the second set and had his left knee area worked on by the physio, but appeared to run out the remainder of the match uninhibited.
“Any opponent for me was going to be tricky,” Kyrgios said after the match.
“I just wanted to find my feet, see how I felt out here and, again, I somehow pulled it out of the hat. It seems to be the story of my career, so I’m just happy to get through.”
The win means Kyrgios moves onto the second round, where he will face fellow Australian Harry Bourchier, who defeated countryman Marc Polmans in the first round.
Source: Nine Wide World of Sports.
Michalis Pervolarakis: Melbourne is our home
By Bill Roumeliotis.
Twenty-four hours before the first game of the Greek tennis team against Australia, our Melbourne correspondent, Bill Roumeliotis, spoke with Michalis Pervolarakis, who said he is looking forward to playing against John Millman.
Our conversation started with the question of how he feels after the end of the 14-day quarantine period and how ready the Greek team is for the ATP Cup.
“In terms of readiness and training, I do not think we have a problem as we trained normally five hours a day. So our preparation went very well and we are all in good physical condition,” Pervolarakis told The Greek Herald.
“As for the personal part, I missed walking, I wanted to see the people. And indeed, on Friday afternoon, as soon as the quarantine ended and despite the rain, I took the umbrella and walked. I am very happy that I returned to normalcy in a city where there is currently no cases of coronavirus.”
Then we asked Pervolarakis if Australia is in a better position because its players were not locked in a quarantine hotel.
READ MORE: “We are here to achieve victory,” says Greek tennis player Michalis Pervolarakis.
“I do not think so… The World No. 1 of Australia, Alex De Minaur, was also in quarantine because he had traveled from abroad. So most tennis players had the same treatment,” Pervolarakis said, before telling The Greek Herald that the Greek team has the advantage of home.
“The positive thing for our team is that we will play at home… Melbourne is our home, because we always have hundreds of expatriates by our side who stimulate us with their voices, their worship and the support we have during the games gives us strength… On Wednesday, we will feel at home and not the Australians,” he says.
In the end we asked Pervolarakis about his personal goals for 2021.
“2020 was a difficult year, not only because of coronavirus, but also because of injuries. Last year, at around this time, I left Australia injured and had an injury for about four months,” Pervolarakis explained.
“Then because many tournaments were canceled, it was very difficult to recover… But now I am well, I moved from America to Cyprus and we are training with Marcos Baghdatis and I believe that the results will be seen very soon.
“As for my goals with Baghdatis, we have set a goal in the American Open tournament to be around No. 230 in the world, and to participate in the qualifying phase of the American Open. But this will depend on the events that will take place, because due to the coronavirus pandemic several events have been canceled… Although I am at 462 in the world rankings, I believe that I will succeed.”
This was our conversation with the always willing Michalis Pervolarakis.
READ MORE: Australian Open Greek players are dancing their way through quarantine.
Greek and Cypriot community leaders join politicians to mark start of Parliament
The start of the Parliamentary year was marked today with a traditional ‘ecumenical service’ at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra at 7.30am.
In attendance was Archepiscopal Vicar of Canberra and Tasmania, Very Rev Archimandrite Prochoros Anastasiadis, High Commissioner of Cyprus, Her Excellency Mrs Martha Mavrommati, and the Very Reverend Protopresbyter Petros Kypouros, Parish Priest of the Church of St Nicholas in Canberra.
During the church service, Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, read an excerpt from the book of Jeremiah, while Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese also read a passage from the book of Romans.
A small sermon was also delivered by Pastor Gabor Szabo from the Canberra-Queanbeyan Lutheran Parish.
At the conclusion of the service, Father Prochoros had the opportunity to speak briefly with the Roman Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, His Grace Christopher Prowse, as well as the Leader of the Opposition the Hon Anthony Albanese, whom both welcomed Father to the Nation’s Capital.
“At the end of the service Father convened the love and paternal Blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios and wished Mr Albanese a fruitful year ahead,” the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia – Archdiocesan District of Canberra wrote on Facebook.
WA bushfire emergency: 80 per cent of properties lost east of Perth
Authorities say 56 homes have been lost to a massive bushfire that continues to burn out of control east of Perth.
DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said that figure was likely to grow as teams completed their damage assessments.
The blaze has so far burnt through 7,300 hectares inside an 80-kilometre perimeter.
“DFES will be conducting enquiries in an attempt to establish whether there has been any loss of life,” Western Australia’s Premier, Mark McGowan, said during a press conference today.
An emergency warning is in place for parts of the shires of Mundaring, Chittering and Northam, and the City of Swan, forcing dozens of residents to flee amid confusion over the COVID lockdown.
Mr McGowan said he had briefed the Prime Minister on the fire, as well as the COVID situation, earlier this morning.
“Right now WA is battling two different kinds of emergencies,” he said.
Two firefighters were also injured battling the blaze, but are recovering well. One was treated in hospital for smoke inhalation and the other working through the night after suffering minor burns to his ear.
Residents flee to evacuation centre and family’s homes:
The emergency fire alert applies to parts of The Vines, Bailup, Ellenbrook, Gidgegannup, Millendon, Walyunga National Park, Upper Swan, Aveley, the Avon Valley national park, Wundowie, Red Hill, Belhus, Baskerville, Herne Hill, Bullsbrook, Wooroloo and Brigadoon.
Dozens of families fled to the evacuation centre at the Brown Park Complex in Swan View while a second centre has been set up at Swan Active in Midland.
Some sections of Perth affected by the blaze are also in the COVID lockdown zone, leading to confusion over where people should evacuate to.
Western Australian Police Commissioner, Chris Dawson, confirmed this morning however, that while Perth was in lockdown, anyone who needs to leave their home to escape the fire should not hesitate to do so.
“The fire is still uncontrolled, if you are in lockdown, or in any form of isolation or quarantine for COVID-19, you must do whatever you need to do… to protect your life and those of your immediately family of course,” Mr Dawson said.
“Don’t stay in that property if you think you have to obey the COVID rules.”
This is a developing story. Please come back for updates.
Constantin Caratheodory: The greatest Greek mathematician
Constantin Caratheodory was the greatest Greek mathematician since antiquity and one of the most influential mathematicians of the 20th century. He made important contributions to the theory of real functions, to the calculus of variations and to the theory of point-set measure.
Early Life and Academic Success:
Constantin was born in Berlin in 1873 to a Greek noble family and studied engineering in Belgium.
After two years as an assistant engineer on the Aswan dam project in Egypt, Constantin decided to return to Berlin and study mathematics at the University of Berlin.
In 1905, he became an Associate Professor at the University of Gottingen in Germany, while in 1909 he became Professor at the University of Hanover. Finally in 1918, he became Chairman of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Berlin.
Later, Constantin accepted a post at the University of Smyrna, which the Greeks were setting up in Anatolia. When the Turks razed Smyrna in 1922, Constantin managed to save the university library, which he moved to the University of Athens, where he taught until 1924.
In 1924, Constantin was appointed Professor of Mathematics in the University of Munich.
In 1930, Constantin was reinvited by then-Greek Prime Minister, Eleutherios Venizelos, to reorganise the administration of the University of Athens and the University of Thessaloniki. For 50 years, the two universities functioned successfully thanks to Constantin’s administrative system.
Two years later, he resigned from his position in the Greek universities and moved back to the University of Munich. He would remain in Munich for the rest of his life, where he made some of the most groundbreaking mathematical discoveries in the history of mankind.
Mathematical Discoveries and Einstein:
Constantin had over 60 scientific publications in his academic career. His most significant contributions to mathematics were in the calculus of variations, in the theory of real functions, set theory, geometry, calculus, complex numbers and mathematical analysis.
He also created new theorems, most of which today bear his name and solved mathematical problems that troubled mathematicians such as Gauss and Euler for hundreds of years.
He also contributed to thermodynamics.
Constantin is known to have been the mentor and teacher of Nobel-prize winning physicist Albert Einstein, according to Einstein’s own statements.
Einstein first contacted Constantin in 1916, seeking his help to solve mathematical problems that for Constantin were “classical.” The latter answered in 10 days.
It was Constantin who also helped Einstein complete the theory of relativity, since Constantin had also been heavily involved with it himself.
In his final interview, Albert Einstein confessed: “You ask me to answer to all sorts of questions, but no one has ever wanted to know who was my teacher, who showed me the way to the higher mathematical science, thought and research. I simply say that my teacher was the unrivalled Greek Konstantinos Karatheodoris, to who we owe everything…”
Death and Legacy:
Constantin died at the age of 76 on February 2, 1950.
In 2002, in recognition of his achievements, the University of Munich named one of the largest lecture rooms in the mathematical institute the Constantin-Carathéodory Lecture Hall.
In the town of Nea Vyssa, where Constantin’s family came from, there is also a unique Constantin family museum. The museum is located in the central square of the town and there are many personal items of Constantin as well as letters that he had exchanged with Einstein.
Source: Greatest Greeks.
Inaugural vasilopita event for newly named Greek Returned Servicemen League of NSW
The Greek Returned Servicemen League of NSW (GRSL), formerly the Greek Sub-Branch of RSL, have started the new year with their first official event – the vasilopita cutting.
Held on January 31 at C-Side Restaurant in Kyeemagh, the venue was filled with members of the GRSL and all their family and friends.
READ MORE: New name heralds a fresh start for the Greek Returned Servicemen League of NSW.
The Ode was recited by Peter Tsigounis in English and in Greek by Andrew Kitsos, while everyone sang the Greek and Australian national anthems together.
In a speech following the Ode, President of the GRSL, George Giakoumidis, welcomed attendees and stressed that the newly formed League will be very active and creative in the future.
The presence of former Egyptian President, Evangelos Koumakis, was also touching as he could be heard saying, “I am 94 years old and I will care for our League until my last breath.”
Mr Koumakis, as well as Lambros Papadopoulos, who could not attend the event, were later given a commemorative plaque in recognition of their tireless work for the League.
In the end, the gold coin from the vasilopita was won by Sophia, the wife of the GRSL’s Treasurer, Bill Iliopoulos. This was followed by a lottery, where over 60 prizes were won.
Everyone left very happy and wished the League success in the future.
Lawyers in negotiation over possible guilty plea for alleged murderer, Kerry Kourpanidis
Prosecutors and defence lawyers are in negotiations over whether alleged Kingston Hotel murderer, Kerry Kourpanidis, might admit to bashing drunken tradie Warren Hordpenko to death, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Kourpanidis, 35, has pleaded not guilty to murder, and appeared briefly by phone in the ACT Magistrates Court from the Alexander Maconochie Centre on Monday.
READ MORE: Kerry Kourpanidis charged with murder of man at Canberra pub.
A barrister, who previously represented him, has told the court that police should have charged him with manslaughter rather than murder, and his current lawyers have said prosecutors will struggle to make out the murder charge.
Mr Kourpanidis’ barrister Paul Mansfield, on Monday said he and Crown Prosecutor Patrick Dixon had been writing to each other recently and “that process has not yet ended.”
Mr Kourpanidis has been behind bars since his arrest in July last year, in the days following the death of Mr Hordpenko in the pool room at the popular pub.
FULL STORY: The Daily Telegraph.