Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias met newly appointed US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle on Thursday, November 13, for their first round of talks at the Defence Ministry, centred on strengthening bilateral military cooperation.
Dendias said the meeting focused on “strategic defence relations and the prospects for further deepening them,” noting in a post on X that he also wished Guilfoyle “every success in her new duties.”
Guilfoyle reiterated her commitment to expanding the “robust defence partnership” between the two countries.
Υποδέχτηκα σήμερα, στην πρώτη της επίσημη επίσκεψη στο Υπουργείο Εθνικής Άμυνας, την Πρέσβη των ΗΠΑ, κα Kimberly Α. Guilfoyle @USAmbassadorGR, με την οποία συζητήσαμε για τις στρατηγικές αμυντικές σχέσεις 🇬🇷-🇺🇸 και τις προοπτικές περαιτέρω εμβάθυνσής τους. Ευχήθηκα στην κα… pic.twitter.com/1ISZPnDERu
She announced that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has approved Greece’s entry into the US State Partnership Program, which will boost military cooperation, joint training, and wider ties in government, business, and education.
Earlier on Thursday, the ambassador met Archbishop Ieronymos, calling the encounter “an honour and blessing” and expressing hope for “a fruitful relationship with the Church.”
Guilfoyle officially began her duties in Athens on November 3.
Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games president Andrew Liveris says he remains confident all venues and major infrastructure will be ready for the Games, despite escalating industry warnings over labour shortages and delivery risks.
His reassurance comes as Australian Constructors Association chief executive Jon Davies cautioned that it would be “not feasible” to complete Olympic stadiums, arenas and transport projects without a major overhaul of industry productivity and collaboration.
With large projects needing to be finished by 2031 for testing, Davies said, “That’s the size of the challenge.”
Infrastructure Australia has projected a national shortfall of 300,000 workers by 2027, complicating Queensland’s $116.8 billion infrastructure pipeline.
Independent MP and former Olympian Zali Steggall said skilled migration would be essential, warning that engineers and tradespeople were already being drawn into energy transition and AUKUS projects.
Sector leaders also flagged supply and productivity risks, with calls for earlier contractor engagement, faster procurement, and streamlined design processes.
Lendlease, building the athletes’ village, said early planning would be crucial, while the Queensland government has cut its procurement policy from 700 pages to 50 to ease pressure.
Despite the concerns, Liveris said the Games delivery program is “very much mobilised,” with expressions of interest underway for all venues.
“In the next six months will be fitting sport to venues,” he said. “I’m very confident it’ll be done.”
Steggall added that all venues must be ready a year early for test events and stressed the importance of a seamless athletes’ village: “You need the infrastructure and the housing to be so good you don’t notice it.”
Kimberly Guilfoyle, the first female US Ambassador to Greece and a close ally of President Donald Trump, met with the head of Greece’s Orthodox Church Archbishop Ieronymos II on Thursday, November 13, just over a week after assuming her post in Athens.
Guilfoyle, a former California prosecutor and Fox News host who presented her diplomatic credentials on November 4, told the Archbishop he was the first person she called after her nomination.
“It’s wonderful to be here and I’m just very grateful that President Trump has blessed me with the opportunity to serve the United States here in Greece, for the relationship that we have and for that growing and blossoming going forward,” she said during the meeting.
Photo: Aris Messinis / AP.
Ieronymos thanked her and extended his appreciation “to the president for the opportunity that he gave us today. May God bless these relations.”
Guilfoyle also expressed gratitude to the 87-year-old Archbishop “for agreeing to pray for President Trump,” adding: “I just want to tell your beatitude I was very touched when I first got the nomination, we were able to speak on the phone, you were the first person that I called and it was just a very special experience. It made me feel connected spiritually and supported and blessed by the relationship that I know we will continue going forward together to accomplish great things.”
Greece received its first state-owned firefighting aircraft on Thursday, November 13, during a ceremony at Megara Airport attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, was described by the prime minister as both “symbolic” and “historic.”
Mitsotakis said the delivery marks the first step in “the largest investment in the resilience of our homeland,” calling it the beginning of the most ambitious upgrade of Greece’s aerial civil protection fleet.
With climate change intensifying “varied crises,” he stressed the importance of enhancing Greece’s tools.
“As the battle against the climate crisis becomes harder, we must also upgrade the tools at our disposal,” he said.
Παραλαμβάνουμε σήμερα τρία νέα αεροσκάφη τύπου Diamond 62 MPP. Θα λειτουργούν ως εναέρια κέντρα επιχειρήσεων για τον συντονισμό δυνάμεων και τη συλλογή πληροφοριών, σε αποστολές δασοπυρόσβεσης, αντιμετώπισης φυσικών καταστροφών και δράσεις επιτήρησης. https://t.co/jOt3mQ1UuDpic.twitter.com/Nu2QRtcEnz
The new fleet includes three Diamond DA62 MPP aircraft, which Mitsotakis praised for their advanced operational capabilities, describing them as a “qualitative leap” beyond previous resources.
He also highlighted their cost-efficiency and dual-use potential under a unified operational doctrine, noting they can support missions such as border surveillance.
Looking ahead, Mitsotakis outlined the next phase of the program: acquiring modern firefighting helicopters, with the first two expected in summer 2026, and renewing the broader firefighting aircraft fleet.
Central to that effort is the purchase of seven new Canadair CL-515 water bombers.
The first, named GreeceOne, is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will include upgraded features such as night-time firefighting, enabling 24/7 wildfire response.
The US State Department has announced it will designate two Greece-based self-described anti-fascist organisations, Armed Proletarian Justice and Revolutionary Class Self Defence, as Foreign Terrorist Organisations.
This comes as part of a broader Trump administration campaign against what it describes as a global surge in leftist violence.
In a statement on Thursday, the department said the groups would be listed as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists … conspiring to undermine the foundations of Western Civilisation through their brutal attacks”.
They were included alongside Antifa Ost in Germany and the Italy-based International Revolutionary Front.
It is the first time “antifa” groups have been labelled foreign terrorist threats, enabling more aggressive law enforcement tools and potentially extending to US citizens considered supporters.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said such groups “ascribe to revolutionary anarchist or Marxist ideologies, including anti-Americanism, ‘anti-capitalism’ and anti-Christianity, using these to incite and justify violent assaults domestically and overseas”.
The administration cited incidents involving homemade explosive devices, shootings and hammer attacks. Financial transactions with any of the organisations or their members would now be criminal acts in the United States.
National security specialists, however, questioned the decision, noting antifa lacks a defined leadership or membership.
Mary Bossi, emeritus professor of international security at Piraeus University in Athens, said it was “plain wrong” to equate anti-fascist activists in Greece with violent extremists.
She stressed that although Greece once experienced underground leftwing militancy, “it is highly exaggerated to say that the antifa movement in Greece employs terror tactics. They even run in elections and have never shown any sign of violence.”
Bossi added that terror groups distance themselves from antifa because “it talks too much”, and noted that online messaging from antifa activists across Europe lacks the violent rhetoric common in rightwing groups.
“It is so sad to see this extreme conservatism in the US,” she said.
“It seems to me that this is part of a [Trumpian] strategy to divide the world between the ‘good right’ and ‘bad left’. It makes no sense unless you see it in the light of blackening the name of anyone with centre-left or progressive views because these guys don’t advocate violence.”
Nicholas and Vakina Poniris share deep ties with both the historic and modern Kalymnian community of Darwin, Northen Territory. Together they have played an important role in how it has grown and evolved over time.
Their story traces back to the first Kalymnian settler in Darwin, Petros Mihaliou, Vakina’s maternal grandfather, who arrived in 1927. After a brief stay, Petros returned to Kalymnos, then came back to Darwin in 1933 with his family. Some years later, they moved to Sydney, where Vakina’s mother, Mary, was born, before eventually settling there permanently.
A skilled carpenter and builder, Petros played a key role in Darwin’s early Kalymnian community. He sponsored other Kalymnians to settle in the region, beginning with his cousins, the Politis family, helping establish a lasting Kalymnian presence.
Petros also helped construct the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, designing its distinctive dome with his son, and built a lodge and shops opposite the old Myilly Point Darwin Hospital, known as Mihaliou Cash and Carry. The building still stands today as The General Café, retaining much of its original charm.
Greek Orthodox Church, Darwin. Photo supplied by Mihaliou family.
Petros passed away in 1983 while on holiday, leaving a lasting legacy of craftsmanship and community spirit.
Mary, Vakina’s mother, grew up in Sydney surrounded by strong cultural traditions. It was there she met Emmanuel Klonaris, a fellow Kalymnian who had studied marine mechanical engineering in Athens before moving to Australia. Emmanuel had lived at the foot of the Acropolis during his studies, and in 1960 he relocated to Sydney, where he and Mary married.
They welcomed Vakina and her brother before moving to Darwin, where their two younger children were born. In Darwin, Emmanuel and Mary became active members of the Greek community, volunteering whenever they could and helping to organise local events. They also lived through and survived Cyclone Tracy in 1974, a life-changing experience that left a lasting mark on their family and the community around them.
In the mid-1980s, while visiting Sydney, Vakina met Nicholas. They married and settled there, before returning to Darwin in 2008 to be closer to family. In a remarkable coincidence, Vakina’s grandfather, a sponge diver, had once taught Nicholas’ father how to dive and shared his knowledge of safety in the profession; a connection that quietly linked their families long before they met.
After returning to Darwin, Vakina began working at Charles Darwin University, while Nicholas started his own construction business and joined the Greek Community of Northern Australia Committee. In 2016, he was elected President, a role he held until 2024.
Mihaliou Cash and Carry Mitchell Street. Photo supplied by Mihaliou family.
During his presidency, Nicholas led major initiatives for the Darwin Greek Community, including the renovation of the Greek Community Hall and Greek School, introducing new ideas for the Greek GleNTi Festival, and expanding its reach through national and international live streaming. From 2008 to 2024, both Nicholas and Vakina volunteered tirelessly, dedicating countless hours to preserving culture and supporting the community.
Another notable family member, Theofilos Klonaris, Vakina’s uncle, made a lasting cultural impact on Kalymnos. In the 1950s, he founded a dance school and created the world-famous Kalymnian dance “Mihanikos” (The Sponge Divers’ Dance), expressing the divers’ struggle with decompression sickness. For this, he was awarded a medal by the Hellenic Government. Theofilos also helped develop Kalymnos’ first soccer field, basketball court, and Olympic-sized swimming pool, while his wife, Katerina, opened the island’s first English-speaking school in the late 1960s.
From Petros’ arrival in 1927 to Nicholas and Vakina Poniris’ leadership and service in recent years, the family’s story is one of resilience, generosity, and cultural pride; a proud reflection of Darwin’s history and the enduring Kalymnian legacy in Australia.
*Nicholas and Vakina Poniris’ story features in Darwin DiverCity Series 3: Greeks of Darwin created by Georgia Politis from Georgia Politis Photography. Are you a Darwin Greek who wants to feature in the series? Apply here.
On Saturday, August 23, Acropolis Funeral Services hosted a fundraising event, supporting the projects of Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney.
The lux event was held in The Grange Room at St. George Leagues Club, Kogarah.
It was a spectacular and memorable event – a project, 361 days in the making. The determined workforce of Acropolis Funeral Services envisioned a program filled with formality, entertainment, dancing and prizes, that required a tremendous amount of work to coordinate.
The vision of the project, and the success of the outcome, was based on the invaluable support of 75 sponsors, from across New South Wales, that donated over $70,000 worth of prizes and sponsorship.
The fundraiser was synonymous to the event the company hosted – Acropolis By Night – for Ronald McDonald House Charities, at St. Spyridon Church Hall in 2023. That year, Acropolis Funeral Services broke a company record, in raising the highest amount of money for charity, being $14,234. 100% of all funds raised that night was directly donated to the house in Randwick. At the conclusion of the evening, a promise was made to host another fundraising event for Ronald McDonald House Charities in two years’ time.
Fast forward to Saturday, August 23, 2025. 153 guests entered the sold-out event at St. George Leagues Club. An unforgettable evening scheduled with a sublime program provided entertainment, a flash mob of Greek dancers, a successful fundraising campaign, trivia, a live Bouzouki floor show and a dance floor supported by one of Sydney’s most recognised Greek DJs.
This resulted in the event becoming an astounding success. Over 130 prizes were won, and a football jersey sold at auction, raising over $3,000.
When coordinators Vicky Kiriazis, Co-principle and Kon Kalimnios, Funeral Director of Acropolis Funeral Services contemplated the name of the fundraising event for 2025, Vicky stated with great affection, “Let’s call it Acropolis By Night, Again! 2025”
At midnight, the grand announcement and declaration was shared with the guests, who waited in anticipation to hear the total amount raised for Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney. A roar filled the room, when Master of Ceremonies Mr Kalimnios announced “$29,100!”
On Tuesday, August 26, Vicky and Kon met with Simone Daher, CEO and Natalija Gajic, Fundraising and Event Manager of Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney, at the house in Randwick, for the official presentation of the Acropolis By Night Again! 2025 Cheque.
And so, a second record is broken in the company’s history, with Acropolis By Night Again! 2025 beating the first record it accomplished, in raising the most amount of money for charity.
Ms Kiriazis said, “Knowing that 100% of the money raised will be directly donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities, means a lot to us.”
Mr Kalimnios added, “This donation will make a significant difference to families that stay at the house, and it was an honour to support the projects of Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney once again.”
When asked if Acropolis Funeral Services would coordinate another fundraising event for Ronald McDonald’s House Charities Sydney, Mr Kalimnios didn’t hesitate in stating, “We coordinated Acropolis By Night in 2023, Acropolis By Night Again in 2025… The story isn’t over, it will continue… again… watch this space…”
Great accomplishments such as this require the investment of faith and financial support from sponsors. Without sponsors, there are no prizes, which means fundraising cannot happen.
The management and staff of Acropolis Funeral Services sincerely thank the 78 sponsors that supported Acropolis By Night Again! 2025- al.ive Body, Amore Limousines, Andrew and Anna Micos, Andrew Andreou and Belinda Faras, Athena’s Cake Shop, Aurea Designs, Aussie Home Loans Earlwood, Australian Hot Water West, Blink Printing, Bouzouki Entertainment Australia, acknowledging Thanasis Pylarinos, Bunnings Rockdale, Cake on the Road, Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers Sydney, Coles Local Earlwood, Connie Anogianakis, Costi Bros Seafoods, Cover Girl Lingerie, Dedes Waterfront Group, Diann Darling Jewellers, Diethnes Greek Restaurant, DJ Georgie D, George Soravia, Dorothea, Earlwood A1 Automotives, Earlwood Growers Market, Earlwood Izakaya, Earlwood Speedway, Eirini Alligiannis Photography, Eleni Clothing, Eleni’s Catering, Evey Scouris, Eye of the Styler Hairdressing, Flavors Patisserie, Graeme Grant, Greek GreekDancingbyMK, Haus of Omorfia, Hellenic Patisserie, Healthsave Little Tree Pharmacy Earlwood, Jail House Rock Pizza Pasta and Grill, Jamberoo Action Park, Kalimnios Family, Kelsie and Amy Ryan, Koch & Co, Krazy Chix, La Cantina, Laser Clinics Australia Wollongong Central, Little Kalymnos, LKB Ceramics Jewellery and Rugs, Luso Liquors, Madmia, Manchester Warehouse, McDonald’s Kingsford, Michaela Kriticos, Milloway, Mister Fish, Mr. Cookies, Molivia Car Hire, Natonic Bestwind Group, Nicholas Kiriazis, Nitsa’s Pita, Nutroasters Fresh, Olympia Marble, Peter Mamouzelos, Serenity Aromas, Souvlaki Boys, Stewart Toyota Sutherland and Rockdale, St. George Leagues Club, The Great Taste of Greece, The Greek Herald, The Oracle, Tyrepower Kogarah, Vicky and Michael Kiriazis, Vivian Kiriazis and Billy Fitzmaurice, Waratah Florist, Woolworths Rockdale, Yiamas Greek Taverna and Acropolis Funeral Services.
Furthermore, Acropolis Funeral Services acknowledges the $2,000 cash donation, proudly provided by Earlwood Speedway. Additionally, Acropolis Funeral Services donated $2,000 towards the cause, and invested over $6,000 in prizes and sponsorship, ensuring the success of the event.
On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 11am, Australia remembers the time when the guns went silent and the brutality of World War One was finally over.
The war was to have a profound and lasting impact on a nation that was barely a decade and a half old. A total of 416,809 Australians enlisted out of a population of 4.9 million people, over 330,000 were to serve overseas, more than 38.7% of the Australian male population took part in the first World War.
The Australian Imperial Force (AIF) saw action on virtually every theatre of war, often under the command and foreign flag and commander.
It was to be Australia’s costliest conflict, with over 60,000 Australians dead, more than 155,000 wounded and many more thousands with the mental and physical baggage of war. The high male participation and casualty rate had a profound impact on the Australian community, and families in particular.
On the other side of the world, much closer to the theatre of conflict, a not so dissimilar scenario was playing out in Cyprus.
Cyprus like Australia, was the first external modern international military foray.
Cyprus was leased to Britain by the Ottomans in 1878 so the British could collect taxes from the locals to pay the debt of the Ottoman rule, the Sultan.
On 5 November 1914, Britain annexed the island after learning of a secret treaty between the Ottomans and Germany to declare war against Great Britain, France and Russia.
The people of Cyprus were sympathetic to the Allies’ cause, due mainly to the Christian Orthodox Serbian and Russians being at the centre of the conflict.
Cyprus in 1914 had a population of 287,000, more than 20,000 took part in the war effort, over 39% of the male adult population either join allied forces or supported the war effort.
Serving in the army was the only way to provide for the livelihood of their family, as Cyprus was an island that lacked the resources and government to provide for its people.
A better-known unit of volunteers from Cyprus is the Macedonian Muleteer Corps comprising of 15,910 men who saw action on the Macedonian front, northern Greece, Serbia and in Bulgaria. Some entered Constantinople marching with other Allied troops. Over 3,000 received bronze British War Medals, many others received commendation from other Allied armies including from Greece.
Volunteers received three drachmas a day, a sizeable amount for any local to receive in 1914.
Within the five military cemeteries in Macedonia, there are 30 Cypriot muleteers, and many others scattered at war graves in northern Greece, the Middle East and France.
In the First World War, Australians and Cypriots fought shoulder to shoulder, on foreign soil, under foreign command, and yet they both forged an identity, character and national ethos that was to be the kernel of the tree that was to grow into nationhood.
There are hundreds of families in NSW with relatives who took part in the war effort, their sacrifices and efforts recognised.
Each year, the Cyprus Community holds events to commemorate the volunteers of all conflicts with the descendants and their families and takes part in many events including the Sydney ANZAC Day march.
If you would like to join the Cypriots for ANZAC Subcommittee or find out more about the role of Cyprus in World War One and Word War Two visit: www.cyprus.org.au
*Michael Peters Kyriacou is President of the Cyprus Community of NSW, and Member of the Cypriots for Anzacs Subcommittee
It was a moment of pure joy for Effie Lalopoulos, aged over 80, when the Kastoria Lane street sign finally appeared early on Monday, November 10 beside the Australian Association of Kastorians in Coburg North. After years of lobbying, her beloved community’s name was finally etched into Merri-bek’s map.
“I was very emotional when I saw the sign,” Effie said, recalling how the club was on the brink of closure.
“Even when people told me not to bother, I never gave up on my dream. Since we saved the building, I’ve wanted this lane named Kastoria. When I saw the sign, I ran into the neighbouring shop and asked the lady to take a photo!”
Effie, who spearheaded the campaign to save the Kastoria Club in 2019, knew the naming had been approved by Merri-bek Council but worried the sign wouldn’t arrive in time for the November 30 unveiling and mural activation. By day’s end, other Kastorians had gathered for their own celebratory photos.
The naming of Kastoria Lane was years in the making. The process began before COVID, sparked by Effie’s wish to preserve the club’s legacy “for as long as possible.” With the help of former mayor Lambros Tapinos, who initiated the naming, and councillors Helen Politis,Katerine Theodosis,Sue Bolton,and Nat Abboud, the motion passed in August 2025.
“It’s fantastic to see that the legacy of the Kastorians will be protected by naming this piece of land in their honour,” said Cr Politis, who moved the motion first initiated by Tapinos. She added that success came after years of lobbying and campaigning.
John Pandazopoulos also helped to ensure the name honoured the post-war migrants who built Coburg’s Greek heart.
“I didn’t even know who John was when Mayor Tapinos first introduced him to me,” Effie laughed. “I remember having him hang up curtains upstairs. He didn’t seem to mind.”
Pantazopoulos told The Greek Herald that these initiatives are “symbols of our shared history and heritage.”
“It is a recognition by governments that we are here and have been contributors to this society,” he said. “These initiatives represent a new way of thinking by established community groups. Sharing their spaces and involving young people.”
After approvals from Vicnames and the Geographical Names Board of Victoria, the sign was finally installed this week.
“I want young people to be involved,” Effie said. “This is about keeping our heritage alive.”
Effie’s trademark smile, koulourakia, and quiet persistence have ensured Kastoria’s name will forever grace Coburg North. No sooner was the sign up than she went door-to-door thanking those who helped.
“They’ve all been invited to the big street party,” she said proudly. “They’ll all be there.”
As the Australian Championship group stage reaches its final weekend, South Melbourne, Heidelberg United and Sydney Olympic are all preparing for decisive matches that could determine their progression to the knockout rounds.
South Melbourne will travel to face Moreton City in their final Group A fixture, looking to finish the stage on a high. Already leading the group, the club aims not only to honour its colours with a strong performance but also to boost Sydney Olympic’s chances of securing second place.
A South Melbourne victory would open the door for Sydney Olympic, who then must defeat Broadmeadow Magic at Magic Park in Newcastle on Sunday at 1 pm to claim the second qualification spot in Group A and advance to the quarter-finals.
In Group B, Heidelberg United will play their final match on Sunday at 1 pm against South Hobart at South Hobart Oval. A win would secure top place in the group and give Heidelberg a favourable position heading into the knockout phase.
With everything still to play for, this weekend promises intense action as Greek Australian clubs vie for their place among the Championship’s top contenders.
