The Pharos Alliance NSW has launched a Parent and Carer Survey as part of the first phase of its NSW Greek Language Strategy.
The initiative focuses on collecting data and engaging the community to better understand the state of Modern Greek education across New South Wales.
The short, anonymous survey is available in both English and Greek and invites parents and carers to share their views on why families value Greek language learning, the challenges they encounter, and the types of support that would encourage participation.
The findings will inform future advocacy and program development aimed at strengthening Greek language education in NSW schools and community settings. A broad and diverse response from the Greek Australian community is being encouraged to ensure the results accurately reflect current needs and experiences.
The survey forms part of a long-term strategy to ensure Modern Greek remains a thriving and accessible language option for future generations in NSW.
Parents and carers can complete the survey online at:
The collapse of billionaire Adrian Portelli’s bid to rescue Derrimut 24:7 Gym has left the embattled fitness chain’s future hanging by a thread, as insolvency firm Rodger Reidy moves to sell off key assets amid spiralling tax and creditor debts.
Three major Derrimut-owned properties, its Thomastown and Ravenhall gyms and the head office in Derrimut, are now being offered vacant to buyers, with expressions of interest due by December 4.
The sites, owned by entities linked to founder Nikolaos Solomos, are expected to fetch about $30 million, though insiders say that will barely dent the company’s estimated $30 million in combined debts.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is seeking to recover $12.5 million in unpaid taxes, superannuation and penalties, with supporting creditors owed a further $2 million, including Life Fitness, Melbourne United Basketball, ReturnToWorkSA, AGL, and Bourke Street Properties.
In court on Friday, the Federal Court adjourned the ATO’s latest wind-up hearing to November 24, marking the fourth delay in the case.
Lawyers for creditors expressed frustration, saying there was “no evidence” the company could repay its debts or secure refinancing.
Hours later, Portelli announced on Instagram he had abandoned his rescue plans, saying, “Unfortunately, we couldn’t see eye to eye and make the deal work… I truly wanted to help save Derrimut gym and keep such an iconic name alive.”
Nikolaos Solomos (left) with Adrian Portelli during an auction on The Block. Photo: Nine.
The decision is another blow for Derrimut’s roughly 200,000 members, who have complained about declining facilities, poor hygiene and refund delays.
WorkSafe has reportedly raised concerns about basic upkeep, including shortages of toilet paper and hand towels.
An earlier investigation by The Age revealed the company had failed to pay taxes, staff superannuation and suppliers, while Solomos allegedly withdrew millions in personal expenses, including $5,000 weekly allowances and luxury cars for staff.
Derrimut has already closed several branches, including Angle Vale, Munno Para and Noarlunga, and is fighting eviction from its Melrose Park gym in South Australia.
Finance sources estimate Solomos would need at least $30 million to settle debts and stave off liquidation.
The Parish of Panagia Kamariani in Red Hill, Melbourne, held its annual memorial service on Sunday, November 2, to honour Greek migrants who journeyed to Australia in search of a better life.
The service was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis, assisted by Archimandrite Irenaeus Koikas, the parish priest.
Following the liturgy, a Trisagion was performed at the parish monument dedicated to immigrants, with wreaths laid in remembrance of those who have passed.
The event drew a large gathering of parishioners and community leaders, including Federal MP for Mornington Chris Crewther.
The ceremony concluded with the Greek and Australian national anthems and a minute of silence, paying tribute to the generations of migrants who built new lives on Australian soil.
Among those charged in the statewide AN0M raids, police have released the identities of Stavros Theoharis and Artemis Triantafillou, all from Adelaide’s northern and inner suburbs.
The Theoharis brothers, Michael, 29, of Paradise, and Stavros, 32, of Paralowie, were among the 38 alleged offenders whose identities were revealed following Wednesday’s early morning operation.
Also arrested was Artemis Triantafillou, 46, of Panorama, who joins a list of South Australians accused of involvement in offences uncovered through Operation Ironside 3.0, a continuation of the joint Australian Federal Police and FBI sting using the encrypted messaging app AN0M to track organised crime.
In total, SA Police made 55 arrests during the coordinated raids, targeting alleged drug dealers, bikies and organised crime figures.
The latest phase follows the 2021 Operation Ironside crackdown, when hundreds were arrested across Australia after authorities secretly monitored AN0M communications.
Legal proceedings continue as several defendants, including those in South Australia, challenge the admissibility of AN0M messages in the High Court.
The new US Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, arrived in Athens on Monday, November 3, aboard a private flight, in line with diplomatic protocol.
Her first official engagement will take place on Tuesday, November 4, when she presents her credentials to President Constantine Tasoulas during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace.
Later in the week, Guilfoyle is expected to make her first major appearance at the 6th Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) Conference, held on November 6-7 at the Zappeion Hall.
Συμμετείχα σήμερα σε εορταστική εκδήλωση της Πρεσβείας των ΗΠΑ στην Ελλάδα για την επέτειο των 250 ετών από την ίδρυση του σώματος των Αμερικανών Πεζοναυτών.
The event, co-organised by the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy, the US Department of Energy, and the Atlantic Council Global Energy Centre, aims to strengthen Europe–US cooperation on secure and sustainable energy transition.
The conference will be attended by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, US Interior Secretary Dug Bergham, and 24 European energy ministers.
Over the weekend, Defence Minister Nikos Dendias met Guilfoyle during a US Embassy event marking the 250th anniversary of the US Marine Corps.
In a post on X, Dendias said he spoke “with Ms Kimberly Guilfoyle, who will officially assume her duties as US Ambassador to Greece in the coming days,” sharing a photo of their meeting.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho, and Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Mount Sinai, Archbishop Symeon, on Sunday, November 2.
The ceremony was held in the presence of Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, as well as representatives from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the Churches of Greece and Cyprus.
In his address, Mitsotakis described the 1,500-year-old monastery as “a bastion of Orthodoxy, a beacon of spiritual virtue, and a bridge of friendship between Greece and Egypt.”
He called it “a national duty to maintain our continuous interest in the Monastery’s vital spiritual and cultural mission, and a rightful obligation to assist those who preserve our traditions at the far reaches of this peninsula.”
The Prime Minister also praised the Sinai Brotherhood for its “patience, spiritual discernment, and steadfast faith” during recent challenges, and expressed confidence that Archbishop Symeon’s enthronement marked “a new era of unity and brotherhood” for the community.
Following the service, Mitsotakis venerated the Holy Relics and toured the monastery’s Treasury before holding private meetings with Patriarch Theophilos III, Archbishop Symeon, and US Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas.
Later, in a statement, Mitsotakis reaffirmed Greece’s commitment to supporting Saint Catherine’s Monastery and its monastic community, saying: “This sacred place has kept alive the flame of Orthodoxy for 1,500 years… Greece will always stand beside the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine, ensuring this unique legacy is preserved for eternity.”
The Prime Minister, accompanied by his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki, also attended the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza on Saturday, at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Greek police have arrested one suspect and detained another after a violent clash in the Cretan village of Vorizia, near Iraklio, left two people dead and four others injured on Saturday, November 1.
Authorities believe the bloodshed stems from a long-running dispute between the Kargakis and Frangiadakis families over grazing land, an intergenerational feud that officials now fear could flare up again despite heavy police presence.
Forensic investigations revealed that one of the victims, a 56-year-old woman, died from a gunshot wound, not a heart attack as initially believed.
The second victim, a 39-year-old man, is reportedly linked to the Kargakis family. His funeral has been postponed pending the completion of the forensic report.
At least ten homes have been searched so far, with evidence reportedly recovered from two of them.
“The investigation will continue until all parties involved are brought to justice,” a police spokesperson said, adding that the search will expand to nearby villages in the coming days.
Photo: Stefanos Rapanis / Eurokinissi.
Greece’s police chief, Dimitris Mallios, and head of criminal investigations, Fotis Douitsis, have travelled to Crete to coordinate the operation.
A 10-member elite investigative unit, often referred to as the “Greek FBI,” has been deployed, alongside EKAM counterterrorism officers flown in from Athens.
The gunfight followed a bomb explosion at a nearby construction site one day earlier. Witnesses said armed men stormed Vorizia in apparent retaliation, firing Kalashnikov rifles in what police estimate amounted to “thousands of rounds.”
Tensions remain high at Venizeleio General Hospital in Iraklio, where families have gathered for updates on the victims. Riot police have cordoned off the area to prevent further clashes.
Police say the investigation remains active, with both detained individuals under questioning as they work to determine who orchestrated the deadly assault.
Scientists are warning of the “slow death” of the Prespes Lakes in northern Greece, as water levels have dropped to their lowest point in 35 years, according to an article by Giorgos Lialios in ekathimerini.com.
“Until now we hoped that the change would not be so great. Now we are sure that Great Prespa will cease to be what it was. But the truly painful change will occur in Little Prespa. If it continues like this, within a few years it will disappear before our eyes,” says biologist Giorgos Catsadorakis, scientific adviser at the Society for the Protection of Prespa.
Experts note that the water level of Great Prespa has nearly matched its lowest point from 1990, creating serious environmental and agricultural challenges. “The lake level this year is close to the lowest recorded in 1990. If it continues like this, the lake water will no longer be usable for irrigation. Climate change is not just about lake levels: Last year, producers threshed beans in February instead of October. This is the third year they are being subsidized by the state for the damage, as they have minimal production,” he adds.
The Prespes region, home to rare bird species and vital ecosystems, is now at risk due to prolonged drought and rising temperatures. Scientists stress that without immediate conservation measures, Little Prespa could dry up completely in the coming years, marking an ecological disaster for one of Greece’s most unique natural habitats.
Tourists staying in the Municipality of Zagori will now pay a €0.75 “culture fee” per night for hotel or short-term rental accommodations – the first measure of its kind in Greece, according to an article by Sofia Christou by ekathimerini.com.
The initiative, approved by Interior Minister Theodoros Livanios and Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, comes after Zagori’s inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Under the new rule, visitors will pay the fee after their stay and before departure, with the charge appearing on the accommodation invoice. All proceeds will go directly to the Municipality of Zagori.
“The joint ministerial decision has just been issued. Next, a committee will be formed with members from the Municipality of Zagori, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of the Interior, which will decide which projects the revenue will fund,” said Mayor of Zagori Giorgos Soukouvelos in an interview with Kathimerini.
Zagori, a region of 46 villages in northwestern Greece, is famed for its well-preserved traditional stone architecture, scenic bridges, and cobbled pathways that weave through mountainous landscapes.
In recent years, the area has experienced rapid tourism growth, with a surge in hotels, guesthouses, and short-term rentals. Local officials hope the new fee will help preserve the cultural and architectural heritage that attracts visitors while supporting sustainable development in this UNESCO-listed destination.
The Greek Ministry of Culture has proclaimed 2026 a year dedicated to honoring Manos Hadjidakis, the visionary composer who bridged classical music with Greek folk traditions and elevated popular song to an art form in the postwar era, tovima.com, has reported.
The initiative celebrates Hadjidakis’s enduring influence—a legacy defined by intellect, emotional depth, and an unwavering devotion to Greek culture. Through his teaching and public engagement, he promoted education, freedom, and humanistic values, standing firmly against vulgar populism. More than thirty years after his death, his music continues to move and inspire listeners worldwide.
Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni highlighted that Hadjidakis, both as an artist and thinker, reshaped modern Greek music and enriched public discourse through his liberal ideals.
Throughout 2026, the Ministry of Culture and its affiliated institutions will organize a wide-ranging program of concerts, exhibitions, and educational events to celebrate and reinterpret Hadjidakis’s contribution. The goal is to reintroduce his art and philosophy to younger generations, deepening their appreciation for his role in shaping Greece’s modern cultural identity.
Born in Xanthi in 1925, Hadjidakis’s career began in 1944 with The Last White Crow at Karolos Koun’s Art Theatre, leading to acclaimed compositions for stage and film, including the Oscar-winning Never on Sunday (1960). His later work, from Reflections to the founding of the Orchestra of Colors, cemented his reputation as a pioneering force in Greek and international music.
