It was a historic evening for Greek football on Thursday as Panathinaikos, PAOK and AEK Athens all secured their places in the League Phase of European competition, while Cypriot side Omonia also celebrated a dramatic qualification.
Panathinaikos earned a “golden” 0–0 draw away to Samsunspor in Turkey, sealing a deserved qualification for the UEFA Europa League following their 2–1 victory in Athens.
The Greens created the best chances of the match, with Fotis Ioannidis and Tete going close, before celebrating at the final whistle. The match also marked Ioannidis’ last appearance before his transfer to Sporting Lisbon.
At a packed Toumba Stadium, PAOK produced a scintillating performance to dismantle Croatia’s Rijeka 5–0. The emphatic result overturned a 1–0 first-leg defeat and booked the Thessaloniki club a place in the Europa League League Phase for the second consecutive season.
AEK Athens also rose to the occasion, defeating Belgian giants Anderlecht 2–0 at home thanks to goals from Koita and Kutesa. Combined with their 1–1 draw in Brussels, the victory secured a 3–1 aggregate triumph and a spot in the League Phase of the UEFA Europa League.
Omonia make history
In Cyprus, Omonia endured a nerve-racking evening against Austria’s Wolfsberger, winning 1–0 in normal time to force extra time and penalties. The Nicosia club prevailed 5–4 in the shootout, clinching qualification to the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League for the fifth time in their history.
A landmark for Greek football
The triple success of Panathinaikos, PAOK and AEK marks one of Greek football’s most successful European nights in recent years. All three will discover their European opponents in Friday’s draws, while Omonia’s qualification adds further pride for Cypriot football.
Greek champions Olympiacos face a daunting challenge in this season’s UEFA Champions League after being drawn against some of Europe’s elite clubs in Thursday’s draw in Monaco.
The Piraeus side will compete in the League Phase against Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, Premier League contenders Arsenal, Dutch heavyweights PSV Eindhoven and Ajax, Cypriot debutants Paphos, and Kazakhstan’s Kairat.
The new-look League Phase kicks off on 16–18 September, with Matchdays continuing on 30 September–1 October, 21–22 October, 4–5 November, 25–26 November, and 9–10 December. After the winter break, the competition resumes on 20–21 January before concluding with Matchday 8.
UEFA is expected to release the exact dates and times of Olympiacos’ fixtures by Saturday.
Significantly, it is also the first time since 2021 – when she reached the semi-finals in New York – that the Greek star has progressed beyond the second round at the US Open.
Looking ahead, Sakkari is set for a challenging test against Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, ranked No. 22. The Greek has yet to beat Maia, losing all four of their previous encounters.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned Russia’s latest wave of airstrikes against Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, which left at least 18 people dead, including four children.
In a statement, Athens expressed its dismay at the scale of the assault, which struck Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, causing severe damage to residential areas, public infrastructure, and the building housing the European Union delegation.
We are appalled by Russia’s attack on Kyiv, killing innocent civilians and severely damaging infrastructure and diplomatic facilities, including the premises of the EU Delegation. pic.twitter.com/1Pb6niGQNu
“We are appalled by Russia’s attack on Kyiv, killing innocent civilians and severely damaging infrastructure and diplomatic facilities, including the premises of the EU Delegation,” the ministry declared.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and unequivocally condemn this blatant violation of International Law. Greece stands in full solidarity with Ukraine and its people.”
Ukrainian officials described the overnight bombardment as one of the most intense in recent weeks. They reported that Russia launched 598 drones and 31 missiles in the offensive, with 45 people injured in addition to the fatalities.
The strikes are the latest in a pattern of escalating attacks targeting civilian areas and diplomatic missions, further deepening international condemnation of Moscow’s actions.
MWL Financial Group and its managing director Nicholas Maikousis have lodged an urgent legal challenge against the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) after the regulator cancelled the firm’s licence and banned Mr Maikousis from the financial services industry for 10 years.
Regulator’s decision
ASIC announced this week it had taken enforcement action in connection with the Shield Master Fund, which attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in investments.
The regulator found that MWL operated what it described as a “low-cost advice project,” which channelled client superannuation savings into the fund. Between September 2021 and February 2024, more than 750 clients allegedly invested a combined $155 million into Shield through MWL.
ASIC said MWL provided template advice documents that included misleading performance information, failed to properly assess the fund before approving it for clients, and had undisclosed bonus arrangements with advisers recommending Shield, among other things.
Deputy Chair Sarah Court said: “Failing to manage conflicts has the potential to cause consumers to be given financial product advice that may not suit their needs.”
Lawyers respond
On Thursday, SLF Lawyers, acting for MWL and Mr Maikousis – who is also President of South Melbourne FC -, lodged an application with the Administrative Review Tribunal seeking an urgent review and a stay of the ban.
Senior Partner John Gdanski said the action was unusual for someone “who has worked 35 years with an unblemished record.”
He added: “While the review into my client’s ban is underway, ASIC should focus their powers on ensuring the major institutions along with those trustees and research houses involved in this Shield fiasco that misled financial advisers be held accountable.”
Next steps
The legal team is seeking to allow Mr Maikousis to continue working in financial services pending the outcome of the Tribunal’s review.
ASIC’s broader investigation into Shield is ongoing, including civil proceedings against other entities connected to the fund.
Greece launched their FIBA EuroBasket 2025 campaign with a 75–66 victory over Italy in Limassol, thanks to a commanding performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The NBA superstar was unstoppable before a crowd of 7,000 largely Greek fans at the Spyros Kyprianou Arena, recording 31 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.
Italian coach Gianmarco Pozzecco had joked before the tournament about needing “a sniper” to contain Antetokounmpo – but Greece’s talisman proved untouchable on the night.
Italy trailed by just four midway through the third quarter at 45–41. But Greece responded with an 11–3 run to stretch the lead to 56–44, with their defence stifling Italy’s scoring options.
Although Italy fought back late, cutting the gap to 71–66 in the final minute, Antetokounmpo’s emphatic dunk with 31 seconds remaining sealed the win.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is putting on a show against Italy through one half of basketball 😤🇬🇷
Greece were clinical in attack, shooting 59 percent inside the arc and 39 percent from three-point range. In contrast, Italy struggled badly, managing just 36 percent overall and 26 percent from distance. Their NBA star Simone Fontecchio was held to a frustrating 4 points on 1-of-11 shooting.
Greece coach Vassilis Spanoulis said, “I think we had a good game defensively… we need to have a little more patience in our offence and more easy points on fast breaks.”
Italy’s coach Pozzecco acknowledged his side’s shortcomings: “We needed to play a little bit better offensively. We didn’t shoot well. But we were competitive tonight.”
The win marked Greece’s eighth in 17 all-time FIBA encounters with Italy, and only their third meeting since 2003. Greece will next face hosts Cyprus, while Italy prepare for a difficult clash with Georgia, who shocked Spain in their opening game.
A historic Mount Gambier chapel is set to return to its religious roots, after the Limestone Coast Southern Regional Assessment Panel (LCSRAP) granted planning consent for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA) to transform the former Rosaville Methodist Church into a parish for the local Orthodox community.
Decision confirmed
At its meeting on August 21, the Panel resolved to approve a development application lodged by the GOAA Consolidated Trust – Holy Diocese of Adelaide.
The decision allows the 19th-century heritage-listed church on Herbert Street to be formally repurposed as a place of worship, subject to a range of conditions designed to balance community needs with heritage conservation.
The approval sets out specific operating hours, with regular services permitted on Saturdays and Sundays from 8am to 2pm. Extended services will be allowed during Holy Week, including late-night liturgy until 1am on Holy Saturday, while the parish feast day has been allocated a two-hour service window from 5pm to 7pm.
To address community concerns, the Panel also required that all chanting, bell ringing, and sound emissions comply with the Environment Protection (Commercial and Industrial Noise) Policy 2023. Further, the building and its surrounds must be maintained in a tidy, sanitary condition, and operations must not cause nuisance or disturbance to neighbouring residents.
Heritage and Community Significance
Built in 1869 by the Primitive Methodists, the chapel has long stood as a local landmark. While it was once earmarked for use as an Airbnb, years of neglect and vandalism left the site in disrepair.
The Archdiocese now plans to restore it as a formal parish base for around 30 Orthodox families in Mount Gambier.
Until now, services have been held intermittently at the local Hellenic Hall, while Anglican Christ Church on Bay Road has hosted Orthodox baptisms, weddings, and funerals since the 1960s. His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide has also travelled annually to celebrate liturgy with the community, underscoring the pastoral need for a permanent spiritual home.
His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide travels to Mount Gambier annually and holds church services at the Hellenic Hall.
Conditions and Concerns
The development faced scrutiny during the public notification process, with four objections lodged. Concerns centred on traffic congestion, noise levels, and the lack of off-street parking.
The site itself provides no dedicated parking, and the parish will need to rely on surrounding street spaces, raising fears about overflow during peak times. On average, around 20 to 30 worshippers are expected to attend regular services, which could mean an additional seven to ten cars parked along Herbert Street.
Despite these objections, the Panel concluded that the proposal was not seriously at variance with the Planning and Design Code. Members noted that the small scale of the development, together with the safeguards imposed through conditions, meant the character and amenity of the area would not be detrimentally affected.
Importantly, the adaptive reuse of the site was seen as consistent with heritage principles, ensuring that the former chapel could continue to serve a communal and spiritual function.
Next Steps
The former church building includes a 50-square-metre chapel space, which will host regular services, and a 30-square-metre utility room, intended for use after services for casual gatherings, committee meetings, and Bible study. A small mezzanine level will be used by the priest for writing and storage.
There will be upgrades to the toilet facilities to meet accessibility standards, the installation of a new kitchen bench in the utility room for light food preparation, and the construction of a wheelchair-accessible ramp at the entrance.
The Archdiocese has committed to carrying out a program of urgent repairs, including rewiring, plumbing, ventilation upgrades, floorboard and window restoration, and stabilisation of the western wall.
These works will be scheduled according to urgency, funding availability, and the engagement of qualified tradespeople.
Macquarie University’s Orthodox Christian Fellowship (SOFIA MQ) has chosen St Porphyrios of Mount Athos as its new patron saint, following a student poll and formal selection process at this week’s meeting.
Three saints were nominated: St Justin the Martyr, St John of Damascus, and St Porphyrios of Mount Athos.
To help guide the decision, members delivered presentations on each: Alexander spoke on St Justin’s steadfast faith and writings; Angus highlighted St John’s theological and hymnographic contributions; and David described the humility, spirituality, and healing gifts of St Porphyrios.
Photo: Facebook.
The meeting was attended by Dr Patricia Koromvokis, head of the Modern Greek Program at Macquarie University.
Audiences will have the rare opportunity to hear directly from one of Greece’s most distinctive filmmakers, Renos Haralambidis, in a special Q&A at Palace Cinema Como on Thursday, October 23.
This event is part of the 30th Greek Film Festival’s tribute to Haralambidis, whose unconventional storytelling has left a lasting mark on modern Greek cinema.
The program features five of his most acclaimed works:
4 Black Suits (2010) – “The deceased does not want to leave before making one last journey back to where his no-longer-beating heart leads him: an odyssey of a dead Odysseus embracing his Ithaca,” says Haralambidis. “For the four pallbearers, it becomes a journey towards self-awareness and maturity.”
Athens Midnight Radio (2024) – A romantic tale that unfolds through the city’s airwaves, weaving chance encounters and urban loneliness into a story of connection.
Cheap Smokes (2000) – “The most autobiographical of my films,” Haralambidis explains. “It captures the essence of a bohemian generation of Athenians at the end of the 1990s. Once overlooked, it has been rediscovered by a new audience and continues to screen in cinemas 20 years later.”
No Budget Story (1997) – His debut feature, shot in black and white. “It was my ‘cinema or death’ film,” he recalls. “I was 26, filming with friends, family, and neighbours. It remains autobiographical – I still revisit it today.”
The Heart of the Beast (2005) – A genre-defying story blending noir, comedy, and nostalgia. “It is my only film adapted from a book, but I wanted to keep my personal touch without betraying the author,” Haralambidis says.
This special program is part of the Festival’s milestone 30th anniversary edition, running from 14 – 26 October, and offers audiences the chance to rediscover the creativity and vision of a singular Greek filmmaker.
The Prospect community in Adelaide is in mourning following the passing of John Giatras, the much-loved barber who, alongside his father George, helped shape John and George’s Hair Salon for Meninto a local institution.
John was more than just a barber – he was a friend, a confidant, and an icon of Prospect Road. For decades, he welcomed generations of clients into the family-run salon with warmth, humour and kindness.
From chats in the chair to lollipops for children, from first haircuts to lifelong regulars, John had an extraordinary gift for making everyone feel valued and part of the community. His absence leaves a void that will be deeply felt across Adelaide.
The Giatras family’s barbering legacy stretches back to 1986, when George Giatras, a migrant from Zakynthos, opened the Prospect salon with his son.
Over nearly four decades, John and George’s Hair Salon for Men became more than a place for haircuts – it grew into a social hub where life’s milestones were shared, from weddings to birthdays, triumphs and everyday moments.
The shop has welcomed everyone, from premiers and sporting stars to local families, with John at its heart, carrying on his father’s vision with passion and pride.
Today, tributes are flowing for John, described as a “local legend” whose loss has shocked and saddened all who knew him. Floral tributes have also been laid outside the barber shop.
Member for Adelaide Lucy Hood said on social media: “There are no words for the loss of such a great man and friend. John had a gift for making everyone feel welcome, valued, and part of our community. Prospect has truly lost a local legend.”
With John’s father George now 92, the community is rallying around the Giatras family in their grief.
Together they remember John not only for his skill as a barber, but for his generosity, warmth, and the way he quietly wove himself into the fabric of Prospect’s story.
