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Melbourne girl Mia Takos becomes world’s youngest board game creator

Eight-year-old Mia Takos has been named the world’s youngest board game creator after designing a game to help her father manage his ADHD.

The student at Geelong‘s Christian College, invented Outfox at just six years old in the garage of her family’s Highton home.

The game was officially launched on Sunday, March 2, during the Melbourne Toy Fair at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Mia created Outfox to assist her father, Chris, in developing the concentration skills he struggled with due to his ADHD.

“I thought noughts and crosses was really boring,” Mia said.

“So I thought, ‘why don’t I make something more challenging?’”

Mia shared her excitement and nervousness prior to the launch, saying, “Getting the title of world’s youngest board game creator is great, but I think I’m more excited for meeting new people – Hasbro, Disney, and all the kids there.”

Outfox is designed for all ages and requires players to concentrate as they strategise. The game features transparent characters, and players can’t move the same way twice.

Experts have praised the game’s cognitive benefits, including its ability to improve memory, critical thinking, and problem-solving for nursing home residents.

Chris Takos said he has personally benefited from the game.

“My mind races 100 miles an hour, but this makes you have to concentrate,” he explained.

“It’s a simple game but you have to focus or you’ll lose. And she’s already invented the next one.”

Mia’s proud mother, Kristina Bond, recalled how Mia first introduced the game to her parents.

“She sat down with her dad and finally explained it to him,” she said.

“After that, we started playing the game with her, and we really loved playing the game.”

Outfox is a strategic game that challenges players to out-think and out-concentrate their opponents, combining concentration skills, tactical decision-making and fun.

Source: Herald Sun.

Aiva Anagnostiadis named Australia’s first F1 Academy driver

Aiva Anagnostiadis has been confirmed as Australia’s first driver to ever appear in the F1 Academy series.

With the series taking place across seven Formula 1 race weekends, Anagnostiadis will partner with leading open-wheel squad Hitech – starting from Shanghai’s Chinese Grand Prix in late March.

The Anagnostiadis family are no strangers to motorsport, with Aiva’s mother Barbara previously involved in karting as a driver. Aiva would later join her brother, James, in also taking up karting from the age of six.

“At the time I didn’t have much interest in motorsport, but mum brought us to the track and I thought I want to have a go at this, so we jumped in the kart and that’s when I fell in love with it,” Aiva said.

In 2022, after representing Team Australia in the FIA Motorsport Games’ Senior Karting category, Anagnostiadis joined Alpine’s Rac(H)er Academy as she began her transition from karts to open-wheel racing.

“F1 Academy was a goal straight away. To reach that goal has been a dream come true and now the plan is to work as hard I can and be as competitive as possible,” Anagnostiadis said.

“I want to be a role model for those little girls coming through and be what I didn’t have. We’re trying to break barriers and show girls that there is another pathway and there are opportunities out there.”

While Anagnostiadis’ F1 Academy debut will wait until the Chinese Grand Prix on 21–23 March, Anagnostiadis will be an Ambassador for the Australian Grand Prix in her hometown of Melbourne.

“To be an ambassador of the Australian Grand Prix, my home track, is pretty cool. I was here in 2018 as a grid kid so now to be back taking it all in again as an ambassador is awesome,” Anagnostiadis said.

Source: Motorsport.

Irrepressible 5 star Sydney Olympic performance puts Sutherland to the sword

It was one-way traffic in the Match of the Round as Sydney Olympic showed all its class smashing the Sutherland Sharks 5-1 at Valentine Sports Park on Saturday, March 1. 

It didn’t take long before both showed glimpses of their prowess when Olympic were awarded a penalty inside 40 seconds after Cyrus Dehmie went down in the box. Alou Kuol struck, Danijel Nizic saved but the attacker reacted quickest to put the ball away at the second time of asking.

A second header was wiped out for Olympic, for an offside call, with Sutherland under the pump less than ten minutes into the match before Dehmie did double the Olympic lead when stealing the ball and running half the length of the pitch before cutting inside to plant the orb in the back of the net with a sweetly struck left-footed strike.

Peter Grozos returned fire but in beating Jack Gibson between the sticks, the Sharks midfielder blasted wide of the woodwork however Sutherland regrouped and put Olympic under pressure with a succession of corners, which they managed to scramble clear.

The Sharks goal duly arrived through Ikko Arimoto, his first of the campaign, in the 25th minute when lashing home another left-footer to halve the deficit but it proved a false dawn.

The elation didn’t last too long as Dehmie doubled his tally when netting the fourth goal of a topsy-turvy half from a neat low cross by Jack Armson on the right wing and before the dust had settled it was 4-1 when Dylan Ruiz-Diaz was on the end of more good work down the right flank to stun Sutherland.

There was no question the visitors were taking advantage of almost every opportunity more so than a somewhat static, lumbering Sharks’ defense.

Jordan Roberts volleyed wide at the other end, Sutherland left with no option, even at this early stage, but to push on.

The demeanour didn’t exude that of a beaten side but it was a mighty steep hill they needed to climb which in turn encouraged Olympic to look for the counter and exploit the acres of vacant Sharks real estate at the back.

Ziggy Gordon came close to taking the advantage but sent a 25-yard shot over the bar with virtually the last action of an opening stanza that had produced 5 goals, a handsome Sydney Olympic lead and plenty of talking points.

Nizic was forced into a another super save low down to deny Olympic a fifth of the evening right from the whistle as play resumed.

It was proving a tough night at the office for the home side with Olympic in irrepressible mood heightened further when Kotaro Katsuta was shown a straight red card in the 54th minute reducing Sutherland to 10-men.

Ruiz-Diaz was denied a second by the heroics of Nizic with more than a third of the match still to play.

It was rapidly becoming a case of damage limitation for the Sharks who still looked to play football but with a definite height disadvantage up top, most balls into the box were handled easily by Olympic.

The fifth duly arrived when Ruiz-Diaz and Sam McIllhatton exchanged quick passes with the latter’s ball over the top allowing the former to volley home in emphatic fashion.

Olympic had their tactics right, the man advantage and the will to power on and outclass their opponents.

Substitute Bailey Callaghan, on for Seth Clark, struck the upright forcing Olympic to await a sixth of the evening, Nizic bravely denying Ruiz-Diaz a hat-trick with both players requiring treatment after the coming together.

It was one-way traffic, Olympic pressed, Sutherland defended, Nizic strong at the back, despite conceding 5 on the night, the hunger and desire of a rampant away side plus a red card, a penalty, goalkeeper substitution and six goals.

Source: NPL NSW.

Daniel Hasapis found guilty of murder after violent assault on victim

Daniel Paul Hasapis, an ice addict from Wyong, has been found guilty of murder after fatally assaulting Sean Froggatt at his unit on January 27, 2023.

The NSW Supreme Court heard that Froggatt had visited Hasapis to deliver cannabis and smoke some, but Hasapis, who had been buying ice in Sydney, returned home to find items missing.

He then confronted Froggatt, subjecting him to a violent assault, including whipping him with a chain, punching, and kicking him.

The Wyong unit block on Levitt St that residents have dubbed the “Ice Palace”. Photo: John Grainger.

Justice Natalie Adams stated that Hasapis’ motive was driven by anger over the missing items and a desire for psychological satisfaction.

Froggatt suffered serious injuries, including trauma to his head, and was later found deceased in the unit.

Hasapis, who initially pleaded not guilty, was convicted based on evidence that he intended to cause harm. He also pleaded guilty to a separate assault charge. The sentencing is scheduled for June 27.

Source: Daily Telegraph.

Greek Australians retrace ANZAC retreat in Crete to honour soldiers and raise funds

Eighty-four years after the Battle of Crete, a group of Greek Australians is set to retrace the retreat of ANZAC forces during the legendary 1941 battle.

The journey will cover 100 kilometres from Maleme to Hora Sfakion, following the same path taken by Australian and New Zealand soldiers as they retreated from German forces.

This trek honours the soldiers who fought and sacrificed far from home, and it is also a mission to support a charitable cause.

The group, members of the “Wish You Were Here” organisation, is raising funds for Pankind, the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, to support research on early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Among the participants are cancer survivors and relatives of those who have battled the disease. The group previously raised over 200,000 euros during a 2017 trek in Papua New Guinea to honour those lost to cancer.

Con Kanellis, a member of the organisation, has a personal connection to both the history of Crete and cancer.

battle of crete sydney wreath laying (466)
The Battle of Crete is commemorated every year in Australia.

Born in Greece with roots in Crete, he became passionate about honouring the sacrifices of ANZAC soldiers after learning about their military campaigns in both Crete and Papua New Guinea.

“The more I read about these incredible human beings, the more I felt compelled to honour their sacrifice,” he said.

Kanellis also shares that the creation of “Wish You Were Here” was inspired by his own cancer battle.

After surviving stage 4 metastatic laryngeal cancer, Kanellis began organising charity events to raise awareness for cancer, particularly pancreatic cancer.

The death of his best friend, Nick Stamatakis, from pancreatic cancer deepened his commitment to the cause.

“Our goal is to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer, which is often diagnosed too late, leading to low survival rates,” Kanellis explained.

While their fundraising efforts support Pankind in Australia, Kanellis expressed interest in collaborating with Greek cancer charities, hoping that Cretans and Greeks would join them on their trek in solidarity.

Source: To Vima

Djokovic playfully mocks Tsitsipas after the Greek claims first ATP 500 title in Dubai

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Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrated his first ATP 500 title this weekend after defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championship.

The victory marked the end of an 11-match losing streak in ATP 500 finals for Tsitsipas, who had previously lost in several tournaments, including two finals in Dubai.

Following the win, Novak Djokovic sent a playful message on social media, humorously mocking Tsitsipas’ past struggles.

“No one beats Stefanos Tsitsipas 12x in a row on 500 Tour level,” Djokovic wrote in an Instagram story, alongside a photo of Tsitsipas holding his trophy and a laughing emoji.

The joke highlighted the friendly rapport between the two stars and showed that Djokovic had been closely following Tsitsipas’ journey.

For Tsitsipas, this win was not only his first ATP 500 title but also his first title of 2025, bringing his career total to 12. Additionally, he will rise from 11th to 9th in the ATP World Rankings, marking his return to the top ten.

Tsitsipas expressed relief after breaking his losing streak, saying, “It’s a big relief that I’m able to hold that trophy after the third attempt. It’s something that I had in the back of my mind, and I’m happy to say I accomplished it.”

He also spoke about the significance of returning to the top ten, calling it “one of the greatest feelings a tennis player can experience.”

In true humorous fashion, Tsitsipas later posted a message on Instagram celebrating his win with a witty caption: “They said my game was sinking… so I got myself a boat,” alongside a photo of him holding the Dubai ATP 500 trophy, which is shaped like a boat.

Patras Carnival 2025 marks a historic celebration of creativity and joy

The 2025 Patras Carnival is set to go down in history as one of the most vibrant and spectacular celebrations in the city’s history.

The highlight of this year’s festivities, the Grand Sunday Parade, marked the beginning of a non-stop, unprecedented celebration, transforming Patras into a sprawling field of dance, entertainment, and creativity.

The city’s transformation into a festive wonderland was described by the KEDIP as “the largest pan-European youth meeting,” spreading energy, vitality, and hope throughout.

A total of 55,000 carnivalists in 165 groups showcased their creative spirit, parading through the city in imaginative costumes and on intricately designed floats.

The parade featured an array of vibrant, artistic creations with elements of satire and high-level craftsmanship, produced year-round by the city’s Carnival Workshop.

The festivities began with carnival tunes from the Municipal Music, followed by cheerleaders from Mina Panagiotopoulou’s dance school.

Key highlights included the Flower Chariot with Carnival Queen Eleni Bada, and satirical floats such as “We will drink the water a little bit,” highlighting the issue of water privatisation, and “Gang Bank,” addressing the city’s ongoing suburban railway challenges.

The University of Patras joined in with its own float, celebrating the institution’s 60th anniversary.

Other notable floats included “The Mermaid” and “The Horse,” marine-themed displays, and the popular “Puppets” and “21 Cats” from the Children’s Carnival.

Unique creative groups, like the “Carnival Generals” and “SphigKES,” brought fresh performances, including a new piece called “OrnTHES” that humorously explored chickens.

The excitement continued with dancing and performances by various crews, energising the crowds.

DJs including Stelios Apostolopoulos and Konstantinos Georgiou provided the soundtrack to an unforgettable celebration, culminating in the traditional chocolate-throwing finale, a sweet end to a lively day.

Patras Mayor Costas Peletidis praised the participants, particularly the youth, for their enthusiasm and creativity, calling them the heart of the carnival.

The parade was broadcast live by ERT2, bringing the festivities to viewers across Greece and beyond, allowing those unable to attend to experience the magic of the Patras Carnival.

Source: The Best.

Greek PM faces no-confidence vote amid mass protests over Tempi train tragedy

Citizens across Greece and abroad rallied on Friday, February 28, to mark the second anniversary of the Tempi train disaster, which claimed 57 lives and left many seriously injured.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed the public in a weekly briefing, acknowledging the demand for “truth and justice” from both those who marched and those who mourned silently.

“The citizens demanded the obvious: truth and justice for the victims, a state that takes action to ensure such a tragedy is never repeated, and safe and modern public transport,” Mitsotakis stated.

The Athens rally, with an estimated 430,000 attendees, highlighted growing public frustration over the lack of accountability for the crash.

A report released by the Hellenic Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority (HARSIA) revealed mishandling of the crash site, which led to the loss of crucial evidence.

All photos copyright The Greek Herald.

Mitsotakis admitted that the country’s infrastructure had been insufficiently modernised and vowed to upgrade the rail system, beginning with the Athens-Thessaloniki line.

Despite government pledges, anger persists, with opposition parties calling for the PM’s resignation and accusing him of mishandling the aftermath.

“This tragedy was not just a terrible coincidence nor merely human error,” Mitsotakis said, stressing the need for decisive reforms.

“I once again urge everyone to trust the judiciary and allow it to carry out its work unbiasedly. In a state governed by the rule of law, only the judiciary has the responsibility, authority, and ability to bring clarity to a case that has caused us so much pain – not political parties, nor public opinion,” he added. 

He also urged trust in the judiciary to bring clarity to the ongoing investigation. However, with public confidence in institutions waning, the political fallout intensifies.

Protests erupted in multiple cities, including clashes in Athens and Thessaloniki, where demonstrators commemorated the victims and called for justice.

Thousands of Greeks participated in a general strike, with many sectors halting work to honour the lives lost.

All photos copyright The Greek Herald.

The tragic crash, which occurred on February 28, 2023, when an intercity train collided with a freight train, has come to symbolise the neglect of the nation’s infrastructure.

The government’s response has faced heavy criticism for the slow pace of justice and the lack of accountability.

A parliamentary vote of no confidence is set for Wednesday, March 5, with the main opposition PASOK party and leftist SYRIZA expected to lead the charge.

Meanwhile, the grief-stricken families of the victims, like Anastasia Plakia, continue to demand justice, with one posting: “730 days without you; 730 days of sadness, pain, and rage.”

As protests continue, the public’s patience with the government is running thin, and the push for reform grows louder.

Source: Ekathimerini.

ABSC Inc. holds media conference and dinner to promote Ekonomos, Issue 6, 2025

The Australian Business Summit Council Inc. hosted its annual Media Conference and Dinner at Aqua Luna Waterfront Dining, Drummoyne, New South Wales on 20th February 2025 to promote the forthcoming publication of the sixth issue of EKONOMOS, the Council’s business affairs magazine.

One hundred and twenty VIPs and guests attended this significant event, including H.E. Mr. Hani Nagi (Ambassador of Egypt); H.E. Dr. Siswo Pramono (Ambassador of Indonesia); Dr. Joseph Rizk AM (CEO / Managing Director, Arab Bank Australia Ltd.); and the Consuls General of Italy, Poland, New Zealand, and Indonesia, with senior diplomats from the Consulates General of Turkey, the Slovak Republic and the United States, and business leaders, academics, legal practitioners and representative members of the multicultural press to celebrate the notable expansion and influence of one of Australia’s leading business management consultant forums.

ABSC Inc. president for the sixth consecutive year, Dr. Frank Alafaci PhD welcomed the first-rate audience with an overview of the Council, established on 20th December 2018 as an incorporated, not-for-profit association that serves to promote sound policies and practices which enable business people to pursue strong opportunities in Australia and abroad, as well as encouraging robust debates and discussions on substantial issues relating to business relationships between Australia and the international community, and publishing an annual business affairs magazine, EKONOMOS for both the general and specialised reading public, featuring well-written and informative articles about business, trade and investment from distinguished leaders in economics, politics, and diplomacy within the Australian and international communities.

Dr. Frank Alafaci and Councillor Sylvia Alafaci
Dr. Frank Alafaci and Councillor Sylvia Alafaci.

EKONOMOS, Issue 6, 2025 will consist of twenty-four article contributions, led by the ABSC Inc. president Dr. Frank Alafaci PhD, featuring H.E. Dr. Siswo Pramono (Ambassador of Indonesia); H.E. Mr. Sinchai Manivanh (Ambassador of Laos); H.E. Mr. Hani Nagi (Ambassador of Egypt); H.E. Mr. Beka Dvali (Ambassador of Georgia); H.E. Mr. Vitaliano Gallardo Valencia (Ambassador of Peru); H.E. Mrs. Tanieris Dieguez La O (Ambassador of Cuba); H.E. Dr. Wilson Togo (High Commissioner of Kenya); H.E. Dr. Elias Munshya (High Commissioner of Zambia); H.E. Dr. Md. Shariah Firoz Dewan (Acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh); Mr. Qamar Zaman (Consul General of Pakistan); Mr. David Wu (Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office); Ms. Indiana Trejos Gallo (Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade / President of the National Trade Facilitation Council of Costa Rica); Ms. Simona Bernardini (Director, Italian Trade Agency); Mr. Joe Screnci (Executive Chairman, Hoffman Reed Pty. Ltd.); Mr. Brian Young  (CEO, AES Environmental Pty. Ltd.); Mr. Richard Yuan (Chairman, Australia China Entrepreneurs Club); Mr. Bob Croft (Director, EZMarketing Pty. Ltd.); Ms. Nerva Kay Ghamraoui (Managing Director, Katalyst Construction Pty. Ltd.); Mr. Mamun Haque (Managing Director, Greenleaf Cosmetics Pty. Ltd.); Dr. Anthony De Francesco (Managing Director, Real investment Analytics Pty. Ltd.); Assoc. Professor Art Phillips (Founder / Director, 101 Music Pty. Ltd.); Professor Hans Hendrischke (School of Business, University of Sydney); and Mr. Michael Short (Partner, Madison Marcus), Mr. Eric Boone (Partner, Madison Marcus) and Mr. Ramy Qutami (Managing Director, Madison Marcus) as joint article contributors.

Highlighting the Media Conference and Dinner, the official program for the evening comprised keynote speeches by H.E. Mr. Hani Nagi (Ambassador of Egypt) who stressed the alignment between Egypt and Australia in key sectors, such as mining, infrastructure, clean energy, technology and education; whilst Dr. Joseph Rizk AM (CEO / Managing Director, Arab Bank Australia Ltd.) shared valuable insights on effective leadership strategies for organisations during challenging times; and H.E. Dr. Siswo Pramono (Ambassador of Indonesia), addressed the primary role of continuous trade in tackling the global issue of the shrinking middle-income class; followed by an interactive one-hour Question and Answer session on business, trade and investment moderated by the ABSC Inc. President, Dr. Frank Alafaci PhD between the function’s eminent speakers and members of the audience.

ABSC Inc. president, Dr. Frank Alafaci PhD concluded the Media Conference and Dinner with his formal acknowledgement of the Council’s sponsors: Alliance Project Group; Trade Window and Drs. ABCD First Aid Training; plus DMG Fine Wines for kindly providing a selection of high-quality wine bottles as gifts for the keynote speakers and diplomatic officials who attended the occasion; and the Council’s Board of Directors: Mr. Rouad El Ayoubi (vice president); Mr. Mark Malak (treasurer); Mr. Vikas Rawat; Mr. John Caputo; Mrs. Mas Meuross (Councillor of the City of Canada Bay); and especially Mrs. Sylvia Alafaci (ABSC Inc. secretary / Councillor of the City of Canada Bay) for her tireless dedication to meticulously organising the formalities, selecting the five-star reception centre, preparing the table arrangements and beautiful floral decorations, and expertly liaising with the Aqua Luna Waterfront Dining events management team led by Ms. Anna Finini to whom the Australian Business Summit Council Inc. owes an immense debt of gratitude for their kindness, patience and professionalism.

Niki Louca shares her favourite recipe for Gozleme

Niki Louca from My Greek Kitchen shares her favourite recipe for gozleme with The Greek Herald. You can follow her on Instagram @mygreekkitchen for more!

INGREDIENTS: Makes 4

  • 1 sachet instant dried yeast – 7 grams
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 300ml warm tap water
  • 3 cups plain flour
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 400 gm washed and dried baby spinach
  • 80 gm mozzarella cheese grated
  • 250 gm Greek feta (such as Dodoni), crumbled
    butter

METHOD:

  1.  Combine the dried yeast, sugar and water in a jug and stir well. Place jug in a warm spot in the kitchen and cover with a plate for about 10 minutes till yeast is activated and bubbles form on the surface.
  2. In a medium size bowl, scrunch and tear the washed and dried spinach till its semi wilted and add the crumbled feta. Stir with a fork and set aside.
  3. In another bowl, mix your flour with the yeast mixture till a dough starts to form. Add your olive oil and salt.  Knead dough till its smooth and elastic  – approx. 7 minutes. Cut dough into 4 pieces and place on a clean plate that has been greased with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cover with a clean tea towel, place in a warm place and allow to rise or double in size (approx. 20-30 minutes depending how warm your kitchen is).
  4. Roll each piece of dough to a circle of approx. 40cm with a rolling pin. Place a quarter of the spinach/feta mixture onto the bottom half of each circle and sprinkle 20gms of the mozzarella on top. Fold the top part of the circle over the filling to enclose it. With a fork or your fingers press the edges together to seal the gozleme.
  5. Preheat a large skillet or grill pan/cast iron griddle on medium to high heat. Place about a teaspoon of butter onto your griddle/pan and swivel it around so it covers the pan. Place your gozleme onto the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes till the base is golden and dough looks cooked. Turn gozeleme over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes – do not add extra butter. Once the gozleme is cooked on both sides remove and place onto a clean plate. While still hot, butter the gozleme (the unbuttered side) and cover with a clean tea towel. Repeat the process for the remaining and place them on top of each other to keep the warm and soft.

Niki Louca runs cooking classes in Melbourne. For more or to book classes visit My Greek Kitchen at www.mygreekkitchen.com.au or Instagram @mygreekkitchen. You can email Niki at: niki@mygreekkitchen.com.au.