Greece is experiencing extreme temperatures nearing 40°C as the first major heatwave of the summer grips the country, prompting wildfires, evacuation orders, and emergency health measures.
A large wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, forcing authorities to evacuate nearby areas and shut down the coastal road to Sounion, home to the historic Temple of Poseidon.
The fire comes as much of southern Europe also endures severe heat, with conditions exacerbated by strong winds and dry vegetation.
On Friday, Greek authorities imposed a ban on outdoor work for builders and delivery staff between 9.00 am and 2.00 pm GMT, while urging the public to avoid unnecessary travel.
Photo: Alexandros Vlachos / EPA.
Air-conditioned community centres were opened for the elderly. “We have a really nice temperature in here,” said 80-year-old Maro Marneri at one such facility in Athens.
As tourists also struggled with the conditions at major sites, experts warn the Mediterranean country is facing increasingly intense and prolonged heat waves due to climate change.
A Lancet Public Health study has forecast that heat-related deaths in Europe could triple by the end of the century, with southern countries like Greece among the most affected.
Last year was the hottest on record globally, contributing to extreme weather disasters that caused over $300 billion in damages.
Federal MP for Riverina Michael McCormack has called on the Albanese government to urgently support regional universities after Charles Sturt University (CSU) announced staff cuts to address a $35 million budget shortfall.
According to ABC News,the university, with campuses in six regional NSW towns, including Wagga Wagga and Bathurst, cited a sharp decline in international student enrolments — now at just 10% of 2019 levels — as the main cause of the financial strain.
CSU Vice-Chancellor Renée Leon said the drop was a direct result of federal government policies limiting international student numbers.
“In Charles Sturt’s case, international students cross-subsidise students from regional, rural and remote locations,” she said.
“The simple truth… is that international student revenue pays for domestic students and research and, by extension, jobs at universities.”
McCormack warned of broader consequences: “The ripple effect will be like a tsunami across those regional economies,” he said.
“We can’t just have the metropolitan sandstone universities educating the best and brightest of our young people.”
He said he had written to Education Minister Jason Clare demanding urgent policy and funding support: “Now is the time for action.”
Union representative Dr Anna Corbo Crehan criticised CSU for a lack of transparency, saying staff were “stuck in a crushing limbo.”
The university joins others across the sector — including the University of Wollongong — in cutting jobs due to the international student downturn.
Maih Porfyri had only been in her job for a few months before she was whisked away on a trip to Paris to cover the Paralympic Games as a marketing coordinator. But let’s start from the beginning.
Starting in the fashion world as an enthusiast turned business owner, Maih quickly realised her strengths: marketing, storytelling, and building a brand identity that created meaningful connections with her audience.
Walking away from a business that she had poured blood, sweat, and tears into was no easy feat, but she knew that what lay ahead would be even greater. She pursued a degree in business and communications, which led to her first full-time job as the marketing coordinator to Paralympics Australia.
To Maih, this was more than a job — it was an eye-opening experience that shaped both her career development, and outlook on life.
“My journey at Paralympics Australia has been unexpected yet incredibly rewarding. What started as my first full-time job quickly turned into a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said.
“Being on the ground, capturing the event’s energy, and forming genuine connections with athletes were experiences I’ll never forget. More than anything, it has been a massive confidence boost—seeing my work reach a global audience affirmed what I’m capable of achieving.”
Like baking a cake, stepping into a new role is challenging at first. You have to determine when to add salt here and how long to whisk there, and more often than not, you’re not going to get it right the first time (unless you’re Martha Stewart). But what will take you far is your desire to learn and willingness to just say yes.
“Say yes to opportunities, even if you don’t feel fully ready. Growth happens in the process. When I started this role, I worried I didn’t have all the skills I needed, but no one knows everything from day one. Learning on the job is part of the journey, and being adaptable is key,” she said.
As we all work, eat, sleep, and repeat, it’s easy to forget how big the world is around us and how much our views on it differ.
“Another lesson that stuck with me was how big the world is. Traveling always broadens your perspective, but being at the Paralympics — an event where people from all over the world come together — was something entirely different. There was an energy in the air, a shared sense of purpose and community that made it super special,” Maih explains.
I am a true believer that your inner world shapes your outer world. The more you’re exposed to, the better your ability to empathise with others and understand the world around you — beyond your own experiences.
Maih notes, “One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned from the athletes is resilience. Their determination to adapt, push forward, and stay focused has helped me through setbacks in my own life. Seeing how others overcome adversity has reshaped my own approach to both work and life. It’s a constant reminder that setbacks aren’t roadblocks—they’re stepping stones to growth, and success often comes from perseverance in the face of challenges.”
Whether your goal is to cook the world’s largest pizza (if so, I’ll be waiting for an invite to the tasting), become a coffee shop barista, or to make it to Hollywood under the bright and shiny lights, always remember to dream big, believe the impossible is possible, and more importantly, engage with and learn from the world around you — I promise it’s not that scary, and what you gain will be well worth the fright, if so.
You can absolutely raise bilingual children, even if only one parent speaks Greek. Across the world, countless families do so successfully. With a bit of planning, consistency, and an understanding of how children learn language, it’s entirely achievable — and the benefits are immense. Bilingualism supports cognitive development, cultural awareness, emotional connection, and even future economic opportunities.
One Parent, One Language
One widely adopted method in bilingual households is the One Parent, One Language (OPOL) strategy. You speak Greek to your children, while your partner speaks their main language — I assume that is English. Over time, children learn to associate each language with a specific parent, and research shows they can distinguish and navigate these differences from an early age.
It’s not a problem if your partner doesn’t speak Greek. What matters is that you consistently use it with your children. You don’t need to “teach” Greek in the formal sense — just speak it as part of your everyday life: during meals, playtime, bedtime, storytelling, and routines. Children acquire language naturally when it’s used meaningfully and regularly in context.
If your children are also learning Greek at school, that’s a bonus. But don’t turn your home into a classroom. Think of the home as the domain of intimacy, where children build fluency, comfort, and connection in Greek. School, by contrast, is the domain of instruction, where formal accuracy, literacy, and specific academic registers of Greek are developed. These two domains can support each other but serve different purposes.
Since English dominates almost every space beyond the home, favouring Greek at home can help restore balance in your child’s language exposure.
Language Exposure: Input and Intake
Children learn the language they hear and need to use. The key elements here are input, exposure, and intake. The more you use Greek with your children — and the more that language is embedded in meaningful interaction — the more it will become part of their natural repertoire.
Here are some ways to enrich their exposure:
Speak Greek from birth or as early as possible.
Use Greek during everyday activities—shopping, eating, playing.
Read books aloud in Greek every day.
Play Greek music, lullabies, and audio stories.
Join Greek-speaking playgroups or families.
Involve grandparents or friends who speak Greek.
Connect with Greek culture through festivals, events, or online.
If your partner is willing, they can occasionally join in as a co-learner alongside your children. More importantly, their support should be visible and consistent — praising your children’s bilingual progress and backing your use of Greek, especially if children push back and default to English.
Children may resist using Greek in public, like at shopping centres or sports fields. Don’t worry — this is common. Let family and friends know that your household is bilingual. Over time, your children will grow comfortable navigating both languages in different settings.
Even if your partner doesn’t participate directly in Greek-language activities, it’s crucial that the children know they support your efforts. When both parents value the language, children are more likely to stick with it. The more input children receive in Greek, especially linked to real-life activities, the more they internalise it and convert input into intake — that is, into usable, active language.
Facing challenges
Bilingual parenting requires cooperation, respect for both languages, and a practical plan. Once your children begin school, their exposure to English will increase rapidly. This is natural — but it means Greek might start to feel less “essential.” Your role is to ensure Greek remains a valued and visible part of your family’s life.
Let your children’s friends visit your home, so they become used to the bilingual environment. When you speak Greek to your children and English to their friends, they’ll quickly see that both languages can coexist. Normalising bilingualism in this way strengthens your children’s confidence and pride.
If Greek isn’t taught at school, the home becomes even more important as a source of input. Use media, community events, or online resources to supplement what happens at home.
Remember: even partial bilingualism is valuable. Your goal doesn’t have to be perfect fluency or native-like accuracy. Aim instead to make Greek a normal part of daily life — something your children associate with nurturing and love, extended family, meals, and meaning. Formal education can build on this base later, with opportunities to expand vocabulary, refine grammar, or pursue Greek in school, university, or travel.
Adolescence and Motivation
Language learning is not always smooth. Children go through phases — spurts of progress and periods of resistance. This is especially common in adolescence, when peer influence is strong and convenience often outweighs family goals.
Be prepared for this. Organise enjoyable, immersive experiences where Greek is central: cooking, excursions, games, sports, or creative projects. You can pre-teach some useful words or phrases, but keep the focus on fun and connection. These are not lessons — they are opportunities for real communication in Greek.
Some children will understand much more than they speak. A period of silent comprehension is normal, especially if they begin exposure later. Keep using Greek consistently, even if your children respond in English. Their passive understanding can convert into active use over time.
What matters most
Raising bilingual children is not about perfection. It’s about consistency, encouragement, and connection. It’s about valuing both languages, showing patience when challenges arise, and celebrating small wins along the way.
Greek at home can provide cultural richness, emotional intimacy, and a strong sense of belonging. These foundations will support your children throughout their lives, whether they choose to pursue further study of the language later on.
A lifelong gift
Bilingualism is a lifelong asset. It opens doors — to identity, community, history, creativity, and opportunity. Even if only you speak Greek, your commitment, supported by your partner’s encouragement, can enable your child to grow up confidently at home in more than one language and culture.
So yes—you can raise bilingual kids, even if your partner doesn’t know Greek.
*Joseph Lo Bianco is Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. He is also the President of Pharos Alliance, dedicated to preserving Greek language in Australia.
By Anastasia Miliou, Attorney at the Supreme Courts
All people named in a joint account are privy to the money by Law.
Most of us have opened accounts at various bank branches. These accounts may be personal or joint.
In joint bank accounts, i.e. bank deposits where there are two or more cosigners, there is a particular relationship between these two or more persons and the bank.
In the case of monetary deposits in a joint account in the name of the depositor and the third party or parties, there is, independent of the money that was deposited to others or to some in favour of others, active or total guilt between depositors and the third party, as well as a legally binding agreement of the bank. Practically, this means that in a joint account, all parties whose names are on the account automatically become privy to money deposited by one of the account owners (in part or in total) hence they automatically have rights to the money in the account.
With a deposit into a joint account, the co-signers of the account become owners of the money in the account regardless of the reason of the deposit. Withdrawal by anyone named on the account is not theft nor can it be considered a crime.
The depositor has the right to take legal action against the person who withdrew anything from half to the full amount except if there is another portion or percentage claim decided on between themselves.
In the case of death, the amount in the joint account cannot be inherited. Money from a joint account cannot be included in a will and testimony unless all owners are dead. The last surviving member of the joint account continues to be the only one who can have access. If the person who owns the joint account is just one then that person is the only one who can withdraw the full amount within the account even if, in actual fact, it does not morally belong to him. In such a case, the heir cannot turn against the bank to seek an inheritance share from a joint account as the co-signer is the only one who can have access. The living heirs of the deceased can seek the portion of the deposit of the deceased based on the internal relations with the co-signer.
Anastasia C. Miliou is an Attorney at Law at the Supreme Courts with experience in international law and a large clientele in both Greece and abroad. Her telephone number is 6945028153. If you would like questions answered as part of her articles in English online, you can e-mail her at natmil@otenet.gr or visit www.legalaction.gr
In a list of the world’s 14 most mysterious travel destinations, Vergina, Greece, stands out—not just for its beauty, but for possibly holding the answer to one of history’s greatest enigmas: the final resting place of Alexander the Great.
Featured alongside global wonders like Easter Island’s Moai statues, Ethiopia’s church said to house the Ark of the Covenant, and Scotland’s Rosslyn Chapel (linked to the Holy Grail), Vergina earns its place through a mystery that has eluded scholars for centuries.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, When Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BC, his body—reportedly placed in a coffin of hammered gold—was taken to Egypt by General Ptolemy. While most agree it was later moved to Alexandria, over 140 expeditions have failed to locate it.
Now, many experts suspect the tomb was secretly relocated to Vergina, home to the Royal Tombs of Aigai, where his father Philip II, son Alexander IV, and half-brother were buried.
Visitors to the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai in Vergina can explore these richly adorned tombs and view artefacts that shed light on ancient Macedonian burial customs. The museum and surrounding archaeological site provide vital clues that continue to fuel speculation about Alexander’s lost tomb.
While the mystery remains, Vergina offers perhaps the closest link yet to solving it—making it a must-visit for curious minds.
The aim of the seminar is to examine the role of Greek gendered terms in sustaining social gender ideologies that reinforce sexism.
In the first part of the seminar, people will explore the relationship between grammatical and lexical gender, and the construction of social gender. People will focus on the generic use of the masculine and the semantic derogation of women, and expose the biased representation of women and men in Greek language use.
In the second part of the seminar, people will discuss the different language reform strategies (e.g. gender-specification and gender-neutralisation) that Greek speakers can use to eliminate linguistic sexism.
BIO
Angeliki Alvanoudi is Assistant Professor in the Department of French Language and Literature at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, specialising in Sociolinguistics with applications to the French language.
Her research focuses on the relationship between language and gender, phenomena of language contact in the Greek diaspora, and grammar in social interaction. Her academic interests include Sociolinguistics, Pragmatics, and Conversation Analysis.
Event Details:
When: Thursday 3 July 2025, 7pm (12pm Athens’ time)
Motor Oil has launched Greece’s first publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling station under its AVIN brand, a major step in the country’s push for cleaner transport, according to tovima.com and ot.gr. Located near the company’s refinery on the old Athens–Corinth National Road in Agioi Theodoroi, the station supports both light and heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles.
The €3 million project was 50% co-funded by the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) – Transport programme. For now, green hydrogen is sourced from Austria’s Wien Energie and delivered by Coral Gas. Eventually, fuel will come from Motor Oil’s own hydrogen facility, now under construction. The station itself was built by BFS, a Motor Oil subsidiary.
Hydrogen production in Greece is expected to start in 2026. It will supply the company’s refinery and its lubricants division, LPC. Two more hydrogen stations are planned—in Akrata and at OSY’s Thriasio bus depot—with funding already secured.
Greece is also moving to integrate hydrogen vehicles into public transport. Through the EU-backed TRIERES programme, the Loutraki municipality and Olympia Odos will receive two hydrogen vehicles. OSY is expected to acquire 2–3 hydrogen buses initially, while a larger tender includes 50 hydrogen-powered buses out of 400.
“Motor Oil is leading the way in hydrogen mobility, cutting the ribbon on future transport solutions already in pilot use across Europe,” said AVIN Oil’s General Manager, Yiannis Raptakis.
Regulatory hurdles persist. Until recently, Greece lacked a legal framework for hydrogen stations, and hydrogen-powered vehicles still can’t be officially registered. Trials so far have used foreign-plated vehicles.
Hydrogen Europe CEO Georgios Hatzimarkakis sees strong growth potential, projecting up to 20 hydrogen stations in Greece as part of wider EU targets.
During last week in Paris, AEGEAN has been named the ‘Best Regional Airline in Europe’ at the prestigious World Airline Awards 2025 for the 14th consecutive year and 15th time overall in its 26 years of operation, highlighting the continuing trust and preference of the passengers, as recognised through the International Airline Rating Organization Survey.
AEGEAN has also been nominated 4th in the ranking for ‘Best Regional Airline in the World,’ while it is consistently listed among the ‘100 leading airlines worldwide.’
The award event was held on 17 June 2025 in the iconic Air and Space Museum at the Paris Air Show, where cabin crew and representatives of the company were present to receive this honorary distinction.
Pepi Stamati, AEGEAN’s Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer, commented: “We are particularly happy to have won the award for ‘Best Regional Airline in Europe’ for yet another year. A recognition that belongs to all the people of AEGEAN, who with consistency, professionalism and dedication offer a special travel experience to every passenger every day, with care and a smile. I would like to thank them warmly, as well as our passengers, who have trusted us and chosen us throughout the years. We remain committed to the continuous improvement of our services, so as to always meet the needs and expectations of our passengers.”
Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said: “AEGEAN Airlines’ repeated success in this category reflects the strong passenger appreciation for their product and service quality. Travellers continue to value the reliable operation, quality of onboard experience, and consistent service delivery.”
Last year, while navigating the chaos of traffic in Naples, our driver turned to me mid-conversation and said with conviction, “We have Greek roots, not Roman.” His words carried the voice of centuries, echoing the city’s ancient past.
Throughout its long history, Naples has been ruled by many powers, including ancient Greeks, Romans, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Norman kings, Spanish and French rulers, and southern Italian dynasties, before becoming part of a unified Italy in 1861. Situated in the Campania region, the city maintains connections to its Greek foundations.
The first Greek settlement in Naples, established in the late 8th century BCE, was known as Parthenope. According to mythology, Parthenope was the Siren who threw herself into the sea in sorrow and ended her life after failing to captivate Odysseus with her song. Legend says that her body washed ashore at the site where the earliest settlement would emerge, and the first settlement was named after her.
Parthenope, mythical siren.
Building upon this early foundation, Neapolis was formally established around the 6th century BCE by Greek settlers who had earlier founded the nearby colony of Cumae. Meaning “New City,” Neapolis was designed with an organised grid plan based on the principles of Hippodamus of Miletus, the renowned Greek urban planner.
Sibyl’s Cave, Cumae
Today, visitors walking through the historic centre and along Spaccanapoli, a narrow, straight street that runs through the old city, still follow street patterns laid out by the ancient Greeks. The indigenous Italic groups, including the Samnites and Campanians, inhabited the inland regions. They engaged with Greek settlers through trade, alliances, and periodic conflict, all of which shaped the region’s cultural identity.
The Campanian Greek Network
The Campania region in southern Italy was home to several important ancient Greek colonies, including Cumae and Poseidonia (present-day Paestum). These colonies were hubs of culture, commerce, and governance that promoted trade, helped spread Greek art and architecture, and encouraged the sharing of ideas.
Temple of Hera II in Paestum (Poseidonia)
Cumae, founded around the 8th century BCE by settlers from Euboea, was the first Greek colony on the Italian mainland and served as the gateway for Hellenic culture. Known for the Sibyl’s cave, it became both a spiritual and commercial centre. According to mythology, a priestess of Apollo delivered her prophecies from chambers within the cave, symbolising a gateway to the underworld and the connection between the mortal and the divine. Poseidonia, founded around the 7th century BCE by settlers from Sybaris (in modern-day Calabria), who originally came from Achaea, is renowned for its well-preserved Doric temples, which remain among the finest examples of Greek architecture anywhere.
Black-figure amphora from Cumae, late 4th c. BCERed-figure lekythos from Paestum (Poseidonia), 356–355 BCE
Campania became a region characterised by a cluster of Greek settlements that contributed to the cultural and economic development of southern Italy. Nearby Pozzuoli (ancient Dicaearchia) served as an important port linking Campania to broader Mediterranean trade routes.
Map of Ancient Campania
Together, these cities formed a trade network that sustained Campania’s prosperity by exporting both essential goods and luxury items to Greece, Sicily, and beyond. Naples, in particular, emerged as a vital maritime centre due to its strategic location and prominence as a cultural and commercial centre. This commercial activity grew further under Roman administration.
Tracing Greek cultural legacies
Unlike many cities of Magna Graecia conquered outright by Rome, Neapolis was captured by the Roman Republic in 327 BCE but then granted favourable treaty terms the following year in 326 BCE that preserved some degree of autonomy. Greek language, religious practices, and architectural forms remained prevalent, reflecting the continuity of Hellenic cultural traditions alongside Roman influences. During the early Christian and Byzantine periods, Greek-speaking communities remained active, maintaining links with the eastern Mediterranean that were crucial to the city’s evolving identity.
The Epicurean philosopher Philodemus of Gadara (from present-day Jordan) taught in Naples during the first century BCE, advocating for tranquillity through measured pleasure, friendship, and emotional understanding while making philosophy accessible to ordinary people. Philodemus’ writings, preserved in the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, show how Greek thought endured well into the Roman period.
The Roman poet Virgil spent time in Naples, drawn in part by the region’s rich Hellenic environment and the peaceful atmosphere it offered, away from the political turmoil of Rome, which provided a favourable setting for his literary work.
When the sophist Philostratus the Elder arrived in Naples from Lemnos in the early third century CE, he encountered a vibrant cultural life characterised by public recitations, artistic engagement, and the continued use of the Greek language. Captivated by the city’s Hellenic environment, he chose to remain and compose his Imagines, a literary work describing mythological paintings displayed locally.
Centuries later, Naples still retained its Greek identity. During the siege of 536 CE by the Byzantine general Belisarius, the historian Procopius described the inhabitants as “Hellenes.” Reflecting on this, historian Edward Gibbon argues that the city had preserved its Greek character well into the sixth century. From the Roman imperial period through to the early Byzantine era, Greek language and traditions remained integral to Neapolitan cultural life, reflecting the city’s origins as the Greek colony of Neapolis.
Uncovering the past
Modern archaeological research continues to shed light on Naples’ Greek heritage. Excavations beginning in 1976 beneath sites such as the Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore have uncovered both Roman and earlier Greek structures, including markets, shops, ovens, and streets. In recent years, there has been increasing interest within the city in integrating underground remains into the fabric of the contemporary urban environment.
The National Archaeological Museum of Naples holds an extensive collection of artefacts from Magna Graecia. Items such as painted vases, sculptures, tombs, funerary stelae, bronze tools, and domestic objects offer valuable insight into the beliefs, social structures, daily life, and cultural practices of ancient Greek communities in southern Italy.
The museum’s famous Alexander the Great Mosaic, dating to c. 120–100 BCE and discovered in the House of the Faun in Pompeii, depicts Alexander’s battle against Persian King Darius III during the Battle of Issus (333 BCE). The mosaic reflects how Greek history, figures, narratives, and artistic traditions continued to influence Roman culture during the late Republic.
Alexander the Great Mosaic, Naples Archaeological Museum.
Walking through Naples today—past animated doorways and expressive street life—visitors encounter something that might have felt familiar to ancient Greek settlers: the Mediterranean rhythm of public life. A significant number of Neapolitans express a strong sense of local identity that they consider distinct from broader Italian cultural and linguistic norms, reflecting the city’s unique multilayered historical and regional heritage.
The driver’s declaration, “We have Greek roots, not Roman,” reflects this enduring distinctiveness, a sentiment that seems to be shared by others in the region. It spoke to a truth archaeologists and historians continue to uncover: beneath Naples’ many layers lies the foundation of an ancient Greek past, still felt today.
Next week: We continue with Calabria, a region distinguished by its notable history in Magna Graecia. It was home to prominent Greek colonies such as Sybaris and Croton. Calabria is also known as the site where Pythagoras founded his school and philosophical community. Today, the Griko people of the area maintain a cultural connection to their Hellenic heritage.
*Dr Themistocles Kritikakos is a Greek-Australian historian, philosopher and writer. He holds a PhD in History from the University of Melbourne. His forthcoming book explores intergenerational memories of violence in the late Ottoman Empire, identity, and communal efforts toward genocide recognition, focusing on the Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian communities in Australia.
