An Iranian drone crashed into the British RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus on Sunday, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has confirmed, as conflict across the Middle East intensifies.
The UK Ministry of Defence said a “suspected drone strike” caused minimal damage and no casualties, adding that families at the base would be temporarily relocated as a precaution.
“Our force protection in the region is at the highest level and the base has responded to defend our people,” the MoD said, later adding: “Our base and personnel continue to operate as normal protecting the safety of Britain and our interests.”
The Sovereign Base Areas Administration announced the “temporary dispersal of non-essential personnel,” stressing nearby civilian areas were unaffected.
“All other locations, workplaces, businesses and facilities will remain open as normal and there are no restrictions in place,” it said.
I talked with President @christodulides who briefed me on the single incident that occurred shortly after midnight involving an unmanned aerial vehicle targeting the British base in Akrotiri.
While the Republic of Cyprus was not the target, let me be clear: we stand…
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Cyprus was not the target but warned: “We stand collectively, firmly and unequivocally with our Member States in the face of any threat.”
The incident followed confirmation from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer that Britain had agreed to a US request to use UK bases for “defensive” purposes, while stressing the UK would “not join offensive action now.”
Iran has since launched missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region. UK Defence Secretary John Healey warned British personnel were at risk from “indiscriminate attacks,” though Cyprus itself was “not a target.”
One of the oldest Greek voices in Australia, The Greek Herald was always going to be part of this year’s Antipodes Festival on Lonsdale Street, but 2026 carries extra weight. The paper is marking 100 years.
A century in print is rare for any masthead in Australia – rarer still for an independent, multicultural newspaper sustained across generations of publishers, journalists and community supporters.
As crowds streamed through the 38th annual festival, publisher Dimitra Skalkos joined Bill Papastergiadis, President of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), on stage to celebrate the centenary.
Founded in 1926 as Panellenios Keryx, the broadsheet set out “to enlighten and educate” Greek migrants in their new homeland. A century on, that commitment to “truth, right and justice to all” still resonates with journalists around Australia, but is especially solid in Melbourne, home to one of the largest Greek communities in the diaspora and a city that has been central to the paper’s print and reporting presence.
It was born in an era when Greek migrants faced isolation, language barriers and economic hardship, becoming both a lifeline and a ledger of the diaspora’s early struggles and aspirations.
“We’ve documented the Greek Australian story of migration right through to today,” Ms Skalkos told the crowd. “We’re very proud of that milestone.”
Xenophon Castrisos (Castles), an aerial photographer with the Royal Australian Air Force, reads The Greek Herald (formerly the Hellenic Herald).
Over 550,000 pages published since 1926 have chronicled that journey – from early migrant notices and wartime correspondence to political debates, cultural milestones and modern diaspora life.
Few diaspora publications anywhere in the world can claim an uninterrupted 100-year publishing history – fewer still while transitioning from hot-metal print to a modern digital newsroom serving readers across Australia, Greece and beyond.
With International Women’s Day approaching, Ms Skalkos’ appearance carried symbolism. In the early decades of the GCM, women did not have voting rights until the Seventies, 50 years after The Greek Herald was created. Today, half the GCM board are women. A female publisher would once have been unthinkable; now Ms Skalkos leads the country’s largest Greek newspaper and the only diaspora masthead with daily Greek print editions into its second century.
Dimitra Skalkos (second from left) with members of The Greek Herald’s team at Antipodes Festival 2024 – Bill Roumeliotis (left), Mary Sinanidis (second from right) and Andriana Simos (right).
The centenary therefore marks not only institutional endurance, but the evolution of the community itself – from migrant survival to multigenerational leadership.
The parallels between the rise of Antipodes and the stewardship of the paper reflect how closely the masthead has been woven into the cultural fabric of Melbourne’s Hellenic community.
Over five decades, as the festival evolved into a two-day cultural institution, the paper expanded alongside it, chronicling migration, community milestones, politics and pride.
“A hundred years is an extraordinary achievement,” Papastergiadis said on stage. “Institutions like this don’t just report history, they help create it.”
From a broadsheet with a single English page to a major digital platform launched in 2019, The Greek Herald has bridged languages and generations. At Antipodes, it continued its long-standing role within the festival, reporting from backstage and covering the arrival of political leaders while working with the GCM to highlight the Greek community and Australia’s multicultural story across print and digital platforms.
At Antipodes, The Greek Herald has continued its long-standing role within the festival.
The official centenary year will culminate in a national commemoration, accompanied by archival projects and a landmark edition honouring the generations who sustained the publication.
More celebrations are planned for May. “We’re preparing something special,” Ms Skalkos said. “Stay tuned.”
One hundred years on, the masthead that once connected new arrivals now connects generations.
A century after its first edition, The Greek Herald remains both witness and participant, chronicling the Greek Australian story while standing firmly within it. On Lonsdale Street, amid the music and moussaka, that legacy felt very much alive.
St Basil’s Homes for the Aged has provided an update on WorkSafe Victoria court proceedings linked to the COVID-19 outbreak at its Victorian aged care facility in 2020.
The proceedings stem from the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak at the Fawkner facility in July 2020. The first confirmed case was recorded on July 9, and within days, widespread infection was identified after all residents and staff were tested.
In the weeks that followed, 45 residents died from COVID-19-related complications, prompting investigations by health and workplace safety authorities.
WorkSafe originally brought nine charges under workplace safety laws. After extended discussions between the two parties, the matter was resolved without going to trial. St Basil’s agreed to plead guilty to one charge only, while the remaining eight charges were withdrawn.
The single charge relates to whether specialised training and instruction on how to correctly put on and remove personal protective equipment (PPE) was adequately provided to five staff members during the relevant period in 2020. At the time, St Basil’s employed around 110 staff in total.
The case appeared in court today, where the guilty plea was formally entered. Sentencing has been scheduled for later this month.
In a statement, St Basil’s said the organisation has undergone “a complete renewal of Board oversight and senior management,” with governance and day-to-day operations now significantly different from those in place in 2020.
The deaths continue to be examined through ongoing coronial processes.
At the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) stall at the Antipodes Festival on Lonsdale Street, tiny crosses, Greek flag bucket hats and blue-and-white dog bandanas were selling fast. The handiwork of Elena Tsapatolis, she used the festival weekend as a soft launch for her not-yet-online business.
Despite not being off the ground yet, she decided that profits would go to Heidi, who underwent surgery for stage 4 endometriosis on the festival’s opening day (February 28). With the life-saving surgery done, Heidi now faces more procedures ahead.
Elena doesn’t even know Heidi personally, however she wanted to help.
“My friend Roma Siachos, who is active in the community, told me about Heidi, and I just wanted to help,” she said. “Isn’t that what we do? Philotimo. Isn’t that what the Greek community is all about?”
Devoted to her dogs, Elena began crafting Grecian-inspired bandanas and expanded into bucket hats and crosses for the fundraiser. Every cent went to a woman she’s never met.
Elena says that the products were so well-received that she is now considering her business launch and possibly creating an online business. Meanwhile, she is selling her bucket hats, crosses and dog bandanas by request at 26konk@gmail.com.
Alexander James Vadeikis, 21, of Benowa, has pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle during an unlawful street race in Southport on 22 March 2024.
Police dropped an allegation that his driving contributed to the death of pedestrian Daimler Kyle Hipolito Bermudo, 21, who was struck moments after the race by Vadeikis’ friend David Saji Mathew.
In court, police prosecutor Rodney Keyte noted Vadeikis only raced Mathew for about 70 metres before desisting and played no role in the fatal collision.
Daimler Kyle Hipolito Bermudo.
Defence counsel Ruth O’Gorman KC said Vadeikis “witnessed the fatality,” returned to the scene, and remained while emergency services were called.
Vadeikis, a Griffith University psychology student with no prior criminal record, has undergone 46 therapy sessions and completed the Queensland Traffic Offenders Program.
Magistrate Joan White fined him $1,500 and disqualified him from driving for six months, with no conviction recorded.
The Bermudo family expressed deep disappointment with the outcome, saying, “Street racing is not harmless… Kyle was only 21. We live with a life sentence of grief every single day.”
On Lonsdale Street, beneath a sea of blue-and-white flags, souvlaki smoke and bouzouki rhythms, politics took centre stage at the Antipodes Festival.
By lunchtime on Saturday, Senator Jane Hume was already on stage, sharing stories of her travels to Greece and her connection to Melbourne’s Greek community. She recounted conversations with her partner Nick, bringing a light-hearted personal touch to the proceedings.
Later that afternoon, state ministers arrived, marking a first for the festival: Labor ministers attended on Saturday, Liberals on Sunday. The Labor team, true to festival form, wandered the stalls, chatted with stallholders, and sampled the food. Premier Jacinta Allan, who came down from Bendigo with her son, paused at Oasis for a Greek coffee; the Premier choosing the traditional brew, her son opting for decaf.
“I’ve never visited Greece,” Allan told The Greek Herald, “but it’s firmly on my bucket list. For now, Antipodes is the closest I get, a living slice of Hellenism in the heart of Melbourne.”
The Labor team, true to festival form, wandered the stalls. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
A bold cultural statement
At the festival launch, Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) President Bill Papastergiadis acknowledged the crucial role of government and community support.
“Without the state government, we cannot do this festival,” he said. “It takes policy, partnership, and passion to make it happen.”
Bill Papastergiadis.
He told The Greek Herald, “Our festival brings out the best in Melbourne. Culture and hospitality are our main attractions, with families enjoying an experience that is largely not replicated in the global Hellenic diaspora. We are grateful for government and community support and appreciate the tireless efforts of our volunteers. Unforgettable memories are made and our festival facilitates this. Our festival represents the best of our vibrant multicultural framework.”
(L-R) Marinis Pirpiris, John Loukadellis, Bill Papastergiadis and Nick Hatzistergos.
Papastergiadis also paid tribute to a long-time benefactor who appeared on stage and was honoured for his contribution: “We appreciate the generous contribution of Andreas Andrianopoulos over many years and we thank him. Honouring Andreas Andrianopoulos, benefactor, with the Premier of Victoria and our Board of Management at the Antipodes Festival, his contribution to our community has been significant and inspiring.”
Andreas Andrianopoulos was recognised.
Allan took the podium to applause, celebrating generations of Greek contribution to Victoria.
“Melbourne is Greece’s third-largest city after Athens and Thessaloniki,” she said. Drawing particular cheers, she added: “The Parthenon Marbles belong to Greece. They were taken. They are not souvenirs. They are part of Greece’s living story, and it’s time they are returned.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan.
Speaking Greek to the heart
Following Allan, Greek Consul-General Dimitra Georgantzoglou delivered a speech largely in Greek, emphasising the importance of language and heritage. This year’s festival coincided with UNESCO’s World Greek Language Day, and she highlighted the role of the diaspora in keeping culture alive abroad.
“The Greek community in Melbourne is a vital part of the broader Hellenic world,” she said. “Our culture is carried with pride. This festival strengthens ties with Greece, culturally and through tourism and initiatives.”
It was her second festival as Consul-General, and her ease on stage drew warm applause and cries of “Zito!” from the crowd.
Consul General of Greece in Melbourne Dimitra Georgantzoglou.
Archimandrite Kyriakos reflected on faith as the anchor of Hellenism overseas. “Culture without faith loses depth. Identity without virtue is hollow,” he said, framing the Church as the guardian of language, identity, and community.
Tourism and Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos opened briefly in Greek, invoking philoxenia, hospitality, as the essence of the festival. MPs including Ingrid Stitt, Kat Theophanous, Lee Tarlamis, and Nina Taylor joined the stage, sharing a moment of bipartisan presence under Melbourne’s Greek flags.
Steve Dimopoulos.Bill Papastergiadis with Steve Dimopoulos.Dimitra Skalkos with Steve Dimopoulos.
Bank of Sydney backs community at Antipodes
Earlier in the day, Nikolas Hatzistergos, Chairman of Bank of Sydney, was welcomed on stage by Papastergiadis. They were joined by Publisher of The Greek Herald, Dimitra Skalkos, who spoke warmly about the newspaper’s centenary celebrations this year.
As a Major Sponsor of the Antipodes Festival, Bank of Sydney used the moment to reaffirm its long-standing connection to the community. Mr Hatzistergos said the bank’s presence at Antipodes was about “showing up, staying connected, and supporting the community we are a part of and serve.”
(L-R) President of the Greek Community of Melbourne Bill Papastergiadis and Bank of Sydney Chairman, Nikolas Hatzistergos.
“Many of our customers, staff and partners are part of the Greek Australian and broader multicultural community,” he said.
“Sponsoring the festival is our way of giving back, supporting community organisations and local businesses, and celebrating the contribution these communities make to Australia.”
Senator Hume added a lighter touch
Senator Hume appeared on stage earlier at lunchtime, recalling her first trip to Greece at 21 on a Contiki tour. “Not sure it was full cultural immersion,” she laughed, “but the second trip with my Greek partner Nick? That was real Greece.”
Senator Jane Hume appeared on stage earlier at lunchtime.
Her highlights included Athens, Duran Duran in 40-degree heat, and island hopping across Milos, Mykonos, Santorini, Naxos, and Paros. “I’d go back every year,” she said. “Nick wants me to go back every year!”
On policy, Humes was equally direct about the importance of the Greek community: “It’s such an important community. Until I was immersed in a Greek family, I didn’t fully understand the depth of the culture, or that you could put octopus on just about anything!”
Democracy in the streets
In a city where politics often feels combative, Antipodes offered a rare tableau: leaders from across the spectrum showing up, sharing coffee, speaking Greek, and backing the festival with both words and presence.
On Lonsdale Street, democracy felt less like debate and more like dialogue, perfectly in keeping with a festival rooted in the culture that gave the world the word.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
Former MasterChef judge George Calombaris is set to launch his first Adelaide restaurant, teaming up with longtime friend and restaurateur George Kasimatis.
The pair are understood to be planning a new eatery at developer Pep Rocca’s $95 million Orta apartments project on the corner of The Parade and Osmond Terrace in Norwood, due to open later this year.
Calombaris revealed the news during The Garden Feast event at the Garden of Unearthly Delights as part of the Adelaide Fringe.
The announcement follows a busy period for Calombaris, who recently launched a one-month pop-up, Auto Greek, at the Ovolo hotel in South Yarra and earlier this month revealed plans to open his first new Melbourne restaurant in three years.
He also sold Melbourne’s Hellenic House Project in February and is currently creative director of Harbour Hospitality & Lifestyle, the group behind Sydney’s Kurrajong Hotel.
Calombaris, a MasterChef judge from 2009 to 2019, saw his restaurant group collapse in 2019 after it repaid $7.8 million and was fined $200,000 for underpaying more than 500 staff.
Reflecting on the fallout, he said: “The most hurtful part of what I went through was being tagged a thief. There’s nothing worse than a human having the intent to steal from someone, that is just disgusting for me and it’s values my father, – he would be turning (in) his grave.”
“If anything, my parents … they taught values of generosity. You come to my house, I feed you. I see you on the street, I help you, that’s something that I instil into my kids every single day.”
Greece is exploring a possible ban on burqas in schools and public spaces, joining a growing number of European countries that have restricted full-face coverings.
Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris told Ta Nea he is “positively inclined” toward a ban, arguing the burqa “clearly offends women’s and human dignity.”
Officials say discussions are at an early stage, with schools, where minors are involved, among the settings under consideration. Public services and transport are also being examined for potential restrictions.
Any move will depend on a demonstrated need, as burqas are not widespread in Greece. Islamic headscarves are excluded, except in cases of coercion involving minors.
The government is reviewing Greece’s legal framework alongside European examples and European Court of Human Rights rulings, which allow member states to impose limits on face coverings in the interests of social coexistence or where minors are concerned.
The issue has been raised before, including last June at Greek universities.
Across Europe, France was the first to ban full-face coverings in public in 2011, followed by Belgium and Austria.
Denmark has extended its 2018 ban to consider schools and universities, Switzerland approved a nationwide ban via referendum, and Portugal enacted similar legislation at the end of 2025.
Convicted Snowtown killer James Spyridon Vlassakis can lawfully seek parole again in 160 days, with a new application possible from August 5, as a legal battle between South Australian government agencies over his release intensifies.
The state government and the Parole Board have asked the Supreme Court to fast-track their dispute to the Court of Appeal, arguing the matter must be resolved before Vlassakis becomes eligible to reapply.
The hearing proceeded without Vlassakis or legal representation, and the court was told he “may not even be aware the hearing was occurring.”
Vlassakis, 45, pleaded guilty to four murders in the 1990s “Bodies in the Barrels” killings and gave evidence against his co-offenders. He received a 26-year non-parole period and a permanent identity suppression order.
In August 2025, the Parole Board approved his release, a decision believed to have made South Australia the only jurisdiction worldwide to grant parole to a convicted serial killer.
The state challenged the ruling and, after a closed hearing, Parole Administrative Review Commissioner Michael David KC overturned it, saying the Board had “underestimated the gravity” of the crimes.
He described them as “evilly premeditated, violent, gross” and “disgustingly unusual,” finding Vlassakis would pose a community risk if released.
The Board has appealed, alleging it was denied “procedural fairness” after being told it was “not to attend” and “was not to participate in the review proceedings.”
It argues Mr David “substituted his view” of the crimes and “provided no reason, cogent or otherwise” as to why Vlassakis remained a threat.
Justice Katrina Bochner has referred the case to the Court of Appeal, with the matter adjourned until March to set a hearing date.
If you want to understand the Antipodes Festival, you need to accept one thing: you will miss something. That’s the paradox, and fittingly, that’s a Greek word.
Some might call the sheer volume of it a hyperbole, another Greek word. But with more than 500 performers, over 100 stalls, upwards of 90 hours of live entertainment and three jam-packed stages stretching along Lonsdale Street between Swanston and Exhibition, the 38th Antipodes Festival didn’t just transform Melbourne’s CBD into the beating heart of Hellenism; it spilled into surrounding streets, where Greek could be heard in every direction, all the way to Flinders Street Station.
There were over 100 stalls at this year’s Antipodes Festival. Photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis / Bill Roumeliotis.
The street breathes Greek
Victoria Police estimates put attendance across the weekend at about 145,000 people.
Wide crowd shots captured Lonsdale Street heaving: families, teenagers wrapped in blue-and-white flags, yiayiades staking out chairs near the Bank of Sydney Main Stage, toddlers perched on shoulders. The energy was generational. The pride unmistakable.
Wide crowd shots captured Lonsdale Street heaving.
As they do every year, the Greek language teachers from the Greek Community of Melbourne Schools (GCM) moved straight from their stall to the front of the stage, principal Maria Bakalidou leading the dancing, word-perfect to every lyric sung by Ioulia Karapataki.
“This is the best one yet,” said teacher Mary Lefteriotis.
I felt a flicker of déjà vu. Hadn’t we heard the same words during singer Rena Morfi’s performance last year? But this time it genuinely felt tighter, more electric.
Ioulia Karapataki had people dancing all night.
Claiming the night
“Are you coming to Konstantina Touni tomorrow?” author Despina Merambeliotis asked at the cocktail party, which I eventually reached after navigating near standstill crowds around the main stage, half an hour just to cross the road.
As we spoke, the AA Holdings stage morphed into something closer to a nightclub, the younger generation claiming its version of Hellenism under city lights. Flags waved. Phones glowed. Lyrics were shouted back at the stage, pulsating with strobe lights and music by Nico Entertainment.
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Ancient Spartans roamed the street. Carnival rides spun overhead. A Greek Silent Disco Tour wove through the crowd. ‘Flavours of Greece’ cooking demonstrations, supported by The Greek Herald, unfolded at the #LoveLoveLonsdale stage. Nearby, Phlavour drew food lovers. And somewhere, always, someone was dancing.
‘Flavours of Greece’ cooking demonstrations were supported by The Greek Herald.
Zorba, DNA and endurance
At the AA Holdings stage, presenter Roula Krikellis hyped the crowd for “Zorba ‘Til You Drop,” where the last dancer standing wins flights to Greece.
Zorba ‘Til You Drop.
“I didn’t train. It’s in my blood. Strength,” said fifteen-year-old Dimitris.
“DNA,” Roula shot back. “It’s in the blood.”
He then danced his way across the festival to the main stage, for hours on end.
Winner of Zorba ‘Til You Drop.
That spirit of endless movement echoed across the 48 traditional dance troupes who travelled from around Australia — in youth performances, in families cheering from the sidelines.
48 traditional dance troupes travelled from around Australia to perform at Antipodes.
Love stories between the stalls
At the Society of Kalamata 23rd March stall, Zoe Kyriakopoulou laughed about her Irish husband’s transformation from Christopher to Christos.
“If you can’t marry Greek, bring them to the festival and see how they go,” Sophia Mandouka added.
Tony Mandoukos nodded. “Messinia Receptions. That’s how we met. The rest is history.”
Love was evident too at Agapi Care, where each child spun for a prize and left clutching an oversized toy, all free.
“For us, the festival is more than exposure,” said CEO Mary Gakopoulos. “It’s a chance for our clients to volunteer, participate, really belong.”
There were plenty of stories at the stalls this year.
Visibility builds trust
Next door, the Hellenic Victorian Police Association reinforced its focus on community connection.
“We’re doing all we can to remove barriers,” said Senior Sergeant Steve Spyrou.
“Everyone is welcome,” added recruitment HR representative Anastasia Kourvelos.
“Visibility builds trust,” they said.
Planting the seeds for language
But beyond exposure and economics lies a deeper question: can a festival strengthen the Greek language itself?
Dr Stavroula Nikoloudi, head of La Trobe University’s Greek Language Program, believes it can.
“What they do is create visibility. They celebrate the language publicly. They make people proud,” she said. “It’s about planting seeds.”
What stands out most to her is continuity. Students grow up. They return as teachers, colleagues, mentors.
“It reflects commitment not just to the language, but to community,” she said.
Greek culture for the next generation was a focus of the festival.
Continuity in motion
At the Cypriot Youth Group of the Northern Suburbs stall, members aged 13 to 28 promoted their growing presence.
“We started with a trip to the snow,” said President Harris Peyiotios. “Then tavern nights. A food and wine festival.”
Younger generations made it clear: Greek in Australia is not static. It evolves. And here, it is vibrantly alive.
You cannot see everything at Antipodes. You cannot attend every performance, visit every stall, taste every dish, hear every speech. You will miss something.
