Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Wednesday that the Greek government would provide one week of free holidays next spring or autumn on the island of Rhodes to those whose vacations were cut short due to the wildfires.
Speaking during an interview on the British television network ITV’s show “Good Morning Britain,” Mitsotakis assured that Rhodes is now fully operational and more welcoming than ever.
Talking about the wildfires, he also emphasised that “no lives were lost in Rhodes, no injuries reported, we managed to evacuate 20,000 people very, very safely.”
Rhodes is perfectly safe and back to normal. As we have demonstrated, we place a great emphasis on safety. There are no active wildfires as we speak, and today the island is more welcoming than ever. pic.twitter.com/Zk1jQreRbJ
“We understand that this caused some inconvenience for visitors but I am happy to report that Rhodes today is more welcoming than ever, the island is back to normal,” he added.
“For all those whose holidays were cut short by the wildfires, the Greek government in cooperation with the local authorities will offer one week of free holidays on Rhodes next spring and next fall, so that we make sure that they come back to the island and that they enjoy its natural beauty.”
Stressing that Greece is an absolutely safe destination, Mitsotakis invited Britons that have not yet decided where they will go for their holidays to choose Greece and Rhodes, while pointing out that fires were a problem throughout the Mediterranean, not just in Greece.
Kianna Magelaki’s clothing gravitates towards global superstars like Paris Hilton and Becky G. But what is it about her clothes that are so encapsulating?
It’s their simplicity, classic silhouettes, and effortlessness – everything that makes a piece of clothing timeless.
In an interview with The Greek Herald, the Melbourne fashion designer says the simple aura of her clothes reflects the “carefree” nature of her early childhood upbringing on the Greek island of Crete.
“I was just this little baby living on this island, and it was carefree,” Kianna says with a nostalgic tone.
“I had a very, very simple life. Going to the beach every day. It was very different from here [Australia].”
Kianna Magelaki grew up in Crete.
Kianna was born in Australia but soon after moved to Crete with her mother where she spent her formative years around her “creative family.”
She has memories of her yiayia in Crete making rugs with old machinery and her pappou selling fabric at the markets. Her aunties would make clothes and manufacture for other businesses too.
And although fabrics and fashion were a recurring thread in Kianna’s life, the designer describes her fashion label KIANNA as something she “never knew” would happen to her. Instead, her passion would develop later in her teen years.
“I had a lot of aunties around me manufacturing but they never physically told me ‘Kianna, draw and design’,” she says.
“It was just over time, watching my yiayia sew from a young age – I guess it was instilled in me at some point.”
Kianna with her yiayia.
Looking back, she says it is interesting to realise she came from a family who were involved in fashion in different ways than she is now.
“It sort of rubbed off on me,” she chuckles.
But Kianna’s first days of designing and creating fashion in high school weren’t always easy.
“I was very bad at everything. I didn’t know how to sew. I didn’t know how to draw,” she explains.
“During those two years in high school I just really, really tried to make an effort to get better.”
She recalls being rejected and struggling to align with fashion companies after graduating from RMIT University in Melbourne with a Bachelor of Fashion Design.
The Melburnian says even in design school she felt “less creative than everyone” but despite this, she knew her strength in fashion was tied to her analytical approach. This approach, compounded by the desire to create a fashion vision of her own, would ultimately lead Kianna to where she is today.
After two inspiring trips to New York in the United States, the young Greek Australian took the leap of faith and decided to do her “own thing.”
“I wanted to work for myself,” she says.
More importantly, Kianna wanted to rectify the mistakes she saw other labels make.
“For me, it’s more than just design. It is about working side by side with my consumer… understanding what it is that they’re wanting,” she explains.
Towards the end of 2017, Kianna began to design, source, manufacture and promote a collection that would be distributed across boutiques by August 2018. She established her first collection whilst working full-time as a stylist on the famous Australian television show Neighbours.
KIANNA clothing.
How and where did she get the stamina to do this? Well, to no surprise, she says it’s all related to her Greek roots.
“You know when I moved here from Greece, I was bullied because I couldn’t speak English. I had to learn to fight back and I think that taught me resilience,” she says.
“It taught me how to just keep pushing forward.”
Kianna’s strong Greek mum, who was a single mother at the beginning of her childhood, has also been a “huge influence” on the designer’s life. She says she watched her mum always work hard and it is something that has inspired her.
For Kianna, her fashion label KIANNA is a true reflection of her strong, ambitious personality.
“A lot of people tend to think Greeks have quite a strong personality and I think that’s something I do believe,” she says. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
At least two Australians of Greek heritage are among this years 55 finalists in the 2023 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
Professor Michael Kassiou has been named finalist in the Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science and Innovation, whilst Professor Maria Forsyth is a finalist in the University of Technology Sydney Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers.
Professor Kassiou is driving new approaches to drug discovery for challenging health conditions such as brain disorders and cardiovascular disease. Combining medicinal chemistry, disease biology and advanced imaging, his discoveries have been commercialised by three start-ups. As a leader and mentor, he also fosters the next generation of medical innovators.
Professor Maria Forsyth is committed to developing Australia’s capability in materials science and engineering through mentoring students, postdoctoral fellows and early career researchers. She has been pivotal in integrating her mentees into academic and applied research organisations around the world, and recognises them as future educators, problem solvers and leaders.
Professor Maria Forsyth.
Finalists represent almost every state and territory around Australia, vying for recognition across four categories, Research and Innovation, Leadership, Science Engagement, and School Science.
The AM Eureka Prizes offer $180,000 in total prize money across a diverse spectrum of science, from environmental sustainability to cutting-edge technology, citizen science initiatives, leadership, and mentoring.
The AM Eureka Prizes winners will be announced on Wednesday, 23 August, at a ceremony held at the Australian Museum. A livestream of the awards will also be available online. Register for the livestream at australian.museum/eurekaprizes.
Kat Theophanous MP has made a statement in Victorian Parliament today on the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
In her statement, the Member for Northcote stressed that it has been 49 years since Turkey invaded Cyprus “illegally occupying 36 per cent of the island, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.”
“I am proudly Cypriot Australian, and this year, along with eight other Hellenic Australian parliamentarians, we passed a resolution at the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association’s general assembly,” she began.
“Together we condemned the illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkey, which contravenes international law and UN resolutions, and we called for the right of return for Cypriot refugees to their ancestral homelands. The resolution appeals to all parliaments, including this one, to fully support the UN-led efforts for a peaceful, just and viable Cyprus settlement.”
Turkish invasion of Cyprus has been condemned by Kat Theophanous MP.
Ms Theophanous then continued to provide a history of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and stressed that “Nicosia remains the world’s largest divided capital.”
“In the mountains north, a giant Turkish flag is scorched into the earth by the invaders, lit up at night as an ongoing reminder to Greek Cypriots of the injustice and horror wrought by Turkey on this island,” she said.
“To the north-east is my mother’s village of Asha – we do not go back there. It is occupied by Turkish military, who rounded up the Greek civilians, executed them and dumped their bodies into mass graves.”
The MP completed her statement by calling for a just solution to the Cyprus issue.
“The international community has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus and a peaceful resolution – a chillingly similar scenario to Ukraine now. I stand in solidarity with them,” she said.
A Year 8 student from St Euphemia College in the Sydney suburb of Bankstown has won the local area finals for the Legacy Junior Public Speaking competition.
Students Irini and Evangelia both competed in the local area finals at Al Sadiq College on Tuesday, August 1.
Both students impressed the judges with their unique and inspiring speeches titled, ‘Invisible Disabilities’ and ‘The Sweetness of Social Media.’
In the end, Evangelia took out the final and she will now be going through to the regional finals.
In a post on Facebook, the Greek Orthodox school congratulated the students for their successful endeavours.
British-Australian pop singer Peter Andre is currently in talks with producers to have a biopic made about his life.
In an announcement on his Instagram, Peter said that he was looking forward to embarking on this journey, where viewers would be able to look through a lens into his life.
Born to parents of Greek Cypriot descent, Andre first became famous after he secured a recording deal live on air during the Australian talent show New Faces. He then moved to the United Kingdom to launch his singing and reality TV career.
Whilst not much information has been revealed about the biopic, there has been talk that the film will focus on Andre’s struggles with mental health and his upbringing.
A fan wrote that the biopic will teach, inspire and empower people who are also struggling with personal battles.
A recent study conducted by the American Study for Nutrition has revealed that adding olive oil to your meals can help boost your heart and cognitive function.
During the study, researchers found that the natural antioxidants which are passed through the blood system, can directly impact the brain and can lower the risk of dementia.
Photo: Healthline
According to the report, people who opted for half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia in comparison to those who rarely consumed the natural product.
With olive oil being the main component for the Mediterranean diet, the study indicated a positive impact on the brain, heart and bones.
After 40 years, efforts are being made to restore The Holy Church of Agios Nicholas Rangavas in Athens.
Once part of the Rangavas family palace at the foot of the Acropolis, the church was previously a private chapel but eventually became a parish church.
Inside the church.
Over time, the 11th century church has been impacted by the passage of time, with increased humidity and candle soot causing wear and tear to the church’s wall paintings.
The Greek Ministry of Culture has said that the 2 million euro restoration project will aim to preserve the church and its significance for future generations.
Greece’s government is planning tougher penalties for arson after recent deadly wildfires devastated the Greek island of Rhodes.
Greek Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said the government planned to increase fines for arson or due to negligent behaviour up to 10 times the current level.
Greek Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias.
“The next fire season will find us in a different position. It’s not just the penalties — the fines will increase tenfold — but we need a… change in mentality,” the Greek Minister said in an interview on Monday.
The changes will be formally announced next month.
Greece battled 10 major wildfires last month, including blazes outside Athens and on the island of Rhodes, during three successive heat waves.
