Daily Archives: June 17, 2014

Yiannis Boutaris, mayor of Thessaloniki.

The recently re-elected mayor of Thessaloniki, Yiannis Boutaris, speaking on the Greek program of SBS radio, confirmed that he will visit Melbourne in November in order to celebrate with the Greek Australian community the 30th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Melbourne and Thessaloniki.

Yiannis Boutaris, the 72-year-old mayor of Greece’s second largest city, is a Greek businessman-winemaker – and environmentalist – who was elected mayor in 2010 running as a progressive independent. In 2012 he was chosen as ‘the best mayor of the world’ for the month of October, by the City Mayors Foundation, an organisation based in the United Kingdom.

Speaking on SBS radio, Yiannis Boutaris cited as his successes in his first term as mayor of Thessaloniki the financial management of the city, the improvement in waste collection including recycling, and the public recognition of many unrecognised until recently aspects of the history and the culture of his city.

Amongst others he stated that by acknowledging the Jewish and Muslim past of city’s history, Thessaloniki was able to welcome in 2013 approximately 200,000 tourist from Turkey and Israel.

The mayor of Thessaloniki stressed that his main priority in his second term will be to fight unemployment, by using European funds and by encouraging and supporting startup companies and new entrepreneurship.

The mayor of Thessaloniki will participate in November in the 30th anniversary celebration of the sister city relationship between Melbourne and Thessaloniki.

source: Neos Kosmos

Sergeant Jim Bellos adds OAM to his list of awards. Photo: Queensland Police.

A cardiothoracic surgeon, a rugby player and a shoe designer named in the Queen’s Birthday Awards.

Nine Greek Australians from all walks of life have been honoured in the Queen’s birthday awards.

Former Queensland speaker Jim Fouras, rugby powerhouse Nicholas Politis, cardiothoracic surgeon James Tatoulis and architect Alexander (Alec) Tzannes were all awarded as Members of the Order of Australia and will now have AM after their names.

Cardiothoracic surgeon and professor James Tatoulis was taken aback by the honour and says it was his best ever Queen’s birthday weekend.
“I’m very proud and chuffed I must say, and Monday was a very exciting day in the Tatoulis household,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

After 20 years as a surgeon, Professor Tatoulis has become the leading specialist for anything heart related and has headed the cardiothoracic surgery unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital since 1997. The people he treats might be different everyday, but one patient he won’t forget easily was his old Greek school teacher.

“Even though I was a reasonably good scholar at my regular school, I certainly did not enjoy Greek school, the usual thing was a twist of the ear and a slap across the face,” he remembers.

“I did get a slight bit of revenge because I ended up performing a heart operation on one of my Greek school teachers, later on.”
Joining the group of honours is Sergeant Jim Bellos, who was awarded with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM), another prize to add to his growing trophy cabinet.

He received the Australian Police Medal on Australia Day this year and was shortlisted for the Australian of the Year in 2013.
With so many awards in such a short time, it must be getting hard to properly display the lot.

“I don’t want to leave my awards at the police station because I’m modest, so all my awards, medals, trophies are now at my mum’s house in my old room,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

His mother -arguably his biggest fan – must be ecstatic to have the newest award in the collection.

Sergeant Bellos isn’t just about keeping the peace, he’s about fostering a good future for the very multicultural region he looks after. Asking him what he’s working on currently is a tough question.

In the next week, he’s organising a huge World Refugee Day sporting tournament. The event, started by Sergeant Bellos in 2008, is now hosted in 40 different countries and includes a wide variety of sport.

“This year we’ve actually got a tournament of a sport called kabaddi (a wrestling sport), which is like an Indian tiggy,” he says.

Also in the OAM list is dermatologist professor Katherine Evelyn Georgouras and footwear manufacturer John Karandonis.

Mr Karandonis started out in the late ’60s with his El Greco and Karandonis brand, eventually becoming known for his signature classic and high quality designs worldwide. He was asked by several European signature brands to manufacture men’s shoes for them under licence in Australia during the 1970s and 1980s.

Singled out for his service to the Greek community of Western Australia was Petros Vlachou.

Now an OAM, Mr Vlachou has been the trustee of the Hellenic Community of Western Australia since 2012 and has been a vital cog in the Greek Australian business community.

Former president of the Greek Australian Professional and Business Association of Western Australia and a HACCI award winner, he has contributed a great deal to the community.

Finishing the group is Christos Moraitis, who was awarded a public service medal for his work to Australia’s international affairs as Australia’s High Commissioner to Port Moresby and in senior legal and corporate roles at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

As the senior legal adviser to Australia’s head of mission in Port Moresby and head of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Corporate Management Division, Mr Moriatis has been integral in some of Australia’s biggest political decisions.

He has developed some of Australia’s international legal relationships with a wide range of other countries.

The Queens Birthday honours are awarded to “recognise, celebrate and say thank you to those who make a difference, those who achieve their best and those who serve others”.

source: Neos Kosmos

Η πτήση MH370 των Μαλαισιανών Αερογραμμών εξαφανίστηκε υπό μυστηριώδεις συνθήκες από τα ραντάρ πριν από 100 ημέρες, χωρίς να αφήσει κανένα ίχνος. Η είδηση προκάλεσε το παγκόσμιο ενδιαφέρον ενώ τα ερωτήματα που αφορούν στις συνθήκες τις εξαφάνισης, καθώς και στην τύχη των 239 επιβατών του αεροσκάφους, εξακολουθούν να παραμένουν αναπάντητα.

«Εκατό ήμερες μετά, η εξαφάνιση της πτήσης MH370 είναι ένας μεγάλος πόνος στην καρδιά όλων των Μαλαισιανών και όλου του κόσμου. Δεν μπορούμε και δεν πρόκειται να σταματήσουμε (τις έρευνες) μέχρι να εντοπιστεί», διαβεβαίωσε ο μαλαισιανός υπουργός Μεταφορών Χισαμουντίν Χουσέιν, υπογραμμίζοντας πως η χώρα του «δεν μπορεί και δεν πρόκειται να εγκαταλείψει» τις οικογένειες των επιβατών.

Παράλληλα, ο πρωθυπουργός της Μαλαισίας Νατζίμπ Ραζάκ έγραψε στον λογαριασμό του στο Twitter ότι η εκατοστή ημέρα από την εξαφάνιση του Boeing 777 είναι μια ημέρα μνήμης για «όλους όσοι βρίσκονταν στο αεροσκάφος και τις οικογένειες τους. Η Μαλαισία παραμένει δεσμευμένη στις προσπάθειες εντοπισμού» της πτήσης MH370.

Υπενθυμίζεται ότι το αεροσκάφος αναχώρησε στις 8 Μαρτίου από την Κουάλα Λουμπούρ με 239 επιβαίνοντες και προορισμό το Πεκίνο όταν, ωστόσο αφού για άγνωστους λόγους άλλαξε πορεία, και πιθανότατα έπεσε στον Ινδικό Ωκεανό. Μέχρι στιγμής, παρά τις ευρύτατες έρευνες, δεν έχει εντοπιστεί.

Πολλές οικογένειες των Κινέζων επιβατών του Μπόινγκ είναι πεπεισμένες ότι οι αρχές «κρύβουν κάτι», ενώ μέλη των οικογενειών των θυμάτων επικρίνουν σφοδρά την κυβέρνηση της Μαλαισίας για τον τρόπο που διαχειρίστηκε την κρίση.

Ο Στεφάν Ουάνγκ, 57 ετών, η μητέρα του οποίου επέβαινε στο Μπόινγκ, παραμένει επιφυλακτικός παρά τις ανακοινώσεις των μαλαισιανών αρχών: «Από την αρχή η Μαλαισία ισχυρίζεται ότι εργάζεται με ζήλο για να εντοπίσει το αεροσκάφος και τώρα είμαστε στο ίδιο σημείο όπως στην αρχή. Αν συνεχίσουν αυτή τη μέθοδο εργασίας, δεν υπάρχουν πολλές ελπίδες», κατήγγειλε.

Η εξαφάνιση του Μπόινγκ είναι ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα μυστήρια της πολιτικής αεροπορίας, ενώ πλέον οι πιθανότητες να εντοπιστεί στον ωκεανό οποιαδήποτε ένδειξη για τα αίτια του δυστυχήματος είναι απειροελάχιστες.

«Θέλουμε να βρεθεί το αεροσκάφος, θέλουμε να μάθουμε τι συνέβη», δήλωσε ο Σουμπραμάνιαν Γκουρουσάμι, ο 34χρονος γιος του οποίου επέβαινε σε αυτό.

Σε αυτό το σημείο αξίζει να σημειωθεί πως οι συγγενείς των επιβατών είναι διατεθειμένοι να δώσουν 5 εκατομμύρια δολάρια (3,7 εκατ. ευρώ) σε οποιονδήποτε διαθέτει πληροφορίες για την εξαφάνιση του Μπόινγκ.

Την Κυριακή, τέλος, περίπου 20 συγγενείς των επιβατών, που φορούσαν μπλουζάκια στα οποία είχαν γράψει «προσευχή για την πτήση MH370», προσευχήθηκαν μπροστά από ένα μνημείο που έχει δημιουργηθεί σε έναν βουδιστικό ναό στο Πεκίνο.

Πηγή: zougla.gr

Ένα απίστευτο παιχνίδι της μοίρας εκτυλίχτηκε το πρωί της Κυριακής στην εκκλησία του Αγ. Κοσμά στα Χανιά όπου μια ηλικιωμένη πνίγηκε από το αντίδωρο και ξεψύχησε στα σκαλιά του ναού.

Η άτυχη γυναίκα, σωριάστηκε στα σκαλιά και στην αρχή όλοι πίστεψαν ότι επρόκειτο για θάνατο από πτώση.

Μάλιστα το ιστορικό που εδόθη στον ιατροδικαστή Σταμάτη Μπελιβάνη που διενήργησε σήμερα το πρωί την  νεκροψία – νεκροτομή, ήταν ότι η άτυχη γυναίκα έπεσε από τα σκαλιά και αυτή η πτώση ίσως ήταν μοιραία για τη ζωή της.

Τελικά, όπως απέδειξε η νεκροψία του κ. Μπελιβάνη, το αντίδωρο ήταν αυτό που προκάλεσε απόφραξη των αεροφόρων οδών, δηλαδή πνιγμό που ήταν και η αιτία του θανάτου της.

Η άτυχη γυναίκα ήταν περίπου 90 ετών.

Πηγή: flashnews.gr

Ο Filipe Latu δεν πίστευε στα μάτια του με αυτό που είδε στη θάλασσα περιπολώντας τον κόλπο Smokehouse κοντά στο νησί Great Barrier στη Νέα Ζηλανδία.

Ο κομάντο των ειδικών δυνάμεων μόλις είχε εντοπίσει στο νερό έναν κορμό δέντρου πάνω στον οποίο καθόταν ένας σκύλος. Κανείς δεν γνωρίζει πόσε μέρες ήταν το ζώο εκεί ούτε πώς βρέθηκε στο σημείο.

Ο νεαρός πλησίασε με το σκάφος του το σκυλί και το προσέγγισε προσεκτικά, τυλίγοντά το με μια κουβέρτα. «Η διάσωση αυτή ήταν από τις πιο σημαντικές», λέει ο ίδιος και συμπληρώνει:

«Ο σκύλος ήταν φοβισμένος και παγωμένος, ενώ αμέσως κατάλαβε ότι θέλαμε το καλό του. Ειδοποίησα τις Αρχές και γύρισε μετά από κάποιες ώρες στο αφεντικό του. Ήταν καταδικασμένος αν δεν είχα περάσει από το σημείο»…

Πηγή: madata.gr

Thomas Mueller claimed a hat-trick as Germany opened their World Cup on Monday with a 4-0 rout of 10-man Portugal as Cristiano Ronaldo endured an afternoon to forget.

A decisive first-half saw Germany race into 3-0 lead as Mueller converted a penalty, then fired home their third on the stroke of half-time after a Mats Hummels header had also hit the target.

“It’s glorious to score three goals in a game like that,” said Mueller.

“When you are 1-0 up, you get a tail-wind and when we made it 2-0, that was a huge advantage. With the numerical advantage, the game was as good as won.”

Portugal played almost an hour with a man down after defender Pepe was red-carded for aiming a head-butt at Mueller after an altercation.

“I felt a fist in my face and what happened after that was nothing to do with me,” added Mueller.

World Player of the Year Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes of the Group G opener despite recent injuries, but the Portugal captain was powerless to prevent his side being over-run.

“We lost the game in the first-half,” said Portugal coach Paulo Bento.

“I think it’s better if I don’t say anything about the referee.”

The Portuguese suffered the same fate at Salvador’s Arena Fonte Nova as their Iberian neighbours Spain last Friday when the holders were routed 5-1 by the Dutch.

Germany continue their domination of Portugal by adding Brazil 2014 to their list of recent wins over Ronaldo’s side which includes the 2006 World Cup, plus the 2008 and 2012 European championships.

The result capped a remarkable day for Germany, in front of Chancellor Angela Merkel, just hours after news broke that ex-Formula One champion Michael Schumacher has come out of his lengthy coma.

Having declared himself ‘100 per cent fit’, Ronaldo lived up to his word with an early shot, then put Hugo Almeida into space, but the Germans were soon on top.

Sami Khedira fired wide after a loose pass from Rui Patricio with eight minutes gone at the start of a busy period for the Portugal goalkeeper.

When left-back Joao Pereira tugged back on Mario Goetze’s shirt, Serbian referee Milorad Mazic pointed straight to the spot.

Mueller, who scored five goals in the 2010 finals to claim both the Golden Boot and best young player award, planted his penalty in the bottom corner to open the German’s account on 12 minutes.

Bento was forced into an early substitution as Almeida pulled up with a muscle injury to make way for Eder.

Goetze then crashed a shot just wide of the post, just before the Germans went 2-0 up.

Toni Kroos swung in a corner and centre-back Hummels out-jumped Pepe to plant his header past Patricio on 32 minutes.

Portugal’s fortunes went from bad to worse on 37 minutes when the standing Pepe aimed a head-butt at the seated Mueller after a tussle to earn a straight red card.

Mueller had his revenge on the stroke of half-time when he chested down Kroos’ long pass and smashed his shot past Patricio as it finished 3-0 at the interval.

After the break, Portugal kept chipping away at the solid German defence, which had been a concern coming into Brazil.

But Portugal’s fortunes were summed up when one of Ronaldo’s trademark free-kicks cannoned off the German wall leaving the world’s best player with his head in his hands.

Having already lost injured midfielders Marco Reus and Lars Bender before arriving in Brazil, there were worrying scenes for Germany coach Joachim Loew when Hummels had to be helped off on 73 minutes.

Sampdoria’s 22-year-old Shkodran Mustafi, the son of Albanian immigrants, came on to win only his second cap.

Mueller wrapped up his hat-trick on 78 minutes in scrappy fashion in a goal-mouth scramble after Patricio had parried a shot.

source: smh.com.au