Daily Archives: October 23, 2014

John Lazarou with Miss World Australia on the night of the Coffee Club Telethon Ball.

Greek Australians from Queensland dug deep to raise much needed funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Generous Queenslanders dug deep into their pockets, helping raise over $9.2 million for the Children’s Hospital Foundation in the inaugural Channel Nine Children’s Hospital Telethon held in Brisbane last Saturday night.

Funds raised will go directly to the new Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, which will be the largest children’s hospital and research precinct in the southern hemisphere, set to open on November 20.

The telethon was the first of its kind to take place in Brisbane in over 20 years, thanks to the persistence of John Lazarou, public relations director of franchise chain The Coffee Club.

The Coffee Club Telethon Ball also took place on the night at the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre, raising just under $180,000 for the charity.

The Coffee Club has been raising money for the Children’s Hospital Foundation for the past 20 years, having raised over $8 million in total.

source: Neos Kosmos

Disgruntled ex-husband has lost his bid in court to reap half of his former wife’s $6 million lotto winnings that she won six months after their split.

A Sydney Greek woman who won $6 million on lotto six months after splitting from her husband of 20 years has fought off his court bid to claim half.

The lucky gambler – who bought the winning ticket using her sister’s playing card with their late dad’s lucky word on it – pocketed $5 million and gave her sibling $1 million.

The man has lost his legal bid for a share of his ex-wife’s $6 million lotto win after an appeal court found the ticket was bought when the pair were leading separate lives.

In the second round of a court battle stretching over more than two years, a three-judge bench of the Family Court this month rejected the man’s claim to a share of the spoils.

The couple, who have been given the pseudonyms of Mr and Mrs Eufrosin to protect their identities, were married for 20 years before they separated in July 2008.

The woman started buying weekly lotto tickets before the marriage and bought the winning ticket six months after the separation, while she was on a holiday.

She gave her sister $1 million because they had discussed sharing any win and her sister had given her money each week.

A single judge of the Family Court rejected Mr Eufrosin’s claim of a share of her $5 million portion of the winnings in May last year.

The court heard the woman had been particularly worried about her future after the split with her husband in 2008, and her sister had started giving her $20 or $50 a week to help her financially.

The woman and her sister discussed their late father, who’d regularly bought gambling tickets, which he named his ‘tihi’, Greek for ‘luck’.

The sister had a player’s card with the word on it, and urged the ex-wife to use it each week, promising to give her some money toward the cost.

Justice Stevenson concluded that Mr Eufrosin had made “no contribution” to the money his wife used to buy the winning ticket in early 2009.

Mr Eufrosin appealed against the decision to the full bench of the Family Court.

The three-judge bench – Justices Stephen Thackray, Peter Murphy and Murray Aldridge – dismissed his appeal.

They ordered the husband to pay the wife’s costs.

source: Neos Kosmos

O Hephaestus at the Vogue Ballroom. Back row (L-R): Peter Triantaflaros, Nikos Kambouris, Malama Varvara – president, Lee Tarlamis MP, Antonia Bendoulis, Nikos Sidirelis. Front row (L-R): Christina Despoteris, Bill Georgantis, Mary Kalogeras, Harry Constandara.

Over 300 Lemnians attended the Vogue Ballroom on Saturday 11 October to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Lemnian Community of Victoria. The members of O Hephaestus, which happens to be one of the first and most active Greek communities in Australia, managed to gather the respectable amount of $8,010 – money which will be donated to Thalassaemia Australia. Christina Despoteris was the host for the evening, while president Malama Varvara welcomed guests with a short but emotional brief regarding the history of the organisation. Mr Lee Tarlamis MP highlighted the organisation’s struggle throughout the years, to preserve the traditions and the legacy of Lemnos, showing great resilience and creativity.

The Lemnians were in fact among the first Greeks who arrived in Australia in the mid-19th century. It is said that Costantis Makras, who fought for Greek independence, gave his two sailing vessels to the Kanellos and Tramoundanis families, helping them reach this promising yet far-away land. And so they did. In 1901 Eleftherios Kanellos established Lemnos & Co. in Brisbane. In 1939, Ioanni Tsoha, managed to unite the Lemnians via a fundraiser for a funeral, making use of his strong relations to the Lemnian Community in Egypt. This was the first step to the later establishment of the Union of Lemnians in Melbourne, O Hephaestus.

From that day on, the union sees to the social, spiritual and intellectual development of its members, helping one another and providing medical assistance to those in need.

Dimitrios Blablani was the organisation’s inaugural president and Ioanni Tsoha the secretary, counting 72 registered members back in 1939, following the constitution of the Lemnian Community of Egypt, but circa 1956, O Hephaestus developed its own. The organisation grew a lot stronger under Odeseas Marmaras’ presidency, which lasted for 30 fruitful years. The union now has a great soccer team, a dancing group, a youth club, Miss Lemnos pageant and takes pride in its very dynamic elderly citizens club which has worked tirelessly to raise funds, whilst promoting Lemnian culture and heritage for future generations.

“With the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee we are working to make sure that Lemnos and its role in Australia’s Anzac story is commemorated during the Centenary of Anzac celebrations next year. Our new memorial to be erected in Albert Park, where many Lemnians first arrived in Melbourne, will be a lasting reminder of Lemnos’ part in Australia’s story,” said president Malama Varvara.

The members of the Lemnian Community of Victoria have managed to entwine both Greek and Australian cultures, constantly promoting humanitarian acts, sports and arts since its establishment. We therefore wish them even more years of prosperity and successful celebrations.

source: Neos Kosmos

Long processing times makes the application process impractical for many.

A swathe of visa subclasses in the Australian government’s Family Stream of the Migration Program are once again open to new applications, but because of long processing times, may be impractical for many.

The legislation that closed the Non-Contributory Parent and Other Family visas in June was overturned in the Senate on 25 September, and its reopening allows – in theory – applications for parents of an Australian citizen or permanent resident to live in Australia.

Most applicants for the Parents visa (sub class 103) need to be sponsored by their child, who must have lived in Australia for two years prior to the application being lodged.

Other visas reintroduced include the Aged Parent visa (subclass 804), Aged Dependent Relative visas (subclass 114 and 838), and Remaining Relative visa (subclass 115 and 835). Remaining Relative visas allow a foreign national – whose only near relatives are living in Australia – to come to Australia as a permanent resident.

Carer visas (subclass 116) are also available through the scheme. Carer visas are provided for someone needing to move to Australia to care for a relative with a long-term medical condition, or to assist a relative who is already caring for a family member with a severe medical condition.

Asked how the visas’ reintroduction might benefit the Greek Australian community, lawyer and registered migration agent Penny Dimopoulos told Neos Kosmos:

“Any expansion of the Family Visa Stream is welcome. However, these visas are subject to extremely long waiting periods.

“For Non-Contributory Parent visas – approximately 30 years, for Carer visas – approximately 4.5 years and for Remaining Relative and Aged Dependent Relative – approximately 56 years.

“The re-introduction of these visas effectively achieves very little, and potential applicants will have no choice but to seek alternative visa options.”

source: Neos Kosmos

PERTH – Malaysia’s Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Wednesday his country was determined to find missing Flight MH370, as he was briefed by Australian officials leading the complex search deep in the Indian Ocean.

Hishammuddin, who is in the Western Australian port of Fremantle to inspect one of the search ships, the GO Phoenix, said the passengers and crew on board the Malaysia Airlines jet remain in our thoughts and also in our prayers.

“We must continue to hope because sometimes hope is all we have,” Hishammuddin told journalists. “We will find MH370.” The passenger aircraft was carrying 239 people, about two-thirds of them from China, when it disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

No sign of the Boeing 777 has ever been found despite a massive air and sea search. The jet is believed to have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean after inexplicably veering off course.

Hishammuddin was acting transport minister when the plane went missing and led Malaysia’s search for the jet before Liow Tiong Lai replaced him in the transport portfolio in June. During his visit he toured the GOPhoenix, a Malaysian-contracted vessel which is conducting the underwater search using sophisticated sonar systems.

The renewed underwater probe began in early October and more than 1,200 square kilometres have so far been scoured without success, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said.

GOPhoenix is expected to leave for the Indian Ocean search site on Thursday after its resupply in Fremantle. The Australian-contracted Fugro Discovery departed the port last week and is set to arrive in the search zone Wednesday, said the ATSB, which is leading the search.

The Chinese survey ship Zhu Kezhen, which has since left the search zone, and the Australian-contracted Fugro Equator have been mapping the seabed since May before the underwater hunt.

The Fugro Equator is expected to finish its seabed mapping duties on Friday before it is outfitted with a sonar system so it can join the underwater search. Hishammuddin met officials from the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, the Australian agency coordinating information about the search. He said Malaysia was dedicated in its support for the MH370 search.

“All that could have been done to find the plane at this point has been done,” he said. “This is it, the next phase. The search goes on.”

source: dailytimes.com.pk

Τα “εργαλεία” μελών της Χρυσής Αυγής

Στις πλέον σκοταδιστικές εποχές ναζιστικών και αυταρχικών καθεστώτων παραπέμπουν τα αποκαλυπτικά στοιχεία της δικαστικής έρευνας για τη οργάνωση και τη δομή της Χρυσής Αυγής, η οποία χαρακτηρίζεται, τεκμηριωμένα, από τον εισαγγελέα Ισίδωρο Ντογιάκο «εγκληματική οργάνωση – κόμμα».

Πέραν της προσωπολατρικής πίστης προς τον αρχηγό, που οδηγεί, όπως αναφέρεται στην εισαγγελική πρόταση, σε «τυφλή υπακοή τους πάντες στην εκτέλεση των εντολών του», περιγράφονται τελετές μύησης στελεχών και μελών που προκαλούν ανατριχίλα. «Η πίστη στον αρχηγό -αναφέρει ο εισαγγελέας αξιοποιώντας σχετικά βίντεο και μαρτυρίες προστατευόμενων μαρτύρων- επισφραγίζεται πανηγυρικά με τη διαδικασία του «όρκου», σε τελετές μυστικιστικού χαρακτήρα, με οιονεί θρησκευτική κατάνυξη, που οργανώνονται από πιστά σε αυτόν και την οργάνωση πρόσωπα, συνήθως ανώτερα στην ιεραρχία -κατά την εαρινή και χειμερινή ισημερία στην ύπαιθρο- υπό το φως αναμμένων πυρσών».

Η πλύση εγκεφάλου των μελών της Χ.Α., τα οποία όπως αποκαλύπτεται δεν φέρουν -για λόγους συνωμοτικότητας- κομματικές ταυτότητες, ούτε είναι γραμμένα πουθενά, αλλά φέρουν ταυτότητες με μυστικούς κωδικούς, τους δημιουργεί την πεποίθηση ορκισμένων και φανατικών που δεν ορρωδούν προ ουδενός.

«Τα άτομα αυτά, σημειώνει ο εισαγγελέας, χωρίς καμία απολύτως περίσκεψη, κριτική ή στοιχειώδη, έστω, σκέψη και ασφαλώς χωρίς απολύτως καμία αντίρρηση, πειθήνια και άβουλα όργανα των κομματικών επιταγών των ηγετικών στελεχών, έσπευδαν για την εκτέλεση πάσης φύσεως εντολών, έναντι οποιουδήποτε κόστους και τιμήματος, έτοιμα και πρόθυμα να αφαιρέσουν ακόμη και ανθρώπινες ζωές». Όπως άλλωστε προκύπτει από καταγεγραμμένα βίντεο που κατασχέθηκαν στον σκληρό δίσκο του υπολογιστή του στελέχους της Χ.Α. Γιώργου Πατέλη, οι τιμωρίες όσων δεν υπάκουαν τυφλά στις εντολές ή έκαναν απόπειρες αποστασιοποίησης από τη δράση της Χ.Α. ήταν εξοντωτικές και ταπεινωτικές.

«Όσο πιο μεγάλη», αναφέρεται στο αποκαλυπτικό υλικό που είναι πλέον στα χέρια της Δικαιοσύνης, «η καταπάτηση του όρκου τόσο οι υπόλοιποι ορκισμένοι είναι υποχρεωμένοι να τον καταδιώξουν με σιδερένια πυγμή για του καταδείξουν το λάθος. Ζήτω ο αρχηγός. Ζήτω η Χ.Α. Ζήτω ο θάνατος».

ΟΙ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΟΙ

Μέσα σε αυτό το κλίμα σκοταδισμού και εγκληματικής δράσης, αποκτούν για τις δικαστικές αρχές εξαιρετική αξία οι καταθέσεις των πέντε προστατευόμενων μαρτύρων, πρώην στελεχών της Χρυσής Αυγής, που τόλμησαν να προσέλθουν ενώπιον των αρμόδιων δικαστικών αρχών και να μιλήσουν. Οι καταθέσεις τους, οι πρώτες έγιναν τις πρώτες ημέρες των δικαστικών ερευνών, όταν οργάνωσε την ανάκριση ο αντεισαγγελέας του Αρείου Πάγου, Χαράλαμπος Βουρλιώτης, υπήρξαν πολύτιμες.

Όπως εκτιμά ο εισαγγελέας Ισίδωρος Ντογιάκος, το σύνολο των αποκαλυπτικών καταθέσεων των προστατευόμενων μαρτύρων επιβεβαιώνεται πλήρως από την πληθώρα των στοιχείων που ήρθαν στο φως κατά τη διάρκεια των δικαστικών ερευνών για την πολυσύνθετη εγκληματική δράση της Χ.Α. Οι προστατευόμενοι μάρτυρες, σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, λόγω των απειλών που δέχονται -άλλωστε έχει εξαπολυθεί συντονισμένη προσπάθεια απαξίωσής τους από τη Χ.Α.- δεν θα καταθέσουν στη δίκη. Θα αναγνωστούν μόνον οι καταθέσεις τους που έδωσαν τη δυνατότητα στη Δικαιοσύνη να σηκώσει την κουρτίνα του σκοταδισμού και να αποκαλύψει το πραγματικό πρόσωπο της Χ.Α.

Η απόλυτη επιβεβαίωση τόσο των αρχικών διώξεων που άσκησε ο αντεισαγγελέας του Α.Π. Χαράλαμπος Βουρλιώτης όσο και οι καταθέσεις των προστατευόμενων μαρτύρων σημειώνεται στην πρόταση Ντογιάκου και δεν είναι τυχαίο πως, αφού ιστορούνται στις 700 σελίδες της πρότασής του τα αποκαλυπτικά στοιχεία που έχουν προκύψει από άλλες πηγές, τελευταία ο εισαγγελέας παραθέτει τις καταθέσεις από τους προστατευόμενους, αφήνοντας τα συμπεράσματα στον κάθε αναγνώστη…
Οι τιμωρίες όσων μελών της Χρυσής Αυγής δεν υπάκουαν τυφλά στις εντολές ή έκαναν απόπειρες αποστασιοποίησης από τη δράση της οργάνωσης ήταν εξοντωτικές και ταπεινωτικές.

Πηγή: Νέος Κόσμος

After a wreath laying service, the Hellenic RSL will host a luncheon to commemorate Greek soldiers fighting against the Italians in WWII

The Hellenic sub-branch of the Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) invites community members and friends to attend the event on 28 October, to honour all that served and died on this historic day for Greece, in 1940.

The service will be conducted at the Church of St Eustathios, 211 Dorcas St, South Melbourne at 9.30 am.

For the wreath laying service, meet at 12.00 pm at the corner of Birdwood and Anzac Ave, Domain Gardens. The wreath laying service will take place at 1.00 pm at the Shrine of Remembrance.

The luncheon will follow at the Hellenic RSL sub branch memorial hall, 14A Ferrars Place, South Melbourne.

When: Tuesday 28 October, from 9.30 am
For more information, contact 03 9699 9844

Hyundai’s premium new Genesis may not boast the prestige pedigree of its rivals, but when the sedan launches here next month it will do so as Australia’s safest car.

Achieving an ‘Overall’ score of 36.88 out of a possible 37 this week, the Genesis is the highest-scoring car in the Australian New Car Assessment Program’s 21-year history.

The last vehicle to score so highly with ANCAP was the Mercedes B-Class in 2012, which achieved a 36.78 result.

Hyundai’s high score, which means a top 5-Star safety rating, included a front offset score of 15.88 out of 16 and the maximum 2 out of 2 in the pole test.

In responding to the results, Hyundai said that structural integrity and strength was a top priority when development of this new second-generation Genesis began six years ago.

MORE: Hyundai Genesis DRIVEN

As with many of its more premium rivals, high-strength steel features throughout the Genesis sedan’s body, with a focus on achieving top results in worldwide safety tests – including the controversial ‘small overlap’ test of America’s IIHS.

The record-breaking ANCAP score is drawn not only from the Genesis sedan’s performance in impact tests, however, but also the list of safety features equipped with the car.

Standard kit with Australian-delivered Genesis sedans will include nine airbags, Adaptive Cruise Control, Electronic Brake Distribution, Electronic Stability Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane support system, Pre-safe systems, Reversing collision avoidance and an Active lift (pop-up) bonnet.

Emergency Stop Signal and LED daytime lights are also standard, along with a tyre pressure monitoring system.

The Genesis will make its Australian debut next month, with pricing expected to start from around $50-60,000.

source: themotorreport.com.au

Με γραπτή δήλωση από τις Βρυξέλλες, όπου μετέβη για το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο, ο Kύπριος πρόεδρος Νίκος Αναστασιάδης, καταγγέλλει την Τουρκία ότι ενώ διαμηνύει προς διάφορες κατευθύνσεις πως επιθυμεί λύση στο Κυπριακό, οι πράξεις της κάθε άλλο παρά αυτό αποδεικνύουν.

Απαντώντας στονΤούρκο πρωθυπουργό, Αχμέτ Νταβούτογλου, ο πρόεδρος Αναστασιάδης αναφέρει ότι, λίγα μόλις 24ωρα πριν από την έναρξη ουσιαστικών διαπραγματεύσεων με στόχο την επίλυση του Κυπριακού, η Τουρκία παραβιάζοντας κατάφορα το διεθνές δίκαιο και τα κυριαρχικά δικαιώματα ενός κράτους μέλους του ΟΗΕ και της ΕΕ, έθεσε σε εφαρμογή την οδηγία προς τους ναυτιλομένους (NAVTEX), αποδεικνύοντας έτσι τις πραγματικές της προθέσεις σε ό,τι αφορά το Κυπριακό.

Ο Κύπριος πρόεδρος, ο οποίος θα θέσει το θέμα των τουρκικών ενεργειών στο Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο, καλεί την Τουρκία, αν πραγματικά επιθυμεί τη λύση του Κυπριακού, «να προχωρήσει άμεσα στην ακύρωση των παράνομων και προκλητικών ενεργειών της στην Αποκλειστική Οικονομική Ζώνη της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας, καθιστώντας έτσι εφικτή την επανέναρξη των συνομιλιών».

Πηγή:zougla.gr