Monthly Archives: March 2016

Σήμανε συναγερμός για την πολιτειακή κυβέρνηση και την αστυνομία.

Οι οδομαχίες μεταξύ δύο μεγάλων συμμοριών από νεαρούς ασιατικής και αφρικανικής καταγωγής, που έλαβαν χώρα στους δρόμους της Μελβούρνης το περασμένο Σάββατο το βράδυ, έχει ανησυχήσει την κοινή γνώμη και έχει, επίσης, σημάνει συναγερμός για την πολιτειακή κυβέρνηση και την αστυνομία.

Στη συμπλοκή, που ξεκίνησε από τη γνωστή πλατεία Federation, που βρίσκεται απέναντι από το σιδηροδρομικό σταθμό Flinders Street και συνεχίστηκε στο Swanson Street, για αρκετή ώρα, έλαβαν μέρος πάνω από 150 νεαροί, οπλισμένοι με ξύλα, μαχαίρια και άλλα αιχμηρά αντικείμενα.

Ο κόσμος που βρέθηκε ξαφνικά στο «πεδίο των μαχών» τρομοκρατήθηκε και άρχισε να τρέχει για να κρυφτεί, ενώ ορισμένα μαγαζιά στο Swanson St. έκλεισαν.

Οι 20 περίπου αστυνομικοί που βρίσκονταν στην πλατεία, αιφνιδιάστηκαν από τον μεγάλο αριθμό των εμπλεκόμενων, οι οποίοι, σύμφωνα με την αστυνομία, επιτέθηκαν σε περαστικούς για να τους κλέψουν και να τους πάρουν τα κινητά τους τηλέφωνα, ενώ παράλληλα προέβησαν και σε τέσσερις ληστείες.

Αμέσως μετά τα επεισόδια, η αστυνομία άρχισε εντατικές έρευνες προς πάσα κατεύθυνση προσπαθώντας να εντοπίσει, από τις κάμερες κλειστού κυκλώματος που βρίσκονται στους δρόμους και τα γύρω καταστήματα, την ταυτότητα των εμπλεκομένων νεαρών, προκειμένου να τους απαγγείλει τις σχετικές κατηγορίες και να τους παραπέμψει στη Δικαιοσύνη.

Εκτός από την αστυνομία, η οποία κατηγορείται ότι δεν έλαβε τα απαραίτητα μέτρα ασφαλείας, παρά το γεγονός ότι είχε προειδοποιηθεί για το ενδεχόμενο επεισοδίων, τα πυρά στράφηκαν και κατά του πρωθυπουργού της Πολιτείας μας, Daniel Andrews.

Ο πρωθυπουργός κατηγορήθηκε από τα Μέσα Ενημέρωσης, ότι άργησε να αντιδράσει, μιας και τη σχετική συνέντευξη Τύπου για να καταδικάσει τις ταραχές και να ανακοινώσει τα μέτρα που σκοπεύει να πάρει η κυβέρνησή του για να αντιμετωπιστεί αποτελεσματικά η κατάσταση, την έδωσε ένα 24ωρο αργότερα (την περασμένη Δευτέρα το μεσημέρι).

Απαντώντας στην κριτική που ασκήθηκε στην κυβέρνησή του, ότι δεν κατάφερε, παρά τις προειδοποιήσεις, να θέσει υπό έλεγχο τις συμμορίες των νεαρών Αφρικανών, φοβούμενη ότι μπορεί να κατηγορηθεί για ρατσισμό, δήλωσε ότι θα παραπεμφθούν στη Δικαιοσύνη και θα τιμωρηθούν παραδειγματικά όσοι παραβίασαν τη σχετική νομοθεσία λαμβάνοντας μέρος στις οδομαχίες του περασμένου Σαββάτου στο κέντρο της πόλης.

Για το ίδιο θέμα, ο εκπρόσωπος του συνδικάτου των αστυνομικών, Ron Iddes, δήλωσε ότι, ορισμένοι αστυνομικοί διστάζουν να σταματήσουν στο δρόμο και να ελέγξουν τους νεαρούς Αφρικανούς, γιατί φοβούνται ότι διατρέχουν τον κίνδυνο να κατηγορηθούν για ρατσιστές.

Στη συνέχεια, πρόσθεσε ότι, αν λάβει κανείς υπόψη του αυτό το διάχυτο φόβο μεταξύ των αστυνομικών, μπορεί να συμπεράνει ότι, δεν έγινε ο απαραίτητος έλεγχος στους νεαρούς εμπλεκόμενους με αποτέλεσμα να γίνει ότι έγινε το περασμένο Σάββατο το βράδυ.

Πηγή:Νέος Κόσμος

Το μήνυμα της Τζολί μετά την επίσκεψή της στην Ελλάδα

Ολοκληρώθηκε η διήμερη επίσκεψη στην Ελλάδα της δημοφιλούς ηθοποιού και ειδικής απεσταλμένης της Ύπατης Αρμοστείας του ΟΗΕ για τους Πρόσφυγες Αντζελίνα Τζολί.

Η δημοφιλής ηθοποιός βρέθηκε σε Αθήνα και Λέσβο και συνάντησε τον πρωθυπουργό, τις τοπικές αρχές, εθελοντές, Μη Κυβερνητικές Οργανώσεις και πρόσφυγες.

Όπως αναφέρεται σε σχετική ανακοίνωση της Ύπατης Αρμοστείας του ΟΗΕ για τους Πρόσφυγες, στο τέλος της επίσκεψής της, η Αντζελίνα Τζολί ευχαρίστησε «τον ελληνικό λαό για την κατανόηση και γενναιοδωρία του σε αυτές τις δύσκολες συνθήκες» και έκανε ειδική μνεία στις προσπάθειες «των εθελοντών και των τοπικών οργανώσεων που συνάντησα κατά τη διάρκεια της επίσκεψής μου. Αυτοί και πολλοί άλλοι εργάζονται όλο το εικοσιτετράωρο για την υποδοχή και την παροχή φροντίδας στους πρόσφυγες που φτάνουν στην Ελλάδα».

«Αυτό πρέπει να συνδυαστεί με μια διεθνή ανταπόκριση ίσης κλίμακας με την παγκόσμια προσφυγική κρίση, η οποία θα περιλαμβάνει τον τερματισμό της σύγκρουσης στη Συρία, αλλά θα πηγαίνει και πολύ πέρα από αυτόν» πρόσθεσε.

Χθες κατά την επίσκεψή της στο Μέγαρο Μαξίμου, η ειδική απεσταλμένη του ΟΗΕ συζήτησε με τον πρωθυπουργό, Αλέξη Τσίπρα, για τη διάσκεψη που θα φιλοξενήσει η Ύπατη Αρμοστεία στη Γενεύη στις 30 Μαρτίου, η οποία θα επικεντρωθεί στην επέκταση των νόμιμων οδών για τους πρόσφυγες από τη Συρία.

Επίσης, επανέλαβε την προσφορά της Ύπατης Αρμοστείας για την παροχή υποστήριξης, προκειμένου να ενισχυθούν η προστασία και η βοήθεια στους πρόσφυγες, το σύστημα υποδοχής και η πρόσβαση στο άσυλο και στο πρόγραμμα μετεγκατάστασης.

Πηγή: in.gr

Olga Yiannopoulos sheds light to the rock ‘n’ roll legend’s mystery Greek recording, providing a missing piece of the puzzle.

A few weeks ago, Neos Kosmos reported on a mystery recording by Johnny O’Keefe. Unearthed by the curator of an online exhibition for the National Film and Sound Archives, recounting the work and legacy of the Australian rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, the recording – a private pressing on a (lacquered) record – is a rarity among the singer’s work, as it features him singing in Greek.

Given that it is the only recording of O’Keefe in any language other than English and that it is obviously a live recording, it has triggered theories and speculation, as researchers and archivists thoroughly seek any information available to shed light to the mystery.

Enter Olga Yiannopoulos, daughter of a prominent member of the Greek community of Sydney and Melbourne, George Yiannopoulos (Young). The restless businessman had been deeply involved in the music industry, importing records from EMI Greece, under an exclusive contract, before launching his own label Apollo.

“I was born in music and grew up surrounded by Greek records,” remembers his daughter. “My father used to work with every Greek record company and he had managed to record the biggest stars of Greek song, such as Stelios Kazantzidis and Nikos Gounaris. As a teenager, I wasn’t very interested in all this, I was into rock ‘n’ roll, as were my friends and schoolmates, so I was urging him to put out more records like the ones Johnny O’Keefe was doing.”

Apparently, George Yiannopoulos did listen to his daughter and was in a position to make things happen. After all, his store, Stanley Young, an emporium that was a hub for the Sydney Greek community, selling everything Greek, was next to R.M. O’Keefe & Co, a furniture store, owned by Raymond O’ Keefe, Johnny’s father. The two men were on very good terms, so George asked Raymond to tell his son to pass by Stanley Young next time he would be in the neighbourhood.

“When Johnny O’ Keefe entered our store, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” remembers Olga, but the real surprise came when she heard her father urging the singer, who was at the height of his popularity at the time, to sing in Greek. The two of them started toying around with the idea, with the Greek businessman improvising Greek lyrics to one of the pop hits of the day, Starlight Starbright, renaming it Astrofeggia, much to popstar’s amusement.
“He was very well-mannered and good spirited and very respectful of my father.”

The meeting ended in mirth, but the seed was planted. Apparently, Australia’s rock’n’roll pioneer followed the businessman’s advice, and came up with a version of To Love in Greek, in order to sing it at his many Greek friends’ functions.

As for the specific recording featured in the NFSA online exhibition, it is still surrounded in mystery.

Anyone interested in listening to it can find it at http://www.nfsa.gov.au/visit-us/exhibitions-presentations/JOK/

source:Neos Kosmos

Greece is a very safe government and Canberra’s latest travel advice for those travelling to Athens is not reflective of that, according to the CEO for Greeks Abroad, Mihalis Kokkinos, who is currently touring Australia.

According to travel advice on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website, petty crime is a serious issue in Greece and is on the increase in tourist areas.

Mr Kokkinos says every tourist that has visited Greece knows it’s a safe country and that they do not feel threatened or intimated.

The travel advice tells Australians to exercise particular caution around tourist attractions in central Athens and the islands and to be “extremely cautious on bus and train as pickpocketing, bag snatching and even the slashing of luggage resulting in theft of personal belongings are regular occurrences”.

It also says that Australians should be vigilant when walking alone in isolated areas after dark, especially in the Athens suburb of Omonia and the two railway/bus stations of Larrissa and Peloponissos.

According to the travel advice tourists have been the victims of serious physical and sexual assaults in Greece, including in Athens and on Greek islands.

It advises Australians to be aware that racially-motivated and homophobic attacks have also been reported in Greece.

Mr Kokkinos says that Australia has every right to advise its citizens but pointed out that Greece is a very safe country and attracts many millions of tourists every year.

The travel advice reminds Australians that capital controls exist in Greece and that they should have sufficient cash in various denominations to cover emergencies and unexpected delays.

It also warns them that protests and demonstrations can occur in cities across Greece with little warning and Australians are advised to avoid all protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent.

source:Neos Kosmos

The prime minister faces a backroom insurrection over the Safe Schools program, but any action other than to stare it down could cripple the leader.

Here’s a curious thing.

February was not the first time Coalition parliamentarians raised objections to the Safe Schools program in their party room. But when Nationals Barry O’Sullivan and George Christensen and Liberal Cory Bernardi previously waved Safe Schools material around in the closed-door meeting and said they couldn’t believe it was being federally-funded, Tony Abbott was prime minister. The then education minister, Christopher Pyne, dismissed the call, saying the government didn’t as a rule trash funding agreements already in place. And nothing more was said.

But now Abbott has signed the petition against the program and publicly called for its defunding. (Christensen and Bernardi say it has resurfaced now because “more information has come to light” which is a neatly circular argument since it is them and their fellow conservative objectors who have been spruiking the new “information”.)

When Turnbull was first confronted by objections to the program he tried to assess and consider the alternative views. He commissioned a review of the program’s content by a respected academic. It has not yet been released but has been discussed with backbenchers.

It largely endorsed the program’s content and it is also understood to have recommended clearer advice for parents, which most people would probably welcome.

But this has not appeased the opponents, even though the disempowering of parents was their first line of attack against the program.

And that is not surprising because their objections run far deeper than that. They see it as “indoctrination” (unlike, apparently, the $240m school chaplaincy scheme), as “social engineering” and being somehow linked to paedophilia, and also to a “Marxist agenda” and “the sexual liberation of young people”, which is, in their view, also a very bad thing. They want it defunded, because apparently if students are not taught tolerance and understanding regarding gender issues, they’ll go away. Or, as Christensen suggests, gay teenagers could just choose to ignore their sexuality.

Consulting and bridge building and considering alternative views are all good things for a leader to do, to a point.

But when a leader is confronted by a rebellion motivated by an ideological agenda apparently incompatible with their own, a blatant and wilful misinterpretation of facts and an obvious parallel agenda of undermining their authority, they really have no choice but to take a stand.

Alongside these ideological objections to the program is an obvious political aim. To undermine Turnbull. To cripple his leadership authority. To stop him governing in his own voice. Turnbull’s political capacity has already been drained by concessions to the right on issues such as marriage equality and climate change.

The conservative MPs’ views are obviously contrary to the prime minister’s and to those of his education minister, Simon Birmingham. If they succeed in forcing Turnbull to back down once again – using a “petition” to convince him to set up a parliamentary inquiry to give every critic a platform to broadcast their inflammatory claims – the prime minister will appear compromised and weak. If they don’t succeed, they’ll keep running the insurgency campaign, backed by the christian lobby and conservative columnists, leaving his government looking divided and chaotic.

Of course Turnbull has faced this dilemma before, in 2009, when many of the same Coalition conservatives took aim at his policy on climate change. He stood up to them then famously saying he was not prepared to lead a party that wasn’t as committed to tackling climate change as he was. He lost his job.

But his greatest weapon in regaining the leadership was his popularity, as measured in opinion polls. And his popularity was based on a perception that he was a centrist, a different kind of politician, a man true to his convictions.

It is still unclear how he will deal with the rightwing push this time. The strongest thing he was prepared to say on Thursday was that “every member” of the parliament should “choose their words carefully” when discussing it.

Caving in to the right this time would further undermine what was at the outset the prime minister’s greatest asset. It would set a terrible precedent for the conduct of the marriage equality plebiscite, another conservative-inspired policy forced upon Turnbull despite his previous public objections. And if Turnbull has to govern at the whim of the conservative wing of his party, the religious right and the opinions of News Corp columnists, what would be the point of it?

source:theguardian.com