Arrest
A Bulgarian man was arrested in Glyfada, an upmarket coastal suburb of Athens, in connection with the execution-style killing of underworld figure John Macris, 46, in October 2018. Macris was shot dead when a man in a baseball cap fired a handgun through the side window of his car. CCTV footage captured the incident and also showed Macris’ escape from the car as a man continued to fire. He ended up dying on the scene. Police investigating the crime have been examining the local drug trade and had sought links with the attempted murder of Sydney man Fadi Ibrahim. Members of the Ibrahim family had been cleared from the conspiracy to murder Macris in 2012. At the time of his death he was married to a Greek reality TV model and was in the process of establishing a security company in Athens. Police have now arrested a 31-year-old Bulgarian suspect in connection to the murder and are also seeking the suspect’s 35-year-old brother.
Tanking
Documents published by News Corp on Thursday have brought the AFL’s 2012 tanking investigation back into the soptlight. These reportedly detail how several senior club officials lifted the lid on instructions around losing games in 2009. The Age reported that the AFL uncovered a secret meeting involving at least 15 members of Demons’ football department where coaches were told of the importance of forfeiting matches to gain early draft picks. the meeting, codenamed “the vault” reportedly occurred after Melbourne’s third season of the win. then CEO Andrew Demetriou and then-deputy Gillon McLachlan dismissed claims of tanking.
Confusion
One-time AFL chief Andrew Demetriou was again in the spotlight with the examination of his role at education group, Acquire Learning. Mr Demetriou’s role is of interest to liquidators, because if he was acting as director of the group, he would carry greater legal responsibility for the group’s handling of affairs as he had billed Acquire for his $900,000/year job the night before it appointed administrators. Public examinations by liquidators looked into the collapsed group in Melbourne on Wednesday. Tim Demetriou, Andrew Demetriou’s nephew and the company founder who is now working at a cafe and for his father’s software business, was questioned by the Supreme Court. He described Andrew Demetriou as an advisor and former member of the “senior management team” but was uncertain when he had ceased this role.
False accusation
Fashion designer Alex Perry has been falsely accused by a former employee in an unfair dismissal case, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.A pattern maker and machinist formerly employed by the Greek Australian in Sydney, accused the designer of making sexist comments and claimed that he had been unfairly sacked for swearing and using threatening language.However the Fair Work Commission has rejected the unfair dismissal application, in which the 48-year-old machinist claimed that “swearing and banter was commonplace in the office”, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.The former employee was let go in September, 2018 for threatening and aggressive behaviour towards female co-workers.
New post
Desecration of monuments in Greece have lead to concern regarding human rights and tolerance. Dr Efstathios C. Lianos Liantis, the Greek Foreign Ministry’s Special Secretary of Religious and Cultural Diplomacy, has been appointed Special Secretary for Anti-Semitism and Anti-Defamation of the Holocaust. Dr Lianos is a founding member of the Holocaust Museum of Greece, and the head of the Greek delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), the international, intergovernmental organisation against anti-Semitism. The Australian Macedonia News Agency announced the appointment on Wednesday. The Sephardic Jewish community of Greece had flourished for almost five hundred years, especially in the northern city of Thessaloniki. During WWII most of the community had been wiped out. Though there aren’t many Jews currently living in Greece, anti-Semitism is at an unacceptable level.
European Elections
Marathon Mayor Ilias Psinakis, one of the most flamboyant politicians in local government, has just announced his candidacy for the European Elections due to take place in May. In recent days, a clock marked “Citizens, it’ll break out at any moment”, had been counting down to the announcement before today’s news of his bid to enter the European Parliament. A statement signed by Mr Psinakis announced his decision to stand as a candidate in the next European elections. “Europe is very special for Greece because the government (and every government of each EU member state) follows European legislation. Unavoidably and without exception. It is the ‘wallet’ and the opportunities that bring development and prosperity. Greece, over the last 20 years ‘lives’ on the money it receives from Europe,” stated the media release announcing his candidacy. Should he be successful, Mr Psinakis will be one of the most interesting parliamentarians to have crossed the threshold of the EP. The former fashion model also appeared on reality talent shows, such as TV Idol and Greece, You’ve Got Talent and was also the manager of stars like Sakis Rouvas before running for Mayor of Marathon.
Walk of Fame
Greek American actress Rita Wilson received the her very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Hers was the 2,659th star, positioned just four stars away from that of her legendary husband, actor/filmmaker Tom Hanks.She was extremely excited at the ceremony attended by her husband of 30 years and sons, Chet and Truman. Celebrity friends also came to support her, including Julia Roberts, Martin Short, Larry David and Nia Vardalos.