News in brief

Greek Prime Minister, Κyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to meet with the US president Donald Trump at the White House tonight at 9.

Mitsotakis plans to brief Trump on Turkish violations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea and the threat they pose to international stability and regional security.

Εarlier, at 6.30 pm, Mitsotakis will meet with the head of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva.

The bad weather system that has hit the country since yesterday, has caused serious power cuts in the city of Thebes, the island of Antikythira and several regions of Attica and Evoia island.

The Parnitha road is closed from the “Zygos” restaurant heading north to the casino. The Penteli-Nea Makri road is also closed due to snow from the level of Agios Petros to the 414 military hospital, in both directions.

Snow chains are necessary from the 5th kilometer of the old Athens-Thebes national road heading towards Mandra and from the 22nd kilometer at the level of Kantza in both directions.

Ships are docked at ports.

The municipality of Athens’ helpline 1595 is operating 24 hours a day for all those in need.

The weather is expected to improve gradually starting this afternoon.

A tug boat from Piraeus reached the freighter «Aeolos», which is floating adrift after losing its rudder in the sea northeast of Cape Malea, at around 9 on Monday night.
Two nearby ships are on hand to provide «Aeolos» with assistance as weather conditions in the area continue to be extremely rough.

A British teenager accused of faking a gang rape allegation was given a suspended sentence by a court in Cyprus on Tuesday, prompting protests from activists who say she did not get a fair trial.

The future of the US military presence in Iraq is in question amid scenes of confusion in Washington, as the Trump administration scrambled to respond to Iraqi demands for the troops to leave.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on world leaders to de-escalate geopolitical tensions on Monday, which he described as being “at their highest level this century”.

Almost 2,000 houses have been destroyed in Australia’s months-long bushfire crisis.

Temperatures are likely to soar again on Friday, prompting fears that two fires could form a new «mega blaze».

At least 25 people and millions of animals have died since September.

And the weather forecast…

Cloudy and rainy in Attica today. The temperature is expected to reach a high of 6 degrees Celsius.

More news in brief tomorrow morning at 9.