News in brief

The government filed an amendment on Tuesday that changes the expulsion of football teams and their ensuing downgrade to a lower division, to a penalty of 5 or 10 points. A vote on the amendment is expected on it at 1 pm.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will head to Paris today to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. Their meeting is scheduled at 3.30 pm. The two men are expected to discuss Turkish provocations, the refugee crisis, the economy and investment plans.
Later in the day Mitsotakis will travel to Brussels for a working dinner with President of the European Council Charles Michel.

Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias is heading to both Montenegro and Croatia today, to meet with the state leadership of these Balkan countries.
Talks are expected to focus on the European prospects of the western Balkans and the situation in the eastern Mediterranean.

US President Donald Trump has presented his long-awaited Middle East peace plan, promising to keep Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital.

He proposed an independent Palestinian state and the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over West Bank settlements.

Standing alongside Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Mr Trump said his proposals «could be the last opportunity» for Palestinians.

Japan and the US have airlifted hundreds of their citizens from Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, as officials in China said the death toll from the disease had risen sharply overnight to 132, with nearly 1,500 new cases in the country.

British Airways has suspended bookings on its website for direct flights from London to Beijing and Shanghai until March.

United Airlines is temporarily reducing its schedule between the United States and three cities in China (Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai).

13 hospitals across Greece have been selected to treat possible cases of the coronavirus. The assigned hospitals include the Sotiria and Attikon in the capital, with Evangelismos and Thriasio as alternate options.

Bulgaria’s government survived as expected on Wednesday a parliamentary vote of no-confidence brought by the opposition Socialists after thousands of people have been left with water shortages since November, leading to public protests.

And the weather forecast…

Sunny this morning in Attica with the temperature expected to reach a high of 17 degrees Celsius.

More news in brief tomorrow morning at 9.