News in brief

Serious traffic delays on Kifissou Avenue heading outbound from its junction with the coastal highway to Nea Philadelphia, due to a car accident, which occurred a little before 6 this morning. 3 persons have been slightly injured. Traffic also heavy on Pireos and Syggrou streets heading towards the city center.

The head of the parliamentary committee investigating the NOVARTIS case of former cabinet minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos has asked for the forced presence of the protected witness known by the name Maximos Sarafis as he failed to present himself on Tuesday afternoon at the hearing scheduled at the Athens police headquarters.

The other protected witness, known by the code name Ekaterini Kelesi is expected to testify at the committee at 4 this afternoon.

The first draft budget regarding skeleton staff operation in transportation means is ready, according to the relevant Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias will head to Lebanon today where he will meet with the country’s political leaders in Beirut.

After years of delays, Athens’ first official mosque is set to open by early summer.

According to sources, the mosque’s governing committee will meet next week with the aim of launching tenders pertaining to security, cleaning services and supplies.

Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott has claimed «very top» level Malaysian officials believed vanished Flight MH370 was deliberated downed by the captain in a mass murder-suicide.

The Malaysia Airlines jet vanished on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 people — mostly from China — en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

No sign of the plane was found in a 120,000-square kilometer Indian Ocean search zone and the Australian-led search, the largest in aviation history, was suspended in January 2017.

The first passengers have begun disembarking from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship moored off Yokohama in Japan, after 14 days of quarantine.

About 500 people who tested negative and who are not showing any symptoms are expected to disembark, with more leaving in coming days.

The ship was carrying 3,700 people in total.

Αs of today, all metro stations and OASA buses will show delphic maxims in both Greek and English language. It is a joint initiative of the Municipality of Athens and the 5th Delphi Economic Forum, which will take place on March 5th to the 8th in Delphi, Central Greece.

And the weather forecast…

Sunny in Attica this morning with the temperature expected to reach a maximum of 16 degrees Celsius.

More news in brief tomorrow morning at 9.