Νews in brief

Strong winds prevailing at sea cause disruptions in sea routes. Routes from Piraues to Salamina, Agia Marina-Nea Styra, Arkitsa-Aidipsos, Kavala-Prinos, Keramoti-Thassos are suspended. All those who wish to travel by boat, are advised to call port authorities before travelling.

EU interior ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to discuss how to deal with migrants arriving across the Mediterranean Sea, after a relevant request by Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas.

Αccording to information, turkish authorities have begun building a temportary camp 500 meters from the Kastanies boder, that will be able to accommodate 1 thousand refugees.

The foreign ministers of the European Union member states will hold an urgent meeting on Friday in the Croatian capital of Zagreb to discuss the situation in Syria’s Idlib and on EU’s borders with Turkey. The meeting was a request by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias.

Dendias will brief political party representatives today, while the Archbishop of Greece, Ieronymos travels to Evros.

Τension between migrants and police has been reported at Kastanies, at the borders in Evros, this morning. Migrants are throwing chemicals and rocks against police.

The U. S. Embassy in Athens has issued a travel alert for US citizens for all those trying to reach the Greek-Turkish borders.

The Embassy notes it has received reports of violence against U.S. citizens attempting to travel in Lesvos.

The situation at our border is not only Greece’s issue to manage. It is the responsibility of Europe as a whole. And we will manage it in an orderly way, with unity, solidarity and determination, the European Commission said on Twitter.

Speaking at a joint press conference with high-level EU officials visiting the Greek border, Prime Minister Mitsotakis said that «this is no longer a refugee and migrant issue alone, it is an asymmetrical threat on Greece’s eastern bordersand added that «it is also an obvious attempt by Turkey to change the agenda and turn attention elsewhere from the terrible situation in Syria.»

Greece has confirmed a new case of coronavirus, the Health Ministry said Wednesday, bringing the total number of coronavirus infections in the country to eight. The patient, a mid-aged man is being hospitalized in an isolation unit at AHEPA hospital in Thessaloniki.

The global death toll is 3,190 while more than 93,000 people have been infected in more than 80 countries.

The World Bank has committed 12 billion dollars in aid for developing countries grappling with the spread of the coronavirus.

The Eurogroup will convene to discuss the coronavirus consequences at 3 pm via teleconference.

Joe Biden has won nine of the 14 states that voted to pick a Democratic White House candidate on Super Tuesday, a remarkable rebound for his campaign.

And the weather forecast…

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

More news in brief tomorrow morning at 9.