Administrative regions of Greece

Certain forms of cancer have been on the rise among people living in the municipality of Schimatari in the vicinity of the Asopos River, which was severely polluted by industrial waste up until the late 1990s, according to a new study by the University of Athens, which added that there is an increased risk for all the people who used water that came from the river.

The City of Athens, Aegean Air and Athens International Airport are joining forces to promote the Greek capital as a modern, year-round cultural attraction and city break destination.

The "Athens Tourism Partnership" has an initial budget of 600,000 euros for the implementation of promotional activities that will mainly target Germany and France.

A tunnel on the new Corinth-Patra road, which is still under construction. Reports Wednesday indicated that the new road will be open to vehicles by the end of March 2017 and is part of a 201.5-kilometer highway that will connect Elefsina, northwest of Athens, with Patra in western Greece. [Olympia Odos/ANA-MPA]

Contemporary composer Goran Bregovic performs at the Diogenis Studio venue in Athens on Saturday, December 17, as part of a new event, the Athens Music Festival. The festival runs through March, with the lineup featuring Club de Belugas performing on December 23.

The Infrastructure Ministry has bowed to pressure from the Fraport-led consortium and confirmed on Tuesday that it is postponing the start of works on a new runway at Makedonia Airport in Thessaloniki, northern Greece.

The Russian Ice Stars will be performing ice-skating production "Peter Pan on Ice" at the Tae Kwon Do Stadium in Palaio Faliro, southern Athens, on December 14 to 18 and January 6 to 8. Tickets range from 6 to 26 euros. For more information on the performance schedule and tickets, visit www.viva.gr.

A couple sit on a bench at the Antonis Tritsis Environmental Awareness Park in Ilion, western Athens, on Saturday. After years of neglect caused by underfunding, a new master plan, set to be completed by the summer of 2017, promises a new lease on life for Attica's biggest metropolitan park.

A solution to the problem regarding work on the runway at Thessaloniki's Makedonia Airport will likely come from Infrastructure Minister Christos Spirtzis, who is expected to postpone the implementation of the terminal's upgrade until September 2017.

The Pallini Animal Shelter for rescued animals is hosting its final farm quiz of the year on Friday, December 16, at the Athens Center. Admission costs 10 euros and includes refreshments and drinks. Proceeds from the event, which also includes a raffle, will go toward the shelter. The event starts at 8 p.m. For more information, call Sue on 210.604.4157 or 6945.525.822.

ATHEX blue chip company Hellenic Petroleum is the bidder selected for the concession of Block 10 in the Gulf of Kyparissia, west of the Peloponnese, for surveying for and utilization of hydrocarbons in the area, according to a statement by the Environment and Energy Ministry on Tuesday.