Athens - The European Commission will seek to put a stop to the loss of biodiversity in Europe by 2010, EC President Jose Manuel Barroso said at the start of a biodiversity conference in Athens Monday.
The two days of talks in Athens attended by 230 environmental chiefs, trade associations, non-governmental organizations and lobby groups, have found a new momentum following a G8-Plus charter to protect biodiversity adopted on April 24 by environmental ministers from Group of Eight members Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.
Athens - Greece, one of Europe's heaviest smoking nations, on Wednesday launched a six month anti-smoking campaign ahead of a ban outlawing smoking in most public places from July 1. The new ban should have a big impact in a nation where nearly 45 per cent of the adult population smokes, and where smoking in offices and cafes is seen as both traditional and acceptable.
Athens - More than 14,000 hotel jobs are at risk of being lost as the vital tourism sector heads for a difficult season in Greece due to the global crisis, officials said Tuesday. The Association for Hoteliers in Athens estimated that thousands of workers could be laid off as holiday package bookings have fallen by 20 to 30 per cent this year.
