Athens - The European target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 has not yet been achieved and more reforms are necessary to slow species loss across the EU, officials said at the end of a two-day conference in Athens Tuesday. "We have achieved a lot, but there is still much to do by 2010 such as better administration and greater funding, as well as extending protected areas," EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas told reporters.

"The fact is that biodiversity loss poses a threat every bit as worrying as climate change," he said.

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.

The losses could exceed 500 million euros (660 million dollars), officials said.

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 - Authorities in Greece detained 146,000 illegal immigrants, most of whome came from Turkey, altogether in 2008, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday.

In addition, 2,211 people traffickers were arrested and brought before the courts.

The issue of illegal immigration is a priority for Greece, according to the Foreign Ministry in Athens.

Foreign Minister Dora Bakogianni earlier announced that the government wanted to see the issue of illegal migration on the agenda at the next European Union summit.

Athens - A Greek freighter seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia four weeks ago has been released, Greece's state-run NET radio reported Wednesday.

The broadcaster quoted coast guard officials as saying the Titan was freed on Wednesday evening along with its crew of 24.

It was not clear whether the Greek owners of the vessel had paid the pirates a ransom.

The release comes days after another Greek ship, the Irene EM, was taken over by pirates off the Somalia coast.

Athens  - Explosive devices were deactivated at three churches, including Athens' main Orthodox cathedral, on Thursday, police reported.

Local news media received a telephone call warning of the bombs and informed the police, who sent bomb experts to disarm the devices located in Athens' busy Plaka district, the main church of Saint Triadas in the port city of Pireaus, and at Saint Sophia in the northern city of Thessaloniki.