Athens - Somali pirates released Friday a Greek bulk carrier with 26 crew members on board which they hijacked more than two months ago, reports said.

The ship, MV Centauri, carrying salt, was en route from Ethiopia to Kenya when it was attacked by five pirates on September 18 off Somalia before it was due to discharge
17,000 tons of bulk salt.

The ship was reportedly released and is now sailing towards Mombasa port.

The details of the ransom paid to Somali pirates was not known.

Athens- Greece is violating international law in its treatment of asylum seekers attempting to enter the country, New York-based Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

In a report titled, "Stuck in a revolving door," Human Rights Watch (HRW) claims Greek coast guard officials push migrants out of Greek territorial waters and sometimes puncture inflatable boats and disable their vessels.

Greek authorities routinely round-up would-be migrants, detains them in dirty and inhumane conditions, and then expels them to neighbouring Turkey, the group said.

Athens  - Greek police were questioning in the western port of Patras Wednesday three coast guard officers believed to have been involved in smuggling thousands of illegal migrants to Italy and Western Europe.

Officials who said they had the officers under surveillance for some time were also searching for truck drivers who provided the migrants with forged documents.

The western port of Patras is a major gathering spot for thousands of immigrants from Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, who attempt to stow away aboard a ferry bound for Italy, believing they have better chances of work.

Athens - A brief strike by air-traffic controllers at Athens International Airport forced the cancellation or rescheduling of 35 flights Wednesday.

The debt-ridden state carrier, Olympic Airlines, said it would cancel 20 mostly domestic flights as a result of the three-hour stoppage, which starts at noon (0900 GMT).

Another 15 flights, including ones to London and Paris, are being rescheduled at Greek private carrier Aegean.

A nationwide strike has also been called by Greece's main public sector union ADEDY, forcing universities, tax offices, public schools, municipal offices and pharmacies to remain closed for the day.

Athens - China and Greece signed a 1-billion dollar port deal Tuesday in a bid to intensify cooperation in maritime shipping which and help gain access for Chinese products in the European Union.

The port deal signed between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis came as thousands of port workers protested through Athens in opposition of the agreement which they say will result in hundreds of layoffs.

The deal will see China's Cosco Pacific Ltd manage two container wharfs at the Greek capital's main port of Pireaus for 35 years.

Athens/Nicosia - Cyprus on Tuesday said it will push ahead with oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean despite the harassment by Turkish warships which threaten to disturb ongoing reunification talks.

"We will defend the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus and we have reported the provocative actions of Ankara to the United Nations and the European Union," said Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias.

Nicosia on Monday said it has launched a complaint with the United Nations after claims that a Turkish warship harassed vessels exploring for oil and gas earlier this month.