Athens - A hunger strike by more than 3,000 inmates at 21 prisons across Greece entered its second week on Monday to protest overcrowding and lengthy pre-trial detention periods.

More than 8,000 inmates, including Athens' top-security Korydallos prison and the Alikarnassos prison on the Mediterranean island of Crete, initially launched the strike on November 3.

By the second week 3,400 inmates continued the hunger strike to protest the poor conditions at detention centers across the country.

The detainees have been drinking juice and water but have refused solid food.

Athens - Paul Lekuraa led a Kenyan podium sweep in the Athens Classic Marathon on Sunday, the fifth win in a row for the proud running nation at the event.

Athens - The days of cigarette friendly Greece are about to go up in smoke.

The home to Europe's largest population of smokers has just over a year to go before a ban outlaws the habit in all public places, including restaurants, bars and offices, the Greek Health Ministry said Friday.

The ministry submitted the bill to Parliament late Thursday. It foresees the adoption of European Union guidelines designed to protect people from passive smoking as of January 1, 2010.

Athens - Qatar Airways, Iberia and Chrysler Aviation are among 13 companies which have expressed interest in the sale of state-owned Olympic Airlines, Greece's transport minister said Thursday.

"We were presented with 13 interested companies for flight operations, 15 have expressed interest for the ground handling and 10 for the technical maintenance part," Transport Minister Kostas Hatzidakis said in a radio interview.

Athens - The Vatican returned a small fragment of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens Wednesday on a one-year loan, setting in motion what Greece hopes will be a precedent for the British Museum to return the sculptures it has.

"This is a gesture from one of the most important museums in Europe," Greek Culture Minister Michalis Liapis said.

Athens - Hundreds of supporters of US Democrats erupted in cheers in downtown Athens Wednesday to welcome Barack Obama as the first African-American elected president.

"He made it," said Alexandra Bougadis, 23, early Wednesday. The student joined hundreds of others at a hotel at an election event attended by the US ambassador that began at 9 pm the night before.

"There needs to be a change and he is the one to do it," she said. "The whole world is backing him."