In Brief
GUSINSKY CASE
Court to decide Monday whether to extradite Russian tycoon The Council of Appeals Court Judges is to decide on Monday whether to extradite Russian tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky, who is wanted in his homeland for massive fraud and money laundering. The 51-year-old multimillionaire – who formerly owned media organizations in Russia – yesterday asked the council to reject Moscow’s request for his extradition, claiming that the charges against him are politically motivated due to the critical fashion in which his NTV television network covered Russia’s war in Chechnya. Gusinsky has been in Greece since his arrest at Athens Airport on August 21 on the strength of an outstanding international arrest warrant. HIGH-SPEED BIRTH Woman bears son in patrol car as police rush her to Athens hospital A 26-year-old Albanian woman yesterday morning gave birth to her first child in the back of a police patrol car rushing through central Athens to get her to a hospital. An ambulance called to take Gerdiana Lubiesa from her home in Peristeri to the Mitera obstetrics clinic had not yet arrived when the woman went into labor, prompting the two officers in a waiting patrol car – which had arrived to clear the way for the ambulance – to take over. The officers informed the central Elena clinic that they were on their way but the woman gave birth as they turned onto Marni Street. Both mother and son were in good health yesterday. BONES STOLEN Saint’s relics taken from monastery Police on Corfu said yesterday that the thief of a silver casket containing the bones of Aghios Haralambos from a monastery in the island’s town was likely someone aged between 28 and 300 who visited the monastery to confess his sins. The saint’s remains, which date to the first century AD, went missing on Wednesday afternoon from the Monastery of the Virgin Platytera. The silver casket dates back to 1823. Kokkalis suit Telecoms and software tycoon Socrates Kokkalis yesterday sued senior officials of Russia’s National Athletics Institute for slander and attempting to mislead court officials in connection with a 15-million-dollar compensation suit the institute has filed against him. Kokkalis maintains that the Swiss company Sectro – which the institute claims he owns and from which it is seeking compensation – has nothing to do with him. Meanwhile, the Athens News Agency said yesterday that the Council of Misdemeanours Court Judges is to resolve a dispute between investigating magistrate Giorgos Pournaras and prosecutor Fani Kontothanassi on whether spying charges against Kokkalis should be shelved or further probed. Joyriding The 22-year-old son of New Democracy MP Theodoros Katsikis, Solon, was released yesterday following his arrest in the Athenian district of Patissia on Wednesday with two male Albanian acquaintances, one of who had borrowed Katsikis’s father’s car. One of the Albanians was sentenced to eight months in jail after being found to be in possession of a small amount of cannabis and in violation of immigration laws. OA protest Olympic Airways flight staff are to stage two three-hour work stoppages next Friday (October 3) – from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. – in protest at what they call the illegal training of stewards on short-term contracts who, they say, do not have the experience to serve on OA flights. Immigrants Port Authority officials on Lesvos yesterday detained a total of 38 illegal immigrants on the island. A Turkish national was arrested for the suspected smuggling of 31 Somalian migrants aboard a 7-meter sailing boat, and another seven migrants (four Afghans and three Mauritians) were detained after reaching the island in two inflatable rowboats. Soccer penalty The Professional Sports Commission ruled yesterday that first-division soccer club Aris must be deducted a total of 12 points, three each for each match played so far this season, for owing 304,000 euros to forward Angelos Charisteas. The Thessaloniki club has six days to come up with at least 200,000 euros. The decision must be approved by the Disciplinary Commission of the Association of Professional Soccer Clubs (EPAE).
