In Brief

Alaskan man sells seal penises ANCHORAGE – An Alaska man has pleaded guilty to selling more than 100 fur seal ‘oosiks’ – or penises – to a local gift shop that intended to sell the items as an aphrodisiac.

Michael Richard Zacharof, an Aleut and former tribal president from the Bering Sea village of St Paul, pleaded guilty this week to one count of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Federal law forbids the sale of any raw marine mammal parts unless they have been crafted into pieces of Alaska Native artwork.In Zacharof’s case, the former tribal leader sold the raw seal penises to a gift shop catering to customers from Asia.The shop then sold the items for about $100 each, according to the Justice Department.Assistant US Attorney Andrea Steward said seal penis bones, also known as seal sticks, are believed to have properties similar to erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra.Zacharof faces a possible one-year prison term and a $20 000 fine, the US Attorney’s office said.* Austria frees Russian spy suspect VIENNA – Austria freed yesterday a Russian space agency official it suspected of spying, its Justice Ministry said, and Russia said his arrest had harmed bilateral relations.The Russian was arrested last week in or near the central Austrian city of Linz, prompting a protest from Moscow.He was freed after it was determined he was covered by diplomatic immunity.Austrian justice ministry Thomas Geiblinger confirmed a report by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency that the Russian had been released.Nampa-ReutersFederal law forbids the sale of any raw marine mammal parts unless they have been crafted into pieces of Alaska Native artwork.In Zacharof’s case, the former tribal leader sold the raw seal penises to a gift shop catering to customers from Asia.The shop then sold the items for about $100 each, according to the Justice Department.Assistant US Attorney Andrea Steward said seal penis bones, also known as seal sticks, are believed to have properties similar to erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra.Zacharof faces a possible one-year prison term and a $20 000 fine, the US Attorney’s office said.* Austria frees Russian spy suspect VIENNA – Austria freed yesterday a Russian space agency official it suspected of spying, its Justice Ministry said, and Russia said his arrest had harmed bilateral relations.The Russian was arrested last week in or near the central Austrian city of Linz, prompting a protest from Moscow.He was freed after it was determined he was covered by diplomatic immunity.Austrian justice ministry Thomas Geiblinger confirmed a report by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency that the Russian had been released.Nampa-Reuters