Prepared by Messenger Staff
SSSG Arrests Georgian Citizen Over Alleged Illegal Handling of Uranium-238
Georgia's State Security Service has arrested a Georgian citizen for the alleged illegal handling of nuclear material, the agency said.
According to the SSSG, the detainee possessed uranium-238 and planned to sell it to a foreign national for $700,000.
"Officers from the Counter-Intelligence and Special Operations Departments of the State Security Service of Georgia, acting jointly, arrested a Georgian citizen for the illegal handling of nuclear material, specifically the radioactive substance uranium," the agency said.
The investigation is being conducted under Article 230 of Georgia's Criminal Code, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, according to the SSSG.
Health Minister Says No Cause for Panic Over Plague Reports in Russia
Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze said there is no reason for panic or false alarm in Georgia following reports of a possible plague case in Russia.
He said the reported location is far from Georgia and, considering the level of travel and movement between the affected area and Georgia, there is currently no indication that any specific measures are needed.
Sarjveladze said the Health Ministry and National Center for Disease Control are actively monitoring developments and receiving information through international sources, including the World Health Organization. He added that Georgia is prepared to act immediately if any measures become necessary to protect the population.
Russian media reported that a laboratory technician in Irkutsk died of pneumonic plague, allegedly after a laboratory accident. Russia's consumer protection agency, Rospotrebnadzor, denied the reports, saying she died of pneumonia of undetermined cause and that no microorganisms linked to her work were detected.
