Nancy

The dilemma for the shopkeepers was clear: Either they would pay to have immunity from inspections or they would be forced to go to court every so often.

Greek police recently uncovered a major extortion ring operated by civil servants in Athens, revealing hidden cash totaling 450,000 euros. Video footage shows officers opening various packages and bags containing the money.

The 43-year-old Nancy, accused of being a leading member of a ring that extorted shopkeepers in the centre of Athens, her brother and a co-defendant, a relative of a high-ranking local government official, have just been sent to prison

Photographs documenting the locations where members of an extortion ring operating within the Municipality of Athens were active have been obtained and presented by protothema.gr.

In response to the recent arrest of 12 Public Health Supervisors implicated in an extortion ring, the Attica regional governor, Nikos Hardalias, has placed all involved on immediate leave. This extortion ring also included employees from the Municipal Police of Athens and the Ministry of Culture.

The conversations reveal the inner workings of an extortion scheme orchestrated by private individuals and municipal police employees of the Municipality of Athens, targeting local business owners.

The leading members, a 43-year-old and a 64-year-old, approached shop owners, mainly in the Athens area, offering protection to avoid administrative violations.

New Jersey came to the West Coast to kick off Grammy Awards weekend, with native sons Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen teaming up.

The occasion was to honor Bon Jovi for his musical achievements and philanthropic efforts as MusiCares Person of the Year on the night of Feb. 2.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of trying to expand a system similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into the Asia-Pacific region.

"The situation in Ukraine shows that the US seeks to prolong the conflict. And it acts in the same way, igniting the potential for conflict in Asia, Africa, Latin America," Putin said.

The summer movie season has not traditionally speaking, been known for its nuanced attention to female sexuality.

A guitar, the smashing of which triggered the break-up of Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher, goes under the hammer in Paris next month alongside other rock memorabilia.