The conditional release from prison announced for Gusinsky

A Spanish judge has ordered the conditional release from prison of one of President Putin's most prominent critics, the Russian media tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky. High Court Judge Baltasar Garzon ruled that Mr Gusinsky should be set free on payment of bail of 1 billion pesetas ($5m), but ordered that he should be kept under house arrest. Mr Gusinsky was arrested in southern Spain, where he has a villa, 10 days ago by police acting on an Interpol warrant. He was refused bail by a lower court earlier this week, BBC reports. The Russian authorities say they want to question him about alleged fraud estimated at $250m involving his media empire, Media Most. Mr Gusinsky says the allegations are false and politically motivated, and that he will contest the extradition moves.