News

On September 1, nearly 52,000 pupils of the Krasnodar Territory, who go to the fourth form, will be the first to learn the "Fundamentals of religious cultures and secular ethics". Over 88 percent of them chose to learn the Orthodoxy module among the world religions studied in this subject.

In the morning on September 1, in the city of Dagestanskie Ogni, an attack was committed on Magomed Khanmagomedov, the editor of the newspaper "Ploschad Svobody" (Freedom Square). It was an attempted kidnapping, the journalist told reporters.

North Ossetia has begun three-day mourning of the victims of the terror act in Beslan school committed in September 2004. Beslan residents come to school, holding photos of their perished children and relatives.

The Ministry of Education of South Ossetia cannot provide pupils with textbooks, while schoolchildren's parents complain about the high costs of preparing kids for school.

Armenia has decided to stop diplomatic relations with Hungary, after Budapest had given out to Baku the Azerbaijani prisoner, convicted for killing an Armenian soldier. This decision was announced at the sitting of the National Security Council of Armenia, as Mary Arutyunyan, the head of Public Relations and Media of the President's Administration, told reporters.

Spartak Gukasyan, a son of the Mayor of the city of Gyumri, is accused of disorderly conduct and illegal possession of weapons within the criminal case opened on the fact of a fight and shooting in Gyumri on August 24, said Sonya Truzyan, the press secretary of the General Public Prosecutor.

The two suspected militants, killed in the village Leninket in Dagestan, were identified as Said Kurbanov and Magomed Tamuraev; a young pregnant woman was released from the house where the militants were hiding, the Russian National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) reports.

Today, in the territory of the car marketplace located on the Makhachkala-Kaspiysk highway, which is closed by the order of the Mayoralty of Makhachkala, a minor scuffle burst out between traders and law enforcers. It ended with shooting in the air from policemen's service firearms, one of the traders Magomedrasul Aliev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) is concerned for the safety of its employees Idrak Abbasov and his family. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that this was stated by Emin Guseinov, Director of the IRFS, at a press conference on August 30 in the context of unidentified persons' attempts to penetrate into the journalist's car.

The Ministry of Diaspora of Armenia was addressed by parents of 130 children of Syrian Armenians, who asked to let their children to school. According to the decision of the Minister of Education, children of Syrian Armenians can go to any school in Armenia, said Sirvard Ambaryan, the head of the division for research and educational programmes of the department for all-Armenian programmes of the Ministry of Diaspora.

The Judicial Board of the Moscow City Court has cancelled the decision of the Tver District Court about putting Vladimir Zhamborov, accused of a major theft of state property at the sale of the Philharmonic Hall in Nalchik, behind bars, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports from the courtroom. The case was sent for a new consideration.

The Prosecutor's Office and the police have revealed a number of violations when checking the education establishments of Krasnodar Territory for their readiness for the new school year. Some schools fail to observe the fire safety regulations; they lack security video cameras, medical offices and gyms. The main problem is that many schools in the territory were built back in the Soviet era under different construction standards.

In the township of Lokbatan in Baku, a passenger bus ran against a train. According to preliminary data, the crash killed seven persons, said Kyamran Aliev, the head of the division of the Republic's Road Police. According to Anar Gedirli, the head of the press service of the Ministry of Public Health of Azerbaijan, 41 people were injured in the accident.

In connection with the clashes of Georgian special units with an armed grouping in Lopota Gorge, the NATO Headquarters hosted a sitting of the NATO-Georgia Commission. Also, a statement expressing concern about the incident was issued by the European Union.

From September 5 to November 5, North Ossetia plans to hold a youth social-managerial contest "Future Leaders of Ossetia". Its aim is to identify, support and accompany the promising young people of the republic aimed at developing their personal and professional qualities for the benefit of the region.

The Ingush oppositionist Magomed Khazbiev has informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that his brother Berd Khazbiev, wounded when his car was shelled in Ingushetia, was taken to the intensive care unit.

A source from law enforcement bodies has reported that the body of Mikail Ozdoev with traces of blast wounds was found this morning in the yard of a private house in the city of Nazran. According to the police, Ozdoev was on the federal wanted list on suspicion of preparing terror acts in the territory of North Ossetia.

As reported today at a briefing in the city of Telavi by Shota Khizanishvili, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, the main phase of the operation in Lopota Gorge in the Kakheti Region of Georgia is over.

After interference of the prosecutor's office the authorities of the city of Krymsk have added 33 more houses to the list of the houses in the emergency condition because of the flood.

Arif Ganiev, Deputy Chairman of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, freed from prison on June 8 by the decision of the Salyan District Court, was arrested again today.