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Participants of the all-Armenian student forum have called on students of Armenian higher educational institutions to unite around the national idea and participate in the process of international recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh.

On April 14 and 15, in the Chechen capital, the motordrome "Grozny Fortress" hosted the first stage of the Russian series of ring races under the SMP Racing programme for the development of motorsport. Among the spectators there were many public employees, who claimed they were forced to attend the competitions.

On April 15, the armed forces of Azerbaijan shelled a border village of Baganis in the Tavush Region, reports Narek Saakyan, the head of the rural community. According to him, the section of the road from Voskepar to Baganis is blocked for security reasons.

Law enforcers have talked with the children who had blocked wedding corteges in Grozny claiming money. Residents of Grozny have different views on that ancient custom.

On May 5, in Yekaterinburg, the famous Russian fighter Alexander Emelianenko, who has signed a contract with the RCC Boxing Promotions, will fight a Brazilian Gabriel Gonzaga. Emelianenko, known for friendly relations with the head of Chechnya, called the rumours about his quitting the "Akhmat" Club as gossip, stating however that he is a free fighter able to "fight for any organization."

In Georgia, policemen often fail to react to domestic violence; women themselves tend to silence the problem; and the law is weakly defending them. This was stated by rights defenders, who have urged the parliament to adopt amendments to the law on protecting victims of domestic violence.

The protest rally in Rostov-on-Don has joined the All-Russian action "The Law Is Needed Now!" Zoo activists demand to finally adopt the law, which was approved in the first reading seven years ago.

The organizers of the rally against the nomination of Serzh Sargsyan as country's Prime Minister have urged the citizens of Armenia to go on strike and invited other oppositional forces to join the protest.

The demand to abolish the results of the Azerbaijani early presidential election and create conditions for holding free election was put forward by the participants of the rally in Baku.

In Baku, at the stadium of the Yasamal District sports complex, the opposition is holding a rally against the results of the early presidential election.

Participants of a meeting of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) have unanimously supported the nomination of Serzh Sargsyan for the post of the chair of the government. The oppositionists did not manage to hold a protest auto rally to the meeting place, since it was held ahead of schedule.

In Northern Caucasus, violence of a spouse remains the main source of threat for women. The problem of domestic violence in the region is aggravated by the situation of women in society and in families when victims traditionally avoid seeking outside help. This was stated by rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" in connection with a brutal murder of a Chechen young woman in Khasavyurt.

Advocate of Mamed Gazgireev, sentenced to two years of imprisonment for possession of weapons, has filed complaints against the verdict. The decision of the court is based on falsified evidence, the defence believes.

A former director of the prison No. 6 in Rustavi and two of his former subordinates are detained on the charge of inhuman treatment of prisoners in 2006, the Georgian General Prosecutor's Office reports.

Kazim Nurmagomedov, a resident of Dagestan, accused of complicity in participating in an illegal armed formation (IAF) after rescuing his son from the "Islamic State" (IS, regarded as terrorist organization and banned in Russia by the court), complains about health problems and is not allowed to be visited by his relatives, his advocate reports.

At night, more than 300 opponents of Serzh Sargsyan stayed in France Square in the centre of Yerevan. The protestors used benches to block the streets leading to the square. Nikol Pashinyan, the leader of the protest, urged activists to get prepared for the violent dispersal of the action.

Iskhak and Akram Djamaldinov, shot dead today in Khasavyurt, sons of a former Dagestan official, had previously had to do with the armed underground, law enforcement sources report.

After the rally against the nomination of Serzh Sargsyan for the post of Premier, oppositionists blocked four streets near France Square, and announced that they would stay there for the night. Police units have been brought to the city centre.

An employee of the Georgian interests section at the Swiss Embassy in Moscow was declared an "unacceptable person" after a similar decision by Tbilisi; the diplomat is obliged to leave Russia within seven days, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has stated today.

Chechen authorities attract employees of budgetary organizations to clean up Christian cemeteries, residents of Grozny told the "Caucasian Knot".