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The Moscow-Sukhumi relations are passing through hard times; and this explains the rapid departure of Vladimir Putin from Pitsunda on the eve of the day of international recognition of the republic's independence. This was stated by Alexander Skakov, a researcher at the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies. Abkhazian experts did not support this opinion.

The anti-immigrant campaign launched in Russia has been initiated by federal authorities with the aim to divert public attention from everyday problems and strengthen their political influence, assert the intellectuals questioned by the "Caucasian Knot".

The leader of the oppositional "Musavat" Party Isa Gambar has recalled his candidacy from the presidential race in Azerbaijan at the upcoming October 9 presidential election. He made his decision public today at the sitting of the board of the "Musavat" Party, which has supported the position of its leader.

The Party "Democratic Movement-United Georgia" has nominated its leader, the former Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze as a candidate for the presidency of Georgia at the forth coming October 27 election.

In Azerbaijan, the theologian Talekh Bagirzade, who is kept in the SIZO (pre-trial prison), located in the Baku suburb of Kyurdakhany, has been placed into a punishment cell (dungeon) for three days. This is the theologian's second punishment of this sort since his detention on March 31.

The Moscow City Court has rescheduled the next session on the murder case of the observer of the "Novaya Gazeta" Anna Politkovskaya for September 2, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has reported. The reason for postponement was the sickness of the defendant Djabrail Makhmudov, who is still at Botkin Hospital after his injury.

In the course of the armed conflict in Northern Caucasus, in the period from August 19 to August 25, 2013, at least 18 fell victim; of them, 11 persons were lost, and seven more were wounded. These are the outcomes of the calculations made by the "Caucasian Knot" based on its own materials and information from other open sources.

Today, Sochi pupils have started their classes – this early beginning of the school year has to do with the upcoming Winter Olympic Games; however, the traditional "First Ring" will sound for the first-year pupils on September 2, said the Department of Education and Sciences of the Sochi City Administration.

In Volgograd, participants of a rally against increased housing and utility urged to recognize the work of the regional, city and district officials in charge of maintaining order in the communal sphere unsatisfactory and dismiss them.

About three hundred residents of the villages of Tarki, Kyakhulay and Alburikent gathered today at a meeting in Karaman to discuss the situation around the land plots of the Kumtorkalin District and adopt an appeal to the Acting Head of Dagestan.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan has registered the incumbent head of state Ilham Aliev as a presidential candidate for the election to be held on October 9.

The arrest of Yadigyar Sadygov, the adviser to the chairman of opposition "Musavat" Party, has been extended until September 27. This was decided on August 24 by the Lenkoran District Court.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan has postponed indefinitely the approval of the nomination of Ilgar Mamedov, the leader of the civil movement "Republican Alternative" (ReAl), who is under investigation and arrest, as a presidential candidate.

In Yerevan, policemen have detained 16 protesters against construction in Komitas Avenue. A journalist was beaten in the police car, the "NEWS.am" reports.

In the opinion of many locals and human rights activists, the introduction of a number of restrictions in Sochi for the period of preparation and holding of the Olympic Games violates the rights of city residents and visitors alike.

The defence of the students Rafik Avagyan and David Barsegyan, sentenced in Nagorno-Karabakh to 11 and 10 years in prison for treason and espionage, has appealed against the verdict.

Activists of several civil society organizations and political parties have submitted a notification to the Mayoralty of Sochi about a 400-strong rally on environmental issues on September 7.

Natalia Alieva, a resident of the village of Semender, has completely denied her guilt of aiding the members of illegal armed formations (IAFs), said Israfil Gadadov, a lawyer from the Bar "Kavkaz".

The fourth school of Hafizes (people who know Quran by heart), launched in construction in August 2012, was opened on August 23 at the south-western Chechnya, in the city of Urus-Martan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on introduction of a number of restrictions in Sochi at the time of preparation and holding of the Winter Olympic Games-2014. In particular, rallies and assemblies will be banned the city.