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The Investigatory Department (ID) for Chechnya of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of Russia has instructed the Shali Inter-District Investigatory Department to start inquiry of involvement of Yuri Budanov, former commander of the 160th Tank Regiment, in kidnapping and murdering peaceful residents in Duba-Yurt village in 2000.

Sergey Shamba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, has stated today that Abkhazia can stop the UN observers' work in its territory if their mandate is not changed.

On February 8, in Ingushetia, unidentified persons shelled and assailed with petrol bombs the building of the administration of the Nazran District in Ekazhevo village; nobody suffered in the attack.

Georgia has moved an idea to announce Abkhazia a weapon-free zone. This was stated by Temur Yakobashvili, Georgian State Minister on Reintegration Matters.

The first in North Ossetia forum of investment projects will open today in the Ardon District of the Republic. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it by Liudmila Avsaragova, press secretary of the administration of local self-government of the District.

According to the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs, on February 9, in the Vedeno District, a group of militants of some 30 strong was revealed. In the course of engagement, three militiamen were wounded; one of them later died in hospital.

The authorities of South Ossetia accuse the Georgian party of bombardment of the dwelling district in Tskhinvali.

Gurgen Egiazaryan, former KGB deputy chairman, has stated to journalists that the murder of Gevork Mgeryan, deputy head of Armenian police, could be linked with his former work at the Department for Issuance of Visas and Passports.

The concern of the leaders of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRACE) of the amendments, offered to the Constitution of Azerbaijan, which have to do with local self-government, is quite reasonable. This opinion was expressed by Rovshan Agaev, expert in the area of local self-government and deputy head of the Centre to Promote Economic Initiatives, in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The European Court on Human Rights has recognized eligible the received complaint of Alaudin Sadykov from Chechnya, who was subjected to torture by militaries and militiamen in 2000.

Bakanai Guseinova, advocate of Nariman Mamedyarov, plans to strain her efforts to completely stop criminal prosecution of her client. Mr Mamedyarov himself will have to undergo surgery on his arm broken by power agents. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it by Ms Guseinova.

The change of Ingushetian leadership had little effect on the situation in the criminal sphere, since militants' leaders - Dokku Umarov, Magasu and others - who pursue the aim "to create some Caliphate or Emirate" and "to disintegrate Russia - like once the Soviet Union was disintegrated" are indifferent to who keeps the power. This was stated by President of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Evkurov.

The Prigorodny District is a part of North Ossetia, but Ingush refugees should return to their homes, as President of Ingushetia Yunus-Bek Evkurov has stated.

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner of the Council of Europe on Human Rights, finds it reasonable to open an office on human rights in the Gali District of Abkhazia. This was announced today in Sukhumi at the meeting with President of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh. The meeting discussed the issues of ensuring human rights in Abkhazia.

Within the investigation of the criminal case on a student's murder in a mass fight on February 8 in the centre of Rostov-on-Don, nobody is detained so far. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it by a source in the Investigatory Department of the ICPO (Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office) of the Russian Federation for the Rostov Region.

Today, Kakha Bendukidze, head of the State Office of Georgia, has confirmed his resignation.

In the Rostov Region, half of the persons accused of corruption crimes are militiamen, the other half falling on employees of the education system, public health, supervising bodies and administrations of different levels.

Arsen Ambartsumyan, Minister of Labour and Social Matters of Armenia, has reported to the session of the National Assembly that according to the Ministry, by the end of January, because of the global economic crisis, about 3500 person lost their jobs in the country.

The Kabardino-Balkarian Human Rights Centre has hosted a presentation of the memoirs of Konstantin Chkheidze entitled "General Dautokov-Serebryakov in Civil War".

In the highway in the Kaspskiy District of Georgia, unidentified persons have attacked a car and kidnapped a referee who was making his way to a match of the National Football Championship.