A memorial plaque unveiled in the Chechen capital honors the passengers and crew of the Azerbaijani Embraer 190 airliner that crashed in late December last year. The plaque bears the inscription, "Eternal memory to those who perished in the plane crash. Your names will forever remain in our hearts."

A court hearing was held in the capital of the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia in the case of Georgian citizen Tamara Mearakishvili. She is accused of "espionage for Georgia."

In the run-up to the New Year holidays, Ingushetia authorities have tightened price controls on food and essential goods. Head of the republic, Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, announced daily inspections and a limit on trade markups to 10%.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed concern that food prices in Georgian supermarkets are significantly higher than in Europe. A comparative analysis revealed significant differences in the prices of many goods.