Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev continues to lead a regime that, according to Azadlig newspaper editor-in-chief Ganimat Zayidov, maintains its position among the most corrupt countries.

In September of this year, the North Caucasus Federal District demonstrated the lowest per capita alcohol consumption among Russian regions.

On the night of October 22, Ukrainian defense forces struck several strategic targets in the Russian Federation, including the Makhachkala Oil Refinery. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported a hit on one of the refinery's processing units.

Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, who is serving time in Georgia, has been awarded the European Union's highest human rights award, the Sakharov Prize. She also received the same honor from Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut. The €50,000 prize will be presented in absentia to the laureates in Strasbourg on December 16.