Инга Чехоева

NATO countries have a direct relation to the beginning of the Georgian aggression against South Ossetia in August 2008. They supplied weapons to Georgia and were openly pushing this state "to unleash a bloodbath against the Ossetian people," said a Chairman of the Committee on Legislation, Legality and Local Self-Government, a Chairman of the "Union of Defenders of South Ossetia" Amiran Dyaconov in his interview with the news agency "Res", commenting on the statement of the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen who had condemned the transfer of the Russian border deep into Abkhazia.

The air space of South Ossetia will be guarded by forces and means of air defense troops of the 4-th Russian military base stationed in the Republic. This is stipulated by the Protocol to improve the air defense, signed in Moscow on January 28 by the Defense Minister of South Ossetia Valery Yahnovts and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Arkady Bahin, stated today at a press conference in Tskhinval Acting Defense Minister of the RSO Valery Yakhnovets.

South Ossetian professional boxer Murat Gassiev (90.7kg) became the IBF European Champion among adults, after winning a 12-round bout victory over the Belgian boxer Ismail Abdul. According to a coach of the athlete Vitaliy Slanov, the fight was heavy for Gassiev.

Photo-exhibition "Life on the border" reflecting the life and service of employees of the FSB Border Control Agency of Russia in South Ossetia, was opened at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Tskhinval.

South Ossetian State Drama Theatre named after Kosta Khetagurov is participating in the VI International Festival of the North Caucasus Theatres "Stage without borders," which is being held December 2 - 6 in the capital of North Ossetia.

South Ossetian folk dance group "Amond " under the Department of Culture of the Administration of Tskhinval District of South Ossetia became the winner of the XI festival-contest "Russian Terpsichore" (held November 21 - 23 in Essentuki ) in the nomination "Folk Dance," said the news agency " Res" the art director of the group Radion Kozaev.
According to him, "Amond" was awarded the first degree diploma in the nomination "Folk Dance", which was attended by the 11 older age groups from various regions of the Russian Federation.
"Our competitors were well prepared, but the jury awarded the victory to our team, brilliantly performed the Ossetian folk dance "Simd." In addition, our dancers Alexander Abaev, Hamlet Kokoev and Alan Alborov were recognized as the best dancers of the festival and awarded special prizes, "- said Kozaev.
The jury included the well-known cultural figures - artists, choreographers from Russia and other countries. Kozaev has also noted the high organizational level of the festival.
"We were welcomed very cordially. I want to thank the organizers of the competition - the event has become a platform where young artists from different regions of Russia had the opportunity to display their talent, "- said Radion Kozaev.
Assistance in the organization of the trip was rendered by the Ministry of Culture of South Ossetia.
" I want to express my gratitude to the Minister of Culture of the Republic Makharbeg Kokoev for his assistance in organizing the trip," – underlined Kozaev.
The art director of the folk dance group "Amond" Rodion Kozaev was declared the winner in the nomination "The best choreographer" and awarded a special prize.
The festival-competition "Russian Terpsichore" is conducted to reveal and support the talented choreographers and performers, develop and popularize choreographic art, strengthen cultural ties and exchange experience between choreographic collectives of the cities and regions of the Russian Federation, increasing the level of mastery of the participants.
The festival is organized by the City Hall of Essentuki, the municipal cultural institution "Palace of Culture" and the Moscow independent creative organization "The Calling."

Fund for support of the wounded who became disabled during the fighting in South Ossetia in 1989-2008 has organized for the defenders of South Ossetia a cultural study tour of historical sites in North Ossetia.

South Ossetian representatives are taking part in the Regional School for Young Journalists held in Sochi (Russia) November 21 - 25. South Ossetia is represented by journalists of the Information Agency "Res," newspaper "South Ossetia" and representatives of the press service of the Administration of the President of South Ossetia. The organizer of the school is the Political Science Center "North-South."
Executive Director of the Political Science Center "North-South" Alexei Vlasov has noted that the participants of the schools, earlier conducted in the South Caucasus states, demonstrated a professional approach in the coverage of processes related to the Russian Federation.
"Interaction of journalists from Russia and the Caucasus promotes cooperation and maintenance of the common humanitarian and information space," - he said.
The school, organized by the Russian Political Science Center "North-South" is also attended by representatives of Abkhazia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The School participants have attended the lectures of the Deputy Chief Editor of the Edition of the CIS, Baltic States on the subject «The Modern media: risks and challenges» and the leading columnist of the magazine «Itogi» Kirill Privalov. They visited the Olympic facilities, including the Imereti lowland, the ice arenas, sports facilities.
The Vice- President of the Federation of Sports Journalists of Russia Lev Rossoshik, editor of the science magazine "Russian Reporter" Gregory Tarasevich also held workshops for the School participants.

Development of small and medium-sized business in South Ossetia is the primary task, the decision of which is linked to the development of the economy as a whole, said IA "Res" the head of the Department of small and medium entrepreneurship of the Ministry of Economic Development of South Ossetia Pavel Kumaritov.

October 16, 2013 a copy of the Shroud of Turin will arrive in Tskhinval. The event is organized by the Public Fund "Revival of Orthodoxy in South Ossetia" with the assistance of the Missionary Department of Vladikavkaz and the Alanian Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, said IA "Res" the Commissioner for Religious Affairs under the President of the Republic of South Ossetia Sonia Khubaeva.
According to her, the residents of South Ossetia will be given a rare opportunity to see and touch one of the copies consecrated on the original.
"The Shrine was brought to North Ossetia, but not everyone in South Ossetia could afford to travel to Vladikavkaz, therefore, every Orthodox in Tskhinval will be able to worship the shrine," - said Khubaeva.
The Holy Shroud will be exhibited on October 16 - 17.
"Access to the shrine will be available from 12:00 to 20:00. October 17 at 09:00 in front of the shrine will be served a Divine Liturgy, "-said the official.
During the event, it will be shown a film that tells about the research conducted around the Shroud.
"The belief that Jesus Christ as the God-man existed and sacrificed himself is shown in this film. For the Orthodox, it is a good material to strengthen their faith. The faith that was traditional for the Ossetians should be strengthened in our land, "- said Sonia Khubaeva.
For several centuries in the Cathedral of the Italian city of Turin is kept large linen cloth, on its yellowish- white background are blurry brown spots. From a distance one can see clear outlines of a human figure and a man's face with a beard and long hair. Tradition says that this is the Shroud of Jesus Christ. It burned three times and miraculously survived. In the middle ages it was repeatedly boiled in oil, washed to clean the soot and for being convinced of its holiness, but the image remained unimpaired.
In 1889, the Shroud was first photographed. And what a surprise it was for the photographer Secondo Pia, when on the glass of the negative was developed a striking image of Christ after the crucifixion removed from the cross. Amazing face, full of peace and transcendent greatness, though with signs of severe suffering: a high forehead with visible trickles of blood, on his hands and feet marks of the nails; bruises on his body.
Since that time has started the research phase of the study of the Shroud. It was subjected to radiocarbon analysis; experts from around the world have participated in its studying. The shroud has truly become for thousands of modern scientists as the "fifth gospel," the gospel of suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But they all agree on one thing - the Shroud is authentic and the picture on it is not the work of man.
The Shroud shows not only the crucifixion of Jesus, but also His resurrection. In a sealed cave he had just a shroud, so only it witnessed the resurrection of the Lord.
In the Jubilee years (every 25 years) in the Turin Cathedral of St. John the Baptist the Shroud for several days is available for public worship (the rest of time it is kept in a special chapel inside the cathedral in an armored ark). In 2000, the Jubilee of the birth of Christ was made a limited number of copies of the Holy Shroud, consecrated on the original.