  We partially solve the conjecture by A.Shumakovitch about torsion in the
Khovanov homology of prime, non-split links in S^3. We give a size restriction
on the Khovanov homology of almost alternating links. We relate the Khovanov
homology of the connected sum of a link diagram and the Hopf link with the
Khovanov homology of the diagram via a short exact sequence of homology which
splits. Finally we show that our results can be adapted to reduced Khovanov
homology and we show that there is a long exact sequence connecting reduced
Khovanov homology with unreduced homology.
