The UN chief said today he is considering setting up peacekeeping missions in Georgia's separatist areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where Russia seized control with thousands of troops.

Georgia will appeal to judges at the International Court of Justice today to impose emergency measures to halt what it calls a campaign of ethnic cleansing by Russia in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

US Vice President Dick Cheney today condemned Russia for what he called an “illegitimate, unilateral attempt” to change Georgia’s borders by force.

The US will send an extra billion dollars to Georgia to help the pro-Western former Soviet republic in the wake of Russia’s invasion, President George Bush said today.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev sternly warned the West that it would lose more than Moscow if it tried to punish Russia with sanctions over the war with Georgia.

Moscow does not fear expulsion from the G8 over the war in Georgia, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said tonight – adding that the West needs Russia.

Russia warned the West against supporting Georgia’s leadership, calling for an arms embargo against the ex-Soviet republic until a different government was in place.

Huge crowds surged into the streets of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi today to demonstrate against Russia.

Russia today warned the West against supporting Georgia’s leadership and called for an arms embargo against the nation until a different government was in place.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev today officially recognised the independence of the breakaway Georgian territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili said he did not believe Russia would keep its promise to withdraw from most of the country in the coming days.

Russia took the first steps towards a troop pullback from Georgia, but at the same time paraded blindfolded and bound prisoners on armoured vehicles and seized four US Humvees.

US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice is expected to push Nato allies today to cut back top-level meetings and military co-operation with Russia unless Moscow sticks to its ceasefire pledge to withdraw troops from Georgia.

Russian tanks and troops roamed freely around Gori today and made forays toward the Georgian capital, keeping control of the road that slices through Georgia’s midsection despite Russia’s announcement that a withdrawal had begun.

Russia’s president promised to start withdrawing forces from positions in Georgia today, but suggested they could stay in the breakaway region at the heart of the fighting that has reignited Cold War tensions.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev announced that Russian troops will begin pulling back from Georgia tomorrow as Western leaders pushed for a swift withdrawal from positions Russia has held for days of warfare in its small southern neighbour.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev today signed the plan for a ceasefire in Georgia.

Uncertainty remained in the troubled region of Georgia today as a ceasefire agreement awaited signature by the Russian president.

ATTACKS by Russian hackers against Georgian websites, including one hosted in the US, continued even as Russian president Dmitri Medvedev ordered a halt to hostilities against Georgia.

American forces were on their way to Georgia tonight after President George Bush announced a massive humanitarian aid operation and warned Russia not to stand in its way.

Russian forces pushed a second front deep into Georgia, seizing towns and a military base in the western parts of the country.

Russia invaded Georgia today sending forces beyond the two breakaway provinces it now controls.

Georgia’s president said today he signed a cease-fire pledge proposed by envoys from the European Union.

Russia battled Georgian forces on land and sea, reports said today, despite a Georgian ceasefire offer and its claim to be withdrawing from South Ossetia, the separatist province ravaged by days of intense fighting.

Georgia pulled its embattled troops out of the disputed province of South Ossetia and agreed to a ceasefire today, submitting to Russia’s far superior firepower.

Russia expanded its bombing blitz today against Georgia, targeting the country’s capital for the first time.

More than 30 Olympic athletes from Georgia are anxiously following the news of the violence in the breakaway region of their country, following the bombardment by Russian tanks, planes and artillery.

Russian tanks and troops rumbled into the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia today and Russian warplanes bombed a Georgian town – a major surge in border fighting that has killed hundreds of civilians in just two days and left some towns in smouldering ruins.

Georgia’s parliament today endorsed a presidential decree introducing martial law for 15 days.

The departure of Georgia’s 2,000-strong contingent from Iraq will have some impact initially but no significant long-term effect on Iraq’s security, a US military spokesman said today.

Russian and Georgian troops were heading towards a clash in the breakaway province of South Ossetia today.

The capital of Georgia’s separatist region of South Ossetia came under heavy fire early today, just hours after Georgia’s president declared a unilateral ceasefire.

GEORGIA said yesterday it would seek Western support to replace Russian peacekeepers in the breakaway province of Abkhazia with an international force, but Nato struck a cautious note.

President George Bush has told Nato members he wants to expand the alliance to include three Balkan countries and put Ukraine and Georgia on track for membership.

Thousands took to the streets today in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi for the funeral of billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili.

Exiled Georgian billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili who collapsed and died at his British home was suffering from severe heart disease, an inquest heard today.

POLICE are investigating the “suspicious” sudden death in Britain of a billionaire Georgian businessman linked to leading Russian dissidents.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, taking an oath today for a second term as his country's leader, pledged to calm troubled relations with Russia but also to pull his ex-Soviet republic closer to the United States and the West.

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters rallied today across Georgia’s capital Tbilisi to protest against what they denounced as massive vote fraud that helped Mikhail Saakashvili win his second presidential term.

TENS of thousands of opposition supporters rallied yesterday in the Georgian capital to protest what they denounced as massive vote fraud that helped US-allied Mikhail Saakashvili win a second presidential term.

Mikhail Saakashvili was re-elected as Georgia’s president with 52.8% of the vote, election officials said tonight.

Georgia’s presidential election was essentially in line with the country’s democratic commitments, but revealed problems that must be addressed urgently, the observer mission of a top international democracy group said today.

Georgians began casting ballots today to determine whether their country will continue to be led by Mikhail Saakashvili, the brash young president who four years ago set out to transform the bankrupt former Soviet republic into a modern European state.

GEORGIA’S pro-Western president said yesterday the country would hold early presidential elections in January to defuse a crisis fuelled by protests against him.