21.   Russian and Chechen officials held the first round of internationally sponsored peace talks Thursday even as heavy fighting raged south of the ruined Chechen capital.

22.   The accord, meanwhile, appeared to be firmly holding in the ruined Chechen capital.

23.   The fighting did not bode well for peace talks scheduled for Thursday morning in Grozny, the ruined Chechen capital now held by the Russians.

24.   The government, which holds most of the ruined capital, felt compelled to release the larger notes because of inflation.

25.   The latest clashes came two days before Russian and Chechen representatives are scheduled to hold peace talks under international auspices in the ruined Chechen capital, Grozny.

26.   The situation in Chechnya has worsened recently and fighting has expanded in its ruined capital, Grozny, which has been under more or less firm Russian control.

27.   Another five Russian soldiers were killed and five wounded when two armoured personnel carriers hit landmines in the ruined capital Grozny, Interfax reported.

28.   There were conflicting reports by Russian news agencies on whether the signing would take place in Moscow or in the ruined Chechen capital Grozny.

29.   Russian authorities took a hardline on Tuesday, including the threat of deadly force, as a pro-independence demonstration in the ruined Chechen capital Grozny entered its third day.

30.   The appointment was made following a meeting in the ruined capital Grozny between Maskhadov with political and military leaders, ITAR-TASS said.