1.  The Georgian forces defended the capital but were finally obliged to concede.

2.  In South Ossetia, an autonomous region within Georgia, sporadic fighting continued between Georgian forces and Ossetian separatists.

3.  Moscow says Georgian forces have been attacking Russian bases in the volatile Black Sea province and has vowed to retaliate if the attacks continued.

4.  Fleischer said U.S. ground troops would not accompany Georgian forces into combat.

5.  Ivanov commented in response to an announcement by Pentagon officials that the United States was preparing to dispatch U.S. troops to train Georgian forces.

6.  Abkhazian authorities blamed the incident on Georgian irregular forces.

7.  But he warned that without the Russians as a buffer, fighting could resume between the Georgian forces and the separatists that control Abkhazia.

8.  Gunmen kidnapped three soldiers from a Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Georgia to separate Georgian forces and Abkhazian separatists, authorities said Tuesday.

9.  Gunmen kidnapped three soldiers from a Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in Georgia to separate Georgian forces and Abkhazian separatists, authorities said Monday.

10.  Half of the gorge has been controlled by Abkhazian separatists and the other half by Georgian forces.