(Guardian) After the west heaped blame on Russia for the conflict, it ignores new evidence of Georgia's crimes of aggression.

(Georgian Times) Ethnic cleansing continues in the de-facto border region between Georgia and South Ossetia. Human rights monitors found evidence of the burning of houses, attacks on civilians and forced displacement of the Georgian population as late as Friday 17 October.

SEVASTOPOL, UKRAINE (Houston Chronicle) — Russian tricolors flutter in the wind from Soviet-era buildings in this Black Sea port city, Russian-language billboards dot the sunlit streets, and gray warships ride at anchor in a Russian naval base.

(Der Spiegel) Independence from Georgia is only intended as a first step for the breakaway region of South Ossetia, whose president Eduard Kokoity has said it wants to join the Russian Federation. Abkhazia by contrast doesn't want to be ruled by Moscow.

GORI, Georgia: As quickly as war erupted between Russia and Georgia, more than 150,000 refugees left home in a fearful scramble. More than three weeks later, many are stranded in tents, some with little prospect of ever venturing back to their burned, mined villages; others have gone home; some are in Russia. All carry the scars that make any war, however short, linger long in popular memory and legend.

MOSCOW (IHT) The Georgian government broke off diplomatic relations with Russia on Friday, and Russia responded by doing the same.

BRUSSELS (Transitions Online) Czechs and Slovaks woke up to a very sad anniversary yesterday. Forty years ago the Soviets and the allies of Czechoslovakia – Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and East Germany – invaded their country, putting an end not only to the "Prague Spring" but also to the healthy evolution of coming generations.

TBILISI, Georgia (IHT) Although Russia pledged that it would begin withdrawing its troops from Georgia, Russian soldiers were digging in at positions along the highway approaching Tbilisi on Monday, a day after American officials said that the Russian military has been moving launchers for short-range ballistic missiles into South Ossetia.

(Democracy Now) Human Rights Watch has accused both Russian and Georgian forces of killing and injuring civilians through indiscriminate attacks over the past week of fighting.

(Sky News) As Russian troops take up positions on the main highway to Tbilisi, more than 20,000 refugees have arrived in the Georgian capital.

(Guardian) The Kremlin last night dictated humiliating peace terms to Georgia as the price for halting the Russian invasion of the small Black Sea country and its four-day rout of Georgian forces.

(Osservatorio Balcani) This year marks the 60th anniversary of the exodus of the “refugee children” from Aegean Macedonia (Northern Greece). They fled their homes amidst a civil war and when became adults, could not return to their homes nor claim their land. For this first time ever, their demands were endorsed by the Macedonian government.

MOSCOW (IHT) President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia agreed Tuesday to terms of a cease-fire that could end the clashes in Georgia, saying Russia had "punished" Georgia enough for its aggression against the separatist enclave of South Ossetia.

(VOA) Georgia has asked China to use its influence to push for a resolution to a territorial flare-up with Russia. Georgian troops have pulled out of the breakaway province of South Ossetia after being overwhelmed by Russian forces. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.