MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has boosted its forces in Abkhazia, a second rebel region of Georgia, and now has more than 9,000 paratroopers and 350 armour there, Interfax news agency quoted an aide to the commander of Russian peacekeepers as saying on Monday.

BEIJING (Reuters) – President George W. Bush said on Monday he had expressed grave concern to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin about Russia’s “disproportionate response” against Georgia in the South Ossetia conflict.

DAMASCUS  – Syria on Sunday ruled out the UN atomic watchdog making a second inspection of a contested site bombed by Israel last year and alleged by the United States to be the location of a nuclear facility.