MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday that by August 22 Russia will pull its troops in Georgia back to the positions set out in a French-brokered ceasefire agreement.

TBILISI (Reuters) – A roll of explosions at a Russian-occupied military base this week sent a clear Kremlin message to Georgia about the frailty of its infant military and its prospects for NATO membership.

PARIS (Reuters) – President Nicolas Sarkozy prepared to fly to Afghanistan on Tuesday after 10 French soldiers were killed and 21 wounded in a clash with Taliban insurgents, and declared France remained committed to its mission there.