Russia sent columns of tanks and reportedly bombed Georgian air bases Friday after Georgia launched a major military offensive Friday to retake the breakaway province of South Ossetia, threatening to ignite a broader conflict. Hundreds of civilians were reported dead in the worst outbreak of hostilities since the province won defacto independence in a war against Georgia that ended in 1992. Witnesses said the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali was devastated.
"I saw bodies lying on the streets, around ruined buildings, in cars," said Lyudmila Ostayeva, 50, who had fled with her family to Dzhava, a village near the border with Russia. "It's impossible to count them now. There is hardly a single building left undamaged."
The fighting broke out as much of the world's attention was focused on the start of the Olympic Games and many leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Bush, were in Beijing.
The timing suggests Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili may have been counting on surprise to fulfill his longtime pledge to wrest back control of South Ossetia -- a key to his hold on power.
Saakashvili agreed the timing was not coincidental, but accused Russia of being the aggressor. "Most decision makers have gone for the holidays," he said in an interview with CNN. "Brilliant moment to attack a small country."
The United States was sending an envoy to the region on Friday to meet with the parties involved to try to end hostilities.
"We support Georgia's territorial integrity," State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos told reporters. "We are working on mediation efforts to secure a cease-fire."
Ten Russian peacekeepers were killed and 30 wounded when their barracks were hit in Georgian shelling, said Russian Ground Forces spokesman Col. Igor Konashenkov. Russia has soldiers in South Ossetia as peacekeeping forces but Georgia alleges they back the separatists.
Georgia, which borders the Black Sea between Turkey and Russia, was ruled by Moscow for most of the two centuries preceding the breakup of the Soviet Union. Georgia, a staunch U.S. ally, has angered Russia by seeking NATO membership -- a bid Moscow regards as part of a Western effort to weaken its influence in the region.
Speaking earlier on Georgian television, Saakashvili accused Russia of sending aircraft to bomb Georgian territory, which Russia denied.
Russia's Defense Ministry said it was sending reinforcements for its peacekeepers, and Russian state television and Georgian officials reported a convoy of tanks had crossed the border. The convoy was expected to reach the provincial capital, Tskhinvali, by evening, Channel One television said.
Georgian State Minister for Reintegration Temur Yakobashvili said government troops were now in full control of the city.
"We are facing Russian aggression," said Georgia's Security Council chief Kakha Lomaya. "They have sent in their troops and weapons and they are bombing our towns."
Putin has warned that the Georgian attack will draw retaliation and the Defense Ministry pledged to protect South Ossetians, most of whom have Russian citizenship.
Chairing a session of his Security Council in the Kremlin, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also vowed that Moscow will protect Russian citizens.
"In accordance with the constitution and federal law, I, as president of Russia, am obliged to protect lives and dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are located," Medvedev said, according to Russian news reports. "We won't allow the death of our compatriots go unpunished."
An AP reporter saw tanks and other heavy weapons concentrating on the Russian side of the border with South Ossetia -- supporting the Russian TV reports of an incursion. Some villagers were fleeing into Russia.
"I saw them (the Georgians) shelling my village," said Maria, who gave only her first name. She said she and other villagers spent the night in a field and then fled toward the Russian border as the fighting escalated.
Yakobashvili said Georgian forces have shot down four Russian combat planes over Georgian territory. He gave no details. Russia's Defense Ministry denied an earlier Georgia report about one Russian plane downed and has had no immediate comment on the latest claim.
Yakobashvili said that one Russian plane had dropped a bomb on the Vaziani military base near the Georgian capital, but no one was hurt.
More than 1,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers were at the base last month to teach combat skills to Georgian troops. Georgia has about 2,000 troops in Iraq, making it the third-largest contributor to coalition forces after the U.S. and Britain.
South Ossetia officials said Georgia attacked with aircraft, armor and heavy artillery. Georgian troops fired missiles at Tskhinvali, an official said, and many buildings were on fire. Georgia's president said Russian aircraft bombed several Georgian villages and other civilian facilities.
"A full-scale aggression has been launched against Georgia," Saakashvili said in a televised statement. He also announced a full military mobilization with reservists being called into action.
A senior Russian diplomat in charge of the South Ossetian conflict, Yuri Popov, dismissed the Georgian claims of Russian bombings as misinformation, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported.
Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev later chaired a session of his Security Council in the Kremlin, vowing that Moscow will protect Russian citizens.
Associated Press writers Misha Dzhindzhikhashvili in Tbilisi, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and John Heilprin at the United Nations contributed to this report.
More flights have been canceled in Indonesia on Wednesday where Mount Merapi continues to erupt.Safety concerns prompted several international carriers including Cathay Pacific, Value Air and Qantas to cancel flights again into and out of Jakarta.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Friday's big eruption has climbed to 191. Officials said earlier figures did not take into account those who died of respiratory problems, heart attacks and other illnesses linked to the volcano.
More than 340,000 people living along the volcano's slopes have been evacuated since the mountain roared back to life two weeks ago. The displaced are now living in more than 80 government camps.
Paul along with his twin brother Morgan grew up on a farm in Waukesha, Wis., and used makeshift equipment to train on. They used a pommel horse from an old maple tree and foam and leather from automobile upholstery; rings were hung in the attic; a stairway railing was made into parallel bars; and they set up a trampoline in the barn. At the 2000 Olympics, Paul and Morgan Hamm became the first set of twins ever to make the U.S. gymnastics team
Hamm won his first world championship medal in 2002. He originally finished fourth on floor at the 2002 Individual Event World Championships, but moved up a place when FIG, the sport's international governing body, announced that silver medalist Gervasio Deferr of Spain tested positive for marijuana and stripped him of his medal. At the 2001 Worlds, Hamm had the highest U.S. finish in the men's all-around (seventh) and contributed to the team silver, only the second world medal for the U.S. men in the team event. (The first was a bronze in 1979.)
At the 2003 Nationals, Hamm won his second consecutive all-around and pommel horse titles and also won on high bar. His first U.S. all-around title in 2002 ended Blaine Wilson's attempt to become a six-time national champion. In 2002, he also claimed the national titles in vault. Paul made the national team in 1999 after an 11th-place finish in the all-around at Nationals. In Athens Olympics 2004, Hamm wins Men's Individual All Round Gold Medal in Gymnastics.
Living in our slice of Texas gives us access to many awesome things like live music, cutting-edge technology, gorgeous lakes and lots of sunshine. While the sunny weather is perfect for water sports and sipping cool margaritas, the sun can wreak havoc with your home. Too much harsh light coming in through your windows can be a hassle. That’s why if you live in Austin, window shades are a great option.
Window shades come in a variety of styles like roman shades, roller shades, dual shades and natural woven shades to name a few. Plus, many shades can be motorized for added convenience and functionality. The best choice of shade treatment simply depends on the window solution you desire.
At ABC Blind & Drapery, all of our shades are high-quality, stylish and versatile. Let’s look at a few reasons why Austinites love window shades:
Using shades in your beautiful Austin home is an easy way to stay cooler in the warm weather and warmer in the cool weather by utilizing natural solar energy. Roman shades, roller shades and dual shades are perfect for keeping out solar heat and preventing heat loss. Honeycomb shades and shades with thermal fabric are ideal for West-facing windows because they keep the harsh rays out. In the cooler months, they can be opened completely on South-facing windows to let in natural solar heat.
Another reason window shades are so popular in Austin is because they can handle your lighting needs perfectly. Do you have a room that gets too much sunlight, but when you close your window treatment, you still want to see a soft glow of light? Or do you have a room that is just way too bright, like a bedroom perhaps, that needs to be totally dark when the shade is pulled? This is exactly why homeowners loves shades. They can be made with a lighter fabric to give off light when closed. On the flip side, shades can be lined, so you can enjoy the fabric look & feel, but they are room darkening when closed.
According to a recent report from the Austin Board of Realtors, the Austin housing market is strong, but buyers are not paying pie-in-the-sky prices. This means when it comes to real estate, you need a competitive edge. Investing in window treatments can improve the value of your home. Custom window treatments typically don’t convey, so when it’s time to sell your house, they become an added bonus for your buyer. Homes with custom shades not only show beautifully because the lighting accentuates your space, but shades also lend themselves the organically “smart home” concept that homeowners love.
If you’ve read Forbes lately, you may have seen the article about Austin being dubbed one of the most stylish and chic cities in the US. Sure, Austin is a hotbed for hipsters, but the affinity for modern home decor extends beyond the city’s hip downtown dwellings. From Travis Heights to Westlake to Lakeway to The Arboretum area, our customers are using window shades to express their style. Shades come in lots of colors and interesting fabrics like bamboo, grass cloth and matchbox. If your interior inspiration means you want roman shades with fringe trim and a rounded hem, we can do that.