Moscow - South Ossetia has appealed to its ally Russia for military aid in violent fighting with Georgian troops who surrounded the capital Friday.

"Heavy fighting in and around Tskhinvali is ongoing," the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee reported. "The people of South Ossetia request the president and the leadership of the Russian Federation to help and to undertake measures to protect its citizens."

Most residents in South Ossetia and Georgia's other breakaway region have been issued Russian passports as Moscow stepped up ties with the rebel governments in recent years, angering Tbilisi.

New York - The UN Security Council met in emergency session to discuss the escalation of violence in Georgia's separatist region of South Ossetia.

Russia, which is closely allied with South Ossetia, called the meeting, which began late Thursday in New York. Its ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, accused Georgia of aggressive behaviour toward the breakaway region.

While the meeting was taking place, the Georgian government and South Ossetia separatists deployed fighter jets to carry out bombings on one another Friday after a ceasefire declared by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was broken after a few hours, a news report said.

Moscow/ Tbilisi, Georgia - The Georgian government and separatists in its region of South Ossetia deployed fighter jets to carry out bombings on one another Friday after a ceasefire declared by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was broken after a few hours, a news report said.

Many civilians were killed in the airstrikes, Russia's Interfax news agency reported, citing South Ossetia's Health Ministry.

The South Ossetia side for the first time deployed two Suchoi SU-25 fighter jets to bomb Georgian positions, and a short time later, Georgia sent five of the same jets to carry out attacks in South Ossetia, Interfax said.

Moscow - The funeral was being held for dissident Soviet writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn on Wednesday ahead of his burial at Moscow's 16th century Donskoy Monastery.

Several hundred people crowded the vaulted church where white- gowned priests chanted and swung thuribles, or incense-burners, over his open coffin.

Solzhenitsyn, remembered as Russia's moral conscience for his unflinching exposes on the horrors of the Soviet prison camps, died Sunday aged 89.

Jakarta - Indonesia on Wednesday received six Russian-made Mi-17-V combat helicopters as part of the country's effort to improve its existing armaments.

After a lengthy process, the six fully armed combat helicopters, ordered in 2003, arrived at the Indonesian Navy's airbase in East Java at Suarabaya, the state-run Antara news agency reported.

Rear Marshal Eris Heriyanto, director-general for defence facilities at the Indonesian Defence Ministry, said after signing notes on the helicopters' delivery that the three combat choppers would be used by the army's Aviation Centre.

The helicopter procurement process was marred by a corruption scandal which caused the state to lose around 3.24 million dollars.

Moscow - Hundreds of people paid their last respects in Moscow Tuesday to the late author and dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, whose body is lying in state at the Academy of Sciences in Moscow.

Hundreds of people were already waiting to enter the building before the doors opened to get a last glimpse of the respected Nobel laureate.

Next to the casket stood an honour guard and a large black-and- white photo of Solzhenitsyn.