LAKE FOREST, Calif., Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain, in a forum in California Saturday, promised a pro-life administration if he is elected in November.

The Rev. Rick Warren organized the forum at the Saddleback Church, a Christian mega-church in Lake Forest, Calif., at which McCain and likely Democratic nominee Barack Obama took turns answering questions on faith and values. Obama went first while McCain was sequestered and unable to hear Obama's responses.

Asked when "a baby is entitled to human rights," McCain said "at the moment of conception." He said he would be a pro-life president but reiterated support for stem-cell research, although he said technological progress would render the stem-cell debate moot.

McCain said marriage is a union between one man and one woman but the state "should make those decisions."

He said his greatest personal moral failure was the failure of his first marriage, while America's greatest moral failure "has been throughout our existence perhaps we have not devoted ourselves to causes greater than our self interest, although we have been the best at it."

During his turn on stage, Obama said he is pro-choice, "not because I am pro-abortion but ultimately because I don't think women make these decisions casually," and said the abortion debate should focus on reducing the number of abortions. He said he favor limits on late-term abortion "if there is protection for the mother's health."

He said marriage is the union between and a man and a woman but opposed a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, saying that has traditionally been a state matter.

Obama said his greatest personal moral failure was his drug and alcohol abuse as a youth, which he called a sign of selfishness. He said America's greatest moral failure "in my lifetime has been that we still don't abide by that basic precept of (Gospel author) Matthew that 'whatever you do for the least of my brothers you do for me.'"

Russia working toward Georgian cease-fire

TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Russia has agreed to a basic framework for a cease-fire agreement in Georgia, the Kremlin said Saturday.

The six-point agreement was immediately signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, but did not offer specifics regarding a controversial provision previously cited by Georgian officials, The New York Times reported.

Earlier Saturday, Russian troops cut Georgia's east-west railway line by taking down a bridge in the Kaspi district, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said. The line connects Tbilisi to ports on the Black Sea, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Russian troops from Gori set up a position 14 miles closer to the capital.

Georgian officials said they suspected the cease-fire provision in question would allow Russia to justify maintaining a military force in Georgia following a proposed military withdrawal.

The cease-fire agreement was negotiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and includes a demand that Russian troops exit Georgia immediately.

Russia's movement toward a finalized cease-fire agreement came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Georgia to call for a Russian military withdrawal.

Rice: Russians may be reneging on Georgia

CRAWFORD, Texas, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday if Russia doesn't pull all but a few troops from Georgian territory it would be backing out on its word.

Rice said negotiations involving France made it clear that Russia was to keep only a very limited number of peacekeepers in a contained area. She said French President Nicolas Sarkozy told her Russian President Dimitry Medvedev had told him Russian forces would begin to withdraw once Georgia signed the cease-fire agreement.

"So, from my point of view -- and I am in contact with the French -- the Russians are perhaps already not honoring their word," Rice said. "But now that President Medvedev has reportedly signed the cease-fire agreement, I assume that Russian forces are going to begin to withdraw expeditiously."

When asked what the U.S. response would be should the Russians not pull back, Rice said, "Well, then, let's not speculate."

"I have to assume for now that the word of the president of Russia to the presidency of the EU is going to be respected."

Rice, who briefed President George W. Bush at his Texas ranch after returning from Georgia, will soon travel to Brussels where she will meet with the foreign ministers of NATO nations and EU officials to rally support for Georgia.

7 found dead in burning house in Tennessee

MEMPHIS, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- At least seven members of one family, five of them children, died early Saturday in a burning house in Memphis.

Two teenagers and an 11-year-old boy were hospitalized, the (Memphis) Commercial Appeal reported.

Firefighters found the two-story house in the Orange Mound neighborhood in flames when they arrived at 5:45 a.m. The blaze was under control within 20 minutes.

The dead were identified by relatives as Melissa Poole, 38; Deon Poole, 18; Diamond Poole, 9; Dajanique Poole, 7; DaShaun Poole, 5; Arianna Poole, 4; and Rodney Poole, 1. Darius Poole, 16, and DeAndra Poole, 11, were injured, along with a 17-year-old girl whose name had not been released Saturday evening.

The injured teens were at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, a hospital spokeswoman said. The boy was taken to LeBonheur Children's Medical Center.

All three were reported to be in good or fair condition.

Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Tropical Storm Fay could become hurricane

MIAMI, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Fay was just south of Cuba Saturday afternoon and headed toward Florida with considerable uncertainty about its exact strength and path.

Gov. Charlie Crist Saturday declared a state of emergency. Florida authorities are expected to impose a mandatory evacuation order for Florida Keys visitors beginning 8 a.m. Sunday, and residents in mobile homes and low-lying areas may also be evacuated, The Miami Herald reported.

The storm could become a hurricane by Monday before it hits Florida, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

"Everyone in the Florida Peninsula should monitor the progress of Fay as most locations there have about the same chances of experiencing hurricane-force winds," forecasters said in a discussion of the storm.

At 2 p.m. EDT, Fay's center was 50 miles south-southeast of Guantanamo, Cuba, and 175 miles north-northwest of Port Au Prince, Haiti. The storm was moving west at 16 mph.

Maximum sustained winds were 45 mph, still well below hurricane level. Tropical storm winds extended up to 105 miles from the center.

Forecasters said Fay's future course and how strong it becomes depend on its interaction with the islands in the Caribbean.