Eurasianet

The church’s obstinacy in not giving up the practice of sharing spoons for communion – a clear public health threat – is causing an unprecedented debate over the church’s role in society.

Afgan Mukhtarli was freed after nearly three years in prison. His rendering from Tbilisi drew attention to the clout that the authoritarian Azerbaijani government wielded in neighboring Georgia.

A long-awaited deal should make the country’s electoral system more representative of the popular will, and bring an end to the protests and instability that have seized Georgia since last summer.

The advice came as Georgia reported two cases of the virus, and neighboring Azerbaijan, one.

After President Ilham Aliyev made a slip of the tongue on Azerbaijan’s vital national security issue, state media came to the rescue.

Georgia, the United States and the UK all placed the blame on Russia’s military intelligence service for last October’s attack, the biggest in Georgia’s history.

The two leaders scored points with audiences back home, but the event seems unlikely to have advanced the prospects for peace between the two rivals.

Washington's envoy will be thrust into a rancorous election season in which she’ll be expected to mediate between the government and opposition.

Baku has offered to host international soccer matches while its neighbor to the south has been deemed too unsafe.

The controversial comments came just days before the foreign ministers of the two sides are scheduled to meet for another round of talks.