When Isa Gambar, Azerbaijan's leading opposition candidate, came to the town of Beilagan recently, he saw walls adorned with dozens of posters of President Heidar Aliev and his son Ilham. There were only three Gambar posters to be seen, all of them torn.

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Ilham, son of President Heydar Aliev, is once and for all ready to take over the reigns of government in Azerbaijan. It will happen Wednesday (October 15). Judging from the situation in Armenia's neighbor to the east elections will be held the way Heydar Baba, himself, has willed. (The elder Aliev, 80, dropped out of the presidential race last week, yielding the candidacy to his son. Heydar is currently in the United States being treated for life-threatening medical ailments.)

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A senior official from the International Monetary Fund endorsed on Thursday the Armenian government's 12-year plan to dramatically reduce widespread poverty, saying that its ambitious targets are realistic.

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The Armenian parliament opened on Wednesday debates on a bill offering male citizens an alternative to compulsory military service. Alternative service is a condition of membership in the Council of Europe.

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