Azerbaijan’s opposition, emboldened by international criticism of the parliamentary vote and the government decision to annul the count in two districts, prepared for a massive protest rally tomorrow that it hopes will give it irreversible momentum.

AZERBAIJANIS voted yesterday in a crucial parliamentary election they hoped would give them a voice in this oil-rich former Soviet republic that has been run by the same family for years, but the opposition alleged massive fraud that could taint the results.

Pope John Paul arrived today in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan for a short visit - the pontiff’s first trip since his 82nd birthday.