Up to a year ago, Azerbaijan, an oil-and-gas powerhouse about the size of the state of Maine, was a little-known former Soviet republic on the Caspian Sea just north of Iran. Soon, however, the eyes of more than a half billion people will be watching live as it hosts the...

The billionaire Sheldon Adelson's $5 million donation to Republican Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign, coupled with another $5 million from Adelson's wife Miriam, has been called "among the largest known political donations in U.S. History." But the Boston-native Adelson also puts his mighty wealth and influence to work in...

When I was in northern Italy last May, I was taken aback by the smart, professional Italians I talked to who were more-than-convinced that Amanda Knox was guilty of murder. Not only that, they were very defensive about it. I tried in vain to argue that the DNA evidence did...

Cities and counties in America should hire journalists to watch and write about them. Yes, use a modest amount of public money to employ a full-time, professional news writer in a government position, perhaps called the "Town Journalist." This person could have a small staff -- or no staff at...

Azerbaijan is set to host next year's Eurovision Song Contest, an American Idol-type show watched by 125 million European TV viewers this year, when the little-known country was the surprise winner. But will the expressed willingness of Azerbaijan to let its arch-enemy Armenia take part in the 2012 competition produce...

Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan's president, maintains an amazingly busy schedule these days, as he competes for public favor with a young generation of Azeri protesters who have built momentum in recent weeks toward what they hope leads to a society free of his authoritarian rule that clamps down on the news...

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, a city poised on the Caspian Sea between Russia and Iran, has ranked atop Forbes' list of the 25 most polluted cities -- largely due to its oil and gas industries and almost uncontrolled auto emissions -- since 2008. But this small, cash-rich nation of...