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Georgia Observes Mourning Period for Late Prime Minister


Georgia is observing two days of mourning following Thursday's death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania.

Authorities found the body of the 41-year-old Mr. Zhvania along with that of a friend and fellow politician, Zurab Usupov in the friend's Tbilisi apartment.

Officials Friday confirmed that the two men had died of carbon monixide poisoning blamed on a faulty heater.

Mr. Zhvzania's funeral is scheduled for Sunday at Tbilisi's cathedral.

The late prime minister was prominent in the "Rose Revolution" that toppled President Eduard Shevardnadze in 2003.

Meanwhile, Georgian officials say a member of the country's Presidential Commission on Clemency apparently has committed suicide.

Police say they found Giorgi Khelasvili at his home dead of a gunshot wound. News agency reports say the victim suffered from depression. Authorities are making no connection between the suicide and the prime minister's death.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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