The Rundown -- July 29

RFE/RL in the Media

# "Columbia Journalism Review" covers the continued harassment of RFE/RL Azeri journalist Khadija Ismayilova

# Golnaz Esfandiari featured in public radio discussion on Iran

Egypt

# Over 70 killed in Egypt on Saturday morning

# Muslim Brotherhood "in crisis" throughout the Middle East as it debates its proper path in Egypt

# "In Egypt, Journey Down Nile of Discontent" - Kristen Chick, "Christian Science Monitor"

Syria

# al-Qaeda serves up ice cream

# Syria breaking into three

# "Behind the Curve on Syria" - Anne Applebaum, "The Washington Post"

Russia

# Gay teens ruthlessly harassed by “vigilantes”

# Dan Savage is boycotting Russian vodka, including Stolichnaya, which says it stands “strong and proud” with LGBT

# Sochi guests will be exempt from anti-gay laws

# “Snowden’s Lawyer Comes With High Profile and Kremlin Ties” - Steven Lee Myers, “The New York Times”

# On forging Russian art

# All you need to know about Vladimir Putin's pike

Iran

# “President-Elect Stirs Optimism in Iran and West” - Thomas Erdbrink, “The New York Times”

# "The Rouhani Fan Club Jamboree" - Jonathan S. Tobin, "Commentary"

# Ahmadinejad to set up university

# "Iran walks a tightrope on its support for Hizbollah" - Michael Theodoulou, "The National"

# "Israel vs. Iran, Again" - Jonathan Tepperman, "The New York Times"

Afghanistan/Pakistan

# Karzai to visit Pakistan

# India and Pakistan to renew peace talks

# Afghanistan's Rupert Murdoch

# Afghanistan's "Open Jirga" TV show brings ministers face-to-face with public

# Can withdrawing from Afghanistan undermine the Taliban's case for war?

Central Asia

# “Kyrgyzstan Pushes U.S. To Reopen Case Against Former President’s Son” - Rosie Gray, “BuzzFeed”

# "Cool Runnings" in Tajikstan as skiers prep for Olympics

# "When It Comes To Extraditions, Russia Often Cooperates" - Susan Armitage, "NPR"

# "Al Jazeera" special on "Tajikistan's Missing Men"

Eastern Europe

#“Brokeback in Belarus” - Alyona Soiko, “BuzzFeed”

# Daughter of Belarusian opposition businessman kidnapped and beaten by unknown assailants (in Russian)

#"Putin urges Ukraine to join forces with Russia" - "AFP"

#Three Femen members allege kidnapping

Europe

# War crimes suspect arrested in Kosovo

# A political tour of the Balkans

# The other separation barriers

# “Europe’s New Jewish Question” - Ronald S. Lauder, “Project Syndicate”; and a response

# Photo gallery - "Stasi Style"

Caucasus

# "Revamping the Nagorny Karabakh Peace Process" - Thomas de Waal, "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"

# Can N. Caucasus strategy of Azerbaijan and Georgia help the countries increase influence?

Iraq

# "Breaking out of Abu Ghraib" - Jon Lee Anderson, "The New Yorker"