The Rundown -- December 19

RFE/RL in the Media

# RFE/RL Iranian Service cited by Worldcrunch for reporting on Iranian parliamentarian warning cell phones were bugged

Ukraine

# "Analysis: Russia's Carrot-and-Stick Battle for Ukraine" - Dmitri Trenin, BBC

# Ukraine PM says Russia deal allows it to avoid "bankruptcy and social collapse"

# Reasons to be cautious about opposition success

# How Gazprom could still gain despite cheaper gas

# Ukraine to continue to seek European gas imports

Russia

# A rundown on Sochi's opening ceremony

# "Got a Light? Olympic Torch Relay Seems Cursed to the Ends of the Earth" - Sarah Lyall, "New York Times"

# Russia to deploy railway-based missile

# Russia's plans to "get tough" on shadow economy

Iran

# "Three Months in Rohani’s Iran" - Farideh Farhi Lobe Log

# Democrats circulating new Iran sanctions bill

# Iran nuclear talks "not going very well"

# On Iran's social media influence

# "To Boost Leverage with Iran, Give Obama a Sanctions Kill Switch" - Ryan Costello, National Interest

Afghanistan/Pakistan

# USAID paid Karzai's chief of staff over $100,000 per year

# Iraqi officials advise Karzai to take U.S. deal

# Afghan economy "hostage" to politics

# "A Changing Terrain of Love" - Bina Shah, "New York Times"

# Imram Khan defends polio workers

Central Asia

# Wave of street crimes in Bishkek targets Chinese, Embassy claims

# The "mystery" of Tajikistan

Caucasus

# Chechen from Georgia leading militants in Syria

Of Interest

# "A Prelude to Murder: Calling Humans Vermin"

# Brown Moses to launch new site for "open" investigative journalism