The Rundown -- April 18

# "Wall Street Journal" opinion piece, which says VOA and RFE/RL have weakened, calls for changes in BBG structure

# "The Guardian" cites Daisy Sindelar's interview with Ivan Lozowy

# Ukrainian Ambassador to U.S. appeals for support in "Washington Post"

# Pamphlets warning Jews of Donetsk?

# Edward Lucas says Ukraine crisis could be start of World War III

# How the "Kyiv Post" functions

# New dispatch from Ostrovsky

# Lviv 2022?

# Sides agree to deescalation

# "Away From Show of Diplomacy in Geneva, Putin Puts On a Show of His Own" - David Herszenhorn, "New York Times"

# On Russian surveillance

# "Russia's New Challenge to Europe" - Ulrich Speck, Carnegie
# Can biometrics establish a link between Moscow and the gunmen in eastern Ukraine?

# Putin says Transdniester should be able to choose its own fate

# Afghanistan Taliban negotiator under house arrest in UAE

# "Balloons and Bodybuilders: A Fresh Look at Modern Afghanistan" - Maia Booker, "New Republic"

# Pakistani Christians sentenced to death over blasphemous text

# The dangers of being a journalist in Pakistan

# UN watchdog says Iran ahead of schedule in compliance

# U.S. releases funds to Iran

# Why is there a U.S. plane in Iran?

# Iran officials offer words of advice to Russia on sanctions

# Tehran's secret parties

# Kazakhstan says it's "disappointed" over Kashagan setback

# Kazakh businessman reportedly offers ransom for murder of Dnipropetrovsk governor

# OSCE and Azerbaijan parliament sign agreement

# Yellowknife, Canada

# Facebook's "unbinding"

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