RFE/RL in the Media
# Carl Schreck's profile of American who died fighting in Ukraine quoted in "New York Times" and RT
# Business Insider mentions Luke Johnson and Carl Schreck report on Lesin probe
# "Daily Mail" quotes Tom Balmforth's piece on McDonald's being shut down in Russia
# "New Yorker" quotes interview by Mumin Shakirov of RFE/RL's Russian Service with grocery magnate
Ukraine
# European leaders worried about Ukraine military success in east
# Last gasp attempt to gain back territory before Russian "aid" convoy allowed to enter Ukraine (likely today)
# British student describes torture and detainment by separatists
# Moscow children's fashion show has "Ukraine" commit suicide
Russia
# Russia gets its "color revolution"
# European banks expect "limited" impact from Russia sanctions; brewers hurt
# Russian official says U.S. meat not welcome back, even after sanctions expire
# Russia loses "special relationship" with Germany
Eastern Europe
# Belarus cancels ban on live cattle from EU
Iraq
# ISIL learning how to govern
# Does U.S.-Kurd relationship need to adapt for new realities?
# Net closes in on "Jihadi John"
# "The West Should Take Note: There is No Avoiding ISIS" - Shiraz Maher, "Guardian"
Iran
# "The U.S. Is Following Iran's Lead In Both Syria and Iraq" - Tony Badran, NOW
# West may "have no choice" but to move closer to Iran to fight ISIL
# AFP confuses Arak with Iraq -- resulting in some major confusion
# Iran's parliament tries to stop Ahmadinejad's comeback
Afghanistan/Pakistan
# "Washington Post" editorial pans Obama's Afghanistan pullout strategy
# Amid Afghanistan's escalating war, a battle to beat polio
# Infographic: Cross-border movement from Pakistan to Afghanistan
# Sharif caught between opposition and military
# Khan suspends talks with government, blaming U.S. interference
Balkans
# Serbia "torn" between Russia and the EU
Central Asia
# "New York Times" writes about skylines on the Kazakh steppe and "Economist" writes about steak on the steppe
# Uzbekistan's top officials about to be ousted?
Caucasus
# Abkhazia holds presidential election amid Ukraine turmoil
Of Interest