The Rundown -- October 8

# "Washington Times" cites RFE/RL Russia analysis

# Slate cites Tom Balmforth's coverage of Putin hagiography on his birthday

# Al Arabiya cites RFE/RL Crimean unit reporting on Putin (VV) toilet paper

# How Russia celebrated Putin's birthday

# Syrian rebels reportedly seize Russian spy station

# "Russia’s Unwelcome Citizens" - Olga Zeveleva, "New York Times"

# Russia on the edge of a long recession

# Ukraine ceasefire "a mirage"

# Up to a dozen Ukraine officials have succumbed to "trash bucket challenge"

# Ukrainian students will take Russia's place in FLEX

# Russian man faces up to seven years in prison for fighting in Azov battalion

# Goodbye to Poland's hawks

# Lithuanian FM says Russia "testing" Baltic states

# Why U.S. airstrikes don't seem to be working so far

# Why did the US help the Kurds in Iraq but not in Syria?

# The real ideology driving IS

# "Wary Tribal Alliances, Born of Necessity, Offer Hope in Iraq" - Kirk Semple, "New York Times"

# Instagram's "rich kids of Tehran" are really rich

# "Is the World Still Afraid of Iran?" - Rachel Shabi, Al Jazeera

# Church of England vicar denies backing ‘anti-Semitic hate-fest’ in Iran

# "Female Heads Of Household (And Hair) Reveal Afghanistan's Drug Use" - NPR

# A profile of Pakistan's new spy chief

# Military chief says 14,000 FATA men will join army in next five years

# "Pakistan: The Allure of ISIS" - Ahmed Rashid, "New York Review of Books"

# Russian culture days to make debut in Armenia

# RIA Novosti on possible training of Syrian opposition fighters in Georgia

# Kazakhstan selling bonds for the first time in 14 years to avoid Argentina scenario; a $1 billion bet

Of Interest