RFE/RL in the Media
# Robert Coalson analysis of Moldovan elections cited in "New York Times"
# RFE/RL reporting on foreign national appointed to Ukraine government cited in International Business Times
# Al Monitor cites RFE/RL infographic on foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria
# "Washington Times" cites RFE/RL's "Under the Black Flag" blog for reporting on Russia banning IS analysis sites
# "Toronto Star" profiles RFE/RL Ukrainian Service reporter
# Read Golnaz Esfandiari in Informed Comment on Khamenei’s call for an end to domestic criticism of nuclear talks
Russia
# Moscow admits Russia will fall into recession next year; Putin's "new reality"
# Finland and Russia deepen energy ties
# Pavel Durov's strange exile
Ukraine
# Ukrainian billionaire Firtash, wanted by the U.S., but advising Britain
# Ukraine creates its own "ministry of truth"
# Video shows rockets being launched next to apartment complex in Donetsk
# Change of leadership in Crimea means property grab
Iraq/Syria
# Wife of IS leader reportedly captured in Lebanon; fell in love with Baghdadi online
# Iraqi government and Kurds reach deal to share oil revenue
# "LOL": Teen IS wife blogs about death of husband
# The disgruntled French IS jihadis
# "ISIS: What the US Doesn’t Understand" - Ahmed Rashid, "New York Review of Books"
Iran
# Iran carries out air strikes on IS targets in Iraq
# Iran says documents on alleged atom bomb research are full of mistakes
# Report says cyber-attacks originated inside Iran
Afghanistan/Pakistan
# After her family is killed, South African doctor continues work at hospital in Afghanistan
# "Afghanistan Cannot Be Left to Anarchy" - Con Coughlin, "Telegraph"
# Former Ohio state official, facing 15 years in prison in the U.S., is hiding in Pakistan
# Life in Pakistan's tribal frontier
Central Asia
# Central Asian migrants feel the pain of Russian economic downturn
Of Interest
# WhatsApp competitor Telegraph (created by Durov) offers $300,000 for cracking its encryption