RFE/RL in the Media
# Margarita Simonyan, in RT editorial, mistakes John O'Sullivan for current RFE/RL executive editor (as, apparently, does the print version of the "Spectator")
# Social media campaign to free Khadija Ismayilova covered by Al Jazeera and Reuters
# Read Zarangez Navruzshoh in "Guardian" on Tajikistan turning to Hollywood to teach population English
Russia
# "Time" says Putin cut Ukraine criticism from speech ahead of peace talks
# A dispatch from Grozny
# Russian oligarch buys James Watson's Nobel prize for $4.7 million, says he will return it to him
# "Is Russia 2015 Venezuela 1983?" - Paul Krugman, "New York Times"
# "The EU Must Prepare for a Cold Peace With Russia" - Ulrich Speck, Carnegie
Ukraine
# Bomb explosion at Odesa army-support organization
# "Day of silence" largely observed
# Ukraine's border wall with Russia will cost over $500 million
Eastern Europe
# Seven arrested on suspicion of uranium smuggling in Moldova
# Belarusian journalist Alesin could face 15 years in prison
Iraq/Syria
# IS beheading video used equipment costing $200,000 and may have taken six hours to film
# How relatively liberal Raqqa became an IS bastion
# IS posts photos apparently showing man accused of "sodomy" being thrown off roof
# Iraq pushes halting advance against IS
Iran
# Rohani lashes out at Revolutionary Guard
# Video catches abuse of Afghans in Iran
# Hamas' envoy to Iran is now based in Turkey
Afghanistan/Pakistan
# Afghanistan vets trying to cultivate peace through Saffron
# In Kandahar, some made rich by U.S. presence now face uncertain future
# Another anti-polio worker killed in Pakistan
Central Asia
# Russia, Uzbekistan agree on $890 million debt settlement
# Russia to increase oil transit to China through Kazakhstan
Of Interest