The Rundown -- January 7

# Huffington Post on "Ten Days in the Life of Ilham Aliyev, President of Absurdistan"

# The Guardian reports on Khaled Hosseini joining calls to release Azerbaijani writer Khadija Ismayilova

# The Guardian reports that some compare Russia's Sputnik to VOA and RFE/RL

# Washington Times cites RFE/RL reporting on Putin decree allowing foreigners to serve as military contractors

# "How Russians Are Sent to Fight in Ukraine" - James Rupert, Newsweek

# Putin's lobbyists in Washington

# Fourth Russian general commits suicide in less than a year

# Attackers storm gay nightclub in southern Russia
# Russia isn't paying its national football coach

# Ukraine's approval of Russia's leadership dives almost 90 percent

# "The War Came to Me" - Christopher Miller, Mashable

# "Can This Man Save Ukraine's Economy?" - Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

# Turkey detains Dutch journalist on same day as Dutch FM is in town

# The anatomy of conspiracy theories

# Senior IS official beheaded

# "ISIS Is Losing Its Greatest Weapon: Momentum" - Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Atlantic

# Hardliners strike back at Rohani

# Weekly Standard proposes Republican Iran sanctions strategy

# Afghans encouraged to get last names

# Thousands flee Kashmir amid heavy shelling

# Lawmakers pass constitutional amendment allowing military tribunals for Islamic militants

# Armenia tries to keep foot in West

# Gunfire "daily reality" in Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict zone

# Don't use my name without permission