RFE/RL in the Media
# Diplomat cites Bruce Pannier's Qishloq Ovozi blog on terror threat in Uzbekistan
# Washington Times cites Joanna Paraszczuk's reporting on mandate for men to grow beards in IS-held areas
# Huffington Post covers RFE/RL's story about a Bosnian Muslim rebuilding a 700-year-old Christian church
Russia
# Night Wolves given police escort from Bratislava to Vienna; 500 turn out for event
# The charmed Brooklyn life of the founder of U.S.-bashing LifeNews
# Moscow Times and Vedomosti sold to Russian buyer
# "Russia's Stolen Future" - Tanya Lokshina, HRW
Ukraine
# Ukraine experiencing most intense fighting since ceasefire
# Year after Odesa tragedy, "burning hatred" divides city
Eastern Europe
# Tens of thousands of Moldovans protest amid banking scandal
Middle East
# Fledgling talks with Assad to end war may be getting started
# IS recently executed 300 Yazidi hostages, according to reports
# IS has taken control of half of Iraq's largest refinery
# Baath party continues to cast a shadow over Iraq
# Kerry "guarantees" Israelis that U.S can prevent an Iranian bomb
Afghanistan/Pakistan
# Suspects in Farkhunda killing go on trial
# Pakistan urges Afghan Taliban to join peace talks; ceasefire talks in Qatar unsuccessful
# "Maimed Defending Afghanistan, Then Neglected" - Rod Nordland, New York Times
# Anti-American sentiment ebbs in Pakistan
Central Asia
# Annexation of Crimea has magnified divisions inside Kazakhstan
Of Interest
# Podcast: "Attention metrics" for measuring engagement