Sunday, May 26, 2013



Transmission

Odds, Ends, And Autocrats

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov (right) got into an argument with Russian TV host Tina Kandelaki about the perceived merits of their cats. (Screen shot from Kadyrov's Instagram account)

Cat Fight! Kadyrov Takes On Moscow Socialite In Feline Beauty Contest

A photo posted on May 23 of the Chechen authoritarian leader Ramzan Kadyrov cuddling up with three kittens in his Grozny palace has sparked a new battle with a top Moscow socialite. More

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Power Vertical

How Russia Is Ruled

Aleksei Kudrin (left) and Vladislav Surkov

Podcast: Palace Intrigue Escalates

The appearance of Aleksei Kudrin and Vladislav Surkov in the news this week is the latest sign that the battle in the Russian elite is heating up. More

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Tangled Web

Digital Dissidents, Rogues

Why Technology-Penetration Rates Are Worthless

Governments and policy pundits frequently cite technology-penetration rates -- Internet, mobile phone, or social media -- as meaningful proxies for deeper concepts. Despite this, in fact, penetrations rates are futile. More

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Gandhara

Blogging Afghanistan

Afghan President Hamid Karzai appears before the Afghan parliament in Kabul. (file photo)

Afghan Effort To Boost Protection For Women An Uphill Battle

The rapid withdrawal over the weekend of proposed legislation to expand protections for Afghan women has highlighted obstacles facing elected representatives and others who want to bolster institutional protections for a vulnerable segment of society. More

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Persian Letters

Notes Of An Iran Watcher

Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

'Great Shock' Over Rafsanjani's Disqualification

The front page of Iran's "Ebtekar" daily is a good indication of how many Iranians felt when they heard the news that former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani -- one of the pillars of the Islamic establishment -- had been banned from running in next month's vote. More

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Watchdog

Abuses Uncovered

Kazakh Journalist Jailed For Presence At Protest

Berik Zhaghyparov pleaded not guilty, saying he was at the protest in Astana as an independent journalist to cover the event. More

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