The Rundown - January 14

News & views on RFE's broadcast region

Pakistan
# Omar Waraich on Pakistan's paralysis in dealing with extremism
# President Zardari is in Washington today
# "Newsline" reports on the possibility of web censroship in Pakistan
# "The National" reports on Pakistani talk shows

Afghanistan
# The Afghan government says ISAF forces caused $100 million in damages in Kandahar
# "Reconciling Afghanistan" - Una Moore, "UN Dispatch"
# "The Washington Post" reports on the drug war in Afghanistan

Iran
# "Do We Have Ahmadinejad All Wrong?" - Reza Aslan, "The Atlantic"
# China may not be enforcing sanctions on Iran

Russia
# An interview with "Vladimir Putin Action Comics" Creator Sam Derse
# "Global Post" on Dmitry Medvedev's support for Russian orphans
# "Picking Out The Biggest Fraudster In The Room" - Editorial, "Moscow Times"
# A new online game allows players to shoot a virtual Dmitry Medvedev

Tunisia
# Ethan Zuckerman on the lack of attention paid to Tunisia
# Is Tunisia an actual "Twitter Revolution"?
# Tunisia's president has vowed to step down
# "The New York Times" reports on President Ben Ali's personal wealth

Wikileaks
# "What WikiLeaks Reveals About The Changing Map Of Global Power" - Andrew Hammond
# "The New York Times" reports on Bradley Manning's conditions

Of Interest
# Authorities in Belarus are threatening to close the Helsinki Committee there
# "Around The World, Freedom Is In Decline" - Editorial, "The Washington Post"
# Robert Cottrell remembers Denis Dutton

International Broadcasting/Public Diplomacy
# Video of a discussion on civilian communications in Afghanistan with David Ensor
# The BBC's former Moscow correspondent is starting a new TV station in Russia

U.S. Politics/Foreign Policy
# Laura Rozen on replacing Ambassador Richard Holbrooke
# Al Kamen's "In The Loop"