The Rundown - May 25

News & views on RFE/RL's broadcast region

Pakistan
# "Internet Censorship" - Editorial, "Dawn"
# "Media Matters" - Kashmali Khan, "The Express Tribune"
# "New Media, New Challenges" - Maleeha Lodhi, "News International"
# "The Express Tribune" reports on web sites blocked in Pakistan
# Google CEO Eric Schmidt thinks political dissent is one reason for the bans
# India's PM says he is determined to improve relations with Pakistan

Afghanistan
# "The Taliban is Hitting, but Not Winning" - Anders Fogh Rasmussen, "International Herald Tribune"
# "The National" interviews a pessimisstic former Taliban commander-turned police chief
# Afghanistan's spy agency accuses Pakistan in an attack on NATO troops
# Jean MacKenzie on attacks by the Taliban on Western military installations

Iran
# "China's Troubling Iran Ties" - Richard Weitz, "The Diplomat"
# Graham Fuller on the nuclear deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey

Russia
# "A Hollow 'Reset' With Russia" - Robert Kagan, "The Washington Post"
# "Sochi Olympics Offer a Lever on Russia and Rights" - Kurt Volcker, "The Washington Post"
# "Democracy is Dangerous for the Media" - Alexei Pankin, "Moscow Times"
# Former Russian PM Mikhail Kasyanov testifies in the Khordokovsky trial

Of Interest
# "Nuturing Central Asia's Democratic Blossom" - Abdrisaev & Semyonov, "The Wall Street Journal"
# "Elections to Gauge Trust in Georgia's Democracy" - Matthew Collin, "Moscow Times"
# "Look to the Developing World" - Robert Zoellick, "Financial Times"

U.S. Politics/Foreign Policy
# "The New York Times" reports on U.S. counter-terrorism operations
# "The Robert Gates-Hillary Clinton Axis" - Rozen, Smith, & DiMascio, "Politico"
# Adm. Mike Mullen calls for an expanded budget for the State Dept.
# "Obama Delivers Another Clunker" - Peter Beinart, "The Daily Beast"
# General Ray Odierno will take over Joint Forces Command