Features

• September 17, 2026

  Women, Life, Freedom Leaves Its Mark On A New Wave Of Iranian Cinema

  Iranian cinema has a long history of confronting censorship. But the Women, Life, Freedom protests changed the terms of that confrontation. Where filmmakers once worked within, or carefully around, an elaborate approval system to tell their stories, many now bypass it entirely at great risk.

• September 16, 2026

  Serbia Reveals Armed Robot Dogs Days After Chinese Humanoid Factory Opening

  A military training exercise in Serbia featured Chinese-designed quadruped robots firing weapons, as concerns mount over Beijing-linked technology facilities being set up in the Balkan country.

• September 16, 2026

  Iranian Woman Still Seeking Justice For Brother Killed In Women, Life, Freedom Protests

  In an interview with RFE/RL, Asrin Mohammadi recalls how her brother was killed during the brutal state crackdown on the Women, Life, Freedom protests that began four years ago.

• September 16, 2026

  Central Asia's Hijab Debate Flares Up As Schools Reopen

  The hijab has long been a hot topic in Muslim-majority Central Asia, where many authoritarian governments have suppressed Islamic political and religious groups and any outward signs of religiosity. The debate has been rekindled as the new academic year started this month.

• September 15, 2026

  A Quiet Ukrainian Counteroffensive, A 'Rout' For Russian Forces

  By most accounts, the Ukrainian counteroffensive is shaping up to be one of the largest shifts on the battlefield in months, possibly in a year.

• September 15, 2026

  Former Afghan Soldiers Recruited For Pakistan's Balochistan Fight, Sources Say

  As militancy surges in Pakistan's Balochistan Province, former Afghan security personnel are reportedly being recruited for pro-government armed groups -- allegations that could add a dangerous new dimension to tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

• September 15, 2026

  Russia's First Parliamentary Vote Since Invading Ukraine. Don't Expect Surprises.

  It’s the first time since the all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that Russians will cast ballots to fill the 450-seat lower house of parliament. Here are five things to know about the tightly controlled vote for the State Duma.

• September 15, 2026

  Kosovo Braces For War Crimes Verdict For Former President Thaci

  An international tribunal is due to deliver a verdict in the war crimes trial of former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander and later Kosovo President Hashim Thaci in a case that could shape how the country’s 1990s war of independence from Serbia is remembered.

• September 14, 2026

  Drama At The Border: How Belarusian Dissident Statkevich Refused Exile

  At the Lithuanian border, Belarusian opposition veteran Mikalay Statkevich faced a stark choice: freedom in exile or remaining in the country he had spent decades fighting for. He chose Belarus -- and was taken straight back to prison.

• September 13, 2026

  In US-China AI Race, Kazakhstan Faces Pressure To Pick A Side

  Kazakhstan is the only country to have joined both a US-led artificial intelligence initiative and a China-led rival. Now Washington is signaling that it may not be possible to sit on both sides of the emerging AI divide.

• September 12, 2026

  Interview: Ex-Envoy Stefanishyna Sheds Light On US-Ukraine Diplomacy Amid Corruption Probe

  Olha Stefanishyna has served in three key government positions in Ukraine over the past six years, most recently as ambassador to the United States. In an interview with RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, she discusses US-Ukraine ties and her decision to resign days before a corruption probe.

• September 11, 2026

  Exclusive: Russia Returns To Syria Bases, Contradicting 'Transfer' Claims

  One month after the announcement that Russia’s bases in Syria would be “transferred” to Damascus, Russian military vessels have returned to the port of Tartus, exclusive images sourced by RFE/RL confirm.

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