Picks

Dark Crossings And Danger Money: Sailors Relive 1980s 'Tanker War' Amid Hormuz Crisis

Sailors who survived the 1980s tanker war in the Persian Gulf in which scores of merchant sailors were killed say the current crisis over the Strait of Hormuz risks a descent into another all-out maritime conflict.

Strait Of Hormuz 'Toll' Could Breach Maritime Law, Industry Insiders Say

Amid reports Iran and the US are considering charging vessels a “toll” to transit the Strait of Hormuz, maritime insiders says such a move could backfire if other countries decide to charge ships for passing through natural maritime chokepoints.

Satellite Images Of Military Airfield Near Krychau, Belarus

From Antarctica To The Front Lines: Ukraine's 'Military Penguins'

A small but growing contingent of Ukrainians have become veterans both of Ukraine's only Antarctic base, and the battle against the Russian invasion.

Massive Russian Attack On Kyiv Hits Medical Clinic, Kills Patient

One person was killed and several injured in an early morning Russian attack on Kyiv on December 5. The drone strikes hit a medical clinic in Ukraine's capital with dozens of patients. The attack comes as European leaders plan to meet on January 6 as part of diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Ekranoplan Reborn? China, US Revive Soviet Cold War Vessel

China is reviving an ekranoplan design dubbed the "Bohai Sea Monster," echoing the Soviet "Caspian Sea Monster", a vessel that skims the sea at jet-like speeds. Meanwhile, the U.S. has experimented with own version, the Liberty Lifter.

Danube Breaches Banks As Flood Tide Hits Budapest

After excessive heavy rains in Central Europe, floodwaters in the Danube are expected to peak in Budapest on September 20-21. RFE/RL has been documenting the situation in the Hungarian capital, where the Danube has already burst its banks in places. 

Unseen Persia: Thousands Of Photographs Leaked From Iranian Archive

Life under Iran’s Qajar dynasty has been brought to light in spectacular fashion by a leak of photos stored in a Tehran museum.

Mysteries Of The Lipovans, Romania's Ethnic Russian 'Old Believers'

In a region of Romania where the Kremlin's drones have fallen amid the war on neighboring Ukraine, a population of ethnic Russians who fled the tsar centuries ago are keeping their dissident traditions alive.

On Tbilisi's Streets, Gen Z Protesters Are Taking Center Stage

Young people -- mostly from Generation Z -- have become the defining element of Georgia's protests, providing energy, numbers on the streets, and, in some cases, inspiration for their elders.

Lenin In Hell: The Communists Depicted Burning In Georgia's Churches

After an uproar over a depiction of Josef Stalin in Tbilisi's cathedral, interest has spiked in some of the vengeful paintings of Soviet leaders inside churches in Georgia.

Unseen Images From Georgia's Civil War Discovered In A Flea Market

A young Tbilisi historian has sparked national discussion after finding hundreds of photos of Georgia's turbulent 1990s.