Here are some of the highlights produced by RFE/RL's vast team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days, including content from Gandhara, the RFE/RL website focusing exclusively on developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
'To Hell With Your Mobilization': Russian Who Denounced Ukraine War On His Storefront Could Face Prison
Russian authorities have raided the home of a village store owner who used his business to oppose the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine -- and now faces criminal charges punishable by up to five years in prison. By North.Realities
For Hasidic Jews, A Pilgrimage To Wartime Ukraine
“Putin wants us to live in fear, but for us he is no one.” For decades at Rosh Hashanah, Hasidic pilgrims have flocked to the grave of a spiritual leader who died in Uman, Ukraine, over 200 years ago. This year, the tradition lived on despite Russia’s war. By Aleksander Palikot
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Up On The Roof, Ukrainians Survey Kharkiv Ruins
Up On The Roof, Ukrainians Survey Kharkiv Ruins'
The northern Saltivka district of Kharkiv resembles a ghost town, with residential apartment blocks and schools heavily damaged or destroyed. RFE/RL went up on the roof of one residential block in this hard-hit section of the city and spoke to residents who have lived through the hammering of the area by Russian forces. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
As Floodwaters Recede In Pakistan, Swat Valley Residents Come To Grips With Climate Change
After seeing their livelihoods and homes washed away by torrential monsoons and epic flooding, millions in Pakistan are coming to grips with the grim realities of climate change. By Majeed Babar
'They Have Found The Courage': Iranian Women Go Hijabless In Public Amid Protests
Amid the ongoing protests in Iran triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody, a growing number of women have appeared in public without their headscarves, in acts of defiance against the country's clerical regime. By Golnaz Esfandiari
Taliban Harassment Of Couples A Blow To Afghan Restaurants
Many Afghans are no longer eager to eat out, as many have stopped going to restaurants because of Taliban harassment. The militants mainly target couples, often demanding that they prove they are married. By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi
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Emotional Goodbyes Across Russia As Ukraine Mobilization Begins
Emotional Goodbyes Across Russia As Ukraine Mobilization Begins
Emotional scenes played out in various parts of Russia as mothers and wives sent off their sons and husbands to fight in Ukraine on September 22, a day after President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization.” As many Russian men rushed to leave the country by air and land, others were reporting to draft centers in response to obligatory mobilization letters distributed soon after Putin's televised speech. By Current Time
Central Asia Wrestles With Huge Influx Of Russians Fleeing Army Duty
Almost a week into the drive for soldiers that Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on September 21 in response to a tide-shifting Ukrainian counteroffensive, sightings of Russians wandering the streets of cities throughout the region with backpacks and lost expressions have become commonplaces. By Chris Rickleton
'The Country Is In Trouble. When Will You Return?': Russians Fleeing To Georgia Share Their Experiences Of Getting Out
Georgia has been flooded with Russians fleeing Vladimir Putin's partial military mobilization, with long lines of cars at the Verkhny Lars-Zemo Larsi crossing. Those trying to get in have turned to social media for advice and to share their frustrations. Many Georgians, however, have little sympathy for them. By Tea Topuria
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Russian Oligarch Avoids Sanctions Despite Apparent Ties To Nuclear Weapons Industry
Russian Oligarch Avoids Sanctions Despite Apparent Tie To Nuclear Weapons Industry
An investigation by RFE/RL journalists shows connections between the metallurgical empire of Vladimir Lisin, one of Russia's richest oligarchs, and Russia's military industries. According to an NGO that monitors Russian state contracts, one of his companies did business with a state-run institute involved in the development of nuclear weapons. Lisin's company issued a statement to RFE/RL denying its products could be used for military purposes. Unlike many of Russia's rich and politically connected industrialists, Lisin and his companies have not been sanctioned by the European Union, the United States, Britain, or even Ukraine. By Maksym Savchuk