https://www.rferl.org/z/651 RFE/RL journalists report the news in 23 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. We broadcast in 27 languages to 22 countries, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia. https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org/z/651 en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:30:52 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL A Tajik couple was forced to abandon the name they chose for their newborn child after officials said it was not on an approved registry. The case highlights Tajikistan's controversial effort to promote Persian-rooted names and curb visible Islamic influences. https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-baby-names-approved-list/33784703.html https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-baby-names-approved-list/33784703.html Sun, 21 Jun 2026 09:59:20 +0200 TajikistanFeaturesThe Rundown Stories Israeli strikes have killed dozens in south Lebanon despite the US-Iran memorandum's first clause calling for an end to the war there. Tehran is facing a rising chorus from hard-liners demanding a response. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-lebanon-israel-war-us-agreement-pressure/33785116.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-lebanon-israel-war-us-agreement-pressure/33785116.html Sat, 20 Jun 2026 12:16:43 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East Pulling up at a gas station with no fuel for sale, a Russian woman is aghast: “What’s going on in this country?” What’s going on is that in the fifth year of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine is fighting back with strikes on oil refineries, part of a bid to bring the war to citizens across Russia. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-gasoline-fuel-crisis-refinery-attacks-ukraine/33784529.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-gasoline-fuel-crisis-refinery-attacks-ukraine/33784529.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:19:30 +0200 RussiaFeaturesUkraineRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Stories When he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many warned Vladimir Putin that the offensive he claimed was meant to bolster Russia’s security would instead put it in jeopardy. Now, in a country steeped in war, analysts say peace could pose major risks – not least for Putin himself. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-invasion-peace-risks-putin/33783105.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-invasion-peace-risks-putin/33783105.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:49:32 +0200 News AnalysisFeaturesRussiaUkraineRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Headline The Iran framework agreement gave an immediate boost to markets, with shares rising and oil prices dipping. But whether this translates into durable economic gains will largely depend on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-deal-hormuz-shipping-revival-trump/33783948.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-deal-hormuz-shipping-revival-trump/33783948.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:13:29 +0200 News AnalysisFeaturesIranThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East The US-Iranian deal to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is inevitably being compared with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed with Tehran by then US President Barack Obama. So how do they stand apart? https://www.rferl.org/a/obama-iran-deal-trump-agreement/33783735.html https://www.rferl.org/a/obama-iran-deal-trump-agreement/33783735.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:33:06 +0200 News AnalysisFeaturesIranThe Rundown HeadlineMiddle East The question now confronting negotiators is what should happen to that stockpile as part of a broader agreement between Tehran and Washington. In recent weeks, Kazakhstan has been mentioned as a possible third-party custodian. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-uranium-stockpile-kazakhstan-united-states-iaea/33782975.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-uranium-stockpile-kazakhstan-united-states-iaea/33782975.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:45:32 +0200 IranFeaturesKazakhstanThe Rundown Stories In an interview with RFE/RL in Washington on June 16, Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, warned that the West risks “giving away” Georgia to Moscow’s interests through inattention, even as Tbilisi becomes increasingly central to the wider strategic balance across the Caucasus. https://www.rferl.org/a/with-georgia-sliding-toward-russia-former-president-appeals-for-renewed-us-attention/33782876.html https://www.rferl.org/a/with-georgia-sliding-toward-russia-former-president-appeals-for-renewed-us-attention/33782876.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:00:05 +0200 GeorgiaFeaturesRussiaThe Rundown Stories RFE/RL spoke with Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, a former US diplomat and current distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council focusing on Middle East security and strategy, to unpack the framework deal between Iran and the US, what remains unsettled, and what the world should watch for next. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-deal-framework-agreement-memorandum-of-understanding/33782127.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-deal-framework-agreement-memorandum-of-understanding/33782127.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:00:56 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown Stories Iranians say they have been warned by security officials not to speak to US-funded Persian-language media, such as RFE/RL’s Radio Farda, amid a crackdown in which the Iranian authorities say they have charged increasing numbers with espionage for “cooperation with the enemy.” https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-fear-crackdown-protests-dissent-media/33781430.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-fear-crackdown-protests-dissent-media/33781430.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:32:46 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East The detention of a Tajik activist in Germany and the threat of his expulsion have sent shockwaves through opposition circles in exile, reviving fears of the dangers that await activists forced to return home. https://www.rferl.org/a/germany-immigration-deportation-tajikistan-asadullo-boboev/33781392.html https://www.rferl.org/a/germany-immigration-deportation-tajikistan-asadullo-boboev/33781392.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:59:45 +0200 TajikistanFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesEurope For nearly three months, Nartai Zhengis, who lives in Kazakhstan, has not heard directly from his father, Zhengis Reskhan a prominent ethnic Kazakh writer and satirist from China’s Xinjiang region. https://www.rferl.org/a/family-seeks-answers-after-prominent-kazakh-writer-disappears-xinjiang/33781302.html https://www.rferl.org/a/family-seeks-answers-after-prominent-kazakh-writer-disappears-xinjiang/33781302.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:27:11 +0200 KazakhstanFeaturesLocked up in China China In EurasiaThe Rundown StoriesChina The European Union is preparing to host the Taliban in Brussels for the first time for "technical talks" on the repatriation of Afghans despite sharp criticism from rights groups and signs Afghanistan's rulers are cracking down further on women. https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-taliban-meeting-further-crackdown/33780057.html https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-taliban-meeting-further-crackdown/33780057.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 11:14:54 +0200 AfghanistanNewsFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesEurope WASHINGTON -- US President Trump heads into next week’s Group of Seven summit in France with a packed agenda covering trade, artificial intelligence, and Ukraine -- and the shadow of the conflict with Iran hanging over all of it. https://www.rferl.org/a/33779774.html https://www.rferl.org/a/33779774.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 18:33:05 +0200 FeaturesIranUkraineThe Rundown Stories Ukraine’s ramped-up attacks on Russia's oil sector this year have led to production cuts and shortages, highlighting improved tactics and successes for Kyiv. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fuel-crunch-ukraine-refineries-strikes/33778225.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fuel-crunch-ukraine-refineries-strikes/33778225.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:39:11 +0200 UkraineFeaturesRussiaRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Stories The Russia Day concert, an annual tub-thumping Red Square performance, is canceled for the first time in 23 years. The marquee annual air show is canceled. The Victory Day parade was notably lower key. Ukraine’s expanding drone campaign is taking its toll on big, splashy Kremlin-backed events. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-drone-psychological-warfare-russia-day/33779219.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-drone-psychological-warfare-russia-day/33779219.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:40:25 +0200 RussiaFeaturesUkraineRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Stories Two suspects in a corruption scandal that has shaken Ukraine and cut close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of a prominent lawmaker as someone who could advance their interests and protect cash flows, audio recordings obtained by Schemes reveal. The lawmaker and suspects deny any wrongdoing. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-graft-corruption-midas-war-energy/33779031.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-graft-corruption-midas-war-energy/33779031.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:32:10 +0200 Schemes: Investigating UkraineFeaturesUkraineRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Stories Data compiled by RFE/RL reveals how a surge in high-level diplomacy, economic engagement, and regional initiatives has elevated Beijing from a neighboring power to Central Asia’s leading economic partner. https://www.rferl.org/a/china-xi-jinping-central-asia-trade-russia/33777593.html https://www.rferl.org/a/china-xi-jinping-central-asia-trade-russia/33777593.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:19:22 +0200 ChinaFeaturesKazakhstanKyrgyzstanRussiaTajikistanTurkmenistan UzbekistanThe Rundown Stories Matt Reisener, senior national-security adviser at the Center for Maritime Strategy, talks to RFE/RL about why diplomacy and military pressure are likely to continue, what Iran and the United States each believes it has to gain from talks, and why any agreement may actually hinge on Israel. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-war-israel-us-maritime-security-reisener/33778403.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-war-israel-us-maritime-security-reisener/33778403.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:50:35 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East Protests in Albania over a proposed luxury resort linked to US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have unexpectedly morphed into a very public brawl between Albania and Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/tehran-tirana-flamingo-revolution-kushner/33778450.html https://www.rferl.org/a/tehran-tirana-flamingo-revolution-kushner/33778450.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:49:39 +0200 News AnalysisFeaturesIranKosovoThe Rundown Stories