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Libya
Russia Moving Military Assets To Africa After Syria Setback

Russia Moving Military Assets To Africa After Syria Setback

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Maja Zivanovic and Jean Fernand Koena ( RFE/RL ) – Russia is reducing its military footprint in Syria and shifting some of its assets from the Middle Eastern country to Africa, flight data and satellite imagery analyzed by RFE/RL appear to show. Moscow seems to have withdrawn a significant amount of military equipment from its […]

Feminism
Iran Detains Singer Who Performed Without Head Scarf

Iran Detains Singer Who Performed Without Head Scarf

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

Update: Ms. Ahmadi was released from prison Sunday. She will face trial for the concert. By RFE/RL’s Radio Farda ( RFE/ RL ) – Iranian police released singer Parastoo Ahmadi in the early hours of December 15 following a brief detention after she performed without the mandatory head scarf, her lawyer has confirmed. Ahmadi caused […]

Iran
Iranian Leader Blames Assad’s Downfall On U.S., Israel, And Turkey

Iranian Leader Blames Assad’s Downfall On U.S., Israel, And Turkey

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

( RFE/ RL ) – Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in his first public comments since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was ousted, accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the rebel uprising that toppled the regime over the weekend. Khamenei on December 11 also implicitly blamed Turkey for the lightning push of Syrian rebels […]

Iran
Saudi Arabia Pursues 'Cautious Detente' With Longtime Rival Iran despite Looming Trump 2.0

Saudi Arabia Pursues ‘Cautious Detente’ With Longtime Rival Iran despite Looming Trump 2.0

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Kian Sharifi ( RFE/ RL ) – Iran and Saudi Arabia have been bitter rivals for decades, vying to lead competing branches of Islam and standing on opposing sides of conflicts in Syria and Yemen. But Tehran and Riyadh have taken major steps to de-escalate tensions and boost cooperation, a move that appeared unthinkable […]

Israel/ Palestine
As Middle East Crisis Escalates, Hopes For Diplomatic Solution Dim

As Middle East Crisis Escalates, Hopes For Diplomatic Solution Dim

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Michael Scollon ( RFE/RL RFE/RL ) – Israel’s two-front war in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, as well as the threat of escalation with Iran, have put the Middle East crisis on boil. But despite the risk of all-out war involving regional powers Israel and Iran, experts say there is little appetite for a […]

Israel/ Palestine
Palestinians Count The Toll Of Israel’s Devastating War In Gaza

Palestinians Count The Toll Of Israel’s Devastating War In Gaza

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Iliya Jazaeri ( RFE/ RL) Muhammad Nasser’s life was torn apart after Hamas, the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group, carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel one year ago. Within hours of the October 7 attack that killed some 1,200 people, Israel launched one of the deadliest and most destructive bombing campaigns in […]

Afghanistan
Afghanistan Slides Into 'Ever More Hellish Conditions' After New 'Morality' Law Enacted

Afghanistan Slides Into ‘Ever More Hellish Conditions’ After New ‘Morality’ Law Enacted

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Abubakar Siddique and RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi ( RFE/RL ) – The Taliban has attempted to police the public appearances and behavior of millions of Afghans, especially women, since seizing power in 2021. But the enforcement of the extremist group’s rules governing morality, including its strict Islamic dress code and gender segregation in society, was sporadic […]

Afghanistan
The Push To Recognize 'Gender Apartheid' As A Crime

The Push To Recognize ‘Gender Apartheid’ As A Crime

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

Written by Michael Scollon with reporting by RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi | – (

Elections
Amid Astonishing low Turnout, Iranians Mull Continuing Presidential Election Boycott in 2nd Round

Amid Astonishing low Turnout, Iranians Mull Continuing Presidential Election Boycott in 2nd Round

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Kian Sharifi | – ( RFE/RL ) – More than 60 percent of Iran’s electorate did not vote in the June 28 presidential election, despite it being billed as an important poll given the role that the next president could play in the succession to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. With no candidate managing […]

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