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Iran Conflict Disrupts Private US Humanitarian Aid For Ukraine

Everyone Wants Ukraine’s Drones. This German Joint Venture Is Trying To Get Ahead Of The Curve

In a non-descript warehouse on the perimeters of a Munich-area airport, a joint venture is marrying Ukrainian expertise with German capital, building drones for Ukraine’s military – and eventually global markets.
'Drunk? Sign Here': Russia Recruits Intoxicated Men As Military Manpower Crisis Peaks

As Russia faces a manpower shortage in 2026, reports surface of intoxicated men increasingly being tricked into signing military contracts at local enlistment offices.
Coral And Crude: Life On Iran's Kharg island

Images chart the transformation of a desolate coral island in the Persian Gulf into Tehran’s primary oil export hub. Kharg Island has become a key target in the US-Israeli war with Iran.
How Iran's Hormuz Blockade Chokes Global Trade Beyond Oil And Gas

It's not just oil and gas. Iran’s shipping blockade is also holding up supplies of other key commodities and causing price spikes on global markets that will affect everyone.
With Israeli Strike On A Caspian Port, Iran War Could Endanger Russia's Trade Route With Tehran

Israeli strikes on Bandar Anzali shattered the illusion of the Caspian Sea as a "closed" route. By hitting this northern hub, Israel punctured the most secure military link between Tehran and Moscow, proving the Russia-Iran drone route is no longer beyond the reach of Western-aligned power.
What China's Xi Is Learning From War In Iran

Retired general and strategist Mick Ryan explains the military lessons that Beijing is taking from the war in Iran and what it means for US-China competition and Chinese designs on Taiwan.
Deploying Forces To Middle East 'Sends Message' To Iran, Says Ex-US General

Iran is using tactical delay as a strategy in talks to end US and Israeli strikes that have decimated Tehran's military capabilities amid a continued buildup of US forces in the Middle East, retired US Army General Joseph L. Votel told RFE/RL in an interview on March 30.
New Executions A Sign Of Growing Repression In Iran Amid War

Iran announced the execution of two political prisoners on March 31, a day after the death penalty was also carried out on two others, in a sign that the clerical authorities are stepping up a crackdown on internal opposition in the country.
Activist's Case Highlights Concerns Over Digital Surveillance In Kazakhstan

After publicly calling for the release of the Kazakh rights movement Atazhurt, Bagdat Togysbayev was detained for five days by police. But what struck him as odd wasn't being behind bars, it was how his phone worked afterward.
Iran Is Firing Fewer Missiles. But Its Hit Rate Is Increasing. Why?

Iran is firing several dozen missiles at targets across the Middle East, down from hundreds in the first days of the war. But experts say Tehran’s hit rate is increasing.
Wider Europe Briefing: Hungary's EU Vetoes And Why Brussels Is The 'Leaky City'

The Hungarian vetoes and how many of them can be lifted
Iran Said It Opened A Drone Factory In Tajikistan. But There's No Sign Of It.

Nearly four years after Iran unveiled a drone factory in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, its operations -- and even its existence -- remain shrouded in uncertainty. Experts and officials question whether the facility ever produced drones or served more as a symbolic gesture of Iranian military influence.
Houthi Entry Into Iran War Raises Specter Of Twin Chokepoint Crisis

Yemen's Houthis have entered the Iran war, raising fears of a twin chokepoint crisis. But analysts say the missile attack may have been less a shot at Israel than a warning to Gulf Arab states, especially the Saudis, not to deepen their involvement in the conflict.
Iran Recruits 12-Year-Olds As 'Combatants Defending The Homeland'

Iran is inviting children 12 and older to sign up under a new program “for combatants defending the homeland,” with applicants directed to mosques and registration booths. Iran has a track record of recruiting children for security and even combat roles, and used child soldiers in the war with Iraq.
Three Islands That Could Be Key In Keeping The Strait Of Hormuz Open

US President Donald Trump has warned of possible further action against Kharg Island, a key oil terminal of Iran and a major cog in the country's economic machine. But three other Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf could be just as strategic in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

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