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.

Amid A Chaotic Call-Up, Some Russian Draftees Are Returning Home In Body Bags. Now Putin Says Mobilization Is Ending.

The bodies of recently mobilized Russian soldiers are arriving back home, adding to dismay over the unpopular and clumsy draft process. Now Putin says the “partial mobilization” will soon wrap up – but not everyone is convinced. By RFE/RL’s Russian Service and Todd Prince

'Heartbroken And Disillusioned': Taliban Bans Afghan Women From Many University Courses

The Taliban has allowed girls who were in the last year of school to take university entrance exams. But the militant group has banned them from applying for many courses, including journalism, engineering, and economics. By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi

Deprived Of Education, Afghan Women And Girls Study At Female-Only Kabul Library

A new, female-only library in Kabul has become an educational oasis for Afghan girls and women who have been denied access to further learning. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, most schools for girls past sixth grade have remained closed. The Zan Library opened its doors in August and is a place where females can continue their studies on their own. But there are concerns that Taliban authorities could shut down the library at any time. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi

No Rest: As The War Drags On, Many Ukrainian Troops Have Spent Months On End In Combat

Many Ukrainian soldiers have not had significant leave since before Russia’s unprovoked February 24 invasion of their country. As the intense fighting grinds toward its 250th day, Kyiv is grappling with the military and psychological issues surrounding unending deployments. By Oleksiy Vinohradov and Mykhaylo Shtekel

Old NATO Howitzers Are A New Weapon For Ukrainian Artillerists

The FH70 155-millimeter howitzer has been used by NATO countries for over 40 years. The letters and number actually stand for Field Howitzer for the 1970s. Ukrainian forces first got their hands on them courtesy of Italy in May and received training in Estonia. RFE/RL journalists met with a frontline FH70 crew and watched them in action against Russian forces. ​By Yaroslav Krechko

'Their Losses Were Large': In Liberated Lyman, Ukrainian Soldiers Recall Russian Retreat

In Lyman, a strategic railway hub recaptured by Ukrainian forces in a major counteroffensive in the east, soldiers describe the encirclement and retreat of Russian troops -- and talk about what may come next as Moscow mobilizes new recruits amid battlefield setbacks. By Sam Skove

'Geraniums': The Kamikaze Drones Terrorizing Ukrainian Cities

Experts say Iranian-made suicide drones being used against Ukraine are a sign that Russia's stock of domestic weaponry may be severely depleted. By Amos Chapple

Expression In Exile: Russian Artists Find Space In Georgia

Amid a massive influx to Georgia of Russians fleeing mobilization, some emigrant artists are building a community where they can speak freely on issues of politics and belonging. By Alexander Fedorov

In Bulgaria, The Difficult Question Over Which Russians Should Get Asylum

Since boarding a one-way flight from Moscow to Bulgaria on the second day of the war, 26-year-old Russian Aleksandr Stotsky has spent nearly eight months condemning Putin and his policies. Is that enough for asylum? By Elitsa Simeonova

On Defense In Bakhmut, Ukrainian Forces Hit From All Sides

Soldiers with Ukraine's 30th Mechanized Brigade say they have been hit from all sides around the key Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Russian forces have been making slow but steady progress in the area. RFE/RL's Maryan Kushnir was with the Ukrainian troops and has this report from one of the hottest zones in the war. By Maryan Kushnir