https://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Sat, 13 Jun 2026 18:09:22 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL A social media post by Pakistan's prime minister set a 24-hour clock ticking on July 13 as he said a deal between Washington and Tehran was closer “than ever before.” https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-peace-deal-conflicting-reports-fragile-cease-fire/33779736.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-peace-deal-conflicting-reports-fragile-cease-fire/33779736.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:15:33 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Headline 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 As the US-Israeli war with Iran continues to impact and shape the region, journalists from RFE/RL's Central Newsroom and Iranian service, Radio Farda, deliver ongoing updates and analysis. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-us-hormuz-oil-blockade-gulf-israel/33640284.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-us-hormuz-oil-blockade-gulf-israel/33640284.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:25:20 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Stories After more than three months of conflict that has shaken the Middle East, disrupted energy markets, and heightened concerns about regional stability, the United States and Iran appear to be moving closer to a possible peace agreement. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-trump-ceasefire-pakistan-mediation/33779591.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-trump-ceasefire-pakistan-mediation/33779591.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:31:06 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Stories A Russian woman who pleaded guilty to lying about her contacts with Russia's main intelligence agency -- and was later accused of sending drunken harassing messages to the FBI -- was sentenced to 14 months in prison. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fsb-nomma-zarubina-espionage-foreign-agent/33779322.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fsb-nomma-zarubina-espionage-foreign-agent/33779322.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 22:54:35 +0200 NewsRussiaThe Rundown Stories A senior US administration official has said the United States and Iran were “very close” to sealing a deal that would reopen a critical shipping route and dismantle Tehran’s nuclear enrichment infrastructure. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-trump-iran-deal-israel/33779306.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-trump-iran-deal-israel/33779306.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:45:57 +0200 IranNews European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that European Union member states have agreed to advance accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, boosting the countries' membership bids after two years of stalled progress. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-moldova-eu-membership/33779301.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-moldova-eu-membership/33779301.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:19:27 +0200 NewsMoldovaUkraineThe Rundown Stories The director of US National Intelligence (DNI) has released evidence that her office says shows "longstanding" United States government funding for more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries where research on biological pathogens, some dangerous, is conducted. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-biolabs-ukraine-funding-evidence-gabbard-dni/33779274.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-biolabs-ukraine-funding-evidence-gabbard-dni/33779274.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:46:06 +0200 NewsRussiaUkraineRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Stories The United Nations said it was “gravely concerned” by the arrests of at least 30 women in Afghanistan’s western city of Herat over the past week for allegedly violating a new dress code imposed by the Taliban government. https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-women-hijab-un/33779247.html https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-women-hijab-un/33779247.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:15:14 +0200 NewsAfghanistanThe 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 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 Ukraine's city of Odesa is welcoming beachgoers for the summer season on its Black Sea coast. Despite the risk of Russian strikes, Odesa's beaches offer a temporary respite to war-weary Ukrainians. On the coast, divers help keep Odesa's waters safe by removing debris from downed Russian drones. https://www.rferl.org/a/odesa-prepares-wartime-beaches-as-divers-clear-drone-debris-ukraine-/33778498.html https://www.rferl.org/a/odesa-prepares-wartime-beaches-as-divers-clear-drone-debris-ukraine-/33778498.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:47:44 +0200 VideosUkraineVideo Archive When thousands of Albanians began protesting plans for a billion-dollar resort in a once-protected wetlands area for pink flamingoes, few could have expected that Iran would see it as an opportunity for a brawl with the Albanian government. https://www.rferl.org/a/albania-zvernec-sazan-resort-iran/33777693.html https://www.rferl.org/a/albania-zvernec-sazan-resort-iran/33777693.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:44:13 +0200 VideosIranThe Rundown Stories Despite warnings from the EU, Serbia’s government has granted citizenship to four times as many Russian nationals as to all other foreign citizens combined this year -- including individuals under international sanctions, an RFE/RL investigation has found. https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-passports-citizenship-sanctioned-russians/33778410.html https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-passports-citizenship-sanctioned-russians/33778410.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:25:52 +0200 FeaturesRussiaSerbiaThe Rundown Stories A massive panorama depicting a battle in the 1853-1856 Crimean War has been heavily damaged by what Russian-occupation authorities in Sevastopol say was a Ukrainian drone attack. https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-sevastopol-panorama-drone-strike-russia-ukraine-war-artwork-destroyed/33778268.html https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-sevastopol-panorama-drone-strike-russia-ukraine-war-artwork-destroyed/33778268.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:11:01 +0200 Russia Invades UkraineRussiaUkrainePhoto Galleries The United States and Iran have traded strikes for a second day as tensions rise in the Middle East. US Central Command released video of strikes targeting Iranian military sites. Iran responded by attacking US allies in the Persian Gulf region. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-strikes-hormuz-bahrain-kuwait-ship-india-ceasefire-talks/33778308.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-strikes-hormuz-bahrain-kuwait-ship-india-ceasefire-talks/33778308.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:52:09 +0200 IranVideo ArchiveVideos A Russian woman who pleaded guilty to lying about her contacts with Russia’s main intelligence agency -- and was later accused of sending drunken harassing messages to the FBI -- was set to be sentenced in a Manhattan federal court. https://www.rferl.org/a/zarubina-russia-woman-text-lying-fsb-fbi-drunk/33778254.html https://www.rferl.org/a/zarubina-russia-woman-text-lying-fsb-fbi-drunk/33778254.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:22:30 +0200 NewsRussiaThe Rundown Stories US President Donald Trump claimed that a “great settlement” has been reached with Iran to end the Middle East war and that the agreement could be signed as early as this weekend, perhaps in Europe, with the US vice president attending the session. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-strikes-trump-hormuz-escalation/33778143.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-strikes-trump-hormuz-escalation/33778143.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:46:59 +0200 IranNewsMiddle East The closure of Afghanistan and Pakistan borders since October has severely impacted millions of residents and thousands of businesses. https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-pakistan-border-closure-crisis/33777637.html https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-pakistan-border-closure-crisis/33777637.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:16:02 +0200 FeaturesAfghanistanPakistanThe Rundown Stories