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Vladimir Putin is unlikely to halt Russia's invasion of Ukraine because he "doesn't care about sacrificing Russian soldiers," says John Spencer, a retired U.S. Army major and expert on urban warfare. But Ukraine has already foiled the Kremlin's military goals and will ultimately win, Spencer said.

Amid relentless fighting, one official claims that Ukrainian forces are closing in on recapturing Kreminna, which would disrupt Russian supply lines in the Donbas and deal Moscow another setback. Here’s what Ukrainian paratroopers say about the situation on the ground.

Iran has arrested at least 44 lawyers amid its crackdown on antiestablishment protests; a 22-year-old protester is at imminent risk of execution; and a leading Iranian digital rights defender has been sentenced to six years in prison over his tweets.

A 36-year-old Russian blogger lives in a Kyiv high-rise, enduring bombardment, blackouts, and freezing cold together with other residents of the Ukrainian capital. He fights back by helping the elderly, delivering groceries where they are needed, and gathering money to help people rebuild.

Ukraine's Security Service has raided facilities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in what it calls a counterintelligence operation, piling pressure on a Moscow-linked institution that now claims complete independence. Meanwhile, priests and parishioners struggle to come to grips with the changes.

Thousands of Afghan soldiers are living a desperate existence in Iran, where they sought refuge after the Taliban returned to power. Many say they have no choice but to put their fighting skills to work for a private Russian mercenary group that has sought to recruit them to join the war in Ukraine.

Eventually Ukraine must be rebuilt and that will cost billions. Depending on the outcome of the war, there are demands that Russia foot the bill. To many that might sound like a good plan, but is it practical, or even legal?

Observers say there are more repressive measures in the pipeline as the Taliban reverts to the brutal policies of its first stint in power. In recent weeks, the militant group has reintroduced corporal punishments and intensified its assault on women's rights. 

A Russian man who has broadcast news contradicting the official Kremlin narrative about Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine has been sentenced to three years in a penal colony for spreading “false news” about the Russian Army. 

After ruling Turkmenistan with an iron first for nearly 16 years, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov stepped down as president earlier this year. But he continues to wield considerable influence in the Central Asian nation.