In 2021, six women — two pilots and four cabin crew — participated in Afghanistan’s first-ever all-female flight. It was a historic moment. Their photos and videos were shared all over the world. Then, a few months later, their lives were turned upside down when the Taliban toppled the Afghan government and took over the country.
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country and, for the first time in two decades, Syrians say they are experiencing a taste of freedom. Assad brutally repressed a popular uprising, which started in 2011. His forces killed, tortured and imprisoned those who spoke out against the government. Some Syrians share about what his departure means to them.
The Biden administration will begin sending US military contractors to Ukraine. This policy reversal was first reported late last week, and signals a shift in US willingness to support Ukraine’s military effort. Contractors will play a limited but significant role on the ground in Ukraine.
The Republic of Georgia, located in the center of the Caucasus, and with Russia on its northern border, is a polarized nation. Over the weekend, Georgians went to the polls to vote in parliamentary elections. The result: a contested election that could plunge the country into a political crisis.