Sean Penn criticized Western countries for their insufficient military support to Ukraine, which he believes has prolonged the war initiated by Russia's invasion. Speaking at a film festival in Poland, Penn highlighted the human cost of the conflict and condemned the inaction as shameful. He also discussed his documentary 'Superpower,' co-directed with Aaron Kaufman, which portrays Ukraine's fight for independence and features President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The film aims to engage the American audience and encourage unity and support for Ukraine.

A statue of martial arts icon Bruce Lee in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, has been stolen. Erected in 2005, the statue symbolized unity across Balkan political divides.

Anton Smetskiy, a professional dancer and choreographer from Kyiv, volunteered to fight in Ukraine and lost his right foot to a Russian mine in Robotyne. Despite his injury, he is determined to return to the stage and perform again. Ukrainian pop singer Iryna Bilyk has promised to join him in a performance after he completes more physical therapy.

Russian shelling has devastated the eastern Ukrainian city of Lyman, leaving it in ruins. Despite the destruction, a small number of residents persist, taking refuge in underground shelters and upkeeping the local church. Ukrainian soldiers are vigilant in the area, as Lyman's strategic position on key roads makes it a significant target amid Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has now entered its third year.

Kherson residents are preparing for winter amidst ongoing repairs to civilian housing damaged by artillery shelling. Despite the challenges posed by Russia's invasion, locals are focused on rebuilding their homes, with emergency services replacing 33,000 windows in the past year. The determination to persevere is evident as they continue to face work created by the invaders.

Residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina living near open coal mines fear that extensive excavations are destabilizing their land and that mines may be expanding illegally under their properties. Locals express concerns that the mines are encroaching on areas vulnerable to landslides and that heavy rains could lead to disaster. While coal companies claim to be following the law, residents call for greater government engagement to regulate coal extraction practices.

Residents living near open-pit coal mines in Bosnia and Herzegovina are concerned about land destabilization and potential illegal mining beneath their properties, particularly in landslide-prone areas. They are calling for increased government oversight to regulate mining practices, despite coal companies claiming adherence to Bosnian laws.

Ala Eddine Slim, a Tunisian filmmaker, presented his third feature film 'Agora' at the Atlas Workshops during the Marrakech Film Festival. The film, a French-Tunisian coproduction between Cinenovo and Slim's Exit Productions, tells the story of three missing individuals who return to a Tunisian town, sparking an investigation by local police inspector Fathi and her friend Amine. The narrative unfolds through the dreams of two animals, a blue dog and a black crow, and explores themes of disappearance, human impact on land, and the failure of authorities to address violence. Slim's previous films 'The Last of Us' and 'Tlamess' were critically acclaimed, and 'Agora' has secured most of its budget.

Minefields laid by Russian forces present significant challenges for the Ukrainian military and civilians near the front lines. Despite the risks, Ukrainian sappers are strategically laying mines to target Russian vehicle routes, although this requires dangerous operations.

Sean Penn criticized the Western response to the war in Ukraine as 'shameful' for not providing sufficient military support to control Ukrainian airspace, which he believes could have ended the conflict. Speaking at the Camerimage film festival in Poland, Penn discussed his documentary 'Superpower,' which portrays Ukraine's struggle for independence and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's leadership. He expressed his commitment to sharing the story of Ukrainian courage and unity, aiming to engage the American audience and encourage recognition of shared principles. The documentary, co-directed with Aaron Kaufman and produced by Vice Studios, began as a human interest story but evolved into a war account as filming coincided with Russian missile attacks on Kiev.

Nuraddin Guliyev, a 94-year-old Azerbaijani farmer, hopes to return to his native village of Narinclar in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan recaptured the region in a September offensive, causing over 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee. Guliyev was forced to leave his home in 1993.

A Ukrainian pilot of an Mi-8 helicopter shares the secrets of his crew's success during a rapid offensive mission: low flights, quick turns, and a dedicated support team. Radio Free Europe correspondent Maryan Kushnir flew with the Ukrainian military and recorded aerial attacks that struck Russian troops in Eastern Ukraine.

RFE/RL's weekly roundup highlights stories including the flow of Chinese drones to Russian war training centers, Parvina Rahmonova's pharmaceutical empire built with her father, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's help, and the recounting of Ukrainian soldiers liberating Klishchiyivka. It also covers the dismantling of Ukraine's nuclear weapons, the imprisonment of Ukrainian officials by Russian occupiers, the hospitalization of an Iranian girl after a metro incident, the removal of Stalin victim markers in Russia, memories of the war in Abkhazia, and the threats faced by war crimes witnesses in Bosnia.

The ZMINA human rights organization reports that 132 Ukrainian officials in Russian-occupied territories have been abducted. These officials, including mayors, have faced imprisonment, interrogation, torture, and coercion to cooperate with Russian forces during the ongoing full-scale invasion. The wife of Hola Prystan's former mayor, located in the Kherson region, confirms her husband remains detained after attempting to assist local citizens upon the arrival of Russian troops.

International monitoring organizations estimate that thousands of Ukrainians have been illegally imprisoned and deported by Russian forces since the full-scale assault on Ukraine began in February 2022. Families are struggling to obtain any information, while witnesses recall civilians being arrested on the streets while going to shops, work, or visiting relatives.

Ukrainian troops are advancing in their counteroffensive against Russia, making slow but steady progress and reclaiming ground. They are exploiting any weaknesses in Russian defenses, despite the high cost, as Russian artillery tends to destroy the villages they retake.

Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan, is facing a growing water crisis, with well diggers having to drill increasingly deeper to provide rural farmers with water. The underground water levels are dropping, and diggers can no longer guarantee a reliable source of irrigation water to farmers. The blame is being attributed to climate change, misuse of resources, and government policies.

Ukrainian Parliament members are proposing new legislation that would repeal the 2001 law against pornography, arguing that the current law penalizes people and enables police corruption. Those involved in pornography, supporting this change, have gathered $850,000 to aid the war in Ukraine by selling photographs to raise funds. Ukraine records about 1,200 pornography-related charges each year, and anyone with nude photos of someone else on their phone is subject to criminal prosecution.

Mitrovica, an ethnically divided town in Kosovo, is hosting its first international jazz festival until September 2. The festival aims to bring together music fans from both the ethnic Albanian and Serb communities, fostering unity through music.

Ukrainian lawmakers are proposing legislation to decriminalize pornography, aiming to overturn a 2001 law. They argue that the current law criminalizes ordinary people and fosters police corruption. Porn producers have contributed to the cause by raising $850,000 for war aid through the exchange of explicit photos for donations. Annually, around 1,200 porn-related charges are filed in Ukraine, with the law technically allowing prosecution for possession of nude photos on a phone.

Petr Jancarek's documentary 'Havel Speaking, Can You Hear Me?' premiered at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, chronicling the last years of former Czech President Vaclav Havel's life, including his foray into directing a feature film. Jancarek, who had filmed Havel for nearly a decade, captured the ex-president's naturalistic and hardworking nature. The film, which bypassed traditional sales deals in favor of crowdfunding, presents Havel as the sole speaker, reflecting his values and legacy, particularly resonating with young audiences who view Havel's life as a testament to the values worth fighting for.

Iran has faced significant human rights challenges, particularly regarding women's rights and the government's response to protests. The death of Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide protests, leading to a brutal crackdown by authorities. Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi and other activists have called for international action against Iran's gender apartheid. The UN has implicated the Iranian government in Amini's death and subsequent human rights violations. Meanwhile, economic hardships are exacerbated by rising prices ahead of the Persian New Year, and the judiciary has ordered Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd and the U.S. government to pay compensation for a 2008 bombing. The government has also arrested individuals for acts of 'social defiance,' such as dancing in public without a hijab.

Jan Nemec, a prominent figure in the Czech New Wave film movement, passed away at the age of 79. Nemec was known for his debut feature 'Diamonds in the Night' and other works that often faced the ire of communist censors, such as 'A Report on the Party and the Guests' and 'Martyrs of Love'. His career was hindered by the authorities, especially after his documentary 'Oratorio for Prague' captured the Soviet invasion in 1968. Despite attempts to revive his career after the Velvet Revolution, Nemec never regained his former acclaim. He continued to influence new filmmakers at FAMU with his concept of 'pure film'. His last film, 'The Wolf of Royal Vineyard Street', is expected to be released later in the year.