The Ukrainian city of Uman has welcomed around 40,000 Hasidic pilgrims for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, in spite of the ongoing threat of Russian strikes. During the holiday, pilgrims from Israel and around the world travel to the city, a central site for one branch of Orthodox Judaism.

Olha Stefanishyna has served in three key government positions in Ukraine over the past six years, most recently as ambassador to the United States. In an interview with RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, she discusses US-Ukraine ties and her decision to resign days before a corruption probe.

The US State Department has urged American companies to exercise extreme caution when considering business transactions with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan after a former US official attended the signing of a deal between a Saudi energy group and the hard-line authorities.

A fresh round of Russian strikes on Ukraine killed at least three people and wounded dozens of others over the past 24 hours, Ukraine's president said on September 12, adding that the strikes targeted civilian sites and infrastructure across the country.