We know you're busy and probably don't have the time to read all of our coverage each and every day. That's why we've put together The Week's Best. Here are some of the highlights produced in English by RFE/RL's vast team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
In Russia's Kursk Region, Tales Of A Frustrated, Frantic Rush To Escape Ukraine's Advances
As Ukraine advances across Russia's Kursk region, fleeing residents report frantic escapes from their homes, angry frustration about how local authorities are handling the wave of displaced people, and a wide gap between state propaganda and reality. By RFE/RL's North.Realities
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Kremlin-Aligned Russian Media Minimize Ukraine's Kursk Incursion, Attempt To Check Panic
Sumy Village Official Emotional As Families Near Russian Border Uprooted Amid Ukraine Incursion
Ukraine has restricted civilian movements in a 20-kilometer area in the country's northwestern Sumy region bordering Russia, where heavy fighting is under way after Kyiv's surprise incursion. Olena Sima is the mayor in the village of Yunakivka. She told RFE/RL that she's worried about the people in her community who remain in the area despite the risks of Russian air strikes. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Current Time, and Austin Malloy
Torture And Death: The Dangers Faced By Former Afghan Soldiers Under Taliban Rule
Mohammad Jawad survived his war service in the Afghan National Army (ANA), fighting against the Taliban, but was kidnapped and tortured to death after the militant group seized power in 2021. Human rights groups have documented targeted killings, disappearances, and extrajudicial arrests of hundreds of other former service personnel, while RFE/RL has spoken to two women who say they live in fear due to their past roles in the military. (WARNING: Viewers may find the content of this video disturbing.) By Omid Marzban, Ray Furlong, and
RFE/RL's Radio Azadi
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Afghan Evacuees Remain In Limbo In Albania 3 Years After Taliban Takeover
Taliban Battles Boredom, Risk Of Fighters Joining Enemy Ranks
Kazakh Family Who Survived Migrant Boat Tragedy Haven't Given Up On American Dream
A Kazakh family sold their belongings in Almaty to move to the United States illegally for a better life. But they nearly lost their lives when their migrant boat sunk off Colombia’s Caribbean coast. By Aqdidar Abdimaulen
Swarm Wars: The Shaky Rise Of AI Drones In Ukraine
Killer drones equipped with artificial intelligence are being tested by both sides on the battlefield in Ukraine. Developers hope to overcome drone jamming technology, but reliable automated targeting remains, for now, elusive. By Amos Chapple
Dachas And Debts: How The Italian Designer Of 'Putin's Palace' Is Linked To Contentious Kremlin Residence In Crimea
Known as “Putin’s Architect” for designing a lavish, estate linked to the Russian president, Italian businessman Lanfranco Cirillo was also involved in the renovation of a second leisure property for Putin that triggered a tax raid over millions of dollars, an RFE/RL investigation has found. By Sergei Titov and Systema
In Bulgaria, A Gay Teacher Worries About An Anti-Gay Law
As Bulgaria's parliament passes a ban on "LGBT propaganda" in schools, Ivan, a teacher and openly gay man, fears for his future -- and for that of his students. By Damyana Veleva
Kazakh Plan To Join Chinese-Led Moon Base Would Strengthen Space Partnership
New details from an agreement signed in July between Astana and Beijing show the countries plan to build a research base on the moon, setting the stage for Kazakhstan to integrate deeper into the new architecture for space exploration that China is building as it looks to rival the United States. By Reid Standish
Bulgaria's Most Powerful Oligarch, Delyan Peevski, May Be Losing His Grip On Power
If you asked a Bulgarian politician who was to blame for the country's ongoing political crisis, they would most likely all give you the same name: Delyan Peevski, a shadowy oligarch who, his critics allege, has captured the state. By Elitsa Simeonova and Ivan Bedrov
Vast Bosnian Cave System Recognized As UNESCO Site
Bosnia-Herzegovina's Vjetrenica Cave was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in July -- but its unique features and cool breezes were known even to the ancient Greeks. Remains of a prehistoric cave bear and a leopard species were found here, and more than 200 other life forms still thrive. By RFE/RL's Balkan Service, Dzenana Halimovic, Miran Jelenje, and Will Tizard
