The Week's Best: 10 Stories And Videos You Shouldn't Miss
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.
The husband of jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has told RFE/RL the award is actually for the protest movement that swept the country in 2022. Speaking in Paris on October 6, Taghi Rahmani said: "Narges has received the prize as a symbol and as one of the activists of this movement. By Ray Furlong and RFE/RL's Radio Farda
In the wake of the death of Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin, a purportedly private military group called Redut has widely been tipped as Wagner’s potential successor as Russia’s key mercenary force. A new RFE/RL investigation reveals that Redut is, in reality, a secretive network operated by Russian military intelligence. By Schemes and Systema
After escaping Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, some 14,000 Ukrainian nationals who fled to Israel have found themselves under attack again as Hamas -- designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and EU -- launched an unprecedented attack on the country. A Ukrainian refugee who fled Russia's notorious Bucha occupation told RFE/RL that the attack "was like déjà vu." In the Gaza Strip, a Ukrainian mother and her family have asked for safe passage out of a territory that has been pounded with Israeli air strikes. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Austin Malloy
The Little Aral Sea has lost a third of its water. Kazakh fishermen, whose livelihoods are becoming more difficult every year, worry it may repeat the fate of the Aral Sea, which largely dried up by the 2010s, causing an ecological catastrophe for the entire region. By Zhanagul Zhursin
At least eight senior Karabakh Armenian leaders have been arrested since the de facto leadership's surrender and now face serious charges in Azerbaijani courts. To many Azerbaijanis, it is long-awaited justice. But to Armenians, it amounts to revenge in a politicized court system. By Joshua Kucera
During a high-speed attack helicopter mission, a Ukrainian Mi-8 pilot shares the secrets of his crew's successes: low-level flights, fast turnaround, and a dedicated support team. RFE/RL's Maryan Kushnir flew onboard, capturing footage of air attacks that targeted Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Maryan Kushnir, and Will Tizard
Pakistan's order that all “illegal” migrants leave the country by November 1 will mostly affect the millions of Afghans who have sought refuge in the country for decades. The order has left many Afghans -- including those with long-time roots and legal documentation to live in Pakistan -- worried that they face deportation and the loss of their properties and businesses. By Niaz Ali Khan and Jawid Naimi
Amid widespread horror over Hamas's surprise attack on Israel and the violence targeting civilians, many pro-Kremlin commentators have welcomed the carnage as a distraction from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and a comeuppance for anti-war Russians who fled to Israel. By Robert Coalson
In 1919, a well-armed delegation of American soldiers explored the Caucasus with an eye to establishing a U.S. mandate over the war-torn Caucasus region. Here are the photos and snippets of the fascinating reports they submitted to Washington. By Amos Chapple
RFE/RL journalists report the news in 27 languages in 23 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. We provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate.
