Hey, you're busy! We know rferl.org isn't the only website you read. And that it's just possible you may have missed some of our most compelling journalism this week. To make sure you're up-to-date, here are some of the highlights produced by RFE/RL's team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
WATCH: Who Is The Man Who Cut His Own Throat In A Belarusian Court?
Stsyapan Latypau made global headlines by cutting his own throat at a court hearing in Belarus on June 1. He's a small business owner whose political activism began by handing out flowers to anti-government protesters following a presidential election widely seen as rigged. State-controlled media have portrayed Latypau as a radical. By Ray Furlong, RFE/RL's Belarus Service, and Current Time
Women Share Stories Of Sexual Abuse In Iranian Prisons
Women who've been imprisoned in Iran have gathered on the Clubhouse social-networking app to share their experiences of sexual abuse at the hands of their jailers. By Golnaz Esfandiari
In Pictures: Russia's Mari Minority Holds Spring Prayers Under Dark Clouds
A pagan forest ritual was held in Russia's Mari El region after a local official called for "radical followers" of the Mari religion to be prevented from worshipping on government land. By RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service
'This Is A Purge': Russian Authorities Dig Up Old Incidents To Sideline Potential Opponents
The Russian authorities continue to pressure opposition figures in the run-up to parliamentary elections expected in September. One prominent activist was pulled off a plane in St. Petersburg, while another was detained at his dacha outside Moscow. In both cases, apparently, the official reasons for the detentions were events from months or even years in the past, sending a chilling signal throughout the democratic opposition. By Alina Pinchuk and Robert Coalson
In Pictures: Having A Ball: Formal Dance Returns To Moscow
Exquisitely dressed "debutantes" bring formal dance back to Moscow. By Amos Chapple
WATCH: 'A New Wave Of Repression': Kremlin Critic Nabbed From Plane
Russian authorities have detained another prominent opposition figure -- the latest step in an increasing crackdown on dissent. Andrei Pivovarov was taken off a plane as it was preparing to depart from St. Petersburg to Warsaw on May 31, days after announcing he was closing down the Open Russia opposition group he ran due to "harassment" by the authorities. By Ray Furlong and Current Time
Will Lukashenka's 'Outrageous' Conduct Hit Wealth Of Serbian Brothers Who Were Close To Milosevic?
Bogoljub and Dragomir Karic, close confidants of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, have presented themselves in the West as pioneers of capitalism in Eastern Europe and promoters of democracy. Yet they have built their fortune while cozying up to authoritarian figures -- and now they could face U.S. sanctions for financial ties to Alyaksandr Lukashenka of Belarus. By Todd Prince, Maja Zivanovic, and Alex Znatkevich
In Pictures: Lowered Waters Expose Ancient 'Pompey's Bridge' In Georgian River
The opening of floodgates at a Soviet-era hydroelectric dam north of Tbilisi has lowered the waters of the Mtkvari River, exposing a bridge across an ancient crossing point for archaeologists to study. By RFE/RL’s Georgian Service
With Kremlin Tight-Lipped About Putin's Talks With Lukashenka, Some Are Instead Asking: 'Where Did He Get That Yacht?'
Russians rarely learn what has been discussed when President Vladimir Putin talks with Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the Belarusian strongman who relies on his support. But after their latest cruise on the Black Sea, enquiring minds are left to wonder about the luxury yacht they dined on. By Matthew Luxmoore
Belarus Sanctions: Hitting Where It Hurts
EU leaders have called for the adoption of "targeted economic sanctions" over the forced landing of a Ryanair flight and the subsequent arrest of a journalist. One of the industries likely to be targeted is potash, a substance used in fertilizers, and Belarus's most important export. By Carlos Coelho
