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.
'Rubber Bullets And Beatings': Victims, Eyewitnesses Talk Of Violence Against Georgian Protesters
RFE/RL's Georgian Service spoke to protesters, journalists, and others affected by police actions and apparent thug attacks on demonstrators and other Georgians. Report by Lela Kunchulia.
Exclusive: The TikTok Trail Of The U.S. Soldier Arrested In Russia Left By His Russian 'Wife'
A Russian woman who described U.S. soldier Gordon Black as her "husband" posted numerous videos of the couple together in South Korea, giving a glimpse of their relationship before he became the latest American citizen arrested by Russian authorities. By Carl Schreck
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Amid Mobilization Push, Ukrainian Fathers In Prague Choose Family Over Homeland
Amid Mobilization Push, Ukrainian Fathers In Prague Choose Family Over Homeland
Despite orders from Kyiv to re-register for the military draft, two Ukrainian fathers who moved their families to the Czech Republic do not plan to be among potential conscripts fighting for their homeland. Ukrainians living abroad could face some stark choices when a new mobilization law aimed at boosting troop numbers comes into force on May 18. One Ukrainian man living in Prague told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that his decision to leave Ukraine shortly before Russia's 2022 invasion compromised his moral values and he understands why those who stayed may criticize him. By Andy Heil, Austin Malloy, and Serhiy Stetsenko
North Macedonia's New President Prefers The Country's Old Name
Longtime university professor Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova is preparing for the transition from teaching politics to practicing it following her landslide victory to unseat incumbent North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski. By Sunchica Stojanovska Zoksimovska and Andy Heil
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Kazakh Murder Trial Puts Domestic Violence In The Spotlight
Kazakh Murder Trial Puts Domestic Violence In The Spotlight
An ex-minister is on trial for his wife's murder in Kazakhstan. The case has put domestic violence in the spotlight in the Central Asian country, where UN figures suggest at least 400 women die every year from spousal violence. The government adopted legal changes, but rights groups say they don’t go far enough. By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, Current Time, and Elitsa Simeonova
Booming Demand For Madrasahs Fuels Islamization Concerns In Kyrgyzstan
There is growing demand for religious education in Kyrgyzstan, which has the highest number of girls studying in Islamic seminaries in Central Asia. But critics say the madrasahs are poorly regulated and fear they will lead to the Islamization of the Central Asian country. By Chris Rickleton and Nargiza Asekova
Fresh Arrests Of Americans Prompt Fears Russia Could Be Taking New Hostages
The arrests of two Americans add to a grim and growing number of U.S. citizens behind bars in Russia, where many are widely seen as hostages held as bargaining chips amid President Vladimir Putin’s escalating confrontation with Washington and the West. By Steve Gutterman
Chinese-Made Surveillance Cameras Are Spreading Across Eastern Europe, Despite Security Concerns
Despite growing concerns over lax data practices, security vulnerabilities, and ties to the Chinese state, the world’s two largest manufacturers of surveillance cameras are expanding across Central and Eastern Europe, new data compiled by RFE/RL shows. By RFE/RL
'One-Party Rule': Taliban Wages Crackdown On Political Parties
The Taliban has launched a crackdown on political parties in Afghanistan, where the militant group has monopolized power. Among those affected is the party of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, one of Afghanistan's most notorious ex-warlords and a former militant leader. By Abubakar Siddique and RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi
Ukraine’s Eurovision Team Pledges To Rebuild War-Damaged School
Ukraine’s Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil will compete against 25 other countries in the May 11 final of Eurovision, the annual pop extravaganza. Their music comes with a mission – raising over $250,000 in donations to rebuild a village school badly damaged by Russian bombardments. By Yulia Ratsybarska, Yulia Kyzyk, and RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service