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.
This Is What It's Like To Be A Journalist Under Taliban Rule
The Taliban's crackdown on the free press has transformed how journalists work in Afghanistan, where reporters face restrictions on what they can cover, how they can cover it, and who they can interview. By Abubakar Siddique and RFE/RL's Radio Azadi
More stories about World Press Freedom Day:
- Detentions Underscore 'Rapidly Deteriorating' Press Freedom In Kyrgyzstan
- The Human Cost Of Dismantling Belarus's Independent Media
- Pro-Orban Forces Test Powerful New 'Sovereignty' Tool
U.S. Weapons Are Coming To Ukraine. But Russian Forces Have The Momentum.
Ukraine’s defenses are nearing the breaking point amid a shortage of ammunition, manpower, and fortifications. U.S. weaponry is on its way, but it may not arrive in time to blunt Russia’s momentum. By Mike Eckel and Todd Prince
Why Are U.S. Sanctions Against Iran's Oil Exports Ineffective?
Iran's oil exports are growing, despite tough U.S. sanctions targeting Tehran's energy sector. Experts say China's willingness to buy Iranian oil, Iran's mastery of sanctions-evading tactics, and Washington's reluctance to enforce the sanctions have rendered attempts to tighten restrictions futile. By Kian Sharifi
As Telegram's Popularity Soars, Is It 'A Spy In Every Ukrainian's Pocket'?
With 72 percent of Ukrainians using it to get news and with some state agencies relying on it, Telegram has become the key social-media platform in wartime Ukraine. Critics accuse it of facilitating Russia’s disinformation and military efforts, and Ukrainian authorities are mulling restrictions. By Aleksander Palikot
With ATACMS In Hand, Ukraine Looks To Neutralize Putin's Fortress In Crimea
Russia has spent billions of dollars militarizing Ukraine’s occupied Crimea region since 2014, and it’s been a launching pad for air attacks since 2022 and a staging ground for forces on Ukraine's mainland. Now, Kyiv thinks it can counter the threat from the peninsula with U.S. long-range ATACMS. By Todd Prince
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Explainer: Why Are Mass Protests Shaking Tbilisi?
Explainer: Why Are Mass Protests Shaking Tbilisi?
Georgians have been demonstrating in huge numbers since April 9 over legislation known as the "foreign agents" bill. Despite the massive opposition, Georgia's ruling party is steadily moving toward approving the bill, which would affect the work of NGOs that receive foreign funding. As Sophie Datishvili of RFE/RL's Georgian Service explains, many Georgians see the bill as a threat not just to civil society but also the country's European aspirations. By RFE/RL's Georgian Service
Secretive Uzbek Network Scrambles To Cover Online Tracks After RFE/RL Exposé
A shadowy Uzbek firm with ties to the president’s family has scrambled to reanimate its dormant website after a recent RFE/RL investigation revealed it had secured more than $100 million in secretive state gas deals despite having a virtually imperceptible public business footprint. By Carl Schreck
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Toomaj Salehi, The Iranian Rapper Sentenced To Death Amid Global Outcry
Toomaj Salehi, The Iranian Rapper Sentenced To Death Amid Global Outcry
There has been global outrage after Iran handed a death sentence to Toomaj Salehi, a 33-year-old rapper who was detained for supporting nationwide protests following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in 2022. As his lawyers press ahead to appeal the decision, one prominent supporter has told RFE/RL she hopes Tehran will back down to avoid sparking a new wave of mass protests. By Ray Furlong, Kian Sharifi, and RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Booming Trade, 'Expansion' Rumors On Kazakhstan's Chinese Border
RFE/RL photo correspondent Petr Trotsenko traveled to the southeastern Kazakh town of Zharkent to see how ordinary life has been impacted by a roaring trade between Beijing And Astana. By Petr Trotsenko
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Serbia Finally Grants Special Passports To (A Few) Refugees
Serbia Finally Grants Special Passports To (A Few) Refugees
A Kazakh refugee in Serbia who has waited nine years for official residence status has finally been given a new kind of document: a "refugee passport." Baha Sarsenov, who fled political persecution in Kazakhstan in 2015, will finally be able to travel again. But his new UN Refugee Convention travel document, as it's formally known, is not a Serbian passport. He's still awaiting citizenship, along with just two others who have been granted the document. By RFE/RL's Balkan Service, Nevena Bogdanovic, Dragan Kostic, and Will Tizard