The Week's Best: Stories You May Have Missed

We know that rferl.org isn't the only website you read, and it's possible that you may have missed some of our most interesting journalism from the past 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.

Living Scared: In Kabul's Shi'ite Enclave, Hazara Fear A Taliban Return

Afghanistan’s Shi’ite Hazara minority fear that the Taliban’s return as part of a peace deal could undermine the major inroads the community has made. By Frud Bezhan

Procurement Nightmare: The Wasted Weeks Of Ukraine's Coronavirus Response

As the coronavirus bore down on Ukraine, the head of the state medical procurement company sought to set up orders of vital supplies. He says he was thwarted by a now-dismissed health minister who seemed more interested in getting a chosen candidate installed as his deputy – despite a recent conviction for shoplifting Snickers bars, caviar, and other items -- than in obtaining tests, ventilators, and masks for the fight against COVID-19. By Katya Gorchinskaya

A Mystery Wrapped In An Enigma Inside A Russian Coronavirus Aid Shipment To The U.S.

A shipment of Russian medical supplies for the United States contained something else: a mystery over who paid for it. And why two Russian companies sanctioned by the United States were involved. By Mike Eckel

'They Don't Like How I'm Breathing': Russian Journalist Documents Her Coronavirus-Related Death​

Journalist Anastasia Petrova died in a hospital in the Russian city of Perm on March 31. The official cause of death was pneumonia, but officials later acknowledged that the 36-year-old had tested positive for the coronavirus. In social media notes and texts to friends, Petrova left a moving diary of her illness and treatment. By Yury Kuroptev and Robert Coalson

On The Front Line In Ukraine, Soldiers Brace To Fight A Silent, Deadly Enemy

Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed militants has raged on despite a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and Western calls for a “global cease-fire” during the pandemic. By Christopher Miller

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No Money, No Food: COVID-19 Hits Post-Soviet Poor

No Money, No Food: COVID-19 Hits Post-Soviet Poor

Across former Soviet countries, lockdowns due to the coronavirus are hitting the poor hardest. The many workers in the gray areas of the economies have been left destitute and even homeless, while some charities that might provide help are closing down. By Ray Furlong, Current Time, and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

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China, Russia Target Global Audiences With COVID-19 Propaganda

China, Russia Target Global Audiences With COVID-19 Propaganda

A U.S. senator has accused China of "garbage propaganda" about the coronavirus. The European Union says claims that it is "disintegrating in the face of COVID-19 are trending on social media." China and Russia are targeting global audiences with state media reporting that plays up their aid to other countries while also spreading disinformation. By Ray Furlong

Coronavirus Shatters Iranian Death Rituals, Robbing Many Of Last Farewell With Loved Ones

The coronavirus outbreak in Iran is depriving many of a last farewell with their loved ones as funeral ceremonies have been banned to help contain the pandemic that has killed more than 4,000 Iranians. By Golnaz Esfandiari

Pandemic Productions: Coronavirus-Inspired Creations

Confectioners, police officers, and merchants are getting creative in the age of the coronavirus. By RFE/RL

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Uzbek Tightrope Children Learn To Walk On A Wire

Uzbek Tightrope Children Learn To Walk On A Wire

Tightrope walking has been a tradition in the Yusupov family of Uzbekistan for almost a century. Children are taught to walk the wire before they even reach the age of 2, with younger performers paid more to perform.​ By Current Time and Asia 360

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Hope Blooms Amid Pandemic As Georgians Rally To Save Tulip Seller

Hope Blooms Amid Pandemic As Georgians Rally To Save Tulip Seller

Hundreds of tulips have been donated to health workers and COVID-19 patients in Georgia after a social-media drive to save a local harvest. The campaign came after RFE/RL reported on a Georgian tulip farmer known as Uncle Kako, who feared his flowers would wither after the country shut down markets because of the coronavirus pandemic. By RFE/RL's Georgian Service

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Flying Over Spooky, Pandemic Prague

Flying Over Spooky, Pandemic Prague

Until the coronavirus crisis, the Czech capital was one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and its streets were jammed with tourists. Now, a national state of emergency is in effect, the borders are mostly closed, and everyone in the country is required to cover their face in public. RFE/RL recorded these haunting images of the city in lockdown. By Amos Chapple