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.
Back In Ukrainian Hands, A Southern Region Struggles To Rebuild As Winter Approaches And Russia’s Invasion Rages On
Last year, Russian forces overran part of the Mykolayiv region and pressed at the gates of its main city before being driven back. Today, Mykolayiv finds itself on a new front line: The frontier in Ukraine’s battle to rebuild, even as the country continues its fight against the invasion. By Kollen Post
Tough Times, Broken Ties On Ukraine’s Shell-Battered Border With Russia
Villages and towns in the borderlands of Ukraine's Sumy region suffer from persistent Russian shelling and economic ruin. As anger seethes, the unending aggression has also claimed another casualty, tearing up long-standing ties with the other side. By Aleksander Palikot
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'They Are Afraid To Provoke Us': Patrolling The Ukraine-Belarus Border Along The Dnieper River
'They Are Afraid To Provoke Us': Patrolling The Ukraine-Belarus Border Along The Dnieper River
RFE/RL joins a Ukrainian border patrol as it monitors the Dnieper River in the country's northern Chernihiv region where it borders Belarus. Russian forces entered Ukraine from Belarus at the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022. Kyiv has since strengthened its defenses in the area. One border guard told RFE/RL that the Belarusian military was "very cautious" as Ukrainian boats patrol the waters. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Austin Malloy
Posthumous Honors For Murder Convict Spark Outrage In Russian Town
Schoolchildren in a southern Russian town were brought together at a display to honor local men who died in the war in Ukraine – including a repeat offender who was convicted of the brutal 2018 murder of an Interior Ministry employee. Relatives and police colleagues of the victim are irate. By Andrei Besedin
Leaks, Loose Bolts Plague Romania's New 'Golden Gate' Bridge
Just months after opening, the Braila Bridge which is Romania’s largest suspension span, has been beset with problems. By Marian Pavalasc
Not Our Fight: Iranians Show Little Support For Palestinian Cause Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict
Iran has positioned itself as the leader of the Palestinian cause in the Muslim world. But Iranians have shown little support for the Palestinian struggle for statehood and have criticized the authorities for backing militant groups fighting Israel. By Frud Bezhan
'Like Deja Vu': After Fleeing Russia’s Invasion, Ukrainians In Israel Face A New War
Ukrainians who fled to Israel following Russia’s full-scale invasion now find themselves scrambling to adapt to another war. A refugee center in Haifa says it has emphasized enabling Ukrainian refugees to adapt to the reality on the ground since some “have nowhere to return to” back home. By Maria Horban and Maryana Sych
Also Read: For Trapped Romanians And Their Families, The Message From Gaza Is Clear: 'Get Us Out Of Here!'
'Serve Alcohol Or Go Bust!' Halal Restaurants In Uzbek Capital Closed In Crackdown
Uzbek authorities have closed at least 10 restaurants that don’t serve alcohol and advertise themselves as having “halal food.” The restaurant owners say that security officials told them if they agree to sell alcoholic drinks, their businesses will reopen. By RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service
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After Armenian Exodus, Azerbaijanis Hope To Return To Nagorno-Karabakh
After Armenian Exodus, Azerbaijanis Hope To Return To Nagorno-Karabakh
Nuraddin Guliyev, a 94-year-old Azerbaijani farmer, dreams of returning to his native village of Narinclar in Nagorno-Karabakh three decades after he was forced to leave. Azerbaijan recaptured the breakaway region in a rapid September offensive that resulted in more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians fleeing from the disputed territory. Guliyev now hopes the shift in control might mean he can return to the home he lost in 1993. By RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service and Will Tizard
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'Grandpa' Flees Nagorno-Karabakh On Horseback
'Grandpa' Flees Nagorno-Karabakh On Horseback
Ethnic Armenian Rafik Sarkisian rode his beloved horse from Nagorno-Karabakh to safety in Armenia after Azerbaijani forces attacked Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19. He traveled for over 24 hours before a local Armenian family took in the exhausted 60-year-old. Sarkisian told RFE/RL that he left nearly everything behind, including the graves of his two sons who both died in 2020 during fighting over the region. By Tigran Hovsepian, RFE/RL's Armenian Service, and Austin Malloy