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.
From Chasing Rats To Blood Baths: How Putin's Childhood Shaped His Leadership
Julia Ioffe is a Russian-American journalist who has written for the New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. She recently launched a podcast about Vladimir Putin's childhood and spoke to RFE/RL's Georgian Service about how the Russian president's hard-scrabble early life shaped who he is today. By Vazha Tavberidze
Is France's Far-Right Victory A Turning Point For Europe?
France's far right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen has won the first round of parliamentary elections. Amid the broader rise of the populist right across Europe, the shift in French politics could have implications for EU policy, particularly on immigration, climate change -- and possibly the war in Ukraine. By Luke Allnutt
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Ukrainian Filmmaker-Soldier Documented Evacuation Of His Unit Under Fire
Ukrainian Filmmaker-Soldier Documented Evacuation Of His Unit Under Fire
Ukrainian documentarian and former political prisoner Oleh Sentsov says his country should expect to keep fighting Russia's full-scale invasion for "another 10 years" if that's what it takes to win. His new documentary, Real, depicted that kind of determination when it screened on June 30 at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. Sentsov traveled to the festival from the battlefront to share his film and meet with Czech President Petr Pavel, who pledged to continue supporting Ukraine's fight. (Note: The movie footage used in this report was subtitled by a third party.) By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Sashko Shevchenko, and Will Tizard
Inspiration Or Appropriation? A Win For Romania As Louis Vuitton Pulls Folk Items From Collection
Romanian cultural proponents have called for Louis Vuitton to be held accountable for its appropriation of the blouse and to give credit where credit is due. By Norbert Nemes
'A Revolutionary Element': How One Small Record Label Bucks The Trend In Putin’s Russia
With President Vladimir Putin pushing his vision of Russia as a bastion of “traditional” national values, ethnic and sexual minorities have been increasingly marginalized in a country where anything or anyone that does not toe the Kremlin line is seen as a threat. But some 1,200 kilometers east of Moscow, one small record label is fighting back. By RFE/RL's Idel.Realities
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Hero Or Terrorist? Bosnian Kids Learn Different Lessons About Gavrilo Princip
Hero Or Terrorist? Bosnian Kids Learn Different Lessons About Gavrilo Princip
The assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo is widely regarded as the spark that ignited World War I. It is still a cause of division in Bosnia-Herzegovina 110 years later, with schools in the country taking different approaches to teaching about the man who pulled the trigger. By Sejla Ibrahimovic, RFE/RL's Balkan Service, and Ray Furlong
When The Shah Met The Tsar: How Iran's Ruler Viewed Russia And The Caucasus 150 Years Ago
In 1874, a travel diary of Iran’s ruler Naser al-Din Shah was published in English for the first time, offering a fascinating insight into the shah’s trip through Russia, Western Europe, and the Caucasus that had taken place the previous year. It was the first trip of its kind by an Iranian ruler. By Amos Chapple
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Central Asian Farmers Face Drastic, Growing Water Shortages
Central Asian Farmers Face Drastic, Growing Water Shortages
Farmers in three Central Asian countries who rely on the Ferghana Valley watershed have been forced to cut irrigation to a minimum and many have abandoned thirsty crops as they struggle to keep fruit trees alive. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan all count on the same threatened water source for agriculture and their economies. They are now forced to compete and adapt to the chronic water shortages. By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, RFE/RL's Ferghana Valley Bureau, and Will Tizard
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Kyrgyzstan Declares Emergency As Floods, Mudslides Claim Lives
Kyrgyzstan Declares Emergency As Floods, Mudslides Claim Lives
At least 15 people have died in Kyrgyzstan as the result of severe floods that caused bridges to collapse and forced large-scale evacuations. On July 2, officials declared a state of emergency in four regions and warned that heavy rains and the risk of further flooding were likely to continue. By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service
Romania Hosts Largest-Ever LGBT Pride Parade In Bucharest
Tens of thousands of people -- many waving rainbow flags and chanting slogans calling for solidarity and tolerance -- participated in what has been hailed as the largest-ever gay pride parade in Romania. By RFE/RL's Romanian Service
In Soviet-Style Self-Denunciations To KGB, Belarusians Revoke Opposition Views, Pledge Loyalty
A database of messages sent to the Belarusian KGB and obtained by the hacking group Cyberpartisans contains self-denunciations that reveal the depth of Belarusians’ fears about the consequences of criticizing the government amid a massive clampdown that began in 2020. By Anna Kryuchkova