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 team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
Russian Gas Shutoff Pumps Up Pressure On Moldova's Pro-Western Government
The end of Russian natural-gas transit across Ukraine is a blow to Moscow, but it could provide the Kremlin with sharpened tool for economic and political influence over a key target country: Moldova. By Steve Gutterman and Mike Eckel
Foreign Fighters Promoted In Syria's New Army Have Their Governments Concerned
Syria's new leaders have reportedly given high-ranking military posts to several foreign Islamist fighters, including Chinese Uyghurs, an ethnic Albanian, and a Tajik national. It is raising concern in their home countries, but a leading Middle East expert says it is unlikely they will try to bring revolution back home. By Farangis Najibullah
3 Years After 'Bloody January,' Kazakh Families Still Awaiting Justice
In January 2022, anti-government protests erupted across Kazakhstan, prompting a violent police crackdown that left hundreds dead. In the city of Shymkent, 20 people were killed in one night, including Nurbolat Alpamys, a young man just days from his 20th birthday. His parents have petitioned the local government to hold security forces accountable for their son's death, but their efforts only led to Nurbolat's father being jailed himself. By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, Dilara Isa, and Will Tizard
The Color Of Change: Ukraine's Orange Revolution
Photos plot the course of the political upheaval in Ukraine that captured the world's attention 20 years ago. By RFE/RL, Current Time
Ukrainian Civilians Stalked By Russian Drones In Pokrovsk
The city of Pokrovsk, in Ukraine's Donetsk region, has been under almost constant attack from Russian forces, including drone strikes that have reportedly hit civilian sites. Some residents say they hope to avoid becoming targets by clearly identifying themselves as noncombatants, while others are facing a daily struggle to get by with limited fuel and drinking water. By Current Time and Andriy Kuzakov
The 'State Breaker': Putin's Long Rule
Taking Russia’s reins a quarter-century ago, Vladimir Putin said Russia had chosen democracy and vowed to protect basic freedoms he called the “fundamental elements of a civilized society.” What went wrong? By Steve Guttermann
Pakistan Slides Into New 'Era Of Terrorism'
In 2024, Pakistani security forces suffered the deadliest year in almost a decade. The trend has worried residents, who say the state has failed them. By Abubakar Siddique
A Wagner Mercenary Who Crossed U.S.-Mexican Border Was Honored In Russia Weeks Before Arrest
A man who illegally crossed the Rio Grande River into the United States reportedly admitted to having worked with the notorious Russian mercenary group Wagner. His arrest came just weeks after he appears to have been honored in Russia for his combat service. By Carl Schreck, Mark Krutov, Mike Eckel, and Ramazan Alpaut
War Tourists Visit Ukraine To See The Devastation Up Close
Nearly three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a small but growing number of tourists want to witness the destruction for themselves. Kyrylo Zarubin, a resident of Kharkiv, leads tour groups through neighborhoods destroyed by shelling and emergency centers where aid is available. Visitors say the extent of the destruction comes as a shock, as does Ukrainians' ability to persevere through disaster. By Polina Morozova and Current Time
Los Angeles-Area Armenians Extend Aid To Neighbors Displaced By Fires
Wildfires raging around Los Angeles, California have destroyed an estimated 10,000 buildings and forced many thousands of people from their homes. With official resources stretched thin, community groups representing the large Armenian-American diaspora in the region are stepping forward to assist their neighbors in need. By RFE/RL's Armenian Service
