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.
Making History: Kosovo's Debut At The Paralympic Games
After surviving an accident at the age of 11, Grevist Bytyqi found the strength to become a successful runner and is now making history by becoming Kosovo's first parathlete to participate in the Paralympic Games. Bytyqi raced in Paris and was among more than 4,400 competitors from 184 countries. By RFE/RL's Kosovo Service, Nadije Ahmeti, and Bujar Terstena
'Already Dead': Siberia's Homeless Pushed To Join Russia's War On Ukraine
An unknown number of Siberian homeless men are among the roughly 190,000 men Russia says it recruited this year to fight its war in Ukraine. Money, patriotism, and a desire for purpose motivate the homeless to join up, but activists doubt that fighting in Ukraine will give them a "normal life." By RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities
Exclusive: Uzbek Leader's Son-In-Law Building Secretive Compound In Tashkent Worth Millions
A court in Uzbekistan's southeastern city of Samarkand on September 3 handed a parole-like sentence to a local resident for his activities promoting the restoration of the Soviet Union. By RFE/RL's Uzbek Service
Dirty Air, Shady Practices? Bosnian NGO Challenges Company Mining Coal Without A Permit
Residents of Prijedor, in northwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina, say they are forced to breathe coal dust and smoke from spontaneous fires at a nearby open-pit coal mine. An environmental NGO says the mining company, Drvo-Export, has started operations without the necessary permits. The company and the local authorities did not immediately respond to RFE/RL's request for comment. By Gojko Veselinovic, RFE/RL's Balkan Service, Ray Furlong, and Margot Buff
Back To School: A Glimpse Into The Lives Of Children Across RFE/RL's Region
From bustling cities to war-torn countries, children across RFE/RL's regions are returning to the classroom for their first day of the new school year. By RFE/RL, AFP, AP, EPA-EFE, and Reuters
Inclusive Warsaw Cafe Helps Belarusian Migrants With Disabilities
Belarusian Alyaksandr Avdevich is the founder of the Inclusive Barista, a Warsaw cafe that provides opportunities for Belarusian and Ukrainian migrants with disabilities. The site is part of a larger social project that Avdevich started following an injury that left him without the use of his legs. After fleeing Belarus amid government crackdowns, Avdevich opened a new cafe in Poland, where he employs his compatriot Volha. She told Current Time that she feels "more significant" thanks to the project. By Current Time
New Russian National Project Focuses On 'Immortality'
A new national-priority project announced by President Vladimir Putin in January aims to develop new medical technologies to counter aging. Sources tell Systema and Meduza the project is the brainchild of Mikhail Kovalchuk, a Putin insider known for his outlandish scientific theories. By Svetlana Reiter, Sergei Titov, Valery Panyuskin, and Systema
Housing Cuts In Hungary Have Landed Ukrainian Refugees On The Streets
For more than a week, the Papp family from Ukraine's Transcarpathia region has been doing their best to care for and shelter their six children on the streets of Budapest. Hungary has cut back on housing aid for refugee families from parts of Ukraine that it deems no longer in danger from Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion. By RFE/RL's Hungarian Service, Robert Bathory, Csaba Torok, and Will Tizard
'You Wanted Turmoil. You Got It': How FSB Officers Chatted, And Plotted, To Sow Discord In The U.S.
Dozens of pages of chat logs introduced in U.S. court proceedings reveal Russian security service officers discussing their efforts to sow political discord in the United States, as well as exchanging banter about everything from tensions with their superiors to the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. By Mike Eckel, Mark Krutov, and Sergei Dobrynin
The Rise Of The Baloch Liberation Army In Pakistan
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group, carried out deadly coordinated attacks across southwestern Pakistan this week. It was the deadliest bout of violence to hit the southwestern province of Balochistan in years. Experts say the recent attacks have highlighted the growing fighting capabilities of the BLA. By Abubakar Siddique
