Hey, you're busy! We know rferl.org isn't the only website you read. And that it's just possible you may have missed some of our most compelling journalism this 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.
We are also including content here from Gandhara, an RFE/RL website focusing on developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
1922: The Year That Sealed The Fate Of Russia And Its Neighborhood
In 1922, Russia was marking the fifth anniversary of the 1917 coup that brought the Bolsheviks to power, but the country's future seemed very much up in the air. It was the crucial events of that year that marked a tumultuous break with the past and set the mold for decades of dictatorship. By Rober Coalson
What's Behind The State Of Emergency And Protests Erupting Across Kazakhstan?
A steep rise in energy prices appears to have triggered protests across Kazakhstan that resulted in mass arrests, the dismissal of the government, and the declaration of a state of emergency. For many Kazakhs, there has been long-simmering discontent over issues such as corruption, unemployment, and low wages. We take a closer look at what's driving the crisis in Kazakhstan. By Ray Furlong, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, and Current Time
Also See:
Fear And Hunger: Reporters In Kazakhstan Describe Tense Mood
For Kazakhstan's Autocratic Neighbors, Unrest Is A Warning And A Test
What Are The Consequences Of Inviting Russian-Led CSTO Troops Into Kazakhstan?
Healing Hate: Son Of Infamous U.S. Neo-Nazi Rejects Racist Roots To Champion Georgian Orphans
January 6 marks the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol and failed insurrection in the United States. Kelvin Pierce saw eerie parallels between the events of that day and an ultraviolent race-war novel written by his neo-Nazi father that the FBI dubbed "the bible of the racist right." This RFE/RL documentary, Healing Hate, tells the story of how Pierce overcame his father's hateful ideology through his journeys across the South Caucasus nation of Georgia. By helping orphaned children and reuniting his adopted daughters with their biological families, Pierce confronts the traumas of his own racist youth and begins to heal the scars of hate. By Stuart Greer, Roman Kupka, and Ilia Samurganidi
While Bulgarian Teens Have Netflix, They Could Use A Little More Sex Education
For the most part, sex education is not taught in Bulgarian schools, leading to high rates of abortion and teen pregnancy. A few community-based organizations, however, are trying to change that grim reality by equipping teenagers with knowledge as to how sex works. By Boryana Dzhambazova
Diamonds, Pineapples, And A Soviet Execution
A folder in Ukraine's KGB archive reveals the glittering wealth and shocking punishment dealt out to an allegedly corrupt fruit merchant in Kyiv. By Current Time
Ukraine's 'Weekend Warriors' Training To Resist A Possible Russian Invasion
By January 15, every Ukrainian city is supposed have a territorial defense unit as fears of a Russian invasion are mounting. The units are made up of volunteers who train on weekends and who mostly use wooden props instead of real guns. They were established in 2018 with the plan to have 100,000 volunteers signed up and ready to fight. As of now, only 8,000 people are registered. By Current Time
Afghans Fear For Their Rights As Taliban Resurrects Religious Policing
The Taliban's feared Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has issued a spate of draconian decrees in recent weeks. Afghans say the new directives, including ordering men to grow beards and forcing women to travel with a male chaperone, infringe on their basic human rights and freedoms. RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Abubakr Siddique
'Remember Us': New Year's Wishes From Jailed Belarusians
Colleagues and supporters showing solidarity with their compatriots behind bars posted New Year’s messages of warmth, best wishes, and hope for better days that were sent by Belarusian activists, journalists, and others jailed in a massive state clampdown that is well into its second year. By RFE/RL's Belarus Service
