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.
When a Czech archaeology student happened to notice some unusual markings on a bone fragment she was washing after a routine excavation, she had little idea she had stumbled across a stunning artifact that could shed new light on a murky period in Europe’s past. By Coilin O’Connor
An opaquely financed resort, including a new reservoir, was built in the Uzbek highlands and is protected by guards and a no-fly zone. A new investigation reveals its links to President Shavkat Mirziyoev, who has spoken publicly about the need for government transparency. By RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service
An assassination attempt made Aleksei Navalny into a globally celebrated dissident. But the man who has challenged President Vladimir Putin for more than a decade and deftly exposed corruption among his officials has also faced criticism in the country and abroad for past nationalist comments that he has repeatedly declined to disavow. By Matthew Luxmoore
A murky, mostly unregulated online sub-culture where people perform lewd, alcohol-fueled challenges for viewer donations has gained fans and notoriety in Russia. But a spate of recent deaths and violent assaults on air has prompted Russian authorities to rein the practice in. Experts, and the streamers themselves, say it will never succeed. By Matthew Luxmoore
Armenia is in the midst of a political crisis amid calls for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to step down. After top military officers called for him to resign, Pashinian described the move as “an attempted coup.” One political analyst says if early elections are called, the prime minister might be able to stay in power. But others say disappointment with his leadership is running deep. By RFE/RL’s Armenian Service and Current Time
A look at the Japanese military enthusiasts recreating Ukrainian and Russian battledress with astonishing realism. By Amos Chapple
Despite U.S. sanctions that halted construction for a year, Russian ships are now getting closer to completing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. What is it and why do the United States and other countries want to stop it from being built? By Ivan Gutterman
With a new website and a campaign of cultural diplomacy, seeking to raise its profile, improve its image, and shed the long shadow of Moscow. Will domestic developments diminish the challenge or raise higher hurdles to Kyiv’s latest effort to attract attention, investment, and support? By Mark Raczkiewycz
More than 100 men and women have been barred from competitive sports in Belarus since signing an open letter calling for an end to police violence against peaceful anti-government protesters. “To put it bluntly, I’m no longer a sportsman,” says Ivan Ganin, who has been removed from the national kickboxing teams. By Ray Furlong, Current Time, and RFE/RL’s Belarus Service
In a rare move, environmental authorities in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, have fined dozens of citizens and businesses for disposing of plastic and other waste in the city’s rivers and canals and along their banks. They’ve also promised to beef up the monitoring of waterways in an effort to deter polluters. RFE/RL’s Tajik Service
