The Week's Best: 10 RFE/RL Stories You Need To Read (Or Watch)

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.

Kazakh Women Shave Heads To Demand Political Freedom And Democracy

Women in Kazakhstan have posted videos online in which they shave their heads in a sign of protest against the repression of opposition activists. Many are demanding freedom and democratic reforms. As one woman put it: “I live in a prison called Kazakhstan.” By Current Time, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, and Ray Furlong

Meat, Butter Considered ‘Luxuries’ As Tajiks Face Steep Price Hikes

Soaring food prices in Tajikistan, the poorest country in Central Asia, are pushing more people into extreme poverty. Many families are forced to purchase only basic staples, an alarming trend in a country where an estimated one-third of the population faces malnutrition. By Farangis Najibullah

They Count The Votes?! Watching U.S. Nail-Biter, Many Russians Bemoan The State Of Their ‘Democracy’

The official Russian state line on the U.S. presidential election seems to be to gloat over the divisions and problems while speculating on the possibility of violence and collapse. But for many Russians, the spectacle of a competitive election and of candidates fighting for the support of citizens as a desirable alternative to the ‘managed democracy’ that has emerged under 20 years of President Vladimir Putin’s rule. By Robert Coalson

‘Bodies Are Everywhere’: Russia Struggles With COVID-19 Spike

COVID-19 cases are growing fast in Russia and the situation is becoming dire in some regions. The country reported a record 18,283 new cases on October 30. There are shortages of medical supplies and personnel in a number of cities. And some morgues are full of bodies, with not enough pathologists to handle the dead. By Current Time and Stuart Greer

Leon Theremin: Inventor Or Spy?

Meet Leon Theremin, a Russian physicist, inventor, and musician, who developed not only a musical instrument that can be played without being touched, but also a spying device that was successfully planted in the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Moscow. By Kristyna Foltynova