Levi Bridges

Workers in western Uzbekistan haul large bundles of cotton to a nearby truck.

‘Justice doesn’t exist here’: Uzbek farmers and cotton workers say abuse, exploitation continues despite reforms

For decades, the cotton industry in Uzbekistan was plagued with labor abuses, including the rampant use of child labor. Practices have improved dramatically in recent years, but some advocates are concerned that the exploitation of adults is still happening.

‘Justice doesn’t exist here’: Uzbek farmers and cotton workers say abuse, exploitation continues despite reforms
event gathering

In Kyrgyzstan, a fight to keep alive the memory of a century-old rebellion against Russia

In Kyrgyzstan, a fight to keep alive the memory of a century-old rebellion against Russia
Cars queuing to cross the border into Kazakhstan at the Mariinsky border crossing, about (250 miles south of Chelyabinsk, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.

Anti-war Russians who fled for safety now face deportation

Anti-war Russians who fled for safety now face deportation
Armenian skyline with buildings and mountains

More Armenians in California are moving back to their parents' native land

More Armenians in California are moving back to their parents' native land
Students sit at the 2023 graduation ceremony inside the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 

Afghan students in Central Asia set their sights on the US

Afghan students in Central Asia set their sights on the US
For more than a century, water from mineral springs in the Georgian town of Borjomi has been bottled and sold throughout the former Soviet Union. To this day, Borjomi remains a well-known brand from Kyiv to Kazakhstan.

Georgia's famous Borjomi water company takes a hit during Russia-Ukraine war

Georgia’s beloved Borjomi mineral water can be found anywhere from Kyiv to Kazakhstan. But Russia's war in Ukraine has hurt the company’s bottom line.

Georgia's famous Borjomi water company takes a hit during Russia-Ukraine war
Zhemal Gamakharia, Chairman of Abkhazia’s Supreme Council, a regional-level parliament.

Georgian politicians from Russian-occupied Abkhazia run a ‘government-in-exile’

Many people living in Georgia  who fled Abkhazia in 1993 now say they are dissatisfied with the politicians in charge of their needs.  

Georgian politicians from Russian-occupied Abkhazia run a ‘government-in-exile’
In this photo provided by The Federation Council of The Federal Assembly of The Russian Federation Press Service, lawmakers of Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation listen to the national anthem at a session in Moscow, Russi

In Russia, a novel about a summer romance between two men sparks outrage

Novels about queer topics have been pulled from bookstores in Russia under a recent law that bans all mention of LGBTQ life in popular culture. It's part of a regional crackdown against novelists and poets.

In Russia, a novel about a summer romance between two men sparks outrage
A Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone is seen during a rehearsal of a military parade dedicated to Independence Day in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. 

This Turkish-made drone continues to cause tension in Armenia

The Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone has become an important part of modern warfare used in conflicts around the globe from Ukraine to Ethiopia. But many Armenians believe the drone is responsible for war crimes.

This Turkish-made drone continues to cause tension in Armenia
Colleagues gather at a cafeteria in the offices of Picsart, in Yerevan, Armenia.

Russia's war turns Armenia into a booming tech sector

Thousands of Russian tech workers have fled to Armenia, helping the country’s tech sector double in size and fueling dramatic economic growth over the last year.

Russia's war turns Armenia into a booming tech sector
Protesters wave a Georgian national and EU flags as they rally against a draft law

Georgia faces a rocky road to EU membership

Georgia was once considered a favorite among countries seeking EU membership. But in recent years, the country’s majority Georgian Dream party has faced accusations of failing to improve the judiciary, protecting LGBTQ rights and of decreasing press freedoms.

Georgia faces a rocky road to EU membership
apartment in Georgia

‘You have no rights here’: Ukrainian refugees in Georgia struggle to find affordable housing

Nearly 30,000 Ukrainians have fled to Georgia since Russia invaded the country last year. The Georgian government has offered Ukrainians fleeing war some temporary support with free housing in hotels but much of that aid is drying up.

‘You have no rights here’: Ukrainian refugees in Georgia struggle to find affordable housing
billboard over building

LGBTQ Russians are fleeing to Central Asia

When Russia started drafting men to fight in Ukraine last fall, thousands fled to neighboring countries in Central Asia. The draft has been paused and some are returning home. But less so for members of the LGBTQ community, who say the government's increasing hostility has made Russia unsafe.

LGBTQ Russians are fleeing to Central Asia
The hydroponic tomato plants at Ráječek Farm rely on manufactured fertilizer to grow.

War in Ukraine sparks fertilizer crisis that may impact the future of global food production

Russia is the world’s largest fertilizer producer, but fewer Russian agricultural products are entering the global market due to the war in Ukraine. It’s changing how farmers and fertilizer suppliers are thinking about agriculture.

War in Ukraine sparks fertilizer crisis that may impact the future of global food production
An iceberg melts in Kulusuk, Greenland near the Arctic Circle, Aug, 16, 2005. A new report finds permafrost in the Arctic is thawing faster than ever before.

Critical permafrost research in Russia disrupted by war in Ukraine

Most of the world’s permafrost lies in Russia. Critical research looks at how melting permafrost contributes to global warming. But sanctions against Russia this year have disrupted field work and threatened collaborations among scientists.

Critical permafrost research in Russia disrupted by war in Ukraine