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