Across northeastern Syria, makeshift refineries pump out fuel for cars, heating and electricity. They are also a major source of income for local residents who have endured more than a decade of conflict. But this critical resource is also harmful.
To supplement their meager wages, many government workers in Venezuela are turning to side hustles that include driving taxis, baking cakes, selling clothes or taking care of pets. And that’s having an impact on the quality of public services.
Cuban government officials announced a new package of austerity measures, which includes massive hikes for transportation fares, as well as fuel, electricity and natural gas, and further restrictions on businesses. The new plan will go into effect on Feb. 1.
In the Chinese American community in New York City, almost half of older adults are living in poverty, and paying rent is tough. Particularly given the gentrification of New York City's traditional Chinatown in lower Manhattan. Some agencies are trying to help them.
Birdwatching is a rapidly growing and lucrative part of the tourism sector worldwide, but women make up a very small minority of professional guides. Uganda Women Birders, a bird guide club, is revolutionizing the industry by encouraging and supporting women who want to get into the business. Anita Elash reports from the town of Entebbe, Uganda.
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.
Jordan's economy relies heavily on tourism but since Hamas' attack on Israel in October and the ongoing war in Gaza, tourism in the country has slowed down. This is also the case in other countries in the region, including Israel itself, Lebanon and Egypt.
Since the beginning of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been bombing uniquely Ukrainian cultural sites. Preservationists are using "photogrammetry" — the act of deriving precise measurements from taking overlapping photos and rendering them in three dimensions. Dina Temple-Raston, the host of "Click Here," was recently in Ukraine and met those working to preserve the country's heritage — on their phones.
International art collectors purchased many of Zimbabwe's massive stone carvings. But buyers stopped coming in 2000 after conflict over land reform policies led to violence. Some sculptors are still trying to keep their art alive.
This week, Russian authorities detained Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist who works for the US-funded Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty news service. The dual US-Russian citizen was accused of failing to register as a foreign agent and collecting information about the Russian military as a “foreign entity.”
Musicians Anže Rozman and Kara Talve invented prehistoric instruments to help transport viewers back in time for the BBC series, “Prehistoric Planet.”