Neil Bowdler

Surprise Order: New COVID Restrictions For Moscow Restaurants, Bars, And Cafes

From June 28, Moscow restaurants, cafes, and bars have been ordered to only serve guests who have been vaccinated, had COVID-19 within the last six months, or have had a negative PCR test within the previous three days.

Warning Shot: Some Experts Oppose Use Of Kazakh-Produced COVID-19 Vaccine

Some 100,000 doses of a locally produced COVID-19 vaccine called QazVac have already been distributed in Kazakhstan -- before the publication of late-stage clinical trial data. Independent health experts say more data should have been released.

Father Of Journalist Detained In Belarus: 'Release My Son!'

The father of independent journalist and activist Raman Pratasevich told Current Time TV on May 25 said that he has no information about his son's whereabouts.

'A Breath Of Fresh Air': Independent Russian TV Channel Airs Navalny Investigations

An independent TV channel in Siberia is one of the few Russian media outlets that has covered jailed opposition figure Aleksei Navalny. The Krasnoyarsk Independent Regional Channel (TVK) has reported on Navalny's anti-corruption investigations and on protests against President Vladimir Putin.

Ten Short Films About COVID: Pandemic Inspires Kyrgyz Directors

In Kyrgyzstan, five directors are making a series of short films about the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the country in the spring and summer of 2020. Ten different stories will tell about how ordinary people experienced quarantine and how the local health-care system was unready for the outbreak.

'It's Like A Military Field Hospital Here': Ukrainian Medics And Patients Speak Of COVID Trauma

Current Time has visited the intensive-care unit of a COVID-19 hospital in Kyiv, where a recent surge in infections means every single bed is full. Many patients arrive in critical condition and require mechanical ventilation of their lungs.

Sadyr Japarov: From Convicted Kidnapper To Kyrgyz President?

Sadyr Japrov is considered the front-runner in Kyrgyzstan's presidential election on January 10. A little more than three months ago, he was in prison. He said charges that he took part in an attempted hostage-taking scheme were politically motivated.

Starving, Weak, And Penniless: Russians Try Life On Minimum Wage

'A Chance To Return To Normal Life': Russians React After Getting Sputnik-V Vaccine

Russians have been telling Current Time about their experiences with the new Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine after the country began a mass vaccination program. President Vladimir Putin said on December 2 that 2 million doses of the Russian-made vaccine would be made available within days.

Flag Wars: Woman In White And Red Flees Belarus

A woman who has become famous for wearing a white-and-red wedding dress during protests against longtime Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka has fled to Ukraine with her children, fearing persecution. Ina Zaitsava earlier spent three days in an isolation ward and was fined $250.

Selling Coal On Credit To Siberia's Poor

Viktor Kozlov used to drive a tractor on a Soviet-era state farm, but when times got tough, he moved to the coal-rich Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk and started selling coal to residents there to heat their homes.

'I'm Not Afraid': The Belarusian Great-Grandmother Who Became A Symbol Of Protest

Nina Bahinskaya, a septuagenarian great-grandmother, says she never misses a protest against the government following an August presidential election widely seen as rigged. She's been attending anti-government protests since the 1980s.

Russian Artist's Giant Holiday Cards Live On In The Snow

Valery Melnikov was known in Russia for the huge New Year's cards he created on the ice and snow of a frozen river in the country's Far East. After he died in October at the age​ of 72 after contracting COVID-19, residents of his ho​me region of Amur decided to continue the tradition he started.

Ukrainian Doctors Say Situation Critical After COVID-19 Spike

Russian Student Driven Up A Tree For Internet Signal

Minsk Taxi Driver Who Saved A Protester Says He's No Hero

Dramatic video of a Minsk taxi driver saving a fleeing anti-government protester from the clutches of Belarusian police went viral on social media in September. Now, in an interview with Current Time, the driver says he was only doing what others would have done.

Nobody's Child: Inside Ukraine's Controversial Surrogate Adoption Industry

Ukraine is one of the few countries in the world that allows commercial surrogacy. But when something goes wrong, human lives hang in the balance, and critics say the business should be stopped or at least regulated.

Funeral Fears Rise In Russia As Mourners For COVID-19 Victims Go Online

Locked Down Without A Bath In St. Petersburg

Thousands Rally In Moscow To Mark Nemtsov Killing Anniversary