They Flee Russia as Dissidents Seeking Asylum. The U.S. Locks Them Up.
Asylum-seekers are being detained because they come from Russia and Central Asia, immigrants and attorneys told The Intercept.
I am a journalist reporting on human rights, climate change and environmental issues from the U.S. and around the world.
Winner of the 2022 Covering Climate Now Journalism Award for Writing — Short Feature
Recent Work
How Cleaning Up Harmful Algal Blooms Could Help Fight Climate Change
A company called BlueGreen Water Technologies aims to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while also fighting algae’s toxic effects on people and the environment.
Virginia Once Drained and Dried Peatlands, but Now Eyes Them as Carbon Sinks
The bogs, logged for centuries and recently burned, sequester far more carbon than forests. Now, thousands of acres are being “rewetted” as part of a restoration strategy.
Spreading Rock Dust on Your Crops — for the Planet
The rock weathering boom is presenting new opportunities for farmers who want to improve their soil health without added costs.
Drought imperils Zimbabwe’s ancient rock art, spurring efforts to preserve and date it
Local artists are re-creating animal drawings made by San people thousands of years ago.
As climate change helps mosquitoes spread disease, critics push for alternatives to pesticides
In response to outbreaks of West Nile virus and EEE, cities spray chemicals to kill mosquitoes. Is there a better way?
Scarred by Soviet-era nuclear testing, Kazakhstan is poised to embrace atomic energy — with help from Russia
The proposal to construct the nuclear power plant has divided opinion in Kazakhstan, where fears of nuclear accidents and their health and environmental consequences run deep.
‘Long live the test ban’
In the twilight of the Soviet Union, ordinary people across Kazakhstan united against nuclear testing. Now a new generation of activists is picking up the mantle.
Balancing Culture and Conservation in a Kyrgyz Walnut Forest
In Kyrgyzstan, a community-based agroforestry effort is seeking to save the world’s largest natural walnut forest.
A Protected Place
Faced with overgrazing and desertification, communities in the Middle East are reviving the concept of the hima, an ancient land-management practice that bridges tradition, culture, conservation—and faith.
Can the harsh conditions of space breed more resistant crops for Earth?
To make crops resilient to climate change, scientists are exposing seeds to cosmic radiation, extreme temperatures, and low gravity.
What the Aral Sea might teach us about life after disaster
Sixty years ago, the Aral Sea began drying up, leaving salty, barren soil in its wake. Lessons learned here will help other parts of the world experiencing climate change.
Once protected by its remoteness, a sacred lake in Kyrgyzstan is threatened by change
On the shores of Issyk Kul are more than 130 sacred sites, including trees, mountain peaks, hot springs and tombs of important figures.
‘No place for a child to be’: Foreigners remain stuck in Syria’s war-on-terror camps
‘Time is of the essence.’
An Indian spiritual leader is urging the world to 'save soil.' Experts say he's not helping.
Sadhguru's campaign points to a real problem, but agricultural advocates say his solutions miss the mark.
Wildfire smoke is choking Indigenous communities
With government monitoring lagging behind, tribal members are installing their own monitors.
Wood-burning Stoves Raise New Health Concerns
Officials increasingly treat woodsmoke pollution as a public health and environmental justice issue, despite opposition.
Mercury mining makes a comeback in Kyrgyzstan
Mercury, used in gold mining and electronics, poses serious health risks. Despite international pressure to ban its trade, Kyrgyzstan is ramping up production.
A Tiny Town Was the Soviet Union’s Uranium Hub. Now, It’s Racing to Avoid Disaster
Mailuu-Suu powered the Soviet Union's nuclear program. But climate change and its nuclear legacy are putting the town in Kyrgyzstan at risk.
U.S. Southwest, Already Parched, Sees 'Virtual Water' Drain Abroad
Foreign corporations are increasingly purchasing land in the U.S.; in the Southwest, thanks to longstanding laws on water rights, these purchases often come with unlimited access to the valuable water underneath the soil.
‘It’ll Get Better’: Chaplains Play Essential Role for Transit Workers
The M.T.A.’s nearly all-volunteer force of about 70 chaplains has mobilized to check in with workers who are sick or quarantining, offer support to families of employees who died of the virus and counsel those feeling isolated or burned out.
