Georgia

Georgia’s crumbling economy, which sparked the unrest that forced President Eduard Shevardnadze to resign, now lands in the lap of its new leaders and could decide whether they manage to stay in power. About 54% of Georgia’s population live below the poverty line, but the country sports dozens of billionaire businessmen.

Georgia’s army has not been given any orders to use force against the opposition, the country’s defence minister said on Sunday. He spoke a day after opposition protesters stormed the Georgian Parliament, forcing embattled President Eduard Shevardnadze to flee and sending the former Soviet republic to the brink of chaos.