Through coups, invasions, and battles, the demand for bread is as strong as ever — With additional reporting by Ajmal Omari It’s 4 a.m. on a cold November morning and still pitch dark outside. The streets of Kabul are deserted, and the only souls on the street are the few Afghan soldiers patrolling heavily militarized checkpoints nearby. But there is a bustle of activity ongoing…

In a tea-drinking culture, coffee and cupcakes are signs of social change — The two-story Cupcake Coffee Shop has no shortage of customers, here for an array of cakes, cookies, doughnuts, and specialty coffee drinks. Yet the shop, with its open coffee bar and wood-paneled walls, isn’t in Chicago or Manchester, or anywhere else in the Western world: It’s nestled in the heart…

To say that this year did not go exactly as I planned may be an understatement. But all things considered, for me, 2020 was not as bad and, if I may, an opportunity for learning and growth in an unexpected way. But most of all, this year, forced me to…

Chainaki is a warming stew for harsh winters and tumultuous times — There is a certain method to having the chainaki, a wholesome meat soup made in a teapot, called “chainak” in the Afghan language of Dari. First, you take the large naan that comes with every serving and break into tiny pieces; fill your bowl with as many as you like…

Oh, how I am glad that 2019 is coming to an end. For a moment there, it felt like it would just go on forever, one really long never-ending struggle. Yea, 2019 was exceptionally trying year for me. For the first time, I found myself in situations that required me…

India’s queer communities are hoping more representation in the canon will be readily available and accepted — In September 2018, India’s LGBTQ movement secured a major victory. The Indian Supreme Court revoked Section 377, a colonial-era law dating back to 1860 that established homosexuality as an offense punishable with a prison sentence of anywhere from 10 years to life. The day has since gone down in history…

The fading Indian tradition is worth practicing beyond its origin — Despite the sweltering Sunday afternoon heat, 33-year-old Ammo Angom was hard at work in his small apartment kitchen in the western suburbs of Mumbai, putting the final touches on a seven-course meal. …

This year was exceptionally good to me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the blessings, relations — old and new, travel and the opportunity to be part of some amazing stories this year. I started freelancing in late 2015 but I didn’t do it full-time until late 2016 largely…

‘I got so used to it that I forgot that it hurts; that it’s not normal’ — “Before I was married, I couldn’t have imagined I was capable of tolerating as much abuse as I did,” shared Batul Moradi, 36. Moradi is a writer and a survivor of domestic abuse who struggled for years to escape an abusive marriage in Afghanistan. “It’s so strange how common it…