Reportage
Escape From Tajikistan
Ethnic Pamiris fleeing repression have found an unlikely home in Poland, bolstered by the broader Tajik opposition movement that took up residence there years before. In Warsaw, they are planning a future after the authoritarian rule of President Emomali Rahmon.
Good-Looking? Sell Your Eggs
New Lines interviewed dozens of egg donors, intended parents and fertility agencies, piecing together a picture of an industry that trades in the commodification of women and human genetic material, raising serious ethical questions about how the worth of a person should be measured.
Fear of the Far Right Torpedoes EU Environmental Policies
Faced with angry demonstrations from farmers who say EU environmental policies are destroying their ability to make a living, Brussels canceled a plan to reduce agricultural emissions significantly by 2040. The reason: farmers are lending their influence to far-right politicians like Geert Wilders, whose party won the most seats in the last Dutch election.
India’s Bene Israel Food Creates a Fusion of Coconut and Kosher
India’s largest Jewish community, the Bene Israel, hold on to their coastal roots through food and memory. Their cuisine, which draws from Konkan traditions while observing kosher, reveals how it is a marriage of both faith and community.
China’s Picture Book Market Has Exploded, but Is It Fun for Children?
As thousands of children’s books are translated into Mandarin, China’s domestic market for young readers is also blossoming. Yet emphasis on traditional Chinese values such as education — both as an aim and as a vehicle to mold model citizens — is perhaps holding the industry back.
Antitrust Action Against Google May Transform the Internet
The global battle against big tech has begun, and it could have ramifications far beyond the news. Both the U.K. and the EU are beginning to regulate big tech. U.S. prosecutors are taking on Google and hope for a favorable major verdict in May. As predicted, it’s getting geopolitical.
Nigeria Debates the Fate of Returning Benin Bronzes
The Nigerian government has recognized the oba of Benin as the owner of returned Benin Bronzes, yet how they will be displayed or used remains unclear. Many support housing the artifacts at a national museum rather than the royal palace. Amid conflicting proposals, further returns of the bronzes have stalled.