africa

Speaking Up About Violence In A "Forgotten" Country

Brady Carlson — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:00:47 +0000

It may be the largest war in the world that we don’t hear about. The death toll of what is now called the Great War of Africa likely stretches into the millions.

Al Qaeda In Africa

Laura Knoy — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Although the death of Osama bin Laden was a major blow to the terrorist group, al Qaeda, it has found new life in Africa, where groups aligned with its goals and terrorist methods have created what NATO is calling an arc of instability stretching from West African into continent's Horn.

Exploring One Laptop Per Child in Ethiopia

Virginia Prescott — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:00:24 +0000

The trope goes something like this: one minute you’re teaching your kid to tie his shoes, and the next he’s showing you how to use the new Blu-Ray player. No doubt, fresh minds tend to have an easier time adapting to new technologies – but does the cliché hold water in third-world countries where kids have never seen so much as a calculator?

Fatoumata Diawara

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:40:12 +0000

West African singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara has a back story not unlike many of today’s cosmopolitan Africans. She was born in Ivory Coast to parents from Mali and now lives in Paris. She’s a stage and film actress, singer, and songwriter. There's a world of experience that shines through on her album ‘Fatou’ which plays to her roots, but retains an infectious western pop sensibility. Fatoumata and her band are playing tonight at the Dana Center, St.

After Decades Away, Tourists Return To Liberia

Tamasin Ford — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:26:00 +0000

Liberia has been better known for conflict than tourism the past couple of decades.

But this week, a group of 150 tourists, many of them Americans, arrived for a brief stay in the small nation on Africa's West Coast.

Is The Old Regime Seeking A Comeback In Egypt?

Peter Kenyon — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:29:00 +0000

In Egypt, next month's presidential election has undergone a wrenching several days.

First, leading Islamist candidates faced possible disqualification on legal grounds, and then, hours before the deadline to register, a leading face from the regime of Hosni Mubarak jumped into the race.

The appearance of 75-year-old Omar Suleiman, Mubarak's former intelligence chief, has sparked fears that the military council running the country is maneuvering to bring back the old regime.

Few could blame Egyptians for complaining about a severe case of political whiplash.

For The First Time, Mr. Gay World Crowned In Africa

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:10:00 +0000

At a golf resort in suburban Johannesburg, a group of men lounged by the pool. They cheered as five competitors sprinted around a grassy field — in Speedo swimsuits — to the sounds of "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini."

This was sports day at Mr. Gay World 2012.

Gay men from 22 countries took part, and this year's competition was noteworthy because it was the first time it was held on African soil. It addition, it also marked the first time that black African men participated, though there were just two.

Mr. Gay World was a five-day competition that includes a wide range of events.

Once-Thriving Egyptian Port Suffers After Soccer Riot

Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:12:00 +0000

The Egyptian city of Port Said is the northern gateway to one of the world's key shipping lanes, the Suez Canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.

Nomad, rebel, expatriate, guitarist: Bombino

Virginia Prescott — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:54:13 +0000

The film Agadez: The Music and The Rebellion is the collaborative endeavor between film maker Ron Wyman and Tuareg guitarist Bombino (Omara Moctar) that captures Tuareg Culture in the Sahara and the extraordinary desert musicians. Deemed an “Overlooked Gem of 2011” the film will be showing this Friday at the Music Hall in Portsmouth.

Baloji: Finding A Home In His Music

Banning Eyre — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:21:00 +0000

Rapper Baloji was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo but raised in Belgium. He's built a reputation for incorporating Congolese music into his mix, though he mostly raps in French, his deep voice full of cocky brashness. You can catch his vibe without translation, but it's worth reading the liner notes to get his messages, as well.

African Cuisine in the Upper Valley

Virginia Prescott — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:32:49 +0000

Authentic Tastes of Africa in the Upper Valley.