Author: Ewang Johnson
The Brat singer isn’t the first pop star to turn to big-screen acting, but she has made an “auspicious start” that demonstrates a “commitment to cinema”.While fans of her music were obsessing over Brat last summer (the album that became a cultural meme), and cheering her five wins at the Brit awards in March, Charli XCX was quietly building a career as a film actress. She has already shot roles in seven features, and three of them are landing at this autumn’s film festivals. She has small roles in two large ensemble pieces. One Hundred Nights of Hero, a Scheherazade-like…
African ministers of livestock and agriculture have taken bold steps to reshape the future of food systems on the continent. At the African Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal, thirteen countries participated in the first-ever ministerial deep dive on livestock, co-hosted by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), AU-IBAR, and GIZ. The session marked a historic shift—placing livestock and animal-sourced foods firmly at the center of Africa’s food systems agenda. Africa is home to 85% of the world’s livestock keepers but produces just 2.6% of global milk. This mismatch highlights a paradox: vast resources, yet low productivity, leaving the continent…
The Chandler Index singles out Mauritius, Rwanda and Botswana for their governance performance, as well as Tanzania for its progress. According to the 2025 Chandler Good Governance Index (CGGI) ranking, Mauritius is the best-performing government in Africa, followed by Rwanda and Botswana. These strong performances cannot hide the fact that the average score for African countries is the lowest of all regions, despite a slight improvement over two years. The Chandler Institute of Governance is an NGO that works with governments around the world to build a resilient and effective public sector. It publishes an annual index that measures the…
The 82nd Venice Film Festival got underway with a constellation of stars on its red carpet, as Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield attended the premiere of “After the Hunt”, directed by Luca Guadagnino. Film critic Emma Jones tells us why she was impressed by Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Bugonia”, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemmons. We also discuss the French-made political intrigue “The Wizard of the Kremlin”, with Jude Law playing Vladimir Putin himself. And politics were ever-present at this year’s Mostra, with Venice4Palestine protests and Kaouther Ben Hania’s powerful docu-drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, which is set in Gaza. Source link
They are surrounded by a supporting cast perfectly in sync with the mock documentary style. As in previous iterations of The Office, that approach pulls us into the paper’s world fluently with side-eyed glances caught by the crew and separate comments spoken directly to the camera. Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez), the one character returning from The Office, is the paper’s head accountant, who sees the familiar camera team and says, “Not again!” Nunez expertly delivers Oscar’s sceptical looks and remarks. Stand-up comedian Alex Edelman plays another accountant, so guileless he actually reacts when someone in the room yells “idiot”, not…
The African Union has voiced unease over US migrant transfer deals with Rwanda, Uganda, and other African states, warning they risk casting the continent as a convenient “drop-off zone” for deportees. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights said the agreements reflect Washington’s strategy of outsourcing its migration challenges, while placing African nations in a politically sensitive position. The commission warns the agreements could potentially breach international principles, including the critical right to seek asylum. Last month, Uganda became the latest country on the continent to agree to take in third-country deportees, albeit with conditions. However, African responses remain split, with…
Human rights defenders welcome the decision by the Central African Republic, which becomes the 46th African country to commit to promoting women’s rights. As part of an initiative to promote gender equality, the Central African Republic officially ratified the Maputo Protocol at the end of July 2025, becoming the 46th member state of the AU (African Union) to accede to this African treaty aimed at protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, commonly known as the ‘Maputo Protocol,’ is one…
Argentines Diego Ortega and Aldana Silveyra win the top prize in the Saloon Tango Style category at the World Tango Championship Final held at the Gran Rex theatre in Buenos Aires. FRANCE 24’s Eliza Herbert reports. Source link
The Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow builds “excruciating tension” in a film about a nuclear missile headed for the US. It’s a characteristically authentic, “riveting” and “chilling” new drama.A nuclear missile has been launched. Nobody knows who launched it, or whether any more might follow, but one thing is clear. Unless it is stopped, the missile will obliterate a major US city in less than 20 minutes. So what happens next? Most Hollywood films would bring in a handsome hero at this point, and he would be so superhumanly gifted that even if he couldn’t prevent the missile strike, he…
Internationally celebrated fashion designer Sindiso Khumalo has officially opened the doors to her very first flagship store in Cape Town, marking a proud milestone for the brand and a new chapter in its story. Known for her hand-illustrated prints, deeply considered silhouettes, and commitment to sustainability, the LVMH Prize finalist has spent the past decade building an inspiring global presence. Her work has been featured in Milan Fashion Week and appeared in collaborations with brands such as & Other Stories, IKEA and Vans. Now, as the brand enters its second decade, Sindiso brings the stories she’s shared around the world back…