Author: Ewang Johnson
Alamy(Credit: Alamy)Blackhouse thatched cottage in the Hebrides, ScotlandMany thatched cottages in the Hebrides are simple, single-storey structures called blackhouses or taigh-dubh (their name in Gaelic). The term blackhouse probably derives from the fact that these cottages originally had no windows. This type of cottage has 3ft-to-6ft (1m-to-2m) stone walls to help it withstand severe Atlantic storms. Wood here is in short supply and only used for roof timbers. The buildings’ rooves normally have a turf base covered with thatch. These layers are traditionally stripped off in June and used as manure to cover local crops.Peter Landers Photography(Credit: Peter Landers Photography)Thatched…
By DALU AJENEAfrica’s economic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by shifting demographic needs, demand for commodities include rare minerals, technological and digital transformation, trade and regional integration and strategic partnerships. As the continent navigates the complexities of global economic trends, it is poised to capitalise on emerging opportunities and cement its position as a key player in the global economy. Africa’s economic growth is projected to reach 4.4% by 2026, driven by a combination of factors such as fiscal consolidation, rising domestic demand, and growth in resilient sectors including financial services, digital, telecom and tourism. Its long-term projection can…
French pay-TV giant Canal+ has assumed control of South Africa’s MultiChoice Group, cementing a landmark transaction that creates one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies. The move follows the finalisation of Canal+’s mandatory offer to acquire all outstanding shares in MultiChoice at R125 per share, a deal valued at billions of rand and described as the largest ever undertaken by the Paris-based broadcaster. The acquisition marks a transformative moment for Africa’s broadcasting industry. Canal+ now directly holds 46 per cent of MultiChoice shares, with acceptances for a further 2.2 per cent already tendered before the deal became unconditional…
In this edition of Entre Nous, we speak to choreographer Matthew Bourne, who is bringing his version of the “Swan Lake” ballet to Paris. It’s a bold and reimagined take on the original. He tells us about his approach to storytelling through dance, as well as the audience’s reaction to his show. Source link
Stewart continues: “This was another means of smoothing national sensibilities by ensuring that the precedence given to the Irish saltire – because it lay over the Scottish saltire – was balanced by the Scottish saltire having precedence in the more prestigious half of the design.” The flag was first flown on 1 January 1801, when the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland came into being. Since the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, the red has represented Northern Ireland.AlamyThe Death of Major Peirson by John Singleton Copley (1783) portrays a moment of British victory against a French invasion of Jersey (Credit:…
As African nations accelerate energy sector reforms and open markets to increased private participation, the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba, taking place from 3 – 5 March 2026 in Cape Town, will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, financiers, and innovators to explore one of the continent’s most transformative trends: Aggregated Energy Procurement.Across Africa, governments are liberalising their energy sectors to attract more players and investment. However, fragmented markets, small-scale projects, and dispersed consumers often limit the effectiveness of such reforms. The concept of aggregated energy procurement—where multiple energy consumers and producers combine their supply and demand—has emerged as a potential game-changer. By pooling resources and needs,…
At no time since its founding has the United Nations faced a world so fractured and yet so desperately in need of collective action. This week, as leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, the question is no longer whether speeches will inspire but whether the system itself can still deliver. In 2015, when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted, the mood was one of bold ambition. Ending poverty, eradicating hunger, expanding education, and containing climate change were not presented as dreams but as achievable targets. The SDGs were a blueprint for a fairer and more…
UK prosecutors said Tuesday they will appeal a court’s decision to drop terrorism charges brought against Irish singer Liam O’Hanna. The charge against the member of the punk rap group Kneecap was dropped last month as it wasn’t brought to prosecutors within the legal time limit. Source link
Miller’s headstrong creativity is evoked by her wry quotes; she once explained of her work: “It was a matter of getting out on a damn limb, and sawing it off behind you.” The urgency, audaciousness, and unexpected compassion that defines so much of her photography is also inextricably linked to her personal experience.She was born in 1907 in Poughkeepsie, New York State; she began her global adventures in her youth, though her ultimate home was Farleys House in the East Sussex countryside, where she moved in 1949 with her husband, British painter and curator Roland Penrose, and their infant son…
“Carbon markets can unlock billions in finance for the continent”“How is it possible that in 2025, when we are able to send people to the moon, when we are able to create driverless vehicles, we’ve not been able to solve the problem of cooking energy in Africa’s rural areas?” asks Maxwell Gomera, Resident Representative of UNDP South Africa and Director of the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub.He continues: “This is something that is within our means. And as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Africa Sustainable Finance Hub, we are now working with governments across Africa on how to solve such…