Author: Ewang Johnson

British author Frederick Forsyth died age 86, his literary agents announced on Monday. Forsyth was a pilot and a journalist before he turned his hand to literature, writing over 25 books including global bestseller “The Day of the Jackal”. Source link

By Drisha Kirkman, Head of Programme Management and Sustainability at Paymentology Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a paradox in its financial transformation. Mobile network coverage now extends to 84% of the population, yet only 25% are actively connected, leaving a 59% usage gap.  While the connectivity infrastructure is largely in place, hundreds of millions remain disconnected from the digital financial tools with this disparity highlighting a deeper issue: access alone is insufficient to drive financial inclusion. Ultimately, the challenge lies in adoption, education and trust. Barriers to adoption Despite extensive mobile network coverage, 45% of sub-Saharan Africans aged 15 or over were unbanked in 2021. Low digital literacy holds…

This week Valérie Fayolle and her team set up their cameras in Rabat, the discreet but radiant capital of Morocco. Writer and poet Tahar Ben Jelloun takes us on a tour of his paintings on display at the Mohammed VI Museum of Contemporary Art. We then go backstage to meet choreographer Salima Moumni. She explores dance as a universal language, promoting emancipation and social cohesion. Source link

Getty ImagesWith his famous wig and shades, Warhol cultivated a mysterious, enigmatic persona. Now a new exhibition with unprecedented access reveals the man behind the elaborate façade.Bob Adelman Estate/ Westwood Gallery NYCAndy Warhol, pictured here with his Flower paintings at The Factory in 1964, was famous for his aloof persona (Credit: Bob Adelman Estate/ Westwood Gallery NYC)A new exhibition in West Sussex, UK, Andy Warhol: My True Story, disagrees. Spanning 11 rooms at Newlands House Gallery in Petworth, the show reveals the hidden depths of this key figure in pop art − a movement that peaked in the 1960s and drew…

World-class facility aims to reverse Nigeria’s $1bn+ annual medical tourism outflow while establishing Africa as global healthcare destination The African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) officially opened today, marking a historic milestone in Africa’s journey towards healthcare sovereignty. The US$300 million tertiary medical facility, developed by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with King’s College Hospital London, welcomed His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as guest of honour, represented by His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, alongside high-ranking Government and private sector officials, including the Minsters of Health, Finance, and Foreign Affairs, Nigeria…

I ought to be listening to Nick Cave’s Wild God a whole lot more instead of retreating back to my usual comfort listening. Take the song “Frogs,” for instance, an astonishing paean to human yearning on this side of eternity: “The frogs are jumping in the gutters/Uh, leaping to God, amazed of love/And amazed of pain/Amazed to be back in the water again.” When a disgruntled fan complained to Cave about the seeming haziness and woo of these words, the songwriter answered, “Those little frogs, Barry, are you and me, and all of humanity—momentarily leaping toward love, wonder, meaning, and…

His looping melodies and bewitching harmonies were the soundtrack to an endless, Californian summer. Brian Wilson’s death has prompted an outpouring of affection and admiration, as the music industry pays tribute to a man considered a lyrical genius and a master of harmonies, and whose compositions now constitute the gold standard in pop. Music editor Jennifer Ben Brahim tells us more about Wilson’s hits with the Beach Boys, his legacy and his personal struggles. We also check out the frenzied fandom surrounding Billie Eilish’s recent concert dates in Paris. Source link

AlamyBlending the style of The Rolling Stones with African beats and instruments, Zambian group Witch were revolutionary – then disappeared. No one could have predicted their amazing return.In the early 1970s, Zambia produced a unique music scene of its own creation. Zamrock, as it became known, was the southern African country’s take on western rock music – a take that mixed the sounds of The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath with its own fuzz-guitar psychedelia and African instrumentation, beats and rhythms. Forged out of the country’s independence from its British colonisers in 1964, its blossoming came during one…

Meta, in collaboration with national innovation agencies and ecosystem partners across Africa, has launched a Sub-Saharan Africa-wide initiative to accelerate the development of impactful, open-source AI solutions through Llama. The program, running from May to November 2025, includes in-country AI accelerator tracks in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal. Designed to support startups in creating scalable, socially relevant AI tools, the initiative aims to deepen adoption of open-source AI and catalyze solutions aligned with regional development priorities such as agriculture, healthcare, safety and security, financial inclusion, education, and public service delivery. The program will run as accelerators – tailored six-week programs will…

After adapting three of Stephen King’s horror stories, director Mike Flanagan opted for the author’s sweet and life-affirming novella “The Life of Chuck” for his latest film. Film critic Emma Jones tells us why Tom Hiddleston brings a sweet levity to this uncynical life story, told in reverse. We also discuss the latest big budget live action remake as the “How to Train Your Dragon” series gets a 2025 version, and we find out more about the quirky arranged marriage at the centre of “Sister Midnight”, an Anglo-Indian production that amused critics at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Plus we…