In a country where criticising the authorities has often landed people in trouble, the latest song from Ethiopia’s biggest musician – which appears to condemn the government – is attracting attention. Teddy Afro’s track Das Tal, meaning “put up the tent” in English, has been viewed more than seven million times on YouTube since its release on Thursday. Referencing a traditional mourning tent, Teddy Afro – whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun – sings that he is grieving a country he says has been lost. The build-up to the song’s release had already drawn controversy after a preview event for…
Author: Montage Africa
Edmonia Lewis, the first Black and Indigenous American sculptor to achieve international acclaim, is finally receiving long-overdue recognition more than a century after her death. Born in 1844 to a free Black father and an Ojibwe mother, Lewis built a groundbreaking career creating neoclassical sculptures that championed emancipation and Indigenous identity. After facing racism in the US, she relocated to Rome, where her work gained global attention and attracted prominent visitors, including President Ulysses S. Grant. Despite her success, she died in obscurity in 1907. Now, a major retrospective is piecing together her legacy, highlighting her artistic brilliance and restoring her place…
Senegal’s former president Macky Sall is one of four candidates auditioning this week for the United Nations’ top job. Sall is the only African among those vying to replace outgoing Secretary-General António Guterres, who leaves office at the end of the year. Four candidates to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations will audition for the job this week, far fewer than there were 10 years ago when António Guterres was selected as UN chief. Chile’s former President Michelle Bachelet — one of two women and one of three from Latin America — will be the first to face…
By Dominic Wabwireh with Other agencies Daniel Chapo is turning to China’s manufacturing strength to accelerate infrastructure development and sustainable growth, as he tours key industrial hubs during his first state visit since taking office in 2025. During a stop in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, Chapo visited advanced factories spanning electricity, heavy machinery and agricultural processing. The Mozambican leader explored smart power systems, observed automated production lines and tested modern logistics equipment, showcasing China’s industrial capabilities. He emphasized his country’s interest in replicating such facilities at home, pointing to Mozambique’s urgent need for technology transfer and infrastructure investment.…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP The Strait of Hormuz remained closed on Monday as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran. Iran reimposed restrictions on traffic on Saturday over the ongoing US blockade of the waterway. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that American naval forces had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to evade the obstruction. Tehran has vowed to respond, calling the move “an act of piracy.” With a fragile ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday, the fate of peace talks is still uncertain. Trump had claimed negotiations were due to resume in Islamabad on Monday. But…
Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany officially launched their Educating Linda program in Kenya in partnership with The First Lady of Kenya&Ambassador of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” at the Kenya State House. The program was chaired by Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej and The First Lady of Kenya, H.E. Mrs. RACHEL RUTO E.G.H.. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), CEO of Merck Foundation and President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign said, “I am very happy to meet my dear sister, H.E.…
“Edward”, a nine-year old Kenyan boy, has always been aware his father worked for the British military. The boy’s skin colour, lighter than his peers, has provoked years of bullying. His father disappeared before Edward [not his real name] was born, leaving his mum living in extreme poverty, ostracised by some of her family. Now this man, who worked as a contractor at a British army base in Kenya, and 19 others who served as soldiers there, have been identified through a ground-breaking DNA and legal process as fathers of children born near the base. Paternity has so far been…
In under a fortnight, Uar Bernard’s life could change forever. The Nigerian will travel to Pittsburgh with a handful of peers from the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) for this year’s NFL Draft on 23-25 April. The 21-year-old works part-time as a personal trainer to help support his family, but getting picked by an NFL team could lead to him earning an annual salary in excess of $2m. It would be a long way from his days growing up with four sisters and three brothers in Unguwa Uku, a village of roughly 2,500 inhabitants in northern Nigeria. What sets Bernard…
A Chinese national has been sentenced to a year in prison for attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen garden ants out of Kenya. The court in Nairobi on Wednesday also fined Zhang Kequn 1m Kenyan shillings (£5,713; $7,737). Judge Irene Gichobi described Zhang as not “entirely honest” and lacking in remorse. Last month, he was charged with illegally dealing in wildlife species after being arrested at Nairobi’s main airport while attempting to travel to China with more than 2,000 ants in his luggage. Kenyan authorities have warned of a growing demand for the ants in Europe and Asia, where…
By Africanews A new theatre production in Zimbabwe is reigniting debate over proposed constitutional amendments that could extend presidential terms from five to seven years under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration. For decades, theatre in Zimbabwe has served as a powerful tool for political expression—often at significant personal risk to artists, with some productions banned and performers arrested. Now, as the government pushes for changes to the constitution, acclaimed actor and director Daves Guzha is once again turning to the stage to question authority. His latest play, Bodo, confronts the proposed amendments head-on, raising concerns about the extension of presidential tenure and…