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The 16th Africa Film Festival Cologne holds from the 13th to the 23rd of September. This year’s focus is on intra-African migration and the festival presents 25 films which address the subject, chosen by FilmInitiativ, organizers of the festival, for good reasons. Sixty-eight million people worldwide are refugees, most of them in their neighbouring countries. This applies to Africa, too, …

Florence Kasumba has acted in blockbusters including “The Avengers” and “Black Panther.” She has now picked up a lead role as a detective in “Tatort,” Germany’s longest-running TV show. “Being here now is a dream come true,” said Florence Kasumba, referring to the filming which has just ended for the new Tatort show, in which she is the first black …

Nigeria’s aviation minister announced at the Farnborough Airshow International, a biennial major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries with a public airshow in the UK, that the country’s new national airline will be called Nigeria Air and will launch in December. He also explains how the country is planning against the failure of the new carrier. Minister of …

Just before leaving on his visit to Africa this week, his first trip to the continent since leaving office, former US President Barack Obama revealed his favourite books on Africa. He wrote: “Over the years since, I’ve often drawn inspiration from Africa’s extraordinary literary tradition. As I prepare for this trip, I wanted to share a list of books that …

Nigeria has commenced negotiation with aircraft manufacturers preparatory to the unveiling of a new national carrier, many years after Nigerian Airways was liquidated. The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said that the Federal Government was also negotiating with investors at the ongoing Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom. Mr James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Media and …

The Nigerian-German band BANTU is touring Germany. The 5-city tour begins in Hagen on 18 July and will end in Cologne four days later. The other cities where the band will perform are Recklinghausen, Muelheim a.d. Ruhr and Bochum. The shows, according to band founder and front man Adé Bantu, will feature the complete members of the group, promising “a …

Universal Music Africa opens new division in Côte d’Ivoire, kicking off an expansion of live music activity throughout the continent in partnership with Vivendi and CanalOlympia. Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, has announced a significant expansion in French-speaking Africa, with the launch of a new strategic division in the regional market with a focus on …

The third edition of the Nigerian Cultural Festival /Adire Carnival took place in the historic city of Vienna on 29-30 June. The event showcases the rich Nigerian cultural heritage and promotes the country’s tourism potential. It also helps to foster the friendly relationship between Nigeria and Austria. The event started with the African drums exhibition on Friday, the 29th of …

“What’s New?” an exciting weekly TV programme BBC News, for young people in Africa launches on 23rd June.  Aimed at 11-16 year olds the show is an informative, entertaining and fun programme which will keep young people up to date with what’s happening in the world they live in. Nisha Kapur, BBC Commissioning Editor, said: “What’s New? is for and …

Renowned Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o has been in Germany, reading from his work at the event “Voices of Africa.” He spoke to DW about the crucial role of African languages in empowering the continent. DW: What do you see as the role of young people in taking Africa forward? Ngugi wa Thiong’o: Young people are always the future of …

The African festival in Germany’s federal capital opens on 7 June with a wide-ranging programme including live concerts, dance workshops, bazaar and workshops at the popular Alexanderplatz in the city centre. The Festival is visited by around 5,000 people daily! Kenako Afrika Festival, from 7-17 June, parades established and up-and-coming artists, including Afrikadelle, a group that combines the best of …

Ethiopia has started issuing visa online for tourists and other visitors across the world effective today (1 June 2018). The news was released by Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Fitsum Arega. According to him, the move coupled with a relaxed visa regime will enhance the country’s openness and also entrench the leading reputation of its national carrier, Ethiopian …

Ziggy Marley, the son of reggae music legend Bob Marley, has released his seventh solo album, Rebellion Rises. The 49-year-old Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is currently touring the United States and Europe. He said he took lessons from his father’s “Exodus” as he was crafting the album. “It is a rebellion of love, rebellion of more peace, the rebellion of more …

It was thirty years ago when Dr Stefan Oschmann and Ali Schuster, two young German men, initiated the International Afro Roots Festival, popularly known as  International Africa Festival, with the aim of bringing the music and culture of Africa to Germans. The story of the event, which has meanwhile become the biggest of its kind in Europe and last year …

This year’s Africa Day will be marked for the 8th consecutive time in the western German city of Dortmund with the theme “Global networking & modern economy”. The Day, which commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (now African Union) in Addis Ababa on 25 May 1963, is marked both in Africa and its Diaspora communities across the …

After years of hashtags and outcries, Twitter now recognizes Swahili, one of East Africa’s most common languages. The social media platform now offers translation for the language spoken by tens of millions in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and some parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Most African languages for the past decade and over of social media platform Twitter’s existence …

Some of the best-known Black actors in Europe gathered in Tarifa at the just-concluded Tarifa-Tangiers African Film Festival to discuss their situation in different countries in a session moderated by Spanish journalist Lucía Mbomío. Last Saturday (5 May), nine actors shared their experiences, as well as the difficulties and challenges they face, calling for greater visibility and the normalisation of …

At the just-concluded Tarifa-Tangiers African Film Festival (Festival cine africano de Tarifa or FCAT), international critics have voted for the best African films of all time. FCAT, which takes place in the Spanish town Tarifa and the Moroccan city of Tangiers, celebrates its 15th year of promoting and subtitling cinema productions from Africa into Spanish from 26 April to 5 May. …

The opening of the Accra Marriott Hotel near the Ghanaian capital marks the Marriot hotel group’s debut in West Africa. The hotel is located opposite the Kotoka International Airport, and just a few kilometres outside of Accra’s central business district providing easy access to major corporate businesses, government entities and well known city landmarks. With 208 well-appointed rooms, three dining …

There is a “critical period” for learning a second language, with people remaining adept learners until the age of 17 or 18, when their ability drops, according to a new study. Conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the study suggests that the “critical period” for learning a new language is much longer than scientists had previously thought. “It was …