world

(The Root) — The Haitian Revolution lasted 13 years before the nation, known then as Saint-Domingue, gained independence from France and became the world’s first free black republic. It actually took two declarations to achieve that historic marker: Toussaint L’Ouverture led the island slave revolt to a short-lived victory over British and Spanish colonizers in…

Crying onstage in front of a crowd is not my thing, but a few days ago, as I stood next to Serkalem Fasil, I couldn’t hold back my tears. It was a bittersweet moment because Fasil had just received the prestigious PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award on behalf of her husband, Eskinder Nega. He…

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor’s conviction for war crimes in Sierra Leone represents another milestone in a long journey toward peace, freedom and justice for residents of both African nations. A pivotal marker on the road to progress was President George W. Bush’s call in June 2003 for Taylor to “step down so that his…

South African media reported the horrifying details of the viral video that has shocked the world: a 17-year-old, mentally disabled girl being raped by seven men in a Johannesburg township. She screams: “You are forcing me, you are forcing me.” The 10-minute cellphone video spread like wildfire until a tabloid paper alerted police on April…

A drama of major proportions is unfolding in Mali, where a coup d’état, combined with violent regional rebellion, has resulted in both the collapse of the state and the loss of significant territory. At stake are many lives, as well as historical documents and artifacts of incalculable importance to African history. Last week brought reports…

By Craig Timberg and Daniel Halperin We are unlikely to ever know all the details of the birth of the AIDS epidemic. But a series of recent genetic discoveries have shed new light on it, starting with the moment when a connection from chimp to human changed the course of history. We now know where…

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is home again, no doubt surrounded by his loving wife and daughters and probably grandchildren and maybe a few close friends. South Africans are breathing a sigh of relief. This follows almost two days of collective worry over what the diagnosis for his stomach ailment was, how much trouble the 93-year-old former…

It happens the same way every year. After all the popcorn’s popped, the sticky Jujubes swept away and the only red carpet that really matters is slowly unfurled, Vanity Fair releases its annual “Hollywood” issue. For almost 18 years, the March magazine cover has always been packed with as much star power as physically possible.…

Exactly one year ago, David Kato, a longtime advocate and friend, was bludgeoned to death in his home in the middle of the day. He was murdered just days after he had won a court case against a Ugandan newspaper that had published his photo — along with those of 99 other alleged supporters of…

For many Haitians, Jan. 12 invokes a somber mood. It marks the anniversary of the catastrophic earthquake that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Haitians two years ago and left millions more destitute and displaced. In the aftermath of the heart-wrenching devastation, Haiti experienced unprecedented global support as humanitarian assistance and volunteers poured…