Mauritania

Mauritian musician Daby Touré recently released his latest record called "Amonafi." On the album, Touré sings about displacement, especially all the people he's seen leave Africa for Europe.

Everyone is buzzing about the Oscar nominations, which were released Thursday morning. But where do you start? If you care about global issues, here are a few suggestions.

Mauritanian singer Noura Mint Seymali comes from a prominent family of griots—keepers of traditional musical and story. She’s spicing up that tradition, and trying to introduce it to the world.

Tall, dark and handsome, this soulful singer has a smile a mile wide. But it's his voice that took him from his native Senegal and landed him Vegas.

Mali's split in two, the north controlled by a coalition of separatists and Islamic terrorists, the south governed by a weak, coalition government. Thousands have fled the sharia law implemented in the north, but there's no sign of an imminent resolution to the situation, despite months of talk.

Maal traveled the region with aid group Oxfam to witness first hand, the drought and food crisis there.

To help us understand more about self-immolation and those who commit it, we are joined by Michael Biggs, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology, at the University of Oxford, who has been studying this form of protest.

Marco Werman speaks with Abigail Haworth, Senior International editor for the U.S. edition of Marie Claire magazine. She reported on the practice of force-feeding young girls in Mauritania, a country where big is considered more beautiful.

Security and counterterrorism officials are concerned that a group affiliated with Al Qaeda is gaining strength in North Africa. The group is called ?Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb?. New York Times reporter Eric Schmitt speaks with Anchor Jeb Sharp.

In Northern Africa, al-Qaida's affiliate has carried out a series of attacks in recent weeks. The violence has raised concerns in the United States and Europe. New York Times reporter Eric Schmitt joins The Takeaway with more.