Simon Allison

@simonallison.bsky.social

Newspaper person. Co-founder @thecontinent.org and The Atlas (theatlasnewspaper.org)

@zekuzelalem.bsky.socialReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

Updates: the Ethiopian army is in control of the city of Alamata, after 3 days of fierce fighting on the city's outskirts. At least 50 people in the city died, many from artillery strikes, per medical sources reached by the BBC. A strike that targeted the city's marketplace killed a dozen people.

@atlasnewspaper.bsky.socialReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

What shall we pray to, if Silicon Valley evangelists team up with the Vatican and promote coexistence with AI? Find out more in the latest issue of The Atlas — fresh off the press and sent directly to your inbox today.

@thecontinent.orgReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

All Protocol Observed

Welcome to Issue 254 of The Continent.

Social media made Mauritania’s iron ore train a daredevil adventure. Our photo essay captures the beauty of ordinary life.

bit.ly/254_TC

A black-and-white photograph fills the cover of The Continent. It shows a long passenger train travelling through a vast, pale desert landscape in Mauritania. The photograph is taken from alongside the train, looking backwards along its left side. In the foreground, an arm extends through an open train window towards the landscape, with the hand and fingers reaching out into the open air. Another passenger is partly visible leaning from a window further ahead. The railway tracks run diagonally from the lower centre of the image towards the distant horizon. The surrounding desert is largely flat and barren, with low dunes, scattered shrubs and rocky patches stretching into the distance. At the top, a yellow-orange strip reads: “AFRICAN JOURNALISM | 19 SEPTEMBER 2026 | ISSUE 254.” Beneath it, in large white lettering, is the title “The Continent.” On the right side of the photograph, large dark-grey text reads: “Beyond the spectacle of Mauritania’s iron train.” Below the headline is the photo credit: “FETHI SAHRAOUI / THE CONTINENT.” The overall cover is stark and minimalist, contrasting the dark train and reaching arm with the almost white expanse of the desert.
@thecontinent.orgReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

All Protocol Observed

Welcome to Issue 253 of The Continent

Three years before 9/11, Al-Qaeda carried out its first major attack in Africa. Twenty-five years later, the continent is living with the consequences of a war on terror.

bit.ly/253_TC

@louigi.bsky.socialReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

I'm proud to announce the creation of the Association for Human Mathematics. We aim to protect mathematics as a human endeavour against the threat of AI and to maintain the independence of the mathematical community from corporate interests.
www.ahmath.org

@joshuagrochow.bsky.socialReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

And you have to ask yourself: why was it worth $22M to them? Because to them math is just their most successful PR bid, (since the claims of AGI aren't sticking). They are betting that the (false) claim "We solved math, so we can solve everything" will gain them way more than $22M in market share.

@thecontinent.orgReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

All Protocol Observed

Welcome to Issue 252 of The Continent

Egyptians were using the characters of SpongeBob and his friends to talk about their real lives in a Facebook group. In 2 weeks it gained almost two million members. Then it was shut down.

bit.ly/252_TC

@nanjala.bsky.socialReposted by @simonallison.bsky.social

What do visas have to do with basketball? Well, Senegal came third in Afrobasket and qualified for the qualification tournament in Mexico. This is how that went for them:

growingthegame10 SENEGAL'S PLAYERS DESERVE BETTER. The Lionesses' trip to Mexico for the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament was a disaster from start to finish and it all started before they even played. Before the Tournament: Some players arrived less than 24 hours before the competition due to visa issues. Others had no luggage and had to buy clothes just to get by. After the Tournament: While most of the delegation left Mexico, four players were stranded and reportedly needed help just to eat. One player used her own money to buy food for her teammates. The federation sent 50,000 FCFA via Wave but they couldn't use Wave in Mexico. And Now: Reports say the team was forced to sleep on the floor during a stop in Morocco while representing their country. These issues raise serious questions about how Senegalese players are being treated. Proper travel, accommodation, and basic support shouldn't be optional they should be the minimum. Federations get resources to take care of their teams. When they fail, someone must be held accountable. #growingthegame #basketballafrica #africahoopstalk
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