Notices by The Continent (thecontinent@mas.to)

Diamonds account for 30% of Botswana’s entire economy. But lab-grown gems mean less demand for ones dug out of the soil. For now, Botswana is trying to get more control over the money still to be made from its precious stones. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/the-panic-behind-botswanas-big-sparkly

Angolan civil society groups are asking the Constitutional Court to repeal a law passed by Parliament in mid-July that seeks to penalise “crimes of vandalism of public goods and services” with up to 25 years in prison – the same as murder. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/angola-vandalism-law-seen-as-backdoor

While platforms like X and Facebook
– where algorithms hype content that
spreads division and hate – have been
key in spreading the violence, print
newspapers have a long history of doing
the same. The UK’s press is not required
to act in the public interest, or balance
free speech rights with responsibilities,
as is common in republican democracies. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/islamophobic-violence-rips-through?r=481jks&utm_medium=ios

All Protocol Observed.

Welcome to Issue 169 of The Continent.

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap: Artificial Intelligence is not as artificial as it says on the box. In fact, programs like ChatGPT and Copilot rely on millions of data workers – actual humans – to do the grunt work. It’s tedious, underpaid, and often traumatic. No wonder much of the work is outsourced to vulnerable communities in the global south.

All Protocol Observed

Welcome to Issue 168 of The Continent:

A century ago, Eritrean cyclists were forbidden from riding competitively by their European overlords. Now, an Eritrean cyclist has won three stages of Europe’s most prestigious bike race – overcoming enormous odds to do so.

Oil and gas exploration off South Africa’s coast risks devastating the surrounding environment – and the communities who depend on it. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/photo-essay-troubled-waters

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All Protocol Observed

Welcome to Issue 161 of The Continent

Regulators in South Africa are mulling over what could be Africa’s biggest-ever media deal. French satellite TV broadcaster Canal+ wants to buy South Africa-based MultiChoice. It would then have an audience of 30-million people across Africa. The family group behind Canal+, headed by billionaire Vincent Bolloré, has a habit of turning the media it buys into versions of Fox News, peddling extremist opinions for ratings.

BIG PICTURE

Desert hues: Motorists drive through Benghazi in Libya, after sands blown
in from the Sahara turned the sky orange across north Africa, over the Mediterranean and in southern Greece.

Photo: Abdullah Doma/AFP

After a spate of mass kidnappings this month, the Nigerian government is struggling to respond. https://continent.substack.com/p/nigeria-stolen-youth

They ousted a dictator, defied a junta and now Sudan’s resistance committees are desperate to preserve their communities amidst the war. Mark Weston spoke to one committee member in Khartoum. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/as-the-war-rages-on-the-resistance?r=14kg56&utm_medium=ios

Katumba Badru is a photojournalist living and working in Uganda's capital. In this photo essay he documents streetwise life in Kampala. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/photo-essay-documenting-the-streetwise?r=14kg56&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

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REVIEW: Egypt’s controllers would do well for themselves to let the poor have their music – if not jobs. https://bit.ly/3UA5VyN

Decades before today’s migrants boarded small boats to Europe to ‘take their jobs’, European fishing ships were trawling West African waters, taking food and jobs from the locals. And they still are. https://bit.ly/3HXfeBu

Europe needs Africa’s fossil fuels. Its people? Not so much. Now Italy thinks it can square that circle with a new spin on the good old-fashioned Sicilian protection racket. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/romes-bid-to-make-africa-an-offer?r=14kg56&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

All Protocol Observed

Welcome to Issue 149 of The Continent.

The Ruto of the problem: Hustler-in-chief William Ruto was elected on promises of creating opportunities for ordinary people.

But as is the case with the “grindset grift”, that’s not what’s happened. Saying one thing in public, behind the scenes he’s working hard to make Kenya a neoliberal paradise which excludes Kenyans.

Cameroon is the first country in the world to make vaccination for malaria part of routine childhood immunisation. https://open.substack.com/pub/continent/p/hope-and-hesitancy-as-malaria-vaccinations?r=14kg56&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

All Protocol Observed

Welcome to Issue 148 of The Continent

In a move reminiscent of David and Goliath, the Republic of South Africa took the State of Israel to court. Israel has now been ordered to halt all actions which may lead to a genocide of Palestinians. It may or may not comply, but at least we all know who stands on which side of history.

All Protocol Observed.

Welcome to Issue 147 of The Continent

Money is the best soap: TotalEnergies is sponsoring Afcon — Africa’s biggest football competition — presumably hoping the stains of its core business are washed away. And the energy business is very dirty indeed, according to a new investigation into so-called “African quality” fuel that is deemed too toxic for Europeans – but is perfectly fine for Africans.