Burkina Faso grounds Gates-backed mosquito project amid sovereignty, ethics row

Burkina Faso’s military-led government has suspended the controversial Target Malaria initiative, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation–funded project aimed at combating malaria through the release of genetically modified mosquitoes. Announced Friday (22 August) by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the decision halts all activities and orders the destruction of remaining mosquito samples. Project […]

Mali Condemns Czech Republic Over Visa Denial for U19 Women’s Basketball Team

On Monday, July 14, 2025, Mali has issued a strong diplomatic protest against the Czech Republic for denying entry visas to its U19 women’s basketball team, preventing their participation in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup held in Brno, from 12 to 20 July. The Foreign Ministry labelled the move as an “unfriendly act” and […]

L3Harris Technologies to Fit Morocco F-16 Jets with Smart Weapons

U.S. defense company L3Harris has announced a $29 million contract to provide smart weapon release systems to Morocco, Bahrain and Jordan, three allies of the United States. The L3Harris system gives F-16 pilots more firepower and expands their missions. The Bomb Release Unit (BRU)-57/A allows F-16s to carry two smart weapons on each system instead […]