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Political situation in Burkina Faso
Juntan: Burkina Faso should forget about democracy

The people of Burkina Faso should forget about democracy. That is what the country's military leader Ibrahim Traoré believes, reports The Guardian.

- We must tell the truth, democracy is not for us, he said in an interview with state-run RTB last week.

The 37-year-old Traoré took power in 2022 after a coup that deposed the then junta leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.

Under Traoré's rule, the opposition has been stifled and in January political parties were banned completely. The idea was that the country would transition to democracy as early as 2024, but that did not happen after the junta extended Traoré's rule until 2029. After the latest statement, it does not look like it will happen in the near future.

Global Challenges
German Demand: Ban Robotic Lawnmowers at Night

Several German mayors are calling for a ban on robotic lawnmowers at night, The Guardian reports. This is to protect hedgehogs and other small nocturnal animals.

“Many animals are active in gardens, especially during the evening hours. They also depend on these green spaces near residential areas,” says Claudia Kalisch, vice president of the Association of German Cities.

Claudia Kalisch, who is also mayor of Lüneburg in northern Germany, says that cities are increasingly serving as alternative habitats for many mammals as their natural habitats are being displaced by housing and intensive agriculture.

“That is why a nationwide ban on using robotic lawnmowers at night is a logical protective measure,” she says.

She also wants robotic lawnmower manufacturers to develop solutions that ensure that small animals are no longer put at risk.