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Episode details

World Service,07 Jan 2026,22 mins

Burkina Faso says foiled assassination plot

Focus on Africa

Available for over a year

Burkina Faso’s military government says it has stopped an attempt to assassinate junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, just hours after soldiers allegedly plotted to remove him and other senior officials. The latest plot follows years of coups and instability in the West African nation. We then turn to Africa’s digital frontier, where disinformation is evolving fast. Generative AI and deepfakes are being used to manipulate videos and images, especially during elections. In Uganda, authorities are warning political actors to campaign ethically, while experts demonstrate how to spot fake content. The episode explores both the fragility of power and the fragility of truth. Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Ayuba Iliya, Keikantse Shumba, Bella Twine Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie Technical Producer: Terry Chege Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

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