Burkina Faso’s military government said it foiled a plot to assassinate leader Ibrahim Traoré, accusing ex-president Paul-Henri Damiba and citing foreign funding. The claims, announced on state TV, heighten regional tensions.

The Trump administration expanded the US visa bond program on Jan. 1, 2026, adding seven countries including five in Africa and raising costs up to $15,000, a move officials say targets visa overstays but critics warn will sharply restrict legal travel.