Focus on Africa Folgen

At least 360 abductees were rescued by the Nigerian army from an enclave linked to a terrorist group in northeastern Borno State. Most of them being women and children. While the Nigerian Army says the rescue followed weeks of planning and intelligence-led operations that achieved "complete tactical surprise," overwhelming the terrorists and forcing them to abandon their positions and flee into the surrounding mountainous terrain, a different account has emerged. A local group, the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSAYA) says that it facilitated the unconditional release of the abductees and had been in contact with the militants, while online conversations speculate negotiations and possible ransom. We hear from a security expert. And we speak to Sabine Nkusi who lived through the Rwandan genocide on her commitment to supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

Over 3,000 African fighters are involved with the Russian army as claimed by Ukrainian authorities. Many of them say they have been misled or coerced into fighting by illegal recruitment agencies promising a good job and salary in Russia. We speak to the BBC's Sammy Awami who gained access to a prisoner of war facility in western Ukraine, and spoke to some of the young men trapped there. And we hear about the frustrations of African fans hoping to travel to the US for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Godwin Asediba, Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

PCOS affects an estimated 170 million women worldwide during their reproductive years yet as many as 70% of those affected remain undiagnosed, according the World Health Organization. Experts hope that will change following the condition’s recent renaming to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), a term they say better reflects its impact on the whole body, not just the ovaries. So what is it like to live with the condition?We spoke to 35-year-old Bianca Chenai from Zimbabwe, and 25-year-old Ghanaian, Juliana Naa Dede who have been living with PMOS from a young age. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash and Basma El Atti Technical Producer: David Nzau Senior Producer: Priya Sippy and Carolyne Kiambo Jotham Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla