Crowds waved flags, sang the national anthem and watched military and musical performances as phone lights illuminated the square.

Strongman Iron Biby also joined the event, lifting a huge wooden log marked "four years".

Attendees praised the government's record, including changes to the military and projects being carried out across the country.

“Today we have an army more powerful than ever. An army that is also equipped with heavy weapons, allowing us, in any case, to drive back these enemies who came to destroy Burkina Faso,” one attendee said.

Another participant pointed to projects across Burkina Faso's 17 regions and the opening of the country's first gold refinery.

“Today, Burkina Faso is self-reliant. Burkina Faso’s total independence is a reality. All of this is what drives Burkina Faso and what brought people out in large numbers tonight to answer the call,” a second participant said.

Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo described the gathering as a tribute to the country's "heroes" and an opportunity to renew momentum.

“This Night of the Popular Progressive Revolution is an opportunity to pay tribute to our heroes, but it is also an opportunity to recharge our batteries because the struggle continues,” Ouedraogo said.

“More than ever, we must remain standing and redouble our vigilance. We know who our enemies are: the imperialists,” he added.

The event was held under the slogan "The people watch over their revolution" and marked four years since Traore seized power on September 30, 2022, in Burkina Faso's second military coup that year.

Two days before the gathering, Traore inaugurated Burkina Faso's first gold refinery as his government pushes for greater control over strategic resources and more domestic processing.

Burkina Faso has also severed diplomatic ties with former colonial power France and strengthened cooperation with Mali and Niger through the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Traore opened RAFFINOR-BF in Ouagadougou on Monday, cutting the ribbon before touring the facility and observing the refining process from raw gold to finished bars.

The facility has the capacity to process up to 400 kilograms of gold per day.

Traore said the refinery was the first step towards developing a complete domestic value chain for the country's mineral resources, “Whether it is gold, manganese, copper , zinc or any other metal.”

“Our ambition is no longer simply to be a country that extracts and takes its raw materials abroad. We want to refine all our metals locally,” Traore stressed.

“For everything related to the extractive industries, we want to have the entire value chain locally. And we are starting with gold,” he added.

Mining Minister Yacouba Zabre Gouba said Burkina Faso produced more than 94 tonnes of gold in 2025, a record for the country despite continuing security challenges.

But Gouba said increasing production alone was no longer the country's priority.

“Producing in quantity is no longer enough. Extracting is no longer enough. Exporting our resources in raw form is no longer enough,” Gouba said, adding that “every national resource [must] first serve the nation.”

Burkina Faso is a major African gold producer, although insecurity has disrupted mining operations in parts of the country.

Since taking power in 2022, Traore's government has increased state control over the mining sector and pushed for greater local processing.

A new mining code adopted in 2024 increased the state's stake in mining projects and strengthened local participation.

The government is seeking to extend the local processing model beyond gold to other resources, including manganese, copper and zinc.

Traore issued the warning on Sunday, months after Burkina Faso severed diplomatic relations with France. He also said his government could cut ties with the European Union.

"All the spies come under diplomatic cover. Everyone does it around the world. Should I keep them and allow them to carry out their dirty work? Against myself, against my people? No, I'm putting an end to it, and we are very firm," he said.

"If we catch a spy, the death penalty exists in Burkina, even if he comes undercover into our country. If you get caught, that's what we will apply," Traore added.

Burkina Faso's government approved a draft penal code in December 2025 that would restore the death penalty for offences including high treason, terrorism and espionage. The bill still requires legislative approval. Capital punishment was abolished in the country in 2018.

Traore linked his warning over alleged spying to Burkina Faso's decision to cut diplomatic relations with France , accusing Paris of working against the country.

"I can't keep saying every day that it's France. That, you know, recently, we caught spies here upon shutting down. Well, we've had enough; we break ties, everyone goes home, and it's over. So that's pretty much the stance: to come back here, we must be ready," he said.

Burkina Faso severed diplomatic relations with France on June 26, accusing its former colonial ruler of acting against its interests. France described the decision as 'hostile and unfounded'.

Traore warns European Union

Traore also warned that Burkina Faso could end relations with the European Union if Brussels continued actions his government regarded as interference.

"We wrote to them, and we warned them. And we said to withdraw that kind of resolution if they continue to take these kinds of actions. We will cut all ties," he said.

"We are ready to endure any hardship, but we will overcome it. We are capable. The brains they have, we have them too. We have our resources; we will do everything. It will take as long as it takes, but we can break away from everyone," Traore added.

Traore has also named Ukraine's ambassador as someone who admitted involvement against the country.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on June 18 criticising restrictions on civic space, media and political freedoms in Burkina Faso. It also urged authorities to reverse their decision to leave the International Criminal Court .

Traore defends ICC withdrawal

Traore defended the move to leave the ICC, describing the court as an 'instrument of imperialism'.

"It is an instrument of imperialism. If the ICC truly existed, the George Bushes, Tony Blairs, and others should be in prison, even the Obamas. In Iraq, people were killed, weren't they, over tales of weapons of mass destruction? In the end, how many hundreds of thousands of children died? Zero. What did that yield? Who went to prison?," Traore said.

"The ICC, in truth, is made solely for Africans. Ever since its inception. How many Africans have been brought before the ICC, and how many of these Westerners have been brought to Syria? We will not remain part of an instrument of domination, and it is not just the ICC but any dominating institution or otherwise," he added.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced plans to leave the ICC in September 2025.

The move comes as Burkina Faso continues its fight against armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Since taking power in 2022, Traore has promoted domestic defence production, while his government has ended military cooperation with France and strengthened security ties with neighbouring Mali and Niger through the Alliance of Sahel States.

The decision, announced by the government on Friday June 26, accuses France of pursuing “neocolonial ambitions” and interfering in domestic affairs, a claim Paris has rejected, calling the move “hostile and baseless” while reviewing its response. The rupture follows years of deteriorating relations, including the expulsion of French troops and diplomats, and reflects a broader regional trend in West Africa where leaders are increasingly pushing back against France’s presence.

Authorities in Ouagadougou are pursuing Damiba over a list of serious allegations. These include misappropriation of public funds, illicit enrichment, corruption, incitement to commit crimes, aggravated receiving of stolen goods, and money laundering. However, the most significant charge involves an alleged plan to assassinate Captain Traoré.

Togo’s justice ministry said it reviewed the request and followed the country’s legal procedures for extradition. 

The statement noted that Burkina Faso gave certain guarantees, including respect for Damiba’s rights, a fair trial, protection of his physical integrity and dignity, and a confirmation that he would not face the death penalty.

“The extradition was approved after Burkina Faso provided guarantees based on reciprocity, international legal instruments Togo is a party to, and assurances that Damiba’s rights would be respected during the process, including a fair trial, protection of his physical integrity and dignity, and confirmation that he would not face the death penalty,” the statement read.

Damiba was arrested on January 16 and transferred to Burkinabè authorities the next day, January 17.

Earlier this month, Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said in a television broadcast that a planned coup had been foiled. He said the attempt, aimed at killing Captain Traoré, was scheduled for the night of January 3. The minister accused Damiba of being the mastermind and added that 70 million CFA francs (about £92,000) had come from Côte d’Ivoire to fund the plan.

Burkina Faso officials have accused Damiba multiple times of plotting from exile. In late 2024, he was named as the head of what they called the “ military wing” of a wider conspiracy.

Damiba had seized power in January 2022 by ousting President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, citing the government’s failure to stop Islamist violence. But eight months later, in September 2022, he was overthrown by Traoré.

Since then, Traoré’s military government has strengthened its hold on power. It has removed French troops, adopted a more nationalist direction, and reinstated the death penalty, including for high treason.

According to official results from Portugal’s Ministry of Internal Administration, only António José Seguro of the Socialist Party and André Ventura, leader of the right-wing Chega party, finished first or second in every region of the country, locking in their places in the runoff.

Seguro, the centre-left Socialist candidate aligned with the S&D group in Europe, finished first overall with 31% of the national vote , leading in almost every municipality and all but two regions. His support base stretches across much of mainland Portugal, reflecting the continued strength of the Socialist Party in both urban centres and large parts of the interior.

Ventura followed in second place with 24%, marking another breakthrough for Chega. The party won outright in two regions and placed second everywhere else, confirming its transformation from a protest movement into a nationwide political force.

Liberal Initiative candidate João Cotrim Figueiredo also secured 16%, placing third in most autonomous regions, while Henrique Gouveia e Melo, running as an independent backed by the conservative PPM, finished with 12%, also claiming third place in several areas.

Neither came close to challenging the two front-runners nationally, underscoring how polarised the race has become.

The upcoming runoff will determine who succeeds President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, whose role, while largely ceremonial, carries significant influence through veto powers and the ability to dissolve parliament.

With Portugal facing economic pressures and broader European uncertainty, the second round is expected to draw sharp contrasts between Seguro’s institutional continuity and Ventura’s populist challenge.

In 1975, much of Africa, Asia, and parts of Latin America were still predominantly rural. According to the United Nations, only about 38% of the global population lived in urban areas at the time.

Fast-forward to 2020, cities had become the most common settlement type in large parts of Europe, North America, Latin America, and East Asia. Globally, urban residents crossed the 50% mark for the first time in human history.

What this really means is that cities are no longer exceptions or hubs surrounded by countryside. They are now the default way humans organise themselves.

Why the world is moving to cities

The drivers of urbanisation are well established and backed by decades of research from institutions such as the World Bank and the OECD.

People move to cities for jobs, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Industrialisation and the growth of service-based economies concentrate opportunities in urban centres. At the same time, mechanisation in agriculture reduces the need for large rural labour forces, pushing people toward towns and cities.

In low- and middle-income countries, this shift is happening at remarkable speed. The World Bank notes that nearly 90% of future urban population growth will occur in Africa and Asia, particularly in countries such as Nigeria , India, and Ethiopia.

2025 and beyond: cities take the lead

In 2025, the UN projected that cities will be the most common settlement type in most countries worldwide. The map shows large swathes of Africa and South Asia transitioning from rural and town-dominated settlement patterns to city-centred ones.

Looking ahead to 2050, the trend becomes even clearer. The UN estimates that nearly 70% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by mid-century. Cities will dominate not just wealthy nations, but also overwhelmingly rural regions only a few decades ago.

This shift is not uniform. Some countries will still have strong rural populations, particularly where agriculture remains central to livelihoods. But globally, the balance has tipped.

The opportunities and the risks

Urbanisation brings real advantages. Cities tend to be more productive , more innovative, and more efficient in delivering services. The UN and World Bank both highlight that cities generate more than 80% of global GDP, despite covering a tiny fraction of the Earth’s surface.

At the same time, rapid urban growth carries risks. Without careful planning, cities can become centres of inequality, congestion, pollution, and housing shortages. Informal settlements already house more than one billion people worldwide, according to UN-Habitat.

This assertion is backed by a World Bank statement which reads "Cities are engines of economic growth and development. They are the centers where most GDP is generated and most private sector jobs are created. As cities grow, they help entire regions and even countries to become more prosperous and productive. However, the rapid pace and scale of urbanization is also bringing significant challenges."

Climate change adds another layer of urgency. Cities are responsible for a large share of global emissions, yet they are also among the most vulnerable to heatwaves, flooding, and rising sea levels.

This marks one of the most significant regulatory flashpoints for a major tech platform in years. What started as an isolated action in a handful of countries has grown into a patchwork of measures that reflect deep concerns over data privacy, national security and harmful content.

A new map from Nazar and The World in Maps shows the scale that several countries have fully blocked access to X, while others are actively reviewing its operations. The trend spans continents, from Asia and Europe to the Americas and the Middle East.

Here’s a breakdown of who’s taken action, and why.

Countries that have banned X

According to the latest information, the following countries have implemented some form of ban on X:

Countries under scrutiny

Several governments are cited as reviewing or considering bans, rigorous oversight or stricter content and data regulations affecting X:

Africa covers an enormous area of around 30.3 million square kilometres , making it the second-largest continent on Earth after Asia. Greenland, by contrast, is the world’s largest island but only roughly 2.16 million square kilometres in total land area. That means Africa’s landmass is roughly 14 times larger than Greenland’s.

But when you look at x, Greenland and Africa often appear to be similar in size on many maps because most maps use the Mercator projection, a style of map developed in the 1500s that preserves direction for navigation but dramatically distorts size, especially near the poles.

On a Mercator map, areas close to the equator, like Africa, get shrunk visually, while places near the poles, like Greenland, are stretched and appear much larger than they really are.

For centuries, the Mercator projection was the go-to choice for classrooms, atlases and even digital maps. But that has consequences. Because the projection exaggerates northern landmasses, it can give viewers a misleading sense of relative size.

Africa’s real size isn’t just bigger than Greenland. It also dwarfs other large countries and regions that people commonly think rival or exceed its area:

In recent years, geographers and advocacy groups, including the African Union, have pushed for world maps that show landmasses in their real proportions . Their aim isn’t just academic. They argue that accurate maps help correct misconceptions about Africa’s economic, demographic and strategic importance on the global stage.

One alternative gaining traction is the Equal Earth projection, which preserves area more accurately than the traditional Mercator map. Maps like these make it clearer why a continent like Africa, with more than a billion people and an area of over 30 million square kilometres, dominates in scale compared to islands like Greenland.

That sharp contrast defines the region’s fertility landscape in 2026. Data compiled by UNESCAP reveals a widening demographic divide, with profound implications for economies, healthcare systems and future generations.

At the top of the scale is Afghanistan, where women have an average of 4.7 births. Pakistan follows at 3.5, while Papua New Guinea sits at 3.0. These higher fertility rates are closely linked to limited access to reproductive health services, early marriage, and social norms that continue to favour larger families.

UNESCAP’s regional assessments consistently show that fertility tends to remain high where girls’ education levels are lower, and family planning options are restricted or unevenly available.

A significant number of Asia-Pacific nations are now hovering around the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman, the point at which a population can sustain itself without migration.

Mongolia and Timor-Leste record approximately 2.6 births, followed by Cambodia at 2.5 and Laos at 2.4. Bangladesh, Indonesia and Myanmar sit right on the replacement line. These figures reflect societies in transition, where economic growth and urbanisation are changing family expectations, but traditional patterns still hold influence.

According to UNESCAP, this stage often marks a turning point, after which fertility tends to fall more rapidly.

India , Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam now average 1.9 births per woman. North Korea is close behind at 1.8, while Brunei sits at 1.7.

Fertility continues to fall in wealthier and more urbanised economies: Australia and New Zealand record 1.6, Malaysia and the Maldives 1.5, and Bhutan 1.4. At the lower end, Japan and Thailand have fallen to around 1.2, China and Singapore to 1.0, and Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea to just 0.7.

You may ask why, and the short answer is the calendar.

Many Orthodox Christian churches still follow the Julian calendar for religious feasts. The Julian calendar currently runs 13 days behind the widely used Gregorian calendar. As a result, Christmas Day, marked as 25 December in the Julian system, falls on 7 January in the Gregorian one.

This practice remains especially strong in countries where Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy plays a central role in religious life.

What this really means is that Christmas is not “late” in these places. It is right on time according to a different clock.

Based on the map, Christmas on January 7 is commonly observed in:

Eastern Europe and the Balkans

Caucasus and Central Asia

Africa and the Middle East

In some of these countries, January 7 is a public holiday. In others, it is primarily a religious observance, with communities celebrating alongside the wider population that follows the 25 December date.

How Christmas looks different on January 7

The traditions are often distinct from Western Christmas customs.

In Russia and Serbia, celebrations focus more on church services, fasting periods, and symbolic meals rather than gift-giving.In Ethiopia and Eritrea, Christmas, known as Genna, is marked by early-morning liturgies, white traditional clothing, and communal meals after a long fast.

In Egypt, Coptic Christians attend midnight Mass on 6 January, followed by a festive meal that breaks the Nativity fast.

Trees, Santa hats, and commercial displays are far less central. The emphasis is spiritual, communal, and rooted in centuries-old practice.

When it happened

The attempt was set to happen on the night of Saturday, 3 January 2026. On that day, some social media users started posting about a possible threat to the government, which led some people to protest in the streets. A pro-government web TV station broke the news on 5 January, and the official confirmation came on Tuesday, 7 January.

Who is accused

The government has blamed Lt Col Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba for leading the plan. Damiba previously led Burkina Faso after taking power in January 2022. He was removed by Captain Traoré in September 2022 and has been living in Togo since then.

Minister Sana said Damiba was responsible for putting the plan together. He allegedly brought in both military and civilian supporters and received money from outside the country to carry out the plan. The minister claimed that 70 million CFA francs (£92,000) came from Côte d’Ivoire to help fund the operation.

What was planned

According to reports, the group aimed to kill Captain Traoré either directly or by using explosives at his home. After that, they allegedly wanted to:

Minister Sana said, "Our intelligence services intercepted this operation in the final hours. They had planned to assassinate the head of state and then strike other key institutions, including civilian personalities". He also added, "after this action, there was to follow an operation to put the drone base out of service, and a ground military intervention by external forces".

Current status

Several people have been arrested, and investigations are still ongoing. Sana told the public that the threat had been contained and warned them "not to be misled, out of naivety, into dangerous schemes". He said the government will release videos of confessions from those involved and that they will face legal consequences.