From election misinformation to the promise and pitfalls of AI, the Behind the Facts podcast has explored some of the most pressing challenges facing journalists, fact-checkers and the public.

Whether you're new to the podcast or a regular listener, here are six standout episodes that are not to be missed.

• Breaking News or Breaking It Down?
  How fact-checking is reshaping newsrooms from the inside out.
• When the Data is Missing
  The unique challenges of fact-checking in countries such as Sudan and Ethiopia, where access to reliable data is limited.
• Artificial Intelligence
  Exploring the growing role of AI in news reporting—and how it can help or harm the search for truth.
• Fighting Misinformation During Elections
  A look at how fact-checkers are keeping politicians and viral claims in check at the polls.
• Securing the Truth
  Why digital safety matters for fact-checkers, and how they protect themselves in hostile online spaces.
• Fact-Checking Beyond the Internet
  Offline strategies that combat misinformation where internet access is low or unreliable.

Sign up for our podcast alert to find out when the latest episode is released. 

• A “BREAKING NEWS” message claiming that “a cure for HIV/AIDS has just been found” has been widely shared.
• The posts are often shared alongside imagery of a bottle labelled “HIV Vaccine®” and the text “Researchers in Australia have just found a cure for HIV/Aids.”

• Unfortunately, this claim is not true. While there is a real scientific breakthrough behind these claims, it has been described in a misleading way, with any cure likely many years away.

• President Ruto is right that inflation has dropped during his term. But his claims that the US dollar hit KSh167, and that foreign reserves fell to US$5 billion, barely covering 2.5 months of imports, do not hold up.
• The president again gave wrong figures for new jobs from his housing programme. They are not “over 250,000” but way less, about 41,200. His numbers on farming, including earnings and imports, also do not stand up to scrutiny.
• Due to conflicting data, we were unable to verify Ruto’s claim that he has so far built 1,800 kilometres of roads. 

A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, despite being widely shared. 

SCAM: According to WhatsApp and Facebook posts, South African business executive Johann Rupert is giving out R4,000 cash grants via a link on social media. But it’s a scam.

Kenya 🇰🇪

FAKE: What looks like the front page of the Standard newspaper shows a chilling warning to parents of young Kenyans participating in protests. But it’s an altered image with fabricated text.

FAKE: A graphic claims opposition leader Raila Odinga defended Eliud Lagat, who has 'stepped aside' as Kenya’s deputy inspector general of police after being linked to the death of blogger Albert Ojwang. But Odinga’s political party said the quote was false.

FALSE: A video showing Kenyan president William Ruto seemingly addressing a hostile crowd chanting “Ruto must go” is gaining attention on social media. However, it has been edited to include the chants.

FALSE: A video claims that the International Criminal Court has received a letter regarding Kenyan president William Ruto. While opposition leaders declared their intention to send a letter accusing the president of crimes against humanity, we found no evidence that they actually sent it.

SCAM: Kenyans interested in joining the motorbike taxi industry should be cautious of a fake Facebook account impersonating a reputable company to scam them.

Nigeria 🇳🇬

FALSE: A message circulating on Facebook quotes Russian president Vladimir Putin as saying the Nigerian government is blocking his country’s attempts to strike trade deals with the Igbo community. We found no evidence that Putin made such a statement.

FALSE: Multiple posts claim that Hausa and Fulani militants killed 10 Igbo people in Sokoto, northwestern Nigeria in May 2025. But there is no evidence for this claim and the photos accompanying it are outdated and unrelated.

FALSE: A video with the claim that it shows an Islamist group killing Christians on 6 June 2025, which marked the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha. But the unrelated video first appeared online a few days before the claim started circulating.

FALSE: Since US president Donald Trump’s inauguration on 20 January 2025, many prominent people have visited him at the White House. However, the claim that Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu declined an invitation from the White House is false.

SCAM: Be cautious of these five Facebook pages posing as Access Bank and offering users non-existent loans. Visit one of the bank’s branches or its website to apply for a loan.

At Africa Check, we’re committed to bringing you quality, fact-based information — and holding public figures to account.

But we can’t do it without you.

Your donation today helps us reach even more communities with reliable information, empowering people to spot and reject false claims.

Together, we're building a more informed, resilient Africa — one fact at a time.

Love this newsletter? Please take a moment to forward it to your friends or family, or they can subscribe here.

Thanks for reading!

Your weekly dose of facts in newsletter form is created by Laura Kapelari (@laurakapelari). It is edited by Lee Mwiti (@LMAfrican) and Cayley Clifford (@cayleyclifford).