Irregular Migration Surge: Mauritania’s coastguard says 1,076 migrants were rescued in Mauritanian waters over 10 days, with 194 taken into custody, after a lull following Tabaski; the arrivals were registered in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou reception centres funded by the EU, as officials warn the Atlantic route could hit an unprecedented level this year. West Africa Security & Crime: Ogun State police in Nigeria arrested eight foreign nationals over a staged “kidnapping” scheme meant to extort ransom from families abroad, including a Mauritanian suspect, after an intelligence-led operation in Adiyan/Agbado. Football & Mobility: FIFA confirmed Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan is left out of the 2026 World Cup after being denied entry to the United States, adding to visa complications around the tournament. Regional Economy & Trade: With WCO support, countries including Mauritania are building national pools of rules-of-origin experts to strengthen use of preferential trade agreements. Energy & Environment: A study warns climate change could increasingly synchronize solar power shortfalls across African power pools, raising resilience risks for regional electricity systems. Western Sahara Politics: Mauritanian miners’ coalition denies claims that a Morocco drone strike targeted Mauritanian prospectors in the buffer zone, urging accurate reporting to avoid tensions.