Sahel Security: Tuareg separatists and jihadists killed at least 50 Malian soldiers in an ambush as they left Anefis, while Niger also reported 16 soldiers neutralised by non-state actors, underscoring a worsening Sahel security spiral. South Africa Water Crisis: South Africa launched a National Water Access Acceleration Programme in Hammanskraal, aiming to fix unreliable and unsafe municipal supply that has left communities waiting on promises. Nigeria Health & Fertility: Edo Specialist Hospital in Benin City acquired IVF equipment to expand infertility care, and said its residency training and other departments have gained full accreditation. South Africa Politics/Investing: South Africa’s DA unveiled a bill to keep the Public Investment Corporation chair role non-political amid governance turmoil and resignations at the troubled entity. ECOWAS Leadership: Sierra Leone’s Julius Maada Bio handed over the ECOWAS chair to Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye, commissioning regional facilities and urging implementation on food security, trade and climate resilience. Sports & Identity: Spain’s World Cup triumph pushed it to No. 1 in FIFA rankings, while Malawi’s WAfCON preparations highlight scouts and a new push for women’s football visibility. Somalia Counterterror: The US carried out an airstrike against al-Shabaab near Welmaro in southern Somalia, in coordination with Somalia’s federal government.