US Visa Reshuffle for Africa: From August 1, 2026, the US will stop routine visa processing at 25 Sub-Saharan missions, pushing applicants to regional hubs instead—major ones include Nairobi, Lagos, Dakar, Kampala, Johannesburg and others—meaning many travelers will have to relocate for appointments. Chad Travel Impact: The Chadian embassy in Libya says its nationals seeking humanitarian voluntary return must first register with IOM, then get an in-person interview at the embassy, after which travel documents are issued and departure is scheduled—officially free, with warnings against paid “faster” registration. Sahel Security: In parts of the Sahel, rural towns are building earthen barriers—moats and berms—to slow down mobile terrorist attackers, especially around areas near Lake Chad. Regional Conflict Watch: Reporting from Khartoum describes life under renewed shelling and air-war sounds, while Borno (Nigeria) saw troops foil a Boko Haram/ISWAP mass abduction, rescuing 31 travellers.