Russian Recruitment Trap: An Equatoguinean IT graduate says Russian intermediaries lured him to “training” for a bodyguard job, then forced him to sign Russian documents, confiscated his passport, and sent him to the Ukraine front after weeks of “basic training.” Russia–Africa Media Push: African bloggers and journalists visited Moscow for the “New Media Meanings” tour, meeting Russian media leaders and touring cultural sites—part of a broader effort to shape narratives on Russia and Africa. Agri-food Strategy Drive: Nigeria unveiled a 10-year agrifood system strategy under CAADP, aiming to move from scattered projects to an integrated, measurable food-systems plan. Sanctions Evasion Tech: A report says Iranian and Russian “shadow fleets” use fake websites that mimic African maritime registries and administrations to generate false documents and flag registrations. AI for Farms: An IMF-backed view argues AI could help close Africa’s yield gap via advisory tools, but only with better infrastructure, digital skills, and supportive policy. Energy Reliability Watch: Ghana’s nationwide blackout is blamed on a major transmission disruption, renewing calls for stronger power-sector resilience and leadership. Regional Partnerships: Egypt and Madagascar agreed to expand cooperation across water, smart computing, youth policy, telecoms/digital tech, agriculture, healthcare, energy, and tourism. Visa Processing Shift: The US plans to end routine visa processing at its Abuja mission and 24 other African posts, consolidating services into regional hubs from Aug. 1, 2027.