Migration Tragedy: UNHCR and IOM report at least 144 refugees and migrants dead or missing after a boat left The Gambia for Spain’s Canary Islands, drifting off Mauritania for 25 days; Mauritanian coast guards rescued 38 survivors near Nouadhibou, including two children who lost their entire families. Local Safety & Weather: Mauritanian authorities say six children drowned in two regions over two days as seasonal rains triggered flash floods and dangerous water pools. Culture & Storytelling: Morocco’s 23rd International Storytelling Festival in Rabat drew hundreds of artists, with Mauritanian storyteller Abdellah Mohammed Bilal sharing tales about building a “safe country” and other performers using folklore like Aicha Kandicha to teach identity and resilience. Music Spotlight: Mauritanian singer Noura Mint Seymali talks up her desert-funk sound ahead of UK dates, saying her music “deserves to be known” beyond Mauritania. Diplomacy & Education: Germany’s foreign minister visited Mauritania and Nigeria, stressing security cooperation and deeper educational exchanges, including support for cultural institutions like the Goethe-Institut in Lagos. Visa Policy Watch: The U.S. plans to centralize routine visa services across Africa into regional hubs starting Aug. 1, 2026, with Nouakchott among posts where routine processing will stop.