Illegal Mining Crackdown (Niger State): Niger State orders all illegal miners to stop immediately or face arrest and prosecution, saying unlicensed activity threatens safety, the environment, and state revenue; surveillance has been intensified with security and regulators. Kidnapping & Crime Response (Niger State): Police in Niger State say they rescued nine kidnap victims (including a baby) and arrested 71 suspects, recovering weapons, fake IDs, drugs, and cash. Boko Haram Clash (Diffa, Niger): Reports say 14 Nigerien soldiers were killed in an ambush during fighting with Boko Haram in Diffa, underscoring the worsening Lake Chad security threat. Regional Security Cooperation: Nigeria plans/continues ECOWAS peacekeeping with 86 troops deployed to Guinea-Bissau, while Nigeria also expands forest-guard efforts to curb kidnappers’ routes. Health & Maternal Care (Niger State): Niger State launches free health insurance enrolment for nursing mothers and babies, aligned with World Breastfeeding Week. U.S. Travel Warning & Visa Bond Lists: The U.S. warns some travelers may face detention abroad, and a breakdown lists 24 African countries not on the U.S. visa bond requirement. Human Rights & Law (West Africa): Campaigners warn anti-LGBTQ+ laws are spreading across West Africa, including Niger’s recent criminalisation of same-sex relations.