Deportation Detention in Malabo: A report says Equatorial Guinea’s Bamy Hotel—owned by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo’s family—has been used as a prison for U.S.-deported asylum seekers under a reported $7.5m deal, with at least 32 people held since late last year and many pressured to return to countries where they fear danger. Maritime Accountability: The UN’s International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea awarded the Marshall Islands over $14m in compensation over Equatorial Guinea’s 2022 detention of the tanker Heroic Idun and mistreatment of crew, citing violations of navigation and seafarer treatment rules. Human Rights Pressure: A UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention opinion urges Equatorial Guinea to release lawyer-activist Anacleto Micha Ndong Nlang, alleging arbitrary detention for “demanding justice.” Oil & Gas Deal Update: Europa Oil & Gas says a farm-out tied to Equatorial Guinea’s EG-08 block is one step closer to completion after MMHD approval, but still awaits overseas direct investment approval before drilling Barracuda-1 is expected in early 2027. Faith Tourism Spark: Pope Leo XIV’s April visit to Equatorial Guinea is driving renewed interest in Christian pilgrimage routes across Africa, with governments looking to develop faith-based tourism.