Education & Exams: CXC has officially launched the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC) after a math pilot delivered an 88% pass rate (2,230 of 2,535 candidates), with the modular approach designed to build credentials step by step. School Placement Policy: Barbados teachers’ union and parents welcomed a delay to continuous assessment as the basis for secondary placement, while the DLP says reform is needed but not rushed without consultation and resources. Transport for Disability Access: The Barbados Council for the Disabled says the biggest back-to-school need for children with disabilities is transport, highlighting limited bus seating even as school supplies requests stay relatively low. Culture & Crop Over: The National Cultural Foundation is set for consultations on promotion and execution, with calls to start Crop Over earlier to catch diaspora travellers’ plans. Coastline & Resilience: A US$105.8m coastal resilience programme is expected to begin later this year to tackle erosion in key areas. Celebrity & Community: Rihanna returned to Barbados with her three children, visiting “Rihanna Drive” and taking in local moments including Crop Over. Sport: CPL confirmed Dwayne Bravo and Ian Bishop as the inaugural Hall of Fame inductees, to be honoured in Barbados on September 15. Health Alert: Barbados is being urged to tighten measles defenses as the Americas face its worst outbreak in decades.