Regional Cost of Living & Cargo: CARICOM leaders wrapped up talks in St Lucia with a push to lower intra-Caribbean shipping costs, including Trinidad and Tobago offering a temporary inter-regional cargo ferry pilot while a longer-term private plan is developed. Homelessness Preparedness: Barbados’ Alliance to End Homelessness renewed its call for emergency powers during hurricanes to move people to safe shelters, especially those with mental health and addiction needs. Barbados Health Response Abroad: Barbados is deploying its Field Medical Hospital to earthquake-hit Venezuela, with additional supplies and a field facility set to operate in Guarenas, as CARICOM humanitarian aid clears sanctions-related banking hurdles. Health Alerts in Barbados: Barbados’ Chief Medical Officer says there are no new cases of scarlet fever, chicken pox or monkeypox after school investigations, with earlier Hillaby/Turner’s Hall cases not confirmed as school-spread. Environment & Respiratory Health: Scientists at the Barbados Atmospheric Chemistry Observatory are studying whether Saharan dust could be linked to sargassum growth, while also urging better collaboration between researchers and health professionals on dust impacts. Local Worker Protections: Barbados tabled the Protection of Wages Bill, 2026, warning employers against exploitation and tightening rules around wage payments. Endometriosis Awareness: A Barbadian author is raising awareness of endometriosis, sharing the realities of chronic pain and the lack of a cure.