US-Iran Shipping & Finance: A drone strike hit U.S.-managed LNG unit ENERGOS WINTER near Damietta, with OFAC also targeting Iran’s Hormuz “extortion” insurance network and shadow tankers—raising pressure on regional maritime trade. Emancipation & Heritage: Minister Trevor Prescod blamed low Emancipation Day turnout on weak historical consciousness and announced new reparations/Black studies education; a rare 300-pound plantation bell was unveiled during the celebrations. Agriculture Push: Government is expanding school greenhouse work by involving students in construction and design, while Hearts and Minds camp trains young people in soil, animals, food production and agribusiness. Food Security at Home: One Family Programme will fund backyard farming for 600 households, starting with demonstration farms and supplying seedlings, grow systems and chicken coops. Farm Theft Crackdown: Agriculture says it’s stepping up action against praedial larceny, convening a multi-agency committee as farmers report scaling back due to losses. Economy Watch: Central Bank data shows Barbados growth slowed to 1.4% in the first half of 2026, with tourism and domestic services supporting output as global uncertainty bites. Business Transparency: Barbados is moving to tighten beneficial ownership disclosure via a new register bill aimed at identifying the real owners behind companies. Disaster Readiness: New emergency equipment will strengthen St George North’s district emergency organisation under a CDEMA/EU-funded resilience programme. Tourism Trade: Connect Barbados drew 92 global buyers and 111 local partners, including new Gulf and Africa representation. Energy Investment: JMMB’s Dominican Republic arm placed about US$11m into solar and wind through its Sustainable Energy Fund. Cloud for the Region: Blue NAP Americas and Cloud Carib are building sovereign cloud infrastructure for Caribbean governments and regulated industries. Counterfeit Alert: Police warn of counterfeit U.S. currency in circulation and urge cash handlers to check notes closely during Crop Over and beyond.