Religious Education Overhaul (Northern Ireland): Northern Ireland’s education department has released a draft Religious Education syllabus for public consultation after a Supreme Court ruling, aiming for “objective, critical and pluralist” teaching while still keeping Christianity central. State Power Shift (California): California’s new education governance plan strips authority from the elected state schools superintendent, moving oversight to a governor-appointed figure starting in January. New Education Laws (Florida): Nearly 140 Florida laws took effect July 1, including updates to high school diploma requirements, cursive instruction, teacher certification rules, and charter protections. Student Loan Reality Check (U.S.): A new explainer highlights how borrowers can pay down student debt faster by making extra principal payments and using strategies like bi-weekly payments. Lifesaving Training Expansion (U.S.): Safety Training Seminars opened its 100th California CPR/BLS certification school, adding more daily course access for schools and communities. Higher Ed Acceleration (Massachusetts): Merrimack College and Suffolk University plan three-year applied bachelor’s pilots, drawing debate over faster degrees versus breadth. IB Rollout (Bahrain): Bahrain trained 200 educators to support the Middle Years Programme as the country expands IB in government schools. Infrastructure Push (Namibia): Namibia says more than 500 education infrastructure projects are underway to cut overcrowding, with local procurement of school furniture to boost jobs. Safety Tragedy (Pakistan): At least 14 children died after a roof collapse at an educational center under construction in Lahore.