Labor Reform Standoff: Dominican unions say they’ll ask President Abinader to withdraw the Labor Code reform bill, insisting severance pay must stay off the negotiation table. Banking & Marketing: Banreservas won seven Effie Awards DR 2026, including two golds for influencer and finance/banking campaigns. Tourism & Air Connectivity: The DR’s air links face new pressure as JetBlue suspends Newark–Santo Domingo, Wingo cancels Bogotá–Punta Cana, and Spirit exits—raising fears of fewer options and higher fares. Urban Infrastructure: Residents along the Villa Mella–Yamasá corridor complain the Metro Line 1 elevated extension is far behind schedule, hurting traffic flow and local sales. National Development Agenda: Abinader launched the Meta RD 2036 National Forum for Full Development, collecting proposals from universities and civil society to shape public policy. Gaming Regulation: DR’s gambling oversight council says once the new Gaming Law is approved, operators running outside the rules should be reviewed and suspended. Trade & Investment: Dominican and Mexican officials discussed deeper industrial cooperation, with Mexico’s manufacturing and supplier network seen as a boost for DR competitiveness. Social Dialogue: UNI Americas brought 180+ union leaders to Santo Domingo, with the Labor Ministry signing an MoU to strengthen decent work and labor rights. Scholarships for Higher Ed: UASD rector Asjana David highlighted the government’s delivery of 6,500 scholarships, including 1,500 international awards. Gambling Crackdown: Cyber Police arrested two people in separate electronic fraud cases, including a TikTok bedroom-set scam.