Religious freedom vs. workplace mandates: Washington State University’s fired coach Nick Rolovich is getting rare DOJ support in his federal appeals fight after he refused the COVID vaccine on Catholic grounds, with critics pointing to internal language that treated his beliefs as a reputational risk. Higher-ed governance & HR policy: Iowa’s Board of Regents approved policy manual updates tied to admissions, general education reviews, and search-committee oversight, while also moving ahead with leadership succession planning. UAE Emiratisation rules: MoHRE amended private healthcare Emiratisation so facilities must split citizen job targets evenly between specialised healthcare roles and other skilled jobs, with compliance checks starting in 2027. Nursing retention pressure: Saskatchewan nurses described a retention crisis marked by exhaustion, staffing shortages, and lack of supplies, renewing calls for faster workforce fixes. Workplace safety testing: South Ayrshire Council approved “just cause” alcohol and drug testing backed by HR and occupational health, with prevention and support as the stated goal. HR tech & skills: Wipro plans to certify 10,000 frontline workers on Claude models, aiming to embed AI into everyday HR and finance tasks. Local hiring & training: ECU Health North graduated its second CNA cohort, highlighting hospital-based upskilling as a workforce strategy. Compliance in hiring: Shoreline Community College updated its sexual misconduct disclosure form after reporting showed it failed to follow a 2020 state law meant to block certain hires.