Healthcare Access & Funding (Malaysia): Malaysia’s MOH says the “Rakan KKM” healthcare transformation plan will add revenue and help retain specialists, with Cyberjaya Hospital named as the pilot for orthopaedics and internal medicine. Public Health Safety (Philippines): The DOH reiterates school deworming with albendazole is generally safe, citing only mild, temporary side effects, after a Grade 4 student death was linked to infection and septic shock. Workforce & Equity (US): A new report highlights how women physicians face persistent gender pay gaps, even with similar training and roles. Food Affordability (UN): The UN warns the cost of a healthy diet has risen 25% since 2021, leaving 2.69 billion people unable to afford nutritious food. Mental Health Care (US): Oklahoma’s plan to comply with a mental health consent decree was approved over a year after the deadline. Medicaid Coverage (US): Minnesota extends a freeze on new Medicaid providers in 12 high-risk services for six more months while it revalidates thousands of providers. Private Care Costs (Nepal): Nepal introduces a 3% “Health Equity Fee” on private healthcare service charges to fund expanded access and infrastructure. Tech & Wearables (Global): Alibaba’s Tongyi Qianwen debuts AI agent earbuds with real-time translation, meeting summaries, and health tracking. Environmental Health (US): Wildfire smoke continues to trigger air quality health advisories in New York, with higher risk for people with heart and lung conditions.