Custody vs care in the Philippines: The Ombudsman says it will oppose former House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s bid for extended hospital confinement and wants a team of government doctors to assess whether his ailments can be managed outside; meanwhile the PNP says a room is ready at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame, with officials stressing there’s no “executive suite,” as police maintain 24/7 security around Cardinal Santos Medical Center. Emergency access pressures in Australia: NSW emergency departments saw slightly longer stays than last year, while the health minister points to bed-blocking driven by aged care and NDIS placement delays. Hospital capacity under strain in Bangladesh: A dengue surge is overwhelming Khulna hospitals, with 334 admissions in 24 hours and patients treated in corridors. Public health and safety alerts: A chlorine gas leak near a water filtration plant in Madhya Pradesh sent four people to hospital, all reported out of danger. Healthcare infrastructure investment: Kenya’s Ruto signs a deal with Italy and GKSD Group to build 15 new hospitals (13 Level 5 county referral and 2 Level 6 national teaching/referral) to tackle a major bed shortage. Clinical and workforce updates: Arizona allows pharmacists to give flu (and COVID-19) shots via standing orders; in India, medical interns in Bhopal continue a stipend protest into day 3 after police used water cannons. Tech and treatment progress: China reports a Russian girl regaining assisted walking after a closed-loop spinal cord neural interface implant in Hangzhou. Sports health incident: Borussia Dortmund’s Konstantinos Karetsas was taken to hospital after collapsing with circulatory problems during a Champions League match.