Hepatitis B breakthrough: Singapore’s researchers say an experimental hepatitis B drug (bepirovirsen) helped about 1 in 5 patients reach a “functional cure” state where the immune system can keep the virus in check, with FDA fast-track review expected to decide in October. Women’s health spotlight: Growth Asia Summit in Singapore (July 8–10) will focus on women’s health policy gaps and conditions like hormonal imbalance and PCOS, with experts discussing how tailored nutrition and health interventions can scale. Labour & ageing workforces: Singapore and the ILO renewed an ASEAN labour partnership (June 2026–June 2028) to tackle AI’s impact on work, platform employment, and ageing workforce challenges, while continuing occupational safety and health cooperation. Hiring reality check: ManpowerGroup reports Singapore employers are more cautious for Q3 2026, with 22% expecting staffing cuts, but still paying premiums for AI literacy and critical thinking skills. Care access & safety: A Small Claims Tribunal ordered a maid agency to compensate a customer after falsely claiming a helper could speak Mandarin, in a case involving care needs for a bedridden elderly mother. AI skills push: OOm Institute warns of an “AI fluency” gap—people may learn to use AI tools without developing the critical thinking needed to catch errors. Water innovation in Singapore: Tenchijin will participate in SIWW 2026 (June 16–18) with a focus on sustainable water infrastructure solutions. Data centre build-out: BizLink agreed to buy Interplex Datacom for up to US$900m, aiming to support AI data centre demand with components for server rack architecture.