Tourist Safety & Justice in Laos: Laos says it still can’t determine blame or the cause of six foreign tourist deaths in Vang Vieng in 2024, after families refused autopsies; officials cite “excessive levels of methanol” found in Tiger Vodka and say methanol was detected in the blood of two Australian victims, while charges have been brought against a distillery owner and hostel staff but homicide or manslaughter has not been pursued. International AI Diplomacy: Twenty-nine countries, including Laos, signed an agreement in Shanghai to establish the World AI Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), an independent intergovernmental body headquartered in Shanghai, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres attending; China’s Xi Jinping framed AI governance as a “symphony” of global collaboration and pledged training opportunities for developing countries. Regional Cooperation & Trade: Vietnam and Laos pushed business ties toward a target of $10 billion in bilateral trade, with a networking seminar in Vientiane held alongside VIETLAO EXPO 2026. Water & Flood Risk: Thailand’s Mekong provinces were warned to prepare for higher river levels after Laos’ Nam Theun 1 dam increased discharge following monsoon rain.