World AI Governance: 29 countries signed the agreement establishing the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO) in Shanghai, with Laos represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane; the new body aims for safe, fair, people-centered AI governance. Public Health & Accountability: Australia summoned Laos’s ambassador over “methanol-poisoning” charges tied to the 2024 deaths of Australian backpackers after contaminated alcohol in Vang Vieng, keeping pressure on enforcement and oversight. Green Development Lessons: A Global Times feature highlights Qingshan village in China as a “low/zero carbon” model, with Laos participation in a green finance workshop focused on transforming food systems. Regional Conservation & Coexistence: City leaders at China’s Global Mayors Dialogue in Xishuangbanna shared rainforest-home coexistence approaches, including habitat restoration and community participation, with cross-border biodiversity links to Laos. Climate Risk for Forests: A new study warns Southeast Asian forests may lose their cooling “thermal buffering” under warming, raising heat stress risks for wildlife and plants. Laos–Vietnam Environment Cooperation: Vietnam and Laos agreed to step up cooperation on sustainable agriculture, forest protection, and green energy, including border forest planning and climate resilience. Media Rights: The Lao Journalists Association urged stronger legal protections and a media development fund as AI reshapes the digital newsroom.