Laos Digital & Border Tech: Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone ordered tighter oversight of the Boten Special Economic Zone, including a planned data centre, better land use, coordination with EDL for stable power, and smoother Laos–China border procedures. Rare Earth Push: Laos identified two new rare earth target zones across four provinces after field surveys, with a quality-testing laboratory already operating in Vientiane. Inclusive Education Pilot: Laos’ Ministry of Education and Sports, with Australia’s BEQUAL program, launched a disability inclusion research and learning pilot in Xiangkhouang using teacher support packs and development videos. Mekong Fisheries Innovation: Australia’s ACIAR announced FishTech Plus, a new 4-year program using fish passage technologies to reconnect rivers and protect Lower Mekong fisheries across Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. AI at Enterprise Scale (Regional): ExcelScale launched a unified AI platform in Malaysia, letting organisations access 100+ AI models via a single OpenAI-compatible API. Telecom Expansion (Regional): Viettel Group entered the Dominican Republic market, extending its overseas footprint that already includes Metfone in Cambodia and Unitel in Laos.