Laos Regulation Watch: Laos’ Ministry of Health has ordered unlicensed medical and beauty clinics to get permits by 30 November, after the directive was only publicly released on 17 August—raising questions about enforcement and timelines. Clean Energy & Industry: Vientiane is set to host Clean Energy Day 2026 on Sept 3, focusing on renewable energy, clean investment, and regional connectivity to speed up Laos’ energy transition. Energy & Growth Zones: The Prime Minister urged more sustainable development for the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, where companies are already active across manufacturing, real estate, hotels, trade, banking, and tourism. Mekong Tech for Food Security: Australia’s ACIAR launched FishTech Plus, a new four-year program (starting August 2026) to reconnect Mekong rivers and restore fisheries across Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam using fish passage technologies. Carbon Markets: Vietnam’s carbon credit deposit and settlement system has drawn 92 organisations, with early deposits already recorded—an example of how regional climate finance is moving from policy to platforms. Health Tech Research: A new study evaluates pooled nasopharyngeal swab testing to expand SARS-CoV-2 capacity using closed real-time RT‒PCR assays.