Wildlife Crackdown: Lao police seized suspected illegal wildlife products and live animals in Luang Prabang and Champasak, including ivory-like items, pangolin scales, rhino horns, and 294 live animals intercepted at a Thailand-linked checkpoint, underscoring cross-border trafficking risks. Cybercrime Enforcement: Vientiane-area police arrested 40 suspects in a telecom fraud raid targeting apartments allegedly used for online scams, seizing thousands of devices and transferring the case to the Foreigner Management Police Department. UXO Coordination: Laos’ Foreign Ministry convened a national UXO management meeting with UNDP to review clearance progress in 2026’s first half and set priorities for the rest of the year, including budget and work-plan revisions. Russia–Laos Military Ties: The active phase of the Laros-2026 Russian-Laotian exercise wrapped at a Lao training ground, featuring anti-drone systems, FPV drones, and joint tactical airborne elements. Mekong Cooperation Funding: China and Laos signed an agreement for a Lancang-Mekong Cooperation special fund supporting regional projects on connectivity, green transition, and digitalisation. Digital Transformation Push: Laos highlighted efforts to accelerate digital transformation as part of broader governance and development work.