Education & Workforce Planning: Laos’ Ministry of Education and Sports held a national consultation to review the 2025–2026 domestic student and civil servant quota plan and set the framework for 2026–2027, aiming to better match scholarships and admissions with national workforce needs and reduce unfilled priority placements. Diplomacy (Laos–Myanmar): Presidents Thongloun Sisoulith and Min Aung Hlaing reaffirmed close Laos–Myanmar friendship during a state visit in Vientiane, with cooperation spanning defense, trade, transport, energy, labor, education, tourism, and border stability, plus steps to tackle online gambling and scams. Diplomacy (Laos–Malaysia): Laos and Malaysia launched 60th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic ties in Vientiane, highlighting growing people-to-people and economic links as Malaysia becomes a major ASEAN trading partner for Laos. Culture & Heritage: Myanmar’s First Lady visited Vientiane’s Traditional Lao Silk Residence and Lao Art Museum, spotlighting Laos’ silk heritage across ethnic groups and the museums’ recent openings. Lifestyle & Food Culture: A report on Laos’ durian boom links Chinese demand to new farming arrivals and influencer culture, showing how a “king of fruits” trend is reshaping livelihoods in Vientiane. Regional Tragedy (Buddhist Pilgrimage): In northeastern Thailand near the Laos border, a pickup truck driven by an 11-year-old crashed into a group of monks on pilgrimage, killing 10 and injuring more than 20.