Education Infrastructure: A China-aided upgrading and renovation project breaks ground for Savannakhet Secondary School, adding a modern teaching building, office block, indoor sports hall and support facilities to improve safety and learning conditions. Rare Earths & Policy Risk: Laos’ Mengkang rare earth project in Xiangkhouang is suspended after regulatory policy shifts, underscoring how changing rules can quickly stall mining trials and foreign investment plans. Labour Migration Controls: Laos warns jobseekers in South Korea against unauthorized brokers offering faster processing for extra fees, stressing recruitment should go through the official Employment Permit System and warning of penalties for data misuse. Trade & Connectivity: China-ASEAN trade rose 18.2% in H1 2026, with intermediate goods up 24.5%, while freight links between Guangxi and Vietnam move daily—signals that regional industrial supply chains are tightening. Cross-border Logistics: DHL Express launches a new daily Shanghai–Bangkok freighter flight to boost capacity on the China–Indochina trade lane. Food & Retail Expansion: Korean brands keep pushing into Laos, with Ediya Coffee opening in Vientiane and Paris Baguette entering as more franchising spreads across Southeast Asia. Trade Compliance Watch: US alleges a “Great Transshipment Scam” to dodge tariffs; Singapore’s MTI says firms must accurately declare origin and comply with local import/export rules.