Aviation Infrastructure: Laos and Japan signed a revised US$26.5m grant deal to upgrade Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport, boosting funding to cover higher construction and procurement costs. Agri Innovation: Laos, IFAD and UN partners wrapped up the Youth4Laos Digital Agriculture challenge, bringing youth from Laos, Japan and Korea to pitch digital farming solutions for rural investment. Flood Risk: Laos issued warnings as prolonged heavy rains trigger flash floods and landslides, with Khammuan already seeing flooding that damaged roads and disrupted access. Hydropower Build-Out: Satellite imagery points to construction starting on Laos’ Pak Beng Mekong dam, a 912MW project aimed at expanding Laos’ “Battery of Southeast Asia” power exports. Cross-border Crime & Scams: A US Senate hearing highlighted scam compounds across Cambodia, Laos and Burma, while OpenAI said it shut down Cambodia-linked ChatGPT accounts used to support scam operations. Regional Sports Tech: CheckPointSpot signed a Myanmar partnership to deploy integrated sports timing and event tech across Southeast Asia.