Seven New Ambassadors Present Credentials to Lao President

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February 18, 2026

President Thongloun receiving ambassadors — Seven newly appointed foreign ambassadors representing Thailand, Finland, Egypt, Georgia, Austria, Lithuania and Slovakia visited Lao President. (Photo by Pathedlao)

On 17 February, President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith received letters of credence from seven newly appointed foreign ambassadors.

The ambassadors represent Thailand, Finland, Egypt, Georgia, Austria, Lithuania and Slovakia. Some are based in Vientiane, while others reside in Hanoi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore with concurrent accreditation to Laos.

During the ceremony, President Thongloun congratulated the envoys and expressed confidence that their experience would help expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

He also highlighted opportunities to boost trade, investment and tourism, and encouraged the ambassadors to visit other provinces to better understand local development and promote investment opportunities to businesses from their respective countries.

In response, the ambassadors thanked the President for the warm welcome and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation with Laos.

On the same day, President Thongloun appointed three new Lao ambassadors to serve in the United Kingdom, Cambodia and Kuwait.

He urged them to promote Laos’ foreign policy priorities, implement existing cooperation agreements, and attract greater international support, investment, and tourism.

He emphasised that diplomatic efforts will contribute to socio-economic development and support the government’s goal of graduating from Least Developed Country status in 2026.

Drug Crimes Lead 2025 Crime Statistics Despite Overall Decline

By

Phoudasack Vongsay

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February 18, 2026

Laos drug crime statistics 2025 seizure reported — Deputy Minister and Head of Office of the ministry Soulina Keopaseut at the meeting to report crime information. (Picture by Lao Security News)

Drug-related offences remained the most common crime in Laos in 2025, with authorities recording 3,660 cases nationwide, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Police detained 5,643 suspects, including 531 women and 322 foreign nationals. While drug cases fell by 111 compared to 2024, they continued to account for the largest share of criminal activity.

Authorities seized 244 million methamphetamine pills, 5,686 kilograms of ketamine, and 4,483 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. Smaller quantities of marijuana, heroin, and opium were also confiscated. Officers impounded 133 cars, 547 motorcycles, 26 firearms, and cash in Lao kip and foreign currencies equivalent to about USD 60,000.

In Bokeo Province alone, police handled 293 drug cases and detained 380 suspects. Seizures included 151.9 million methamphetamine pills, 3,071 kg of crystal meth and 4,765 kg of ketamine. Police also destroyed 36.45 hectares of opium plantations and confiscated vehicles, weapons and other assets linked to trafficking operations.

Regional Pressure from the Golden Triangle

At the regional level, trafficking routes linked to the Golden Triangle, where Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand meet, continue to pose significant risks, the authorities said.

A 2025 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime noted a record 236 tonnes of methamphetamine were seized across East and Southeast Asia in 2024, a 24 percent increase from the year before. The agency warned that production in Myanmar’s Shan State continues to drive trafficking routes through Laos and neighbouring countries.

Alongside enforcement, local prevention efforts have expanded. In June 2025, the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Bokeo marked the International Day Against Drug Abuse with education campaigns, youth activities and anti-drug seminars, highlighting cross-border cooperation and community action alongside enforcement.

Overall Crime Down in 2025

Nationwide, police recorded 6,996 criminal cases in 2025, excluding traffic accidents and fires, marking an overall decrease in crime cases by 353 cases compared to 2024.

After drug offences, ranked as the second most common crime with 1,651 cases, followed by 700 economic crimes. Cases of murder, human trafficking, and kidnapping each remained below 100.

Authorities reported total damage from criminal activity exceeding USD 4.7 million, including cash, gold, and vehicles.

For 2026, the government plans to prioritize national security and public order, focusing on safeguarding national stability, strengthening the welfare and capacity of security forces, and expanding international cooperation.

Japan’s Abandoned Baby Monkey Punch-kun Goes Viral, Has the World in Tears

By

Thongsavanh Souvannasane

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February 18, 2026

Punch-kun, a six-month-old monkey at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, has captured hearts worldwide after being abandoned at birth and finding comfort in a plush orange toy.

Punch-kun, a six-month-old Japanese macaque abandoned at birth, has captured millions of hearts worldwide, and global attention, as he transitions from clutching an orange stuffed toy for comfort to finding his place in the troop at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo.

According to local reports, abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, and rejected at first by his peers, the infant’s story went viral in early February 2026, sparking the hashtag #がんばれパンチ, roughly translated as #HangInTherePunch, amid millions of online views, drawing supporters from across Japan and around the world, and driving record visitor numbers at the zoo.

In a statement posted on social media on 15 February, zoo officials said staff were stunned by the unexpected turnout.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who visited us today,” the zoo wrote. “All the staff were surprised by the unexpected turnout, something they had never experienced before.”

Early Challenges and Viral Fame

Punch-kun was born on 26 July 2025, weighing just 500 grams. His mother, suffering from stress after her first birth during the heat of summer, showed no signs of caring for him, a rare but documented occurrence in macaques. From the very next day, zoo staff began hand-rearing him with milk feeds, providing an orange plush orangutan doll as a surrogate companion.

Videos of Punch-kun dragging the toy while napping, eating, or burying his face in it during moments of anxiety exploded across social media platforms. The footage drew record crowds to the zoo, with long queues forming as visitors hoped to catch a glimpse of the endearing pair.

Reintegration with the Troop

In mid-January 2026, zoo staff reintroduced Punch-kun to the “monkey mountain” enclosure, home to dozens of macaques. Initially hesitant and scolded by peers for lacking social skills, he retreated repeatedly to his plush companion for reassurance.

But things changed quickly

Punch-kun began engaging in mutual grooming and joining fellow macaques in play, though still keeping the doll close. As of 18 February, he was observed receiving care from another member of the group, a key sign of trust in primate social dynamics, bouncing back from reprimands with remarkable resilience.

Zoo updates confirm his ongoing integration. He now engages daily in troop interactions and is maturing rapidly, though occasional periods of isolation persist.

While full adaptation is still in progress, optimism prevails, and the world continues to watch.

Indonesia’s MDI Ventures Doubles Down on Execution and Trust to Unlock Regional Portfolio Value

By

Advertorial Desk

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February 18, 2026

The Telkom-backed VC reinforces cross-sector partnerships and compliance standards to
unlock scalable portfolio growth across Indonesia’s state-linked ecosystem.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — After investing across the AI, cybersecurity, and blockchain sectors through portfolio companies such as Cyfirma, Whale, and IDRX throughout 2025, MDI Ventures is now sharpening its strategic focus on maximizing portfolio value by strengthening synergies with Telkom Group and the broader SOE (BUMN) ecosystem. MDI positions itself as a bridge between startup innovation and enterprise needs, ensuring collaborations are structured, relevant, and execution-ready.

This approach emphasizes measurable synergy outcomes, including pilot projects progressing to implementation, clearly defined go-to-market pathways, and collaborations that can be scaled across multiple entities.

“One of the biggest challenges when startups work with enterprises or SOEs is ensuring from the outset that the solutions truly address business needs and are executable,” said Roby Roediyanto, Director of MDI Ventures. “MDI helps align enterprise needs with the most relevant portfolio solutions, then works closely with both sides to move the process from discussion to implementation and go-to-market.”

One example of this approach is the collaboration between Digiserve by Telkom Indonesia and MDI Ventures’ cybersecurity portfolio company Cyfirma. Cyfirma’s Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) capabilities have now been integrated into Telkom Solution’s portfolio, enabling enterprise customers not only to detect cyber threats but also to understand associated risks and take preventive measures earlier. Supported by Cyfirma’s technology and Digiserve’s go-to-market strength within Telkom Solution, the offering is better positioned to address enterprise cybersecurity needs in a timely and scalable manner.

At the same time, MDI Ventures underscores that trust is a critical foundation for consistent value creation. As a corporate venture capital (CVC), strong governance and transparency are essential to maintaining credibility across investment and partnership processes—particularly as interactions among founders, corporate partners, investors, and vendors become increasingly fast-paced and intensive.

As part of its commitment to strengthening synergy and stakeholder trust, MDI Ventures, in collaboration with the Indonesia Venture Capital Association (AMVESINDO), hosted Synergy Innovation Week 2025 at the end of last year. The initiative brought together MDI portfolio companies, Telkom Group, and various state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to explore structured and execution-focused partnership opportunities.

A key highlight of the week was the Ventures Forum, a strategic dialogue session that convened representatives from the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the Deputy Attorney General for Civil and Administrative Matters (Jamdatun), the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), and the Ministry of Creative Economy (Ekraf). The forum underscored a collective commitment to governance alignment, regulatory clarity, and trust as critical foundations for a sustainable and resilient innovation ecosystem.

“Our goal is not to generate one-off synergies, but to build a repeatable and scalable way of working,” Roby added. “That’s why we oversee the process from opportunity identification to impactful collaboration, while safeguarding integrity through consistent governance—so successful collaborations can be replicated and expanded over the long term.”

As part of its trust-building initiatives, MDI Ventures has also obtained ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) certification and retained its Indonesia Trusted Company designation at the Indonesian Institute for Corporate Governance (IICG) Award toward the end of 2025.

Looking ahead, MDI Ventures will continue to deepen portfolio synergies through a more structured and execution-oriented approach, while ensuring trust remains a core operational foundation. This strategy is expected to expand sustainable collaboration opportunities across its portfolio, partners, and the broader innovation ecosystem.

Indonesia’s MDI Ventures Doubles Down on Execution and Trust to Unlock Regional Portfolio Value

By

Advertorial Desk

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February 18, 2026