Tourists Hospitalized for Methanol Poisoning in Laos

A British tourist, Simone White, 28, from Orpington, has been hospitalized along with 13 others after allegedly consuming methanol-laced drinks while vacationing in Vang Vieng, Laos. Reports indicate that two Danish women in their 20s have died due to the same incident, raising concerns of a mass poisoning. White, an associate lawyer at Squire Patton Boggs, was part of a group that received free shots at a bar, which her friend Bethany Clarke warned others to avoid on social media. The local police have ordered all bars and hostels in Vang Vieng to cease selling alcohol while investigations continue. The contaminated drinks are suspected to have been served at the Nana Backpackers Hostel, but the exact source remains unclear. Authorities are working to determine the origin of the tainted vodka that affected over a dozen tourists.