Phu Quoc Boat Tragedy: Vietnam and India are in the final stages of repatriating the 15 Indian tourists killed after a speedboat capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai, with bodies arriving in Mumbai and then being sent to home states for final rites; survivors in Chennai described the boat overturning within minutes and said some passengers couldn’t escape because the vessel was closed, while a Vietnamese official rejected claims of rescue delays, saying “tireless” efforts were made under severe weather and that all victims were recovered. Bilateral Trade & Security: Vietnam and Italy discussed fresh momentum for bilateral trade and investment under the EVFTA, while Japan and Vietnam agreed to explore joint high-speed landing craft projects and reaffirmed closer security cooperation. Digital Governance in Hanoi: Hanoi will roll out real-time traffic updates from July 15 using 36 electronic message boards, and Vietnam designated Oct 15 as National Digital Citizen Day to expand VNeID-linked rights and responsibilities. Business & Policy: Vietnam’s 2026 economic census points to 6.3 million active establishments, and a South Korea case saw a broker referred for allegedly arranging fake asylum applications for Vietnamese nationals. Health & IP: Recce Pharmaceuticals secured a Vietnamese patent protecting its anti-infective candidates RECCE 327 and RECCE 529 until 2041.