Care for Veterans: Party General Secretary and State President To Lam visited Bac Ninh’s Thuan Thanh Invalids Nursing Centre, calling care for war invalids and revolutionary contributors a political duty and moral obligation ahead of War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day. Culture Policy Push: In a July 13 address to the Central Steering Committee, To Lam urged faster implementation of Politburo Resolution 80-NQ/TW, tackling “four gaps” and driving “three major transformations” to make culture a spiritual foundation for development. Digital Identity & Execution: Vietnam is accelerating VNeID expansion beyond borders, with To Lam citing three execution bottlenecks—slow rollout, weak data sharing, and uneven agency performance—while pushing shared infrastructure and national databases. People-Centred Growth Model: To Lam set orientations for overhauling Vietnam’s growth model, stressing citizens as the goal, engine and primary stakeholders, with policies judged by who benefits, who gains capabilities, and who is left behind. Prison Reform: To Lam called for a professional, elite, modern and humane prison management police force, shifting focus from detention control to rehabilitation and reintegration. Hanoi Development Plan: Hanoi’s 100-year master plan targets 11% GRDP growth for 2026–2035, then easing later, with science, tech, innovation and knowledge as key drivers. Legislative Agenda: The NA’s first extraordinary session is tentatively set for Aug 3–24, considering 27 items including 20 laws and resolutions. Party-to-Party Diplomacy with China: Le Minh Tri met China’s Wang Huning in Beijing, reaffirming Vietnam’s priority on strengthening Party-to-Party ties and strategic cooperation. Regional Ties: Vietnam and the Philippines highlighted progress toward an Enhanced Strategic Partnership, while Vietnam also expanded cooperation messaging with Indonesia and Mexico. South China Sea Lens (OP-ED): A commentary revisits the PCA ruling’s decade-long impact, arguing regional strategies are converging on resisting coercion at sea while keeping diplomatic engagement on land. Demographic Warning: An analysis warns Vietnam is “getting old before getting rich,” with fertility falling below replacement and limited room to adapt. Consular/Disaster Response: Vietnam’s embassy in India expressed condolences over the Phu Quoc boat tragedy and said authorities are coordinating for repatriation and care for the injured.