What you need to know today in Vietnam:

Politics

-- During the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regular press briefing in Hanoi on Thursday, spokesperson Pham Thu Hang highlighted Vietnam's interest in the expansion of BRICS membership, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Society

-- Saigon Water Corporation (Sawaco) has announced that water supply will be interrupted in various areas of Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend for the maintenance of filtration valves for the Saigon Clean Water Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company as well as technical equipment inspections across the network.

-- Hoi An City in central Vietnam has issued a call to restore order, emphasizing the need for zoning plans tailored to each specific area, in response to overcrowding on beaches where people jostle for space to swim and then spread out picnic mats for dining on the sand.

Business

-- Samsung Electronics will invest an additional US$1 billion a year in Vietnam in the coming time, CFO Park Hark Kyu said during a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi on Thursday.

-- Deputy Chairman Nguyen Van Dung of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee remarked during a business forum on Thursday that the UAE government's establishment of Dubai International Chamber's office in July 2023 and its choice of the city as the inaugural venue for the 'Doing Business with Vietnam' forum highlighted the UAE's acknowledgment and keen interest in exploring further cooperation with the city.

-- By 2030, at least 10 Vietnamese entrepreneurs will make it onto the global list of dollar billionaires, with five of them being recognized as the most influential in Asia by reputable international organizations, according to a government resolution issued on Thursday.

-- Nguyen Duc Tai, chairman of the board of directors of Mobile World Investment Corporation, has signed a resolution on behalf of the board to dissolve two subsidiary companies, including Fully Logistics Joint Stock Company in Ho Chi Minh City and 4KFarm Joint Stock Company in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.

Sports

-- After a break, coach Mai Duc Chung will lead the Vietnamese women's national team again, extending his contract until the end of 2025. On Thursday, Chung signed a contract with the Vietnam Football Federation to lead the team from May 9, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

World News

-- OpenAI is set to unveil its AI-driven search product on Monday, intensifying its rivalry with search giant Google, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

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