Vietnam urged Qualcomm and Samsung to increase investment in AI, semiconductors and R&D, officials said. In a Hanoi meeting on Thursday the Vietnam president asked Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon to boost investment in AI, semiconductors, robotics, 5G/6G, data centers and next‑gen connectivity; Qualcomm said it hopes to develop its Vietnam operations into its third‑largest global AI R&D center. Vietnam’s prime minister told Samsung Electronics CEO Roh Tae‑moon the government wants Samsung to remain

Li Chao, deputy director of the policy research office at CHINA STATE PLANNER, said at the agency's August press briefing that China will comprehensively push levee-standard upgrades on major rivers and lakes. The plan prioritizes accelerating reinforcement of upper Yellow River mainstem levees, flood-control works for the Huai River outlet and Haihe trunk channels, and integrated remediation of key river systems including the Weihe, Shaying and Luan to form a closed flood-protection ring. Authorities will continue hazard remediation and reinforcement of dangerous reservoirs under a “treat problems as found” principle, systematically renovate aging reservoirs to strengthen dam safety resilience, and enhance flood-regulation capacity by using reservoirs for storage and release. The government will also deepen construction of flood storage/detention zones, optimize national layouts to reflect changing basin flood conditions, and speed embankment works for national storage areas to ensure timely diversion, storage and discharge at critical moments.

Sources said Israel launched strikes near the suburbs of Damascus, Syria's capital.