In 2025, history played out not just in headlines but on faces: in fear, anger, exhaustion and grief. From battlefields to city streets, these images trace a year when war, unrest and disaster pushed societies to their limits.
Wide cracks, warped pavement and leaning guardrails now scar the US$417 million Chi Thanh–Van Phong Expressway in Vietnam’s Dak Lak Province after historic floods in November, damaging sections as it nears completion.
A nine-month-old baby was killed after his grandfather fell asleep while driving on an expressway linking Hue and Da Nang, causing the car to crash into a concrete median.
Vietnam ranks fourth in international comparisons for self-care readiness, with an overall score of 3.04 out of 4, behind only Singapore, Australia and Germany, according to a recent study.
Richard Davies, 49, and his wife Faye Stevenson-Davies, 43, have become two-time National Lottery millionaires, beating staggering one-in-24-trillion odds.
A viral video circulating on Indonesian social media shows motorcyclists taking extreme risks to escape a traffic jam by crawling under a container truck stopped at a red light.
Attacks at metro stations in Taipei on Friday involving smoke bombs and stabbings killed at least three people, the Taiwanese city's fire department said, adding that the suspect was also dead.
Singapore's government said Friday that scammers will face mandatory caning of up to 24 strokes from Dec. 30, under changes to criminal law to deter surging fraud cases.
Ho Chi Minh City has delayed the completion of the An Phu Interchange at its eastern gateway from the end of this year as planned to the second quarter of 2026.
Air quality in Ho Chi Minh City has shown signs of decline in 2025 compared to previous years, driven primarily by rising fine dust pollution and traffic.
An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced an Australian citizen to 12 years in prison after finding him guilty of smuggling cocaine to the tourist island of Bali.
Vietnam on Friday morning launched and inaugurated a sweeping package of 234 major infrastructure projects nationwide, marking one of the country’s largest coordinated development drives to date, with total investment exceeding VND3.4 quadrillion (US$129.2 billion).
Hanoi logged nearly 400 traffic violations in just three days after launching an AI-powered camera system, highlighting a sharp jump in detected offenses compared with traditional patrols.
In a move to reduce air pollution and promote green mobility, Hanoi has approved a plan to deploy 5,000 public electric bicycles, alongside restrictions on petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles in the city’s central area.
A Vietnamese woman has died after falling three stories from an air-conditioning unit at a car parts factory in Daegu, South Korea, where she had been working illegally, during an immigration raid, igniting calls for visa rule review.
Light snow briefly fell on the summit of Fansipan on the afternoon of Dec. 18, marking the mountain's first recorded snowfall of the 2025–2026 winter season as temperatures dropped to around 1–2 degrees Celsius.
Students at Bo Trach Ethnic Minority Boarding School in Quang Tri Province in central Vietnam can now use hot-water bathrooms and stop relying on freezing streams.
Le Thi Minh Yen, a CEO born in 2002 and pursuing her startup aspirations, successfully regained her professional direction and confidence as a Lionhearted leader after several setbacks.
Tens of thousands of people poured onto central roads across major cities, cheering and celebrating Vietnam’s victory over Thailand at SEA Games men's football final on Thursday night.
Peter Arnett, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who became one of the world's foremost combat correspondents, died Wednesday at 91, according to U.S. media reports.
Vietnam will pilot Chinese, Japanese and Korean lessons for preschoolers under a new national plan to strengthen foreign-language skills and future workforce competitiveness.
Hanoi is preparing a wide-ranging talent training program spanning multiple levels, from high-quality digital workers to elite specialists, as it moves to strengthen its workforce and attract global investment.
Thailand's sports community is mourning the death of national karate coach Kanokporn Donsumran, who was killed in a road accident just days after she helped lead the country to multiple medals at the 2025 SEA Games.
Three people were killed early Thursday morning when an ambulance collided with a tractor-trailer and caught fire on the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway.
Ho Chi Minh City plans to install 157 air quality monitoring stations to track pollution trends, provide early warnings of health risks, and support the creation of new emission control policies.
Rush-hour congestion is costing commuters in major Southeast Asian cities dozens of hours each year, according to TomTom data comparing traffic delays globally.
Once a modest regional hub, Vinh International Airport has undergone a six-month overhaul that reshaped its terminal spaces, airside infrastructure and passenger experience ahead of its return to service.
The airspace restriction over Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City has been lowered to an altitude of 1,500 m to improve the airport's operational efficiency.
A Vietnamese student has been arrested in Seoul after allegedly abandoning her newborn baby in a paper bag during sub-zero temperatures, leading to the infant's death.
Hong Kong customs has, for the first time, busted a drug smuggling operation that hid narcotics in an underwater compartment of a large cargo vessel, seizing suspected cocaine worth HKD256 million (US$33 million).
Ho Chi Minh City woke up to a blanket of dense smog on Wednesday morning with gloomy skies enveloping buildings and obscuring visibility for road users as the air quality index (AQI) measured at above 160, indicating “unhealthy" level.
Vietnam has approved nearly VND3.8 trillion (US$150 million) to develop the civil aviation component of Phan Thiet Airport, aiming to significantly improve air access to the popular coastal tourism hub of Mui Ne.
Singapore's High Court dismissed on Tuesday the first legal challenge in years to the city-state's mandatory death penalty for certain drug crimes, a blow for campaigners in a year that has seen executions peak.
The populist party founded by Thailand's former leader Thaksin Shinawatra nominated his nephew on Tuesday as its top choice for prime minister in the upcoming election.
British University Vietnam (BUV) signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the National Data Association, the University of London, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and City University of London (City St George's) on Dec. 13, aimed at supporting the development of Vietnam's data economy.
Westlink International School Hanoi has been authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to deliver the IB Middle Years Program (MYP), completing a key step in the school's development of a full IB learning pathway from the Primary Years Program (PYP) through MYP and toward the IB Diploma Program (DP).
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with its large size, heavy payload and high technical requirements, was the ideal aircraft to comprehensively assess Long Thanh airport's readiness, according to aviation authorities.
Environment police under the Ministry of Public Security, in coordination with Ho Chi Minh City officers, raided a wildlife captivity facility on Monday, discovering a menagerie of endangered animals kept without legal documentation.
Ho Chi Minh City is weighing proposals to install around 20,000 battery-swap cabinets for electric motorbikes on sidewalks and streetlight poles, as the city accelerates a shift toward cleaner urban transport.
Hanoi has set a new air-quality benchmark, aiming for "good" or "moderate" air on more than 80% of days each year, as the Vietnamese capital tightens pollution controls and accelerates a shift toward cleaner transport.
Vietnamese fugitive Le Khac Ngo, alias Mr. Hunter, a suspected ringleader of a fraud syndicate accused of swindling over VND5.3 trillion (US$208 million), has been extradited from the Philippines to Vietnam.
Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport will launch facial recognition at its international Terminal 2, allowing passengers to clear security in just 1–3 seconds under a smart airport rollout.
A motorbike rider who was on the phone in central Vietnam narrowly avoided a crash when a parked car's door suddenly swung open into his path, a split-second moment captured on video and shared online this week.
Hanoi will undertake numerous emergency works ahead of the 2026 rainy season to prevent flooding at a cost of VND5.6 trillion (US$212.8 million), improving drainage and disaster response.
People across Southeast Asia are some of the world's heaviest Internet users, but one country stands out with an eye-stretching daily average that nearly hits 9 hours.
British University Vietnam (BUV) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), under China's Ministry of Education, aimed at strengthening cooperation in education and academic exchange between Vietnam and China.
British University Vietnam (BUV) has held its December 2025 Graduation Ceremony, recognizing more than 600 bachelor's and master's graduates whose academic results meet internationally benchmarks quality standards.
BUV Fashion Club recently staged the Tan Vien Fashion Show, which drew more than 200 attendees and featured 50 outfits created by students from British University Vietnam (BUV) and other universities across Hanoi.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the largest wide-body aircraft currently operated by Vietnam Airlines, touched down at Long Thanh International Airport on Dec. 15, marking a key technical milestone as Vietnam’s biggest aviation project enters its final preparation phase.
Vietnam has sharply increased fines for foreigners who overstay their permitted period of residence, with penalties now reaching up to VND40 million (US$1,520) under new government regulations taking effect on Dec. 15.
Two South Korean nationals are set to stand trial in Ho Chi Minh City this month, accused of operating a restaurant in the city center that doubled as a front for a prostitution ring catering to foreign clients.
More than 100 people have been hospitalized or treated after eating banh mi sold by the Hong Van chain in Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam, prompting an investigation and the temporary shutdown of the business.
Vietnam's largest passenger jet will touch down at Long Thanh International Airport in Monday afternoon, a key technical milestone as the new airport prepares to welcome its first commercial flights days later.
Long Thanh International Airport is set to reach a historic milestone on the morning of Dec. 19, when the first three flights operated by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Bamboo Airways are scheduled to land at the site.
The 171st repatriation ceremony for the remains of U.S. servicemen missing in action (MIA) from the war in Vietnam took place at Gia Lam airport in Hanoi, following a recent unilateral search in the northern province of Lao Cai.
