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The International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) celebrated outstanding results for its Class of 2025, achieving a 98% International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma pass rate—well above the global average of 81%. With 109 graduates, the cohort earned an average of 34 points compared to the worldwide mean of 30.58, and 44% scored 35+ points. Six students reached over 40 points, underscoring the school's strong academic performance.

Beyond academics, ISHCMC emphasized its international culture, with 53% of graduates receiving the IB Bilingual Diploma, more than double the global average. Students also contributed significantly through Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) projects, addressing areas such as sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and mental health awareness, making meaningful impacts locally and beyond.

Head of School Marco Longmore praised the results as evidence of student resilience, creativity, and determination. Many of the graduates have studied at ISHCMC since early years, progressing through the full IB continuum. Teachers played a central role by fostering inquiry, innovation, and personalized mentorship.

Graduates are set to continue their education at prestigious institutions worldwide, including universities in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and South Korea, with destinations like the University of California system, Imperial College London, University of Toronto, and Seoul National University. Collectively, the Class of 2025 secured US$56 million in scholarships, affirming both their academic excellence and community contributions.

ISHCMC's success reflects its holistic approach to education, combining strong academic performance with leadership, cultural fluency, and real-world engagement.

IHG Hotels & Resorts will open a 52-room hotel in downtown Ho Chi Minh City later this year, located within a kilometer of major attractions like Ben Thanh Market, Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Saigon Opera House. The site is about 30 minutes from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The launch comes amid Vietnam's tourism boom, with 10.7 million foreign arrivals in the first half of 2025, a 21% increase from last year, fueled by visa policy changes and airport upgrades. Ho Chi Minh City welcomed 3.8 million foreign tourists in the same period, up 44% year-on-year, and was Agoda's top choice for a one-night stay in Vietnam, thanks to its street food and nightlife.

IHG, which manages brands like InterContinental and Holiday Inn, operates over 6,600 hotels in more than 100 countries and territories.

An AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul mistakenly landed at Gimpo International Airport instead of its scheduled destination, Incheon International Airport, on Aug. 14. The diversion occurred after the plane circled due to bad weather and air traffic congestion at Incheon. It landed at Gimpo at 8:08 p.m., about 20 km away.

Passengers were confused when the captain announced arrival at Incheon, prompting many to prepare to disembark. They realized the mistake only after checking outside or on their phones. Complaints followed about poor communication, as crew members reportedly failed to provide a clear explanation or apology in Korean.

The plane stayed at Gimpo for around two hours before departing at 10:03 p.m. and arriving at Incheon at 10:54 p.m.

AirAsia X clarified the diversion was due to safety and traffic conditions, stating the captain followed standard procedures but a miscommunication occurred during announcements. CEO Benyamin Ismail said the airline would review communication processes and provide travel vouchers to affected passengers as a goodwill gesture.

The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology released updated 2025 guidelines for managing high blood pressure, replacing the 2017 version. Nearly half of U.S. adults are affected, and hypertension remains the leading cause of death worldwide. The new recommendations emphasize lifestyle changes before medication for systolic readings of 130–139 mm Hg, a shift from the previous threshold of 140. If blood pressure remains high after 3–6 months, medication is advised.

Key lifestyle measures include limiting sodium to under 2,300 mg daily (ideally 1,500 mg), avoiding alcohol or keeping intake minimal, maintaining healthy weight with at least 5% reduction in those overweight, following a heart-healthy diet such as DASH, exercising 75–150 minutes weekly, practicing stress reduction, and home monitoring.

The guidelines underscore links between hypertension and cognitive decline, including dementia, as high blood pressure can damage brain blood vessels. They also recommend tighter control in pregnancy, advising medication when systolic levels reach 140 mm Hg or diastolic 90 mm Hg.

The overall goal is systolic blood pressure below 130 mm Hg for adults with hypertension. The updates reflect a more aggressive approach, stressing early intervention and empowering both clinicians and patients with practical tools for long-term management.

Dr. Surena Namdari, a shoulder and elbow surgeon at Rothman Orthopaedics, is using AI, robotics, and augmented reality to enhance surgical precision. For procedures like shoulder replacement, CT scans are turned into 3D models, allowing surgeons to simulate operations and determine optimal implant placement. With AR headsets and trackers, surgeons can replicate these plans in the operating room with sub-millimeter accuracy, improving consistency and outcomes.

AI is also being applied to predictive analytics, helping identify patients at higher risk for complications. Dr. Christopher Jones, a hand surgeon, uses AI transcription tools to reduce the burden of documentation and improve communication with patients by translating complex medical language into layman's terms. Similarly, Dr. Alexander Vaccaro, Rothman's president and top spine surgeon, highlighted how enabling technologies reduce stress during complex surgeries while also advocating for making AI cost-effective and widely accessible. However, he warned that AI datasets are often biased due to incomplete representation of marginalized communities.

Beyond the operating room, AI is transforming patient engagement. Many patients now arrive informed after consulting tools like ChatGPT, which can reduce unnecessary clinic visits but sometimes leaves gaps in understanding. Physicians see this as an opportunity to build on patient knowledge while guiding them toward safe decisions.

Despite fears of job loss and bias, doctors emphasize that the core mission remains unchanged: delivering excellent patient care. Technology is reshaping methods, not goals—success will always be measured by patient outcomes, safety, and satisfaction.