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Hanoi attracted nearly 2.1 million visitors over the four-day National Day holiday (Aug. 30–Sept. 2), tripling last year's figure and surpassing Ho Chi Minh City's 1.95 million visitors during the Reunification holiday in April. Of these, over 80,000 were international arrivals, up 35% year-on-year. Tourism revenue reached VND4.5 trillion (US$170.8 million), an 80% increase.

Hotel occupancy soared, with 3–5 star hotels like Novotel Thai Ha, Grand Mercure, and Bao Son fully booked on Sept. 1. Overall occupancy across hotels and apartments averaged 83%, up 23 percentage points from 2024.

Hanoi hosted diverse cultural and historical events to mark the 80th anniversaries of the August Revolution and National Day. The highlight was an exhibition at the National Exhibition Center in Dong Anh, drawing over 1 million visitors in three days, including 650,000 on Aug. 31 alone. Major attractions such as the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and Hanoi Zoo also reported tens of thousands of visitors.

City tours and historical itineraries surged, with many tours booked months in advance. Domestic travelers accounted for about 60% of bookings, with some arriving early and staying through Sept. 2 to watch the military parade.

Experts said Hanoi's strong performance was expected, given that it hosted the centerpiece celebrations, mirroring Ho Chi Minh City's tourism boom during its April 30 parade.

Japan, named Condé Nast Traveler readers' “world's most favorite destination” in 2024, is facing a sharp drop in tourists from Hong Kong due to viral earthquake rumors. In July, arrivals from Hong Kong fell 36.9% year-on-year to 176,000, marking the third consecutive monthly decline, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

The slump traces back to The Future I Saw, a manga by Ryo Tatsuki predicting a July 5 “megaquake.” Despite no such event occurring—only a magnitude 8.8 quake off Russia's Kamchatka on July 30—fear spread, prompting speculation, canceled trips, and suspended flights between Japan and Hong Kong.

The impact has been especially severe at regional airports like Takamatsu, where arrivals from Hong Kong plunged 31% in May to 2,865 passengers, with declines continuing through June and July. Suspended flights remain unrestored, worsening the slump.

Analysts say the quake rumor has temporarily slowed Japan's tourism momentum, particularly in rural areas. Still, overall international tourism remains strong: Japan welcomed a record 3.4 million foreign visitors in July, up 4.4% year-on-year, showing resilience despite regional hesitancy.

Singapore's Prive Group, once a thriving homegrown F&B brand, has shut all restaurants as of Aug. 31, 2025, marking another major casualty in a tough year for the dining industry. Founded in 2007 with its flagship at Keppel Bay, Prive grew into a popular café chain serving both classic comfort food and plant-based dishes. Its final outlets at Holland Village, Botanic Gardens, Wheelock Place, the Asian Civilizations Museum (ACM), and Chinese restaurant Empress have all closed.

Commonwealth Concepts, which operates Fat Cow, Bedrock Bar & Grill, Pasta Mania, and Baker & Cook, has taken over Prive's ACM spaces. Empress continues under new management, while Prive's ACM outlet will reopen as a Baker & Cook on Sept. 4.

The closure follows earlier setbacks: Prive shut its Jewel Changi and 313 Somerset outlets this year, with Somerset repossessed in February and Paragon taken over by U.S. coffee chain Blue Bottle in July.

Singapore's F&B sector is facing record strain from high rents, labor shortages, and waning spending. In 2024, more than 3,000 food businesses shuttered—the highest in nearly two decades—while another 1,724 have already closed in 2025.

The crisis has hit across all dining tiers: Michelin-starred Alma by Juan Amador and Euphoria closed in August; Japanese ramen chains Kanada-Ya and Santouka exited; casual chains like Eggslut, Burger & Lobster, Fluff Stack, and Manhattan Fish Market are gone; and even Haidilao has scaled back, closing its Clarke Quay flagship. More closures loom in September, including Ka-Soh, Flourish Bakehouse, and Fluff Bakery.

Researchers from the Universities of Bath and Bristol have developed a simple at-home brainwave test, “Fastball EEG,” that can detect early memory problems linked to Alzheimer's years before current diagnostic methods. The three-minute, passive test measures brain responses while participants view images, identifying signs of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a precursor to Alzheimer's.

Unlike traditional memory tests, Fastball doesn't require active responses, making it more objective and accessible. In trials with 33 patients with memory deficits, 20 with other cognitive issues, and 54 without impairment, it reliably detected early decline, even in home settings. However, experts caution it cannot yet distinguish Alzheimer's from other causes of decline, meaning it would need to be used alongside blood tests, biomarkers, or imaging.

The technology arrives as new drugs like donanemab and lecanemab show effectiveness only in early stages, making timely diagnosis crucial. Nearly 80% of Americans say they'd want to know about Alzheimer's risk early, with most willing to take preventative treatment.

While the current study was small and short-term, larger trials involving 1,000 patients in the U.K. and U.S. are underway and expected to conclude by 2027. If successful, Fastball could be rolled out in primary and secondary care within about five years. Already being trialed at 30 U.S. sites, the test could expand global access to early detection, offering clinicians a much-needed tool for earlier intervention.

A major new analysis suggests clopidogrel may be more effective than aspirin for long-term prevention in artery disease (CAD). Reviewing data from nearly 29,000 patients across seven trials, researchers found clopidogrel reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death by 14% compared with aspirin, without increasing major bleeding risk.

Traditionally, aspirin has been prescribed indefinitely for CAD patients, but evidence for its long-term benefits has been limited. The study, led by Professor Marco Valgimigli, found that even patients with genetic or clinical factors that reduce clopidogrel response still benefited more than from aspirin. This challenges the perception—especially among surgeons—that clopidogrel carries higher bleeding risks.

CAD, caused by narrowed arteries, requires lifelong therapy. The findings suggest clopidogrel could become the preferred standard for secondary prevention, with potential to influence global guidelines. Because both drugs are widely available, adopting clopidogrel may significantly improve outcomes, with Valgimigli estimating up to a 20% reduction in myocardial infarction and stroke risk.

Researchers emphasized the need for further studies on cost-effectiveness and broader population impacts before formal changes to treatment recommendations.