Years come and go, sometimes before we even realize that time has passed. Events blur and run together. The news is overwhelming, and even those who follow it closely can feel a sense of unremitting vertigo. Such is 21st-century life on a connected and chaotic planet.

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) – The day begins in darkness, lit only by street lamps. As dawn breaks, a pale blue light reveals a quiet line of monks in orange robes moving through the streets of the Lao city of Luang Prabang.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – The Associated Press’ most powerful images from Ukraine in 2025 show a nation defined by both unending violence and determined survival.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The World Cup draw determines where teams will play at next year’s soccer tournament between 48 nations that will run from June 11 to July 19.

A vibrant moon will look slightly bigger and brighter Wednesday night during the closest supermoon of the year.

People around the world are celebrating the Day of the Dead, blending pre-Columbian rituals with the Roman Catholic observance of All Saint’s Day on Nov. 1 and All Soul’s Day on Nov. 2.

Demonstrators in the San Francisco area protested the arrival of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at a U.S. Coast Guard base on Thursday, as President Donald Trump planned to surge federal forces into the city on Saturday to quell crime.

VATICAN CITY (AP) – King Charles III and Queen Camilla have visited the Vatican to pray with Pope Leo XIV. This historic meeting aims to strengthen ties between the Church of England and the Catholic Church. The event marks the first time since the Reformation that the heads of these two churches have prayed together.