Bright spot when blinking syndrome

State-owned Agribank, one of the ‘Big 4’ state-owned lenders, jumped 17 places to 173th in the annual ranking put out by U.K. consultancy Brand Finance. Fellow state-owned lenders Vietcombank and VietinBank rose 27 and 61 spots to 180th and 216th. BIDV was at 246th and MB at 374th, up 30 and 12 spots. Of the private lenders, VP Bank rose 37 places to 243rd and the country’s private player, Techcombank, jumped 57 spots to 270th. Sacombank and ACB rose 30 and 23 places to 392nd and 397th. The report said VietinBank was one of 10 fastest growing banks globally last year. "Vietnam’s banking sector has seen the greatest year-on-year brand value growth of any nation in the rankings with 23 percent," the consultancy said. "Vietnam’s ability to effectively control and constrain Covid-19 has allowed it to buck the sector-wide trend of declining brand value. "Internal reforms have strengthened accountability in the Vietnamese financial sector, which has had the knock-on effect of boosting not just revenues, but brand reputation and trust." Vietnam’s banking sector has recorded cumulative brand value growth of 753 percent in the last five years, the second highest rate in the rankings. "Since the Vietnamese government introduced its strategy to boost accountability and the strength of the banking sector, including more stringent capital requirements and greater transparency, customer perception has improved," Brand Finance said. China's ICBC was the world's top bank brand. Chinese banks maintained their dominance in the rankings, accounting for 33 per cent of total brand value and seven of the 10 top climbers. …

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A wild sheep found wandering the wilderness of the Australian bush has been sheared of a huge 35-kilogram (77-pound) coat after an estimated five years of unchecked growth. Struggling under a filthy fleece caked with years of mud and tangled debris, Baarack was spotted in a Victorian state forest and taken to an animal rescue sanctuary north of Melbourne, the group said on Facebook earlier this month. "I couldn't believe there was actually a sheep alive under all of that wool," Pam Ahern, founder of Edgar's Mission Farm Sanctuary, told Nine News . The sheep's matted coat had been growing uncut for close to five years, Ahern estimated. "I think he has been a cheeky little rascal of a young lamb who's just wandered off and never came back." Unshorn sheep struggle to walk under the immense weight of their wool, and without a haircut at least once a year most will not last long in the wild, particularly in Australia's often harsh and dry summers. Despite Baarack's hefty locks, he falls short of the world record held by a late compatriot, Chris, who made headlines when he was shorn of a 41-kilogram mane in 2015. Baarack's transformation from hulking mass to fresh faced has nevertheless given him a new fleece of life, with his overhaul racking up millions of views on TikTok. …

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The Hanoitimes - The flowers fragrance breeze could be smelled in the streets where a flower vendor is about to pass by. Late-February and Early-March is also the season when the grapefruit flowers are in full bloom. Amid the bustle of the new day, the hustle of the daily life, the enchanting scent of grapefruit blossoms draws passerby who might want to stop for a moment, just to breath in the gentle fragrance in the air. Brought from the rural suburbs of Hanoi, the simple rustic white flowers have won the hearts of Hanoians for their sweet and seductive scent. Grapefruit flowers are in full bloom for only a short time, usually for two to three weeks, after that the flowers usually fade and the tree begins to bear fruits. The porcelain white flower with bright yellow pistils are loaded on bamboo baskets by flower vendors who pedal around Hanoi streets to find customers. The fragrant aromas of the tiny flowers can enchant many romantic souls. As the season is changing, it is drizzling all day and the sky turns gloomy making people feel a little bit uncomfortable. Then the pristine white grapefruit flowers appear, dispelling all the downheartedness with their fabulous aroma. In grapefruit flower season, Hanoian usually buy a few grapefruit flower clusters to place on their family’s altars as offerings to ancestors. Grapefruit flowers are harvested from gardens in Hoa Binh, Hung Yen and Ha Nam provinces. Grapefruit flower season starts from mid-February to early-March and only blooms from two three weeks to fruiting. On average, a bunch of grapefruit has a “life span” of five to seven days and is sold by weight, with prices being offered at the outset of VND40,000 (US$1.5) per 100 grams and VND300,000 ($13) per kilogram. Grapefruit flowers are also used to create flavors for some Hanoi’s …

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