Pulse

Our group departed for Phu Quoc Island in the middle of December. With the optimum time to visit between December and March each year, this period is only just around the corner and the excitement to book a new trip here will soon be high. This is also the dry season on Phu Quoc, when the weather is clear and ideal for sight-seeing and tourism. And indeed, as soon as I got off the plane, I sensed a totally differ-ent vibe from the city: the freshness and tranquillity of the sky here with every breeze. The wind from the ocean whips through the hair as if blowing away all the work tired-ness. Phu Quoc, the biggest island in Vietnam and located in Kien Giang province ranked among the top 25 finest islands in the world by the World’s Best Places survey in July. It is a site where nature bestows riches, with a diverse ecosystem: from ancient forests of melaleuca to coral reefs and seagrass beds. Visitors may not be able to comprehend and appreciate all of the natural beauty here if they … [Read more...] about Phu Quoc Island an orchestra of wonder

SINGAPORE/MUMBAI -- Adverse weather across top rice suppliers in Asia, including the biggest exporter India, is threatening to reduce the output of the world's most important food staple and stoke food inflation that is already near record highs. Rice has bucked the trend of rising food prices amid bumper crops and large inventories at exporters over the past two years, even as COVID-19, supply disruptions and more recently the Russia-Ukraine conflict made other grains costlier. But inclement weather in exporting countries in Asia, which accounts for about 90% of the world's rice output, is likely to change the price trajectory, traders and analysts said. "There is an upside potential for rice prices with the possibility of production downgrades in key exporting countries," said Phin Ziebell, agribusiness economist at National Australia Bank. "An increase in rice prices would add to already major challenges for food affordability in parts of the developing world," Ziebell told … [Read more...] about Analysis: Global rice supplies at risk as harsh weather hits top exporters

Strapped in tight, the prone poodle nervously eyes the vet as he gently sticks fine needles into its back and paws, summoning the ancient art of acupuncture to treat the pet's aches and pains. Duniu is just one of a growing number of animals being signed up for traditional medicine in China -- care their masters say is less invasive and comes with fewer side effects than conventional treatments. In one Beijing practice, pets of all shapes and sizes come for treatments. "The advantage of traditional Chinese medicine is that there is no surgery," 38-year-old Zhai Chunyu tells AFP, accompanied by Duniu, his poodle. "So the animal's suffering is reduced." At just three years old, Duniu suffers from Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which affects the thigh bone and can lead to painful osteoarthritis. "He was in so much pain that he could no longer put his paw on the ground" and "had no appetite", says Zhai, who works in finance. "A doctor advised me to have the head of the femur … [Read more...] about Beijing’s pet lovers turn to acupuncture to treat their furry friends

Two traders at the trading floor of DSC Securities Co in Ha Noi. Investors can consider selectively disbursing and accumulating stocks with growth prospects in the third quarter of 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo Vietnamese shares are forecast to continue their upward trend this week as profit-taking pressure is cooling down significantly. On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, the VN-Index rose 0.82 per cent to close Friday at 1,262.33 points. An average of 99.2 million shares was traded on the southern exchange during each session last week, worth VND1.9 trillion (US$81.2 million). Since setting a bottom of around 1,140 points at the beginning of July 2022, last week was the 5th week of the VN-Index's continued upward recovery and this index has surpassed the threshold of 1,260 points, said Sai Gon-Ha Noi Securities JSC (SHS). According to analysts, foreign investors continued to be net buyers, especially on HOSE, where foreign investors had the 4th consecutive week of net buying, … [Read more...] about Shares to keep upward trend this week: brokers