READING, England: Bitcoin achieved a remarkable rise in 2020 in spite of many things that would normally make investors wary, including US-China tensions, Brexit and, of course, an international pandemic. From a year-low on the daily charts of US$4,748 (£3,490) in the middle of March as pandemic fears took hold, bitcoin rose to just below US$30,000 by the end of the year. Since then it has climbed to all-time highs above US$38,000 , making headlines day after day and driving up the prices of other cryptocurrencies at the same time. So what has driven this huge price appreciation and is it different to the bubble of 2017? One reason for the massive price rise is that there has been a big influx of investors from large-scale institutions such as pension schemes, university endowment funds and investment trusts. This was not the case during the last bull market in 2017, in which the bitcoin price rose about 20-fold to almost US$20,000, only to slide back to the low … [Read more...] about Commentary: The rise and further rise of Bitcoin
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Meet Kyuta: The 10-year-old, 85kg sumo in training
TOKYO: Among the young sumo wrestlers lifting weights in the ring, 10-year-old Kyuta Kumagai stands out. At 85kg, Kyuta is twice the size of the other children his age and is so dominant that he wrestles, and beats, boys five or six years older. Last year, he was crowned the under-10 world champion, beating competition from as far afield as the United Kingdom and Ukraine. His training regime, devised by his father Taisuke, is relentless. He trains six days a week, either at his local sumo club or lifting weights. He also swims and practices track and field to build up the flexibility and explosive quickness needed for sumo wrestling. Kyuta has been on the programme since his father entered him in a tournament while still in kindergarten. "I didn’t teach him anything, he could do various things naturally," said Taisuke, a former amateur sumo. "There is a talent for sumo and he has that talent. He won the tournament. I thought he may have something special." … [Read more...] about Meet Kyuta: The 10-year-old, 85kg sumo in training
Unwinding in one of Central Vietnam’s most secluded coastal sanctuaries
The Island-like stretch of Lang Co on the central coast of Vietnam is rapidly becoming one of the world's most appealing destinations for vacationers and honeymooners seeking romance and natural serenity. Nestled in a unique crescent bay framed by a magnificent three-kilometre-long sandy beach, the Banyan Tree Lang Co offers luxury, privacy and exclusivity in lush surroundings. Visitors will find their senses pleasantly awakened by the pristine coastline, the warm waves of the South China Sea, tropical jungles, and the magnificent stretch of the Truong Son Mountain Range as the backdrop. The Banyan Tree Group opened Laguna Lang Co in November 2012. The first and largest world-class integrated resort in Vietnam, it is spread over a 380-hectare area in serene Cu Du Village, Phu Loc District of Thua Thien Hue Province. In addition to Banyan Tree Lang Co and Angsana Residence Lang Co, the group is now planning to develop a second phase of the resort, which will encompass another … [Read more...] about Unwinding in one of Central Vietnam’s most secluded coastal sanctuaries