AS the morning sun finds its way through the mist over Vietnam's terraced rice fields, local farmers lead buffalo into the paddies and pass another day without tourists in their hilly homeland.
Located 300 km (around 190 miles) northwest of Hanoi, Mu Cang Chai district in northern Yen Bai province had become a hit with foreign and local tourists alike before the coronavirus pandemic.
The spectacular terraces which lie up to 1,000 metres above sea level mostly belong to the Hmong, a minority group who make up most of the area's population.
The Hmong women once rented their colourful traditional costumes to visitors, while men earned up to $30 a day driving them up tiny muddy paths through the hills.
The paddy fields are particularly beautiful in September and October, when the crops turn a shiny yellow.
"We used to get huge numbers of tourists," farmer Lo Thi Loan told AFP.
"But this year all the rice fields are empty... due to virus movement restrictions."
"It's our only desire now that the virus is gone and we can resume our normal life," she added.
Vietnam has recently started to open its doors to the outside world, and some international visitors arrived earlier this month on the island resort of Phu Quoc and in other tourist areas further south.
But it is not clear when the country will fully open, as it continues to battle a serious outbreak of COVID-19.
ETX Studio
Fri Dec 03 2021

Vietnam has recently started to open its doors to the outside world, and some international visitors arrived earlier this month on the island resort of Phu Quoc and in other tourist areas further south. - ETX Studio

AI Revolution: Will Malaysia’s workforce sink or swim?
AI is no longer a distant concept, it is actively transforming industries, reshaping job markets, and redefining the skills needed.

Dalai Lama says his successor to be born outside China
Beijing insists it will choose his successor, but the Dalai Lama says any successor named by China would not be respected.

Philippines' ex-President Duterte arrested at ICC's request over 'drugs war', government says
Rodrigo Duterte was arrested upon his arrival at a Manila airport and the ex-leader is now in custody, the office of the president said.

US judge says Musk's DOGE must release records on operations run in 'secrecy'
The ruling, the first of its kind, marks an early victory for advocates pushing DOGE to be more transparent about its role in mass firings.

How to Get to Merdeka 118: Your Complete Guide
Heres everything you need to know about getting there efficiently.

Trump's renewed interest in Greenland lacks respect, says prime minister
Greenland, whose population is only 57,000, belongs to its people and that it should decide on its own future, says it's PM.

Why Canada is jailing more Indigenous people despite Trudeau's promises
Sentencing rules, supervisory orders and parole denials drive higher incarceration rates.

BRICS' climate leadership aims hang on healing deep divides
So far the middle-income BRICS have resisted demands from cash-strapped developed countries that they should share financial liability.

As US restores some aid, humanitarian groups ask: where is the money?
The United Nations has started evaluating "choices we are making on which lives not to save" due to cuts.

Social media platform X down again for thousands of users, Downdetector shows
Elon Musk's social media platform X was down again for thousands of users in the United States, according to Downdetector.com.

The end of cheap palm oil? Output stalls as biodiesel demand surges
Palm oil now trades at a premium over soybean oil, reversing past discounts.

UK Minister’s visit reinforces shared commitment to secure and resilient growth
The UK and Malaysia will step up cooperation to drive economic growth through trade and investment in key sectors.

Mark Carney, crisis-fighting central banker, to lead Canada through US trade war
Mark Carney argues Canada must fight Trump's tariffs with dollar for dollar retaliation and diversify trading relations in the medium term.

China vows utmost efforts for 'peaceful reunification' with Taiwan
China will also take all necessary steps to safeguard the country's territorial integrity, it's foreign ministry says.

Hanoi bans tours on Train Street
The tourism department urges travel agencies to warn staff about traffic accident risks near train street cafes.

Room for talks on opposition MP allocations - PM
PM says issues can be raised in meetings, and the draft MoU on opposition allocations can be amended if needed.

Philippines' Duterte says he will accept arrest if ICC issues warrant
The International Criminal Court is set to issue a warrant over Rodrigo Duterte's years-long "war on drugs" that killed thousands.

May 6 decision on Najib's representation to drop RM27 mln SRC money laundering charges
The prosecution is requesting a new case management date to update on the outcome of the representation.

Doctor rearrested over multiple indecent behaviour claims
According to police, the doctor's initial remand period ends today but he was rearrested in connection with the third police report.

Malaysia has to sign at least eight protocols to use nuclear energy - MOSTI
Chang Lih Kang says nuclear energy use is regulated by international conventions and UN Security Council resolutions.