May also confirmed the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry from France, a historic work depicting the Norman conquest of England which she said would come to Britain in 2022 for the first time in over 900 years. The two leaders, meeting for wide-ranging talks at the Sandhurst military academy near London, agreed that the UK will pay an extra £44.5 million (50 million euros, US$62 million) for fencing, CCTV and detection technology in Calais and other Channel ports. “The further investment we have agreed today will make the UK’s borders even more secure,” May said during a joint press conference with Macron. While the two countries cooperate closely in numerous areas, including intelligence and defence, differences over migration have often strained ties. The money is on top of more than £100 million already paid by Britain, following a request by Macron to contribute more cash. At a press conference, May said she was “honoured” by the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry and the French president added he hoped it would open “a new chapter” for cultural and scientific co-operation. “We are somehow making a new tapestry together,” Macron said, rejecting any suggestion that it was intended to remind Britain of a victorious France. The loan has been met with opposition by French experts who have warned about the delicate state of the 70-metre (230-foot) long embroidery. The tapestry, which shows the English King Harold being killed by an arrow in the eye at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, is… [Read full story]
TienPhongBank, BIDV in cross-border payment deal By Thu Thuy - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Hanoi-based Tien Phong Commercial Bank, or TienPhongBank, and Ha Thanh branch of Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) on Tuesday clinched a deal on cross-border payment cooperation, TienPhongBank said in a statement. The two sides will cooperate in settling cross-border payments for TienPhongBank’s corporate customers. BIDV’s branch will facilitate payments across the border between Vietnam and China for TienPhongBank’s corporate clients who have such demand. However, the deal will depend on payment agreements signed between BIDV and commercial banks in China. The…... [read more]
Outlook (16-06-2006) US-Viet Nam strike win-win deal on WTO by Nguyen Minh Huyen There are three major events Viet Nam is looking forward to this autumn: acceptance into the World Trade Organisation, its role as host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit, and a visit by United States President George W Bush. These milestones are a result of the country's tireless efforts over the past decade to affirm its place in the global arena, and the greatest achievement will be Viet Nam's admission into the WTO, scheduled for November of this year. After 11 years of negotiations, last month Viet…... [read more]
Dai-ichi Life, Eximbank strike long-term deal By Binh Nguyen - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC - Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company of Vietnam Ltd. (Dai-ichi Life Vietnam) said on Wednesday it had clinched a long-term deal with the Vietnam Import Export Bank (Eximbank) to together provide life insurance products, co-branded prepaid cards and other related financial services. Under the agreement, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam and Eximbank will jointly develop bancassurance products for distribution through the bank’s network to facilitate individual customers’ plans for purchasing houses, real estate and cars among others. Both sides have marketed their first bancassurance product called “An Tam…... [read more]
WASHINGTON - A huge US immigration bill inched forward on Tuesday in the Senate, but Republicans warned that the landmark reform risks stalling or even dying in Congress unless backers agree to further tighten border security. The Senate is spending most of this week and next debating the measure, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country, reduce unlawful crossings at the US-Mexico border and revise guest worker programmes for agriculture and high-tech industries. But some Republicans have warned the provisions on border security, which supporters on both sides of the political…... [read more]
Scene at the signing ceremony. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi(VNA) – The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Border Guard High Command signed an agreement on December 18 to strengthen communications cooperation for national sovereignty and border security. Under the deal, the VNA’s news departments, publications and representative offices across 63 cities and provinces nationwide will timely update and cover stories related to the work of the border guard in management and safeguarding the national territorial sovereignty and border security.... [read more]
