After the self-inflicted wound of voting to quit the European Union, Britain's best option to limit the mutual economic and political damage could be called the "Hotel California" model. As in the 1977 Eagles hit, "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave". Once the dust settles, Britain could "check out" of the EU by handing in its notice, but effectively stay half-way in the world's biggest trading bloc by joining the European Economic Area along with Norway. It could negotiate enhanced political cooperation in foreign policy and security, and might even get a voice, though not a vote, in some EU deliberations. Yet that next-best solution seems unlikely to prevail. It may take months for a British political leadership in meltdown to redefine the national interest in relations with the EU in a way that is compatible with the public will expressed in the June 23 referendum, if that is possible. That is one reason why outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron did not … [Read more...] about Post-Brexit, Britain may need ‘Hotel California’ model
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First ÊMM hotel opened in Saigon
First ÊMM hotel opened in Saigon Thien Minh Group opened the first three-star hotel bearing ÊMM brand with 56 rooms and serviced condos at 157 Pasteur Street in HCMC's District 3 last Friday night. Tran Trong Kien, chairman and CEO of Thien Minh, said his company would have more hotels of the ÊMM hotel brand by acquiring hotels or buildings from other developers before remodeling them suitable with the brand's criteria. The company will not choose to manage hotels for other investors, he said. "We will acquire the existing hotels and then give them facelifts because this way will be faster than purchasing land for building new hotels. We plan to develop 11 hotels under the brand of ÊMM in the next five years," he said. Thien Minh is looking to develop the three-star hotel brand in other tourist destinations in the country after HCMC like Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Halong and Cat Ba. After establishing stable business at home for this hotel segment, the company will tap … [Read more...] about First ÊMM hotel opened in Saigon
Portrait of Hanoi’s best hotel in the 1930s
The 110-year old Metropole Hotel has been a venue for tourists from all over the world since the 1930s. The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel was built by two French investors and it was the first 5 star hotel in Hanoi. It is still today an award-winning French colonial-style hotel positioned in the heart of Hanoi. The first Sofitel Legend property, the Metropole now offers 364 rooms and suites, complemented by a choice of three restaurants (French cuisine at Le Beaulieu, Vietnamese specialties at Spices Garden and Italian flavours at Angelina). The Metropole in Hanoi presented The Most Famous Hotels in the World with one of its most challenging projects. The material was scattered all over the world, from London to Paris, from Washington to Aix-en-Provence. These are some photos supplied by the hotel's management board. … [Read more...] about Portrait of Hanoi’s best hotel in the 1930s
EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR Nov. 1 – 15 (daily updated)
Hanoi Photography Workshop by Justin Mott 24 - 27 Jan 2014 83 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Hanoi Experience what it's like to be an assignment photographer learning from editorial and commercial photographer Justin Mott. Mott is a frequent contributor to The New York Times along with working for such international publications such as TIME, WSJ, Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler, IHT, and numerous others. This workshop is aimed at amateur, aspiring, and professional shooters looking to sharpen their skills and become a more well rounded photographer. If you want to make a living as a photographer you have to be versatile, the goal of this workshop is to teach versatility. The 4 day hands on workshop will take place in Hanoi and revolve around the build up Tet (Vietnamese New Year) holiday. Along with daily discussions and a portfolio review each student will receive a daily assignment. The assignments will range from portrait, travel, news, and profiles and will be treated like a real editorial … [Read more...] about EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR Nov. 1 – 15 (daily updated)
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 19/6
Nawaplastic still hungry for Binh Minh Plastic shares Owning a dominant stake in Binh Minh Plastic (BMP) did not quench Nawaplastic Industry Co., Ltd. (Nawaplastic)’s thirst for BMP shares. Most recently, Nawaplastic registered to buy an additional 1.17 million BMP shares to increase its holding to 44.525 million shares, equalling 54.39 per cent of the charter capital. The transaction is expected to occur between June18 and July16. The registered share volume is the remaining part of the 2.86 million shares that Nawaplastic failed to buy during previous transactions. Notably, Nawaplastic registered to buy 2.86 million BMP shares during transactions on May 14-June 12, however, the Thai investor ended up buying 1.69 million of the registered shares as BMP did not match Nawaplastic’s target price. BMP manufactures and trades civil and industrial products made of plastic and rubber. The company also designs, manufactures, and trades in plastic moulds for the casting industry; … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 19/6