Vietnam’s franchising market continues to flaunt its potential, as a new wave of the world’s biggest brands are increasingly looking for franchising partners.

The military-run mobile carrier Viettel is planning to expand its investments to Indonesia and Nigeria, group leaders told the annual general meeting of Viettel Global, a subsidiary of the Viettel Group.

 Da Nang is one of five cities in Southeast Asia with the fastest emerging startup scenes, according to the latest report from JLL, joining Malaysia’s Penang, Thailand’s Chiang Mai, and Indonesia’s Bandung and Bali.

 Mobile World Investment Corporation (MWG) expected that by 2019, the Bach hoa XANH chain will become its main source of revenue. However, the grocery store chain, along with BigPhone in Cambodia, is dealing with several obstacles. 

 The $220 million Dai Duong paper plant project, invested by the Taiwanese company Chang Yang Holding Ltd. in the southern province of Tien Giang, may be scrapped due to environmental concerns.

 Tran Quang Nghi and Le Tien Truong served in key positions on the team representing Vinatex’s capital interests PetroVietnam Petrochemical and Textile Fiber JSC (PVTEX) between March and August, 2008. 

 Vietnam’s trade deficit is becoming a burning problem as the country’s new free trade agreements are coming into effect.

 The Ministry of Finance has issued a draft on conditions to lift the ban on Vietnamese playing at casinos.  

 The Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training has requested Hoa Sen University to explain why a professor wore shorts during giving lectures.

 The Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) will offer more than 500 opportunities for Vietnamese students to study and work in Japan this year.

 Petrolimex Insurance Joint Stock Company (PJICO), with code PGI, will sell 20 per cent of its charter capital to Samsung Fire&Marine Insurance.

Farmers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region have begun this year’s first harvest season of brackish water shrimp, earning strong profits due to high prices and favourable breeding conditions.

 Vietnamese developer BIM Group and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel operators, on Thursday opened their five-star property Crowne Plaza Vientiene in Laos’ capital city.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The People’s Committee of Ha Noi has recently ordered agencies to name and shame residential building projects that violate land regulations in the city.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Dak Nong Province’s forest protection division has suspended four managers and rangers in Dak G’long District over the recent heavy deforestation in Quang Son Commune.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese brother and sister secured medals at the second leg of the Asian Grand Prix yesterday in China.

 Dozens of households in the centre of Dalat City have been called to move as their houses are sinking.

David Dao, the doctor who was seen being dragged off a United Airlines jet this month in videos that sparked widespread outrage, has reached a settlement with the airline for an undisclosed amount, his lawyers said on Thursday.

 Many private hospitals in HCM City are on the verge of shutting down as most average patients prefer cheaper prices at public hospitals.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam in the last three years has had to bear negative impacts from conflicts around the world.