Briefs of some of leading news stories that might be carried today on Tuoitrenews.

Society:

-- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have announced a hike in bus fares. Accordingly, they will increase bus fares by VND600 (US$0.029) to VND1,000 ($0.048) per ticket depending on the distance. 

-- The population of Vietnam is expected to reach 90 million in 2013, increasing by 1 million over the last year, according to figures released by Vietnam’s General Directorate of Population-Family Planning.

-- Police in Hanoi have just arrested two people, one in Hanoi’s Thuong Tin district and another from Yen Bai northern province, on charges of human trafficking for jointly selling a girl in Bac Giang to a brothel in China.

-- The ratio between boys and girls born has dramatically widened, increasing from 104-109 boys born for every 100 girls between 1999 and 2005 to 109.8-111.9 boys born for every 100 girls between 2006 and 2011, according to statistics from the health sector.

-- Police in Thai Binh northern province have detained a man in Hai Phong northern province, a suspect in a murder of three members in a family in Thai Binh province, pending further investigations.

-- Currently, there are from 700,000 to 1,000,000 childless couples in Vietnam, according to statistics announced by deputy minister of health Nguyen Viet Tien at a conference held in Hanoi in early December.

Business:  

-- As of December 25 this year, Vietnam attracted US$13.01 billion of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), accounting for only 84.7 percent compared with the same period of last year, according to a report by the Ministry of Planning and Investment'sForeign Investment Agency (FIA).   

Lifestyle:

-- More than 60 photos highlighting Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes from the 15th century are on display at an exhibition which opened in Hoi An ancient city of central Quang Nam province on December 25.

Politics:

-- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received Japanese Ambassador Tanizaki Yasuaki in Hanoi on December 25 to discuss measures to foster cooperation between the two countries.

-- The Party and State always support and respect religious and belief freedom as well as create all conditions for religions to operate in the country within the framework of the law, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said at a reception for Most Venerable Thich Chon Thien, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, in Hanoi on Dec 25.

-- The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) of Australia wishes to continue boosting cooperation with Vietnamese relevant agencies in the fight for justice for Agent Orange/dioxin victims, an official of the party has said.