Tuoi Tre News briefs you on some of the leading news stories published in Tuoi Tre newspaper today, September 25.

Politics:

- Former Prime Minister and Emeritus Senior Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong, concluded a visit under the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Hanoi on September 24. The four-day visit aimed at boosting bilateral ties between the two countries.

Society:

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment has recently approved a grant worth VND45 billion (US$2.12 million) for an emergency elephant protection project in the southern province of Dong Nai from 2014 to 2020.

- According to World Bank statistics, environmental pollution currently causes a 5.5% loss in Vietnam’s GDP. The information was reported by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Bui Cach Tuyen on September 24, at an event to launch an environment project in the northern city of Thai Nguyen.

- The Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group on September 24 announced the opening of its offices in Yangon, marking the group’s entrance into the Myanmar market.

- Ho Chi Minh City will cut down around 215 trees on Nguyen Van Huong Street in District 2 to improve the city’s infrastructure.

Business:

- The Foreign Investment Agency and the Ministry of Planning and Investment have recently announced that the amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Vietnam in the first nine month of this year was US$ 11.18 billion, a 25.5% decrease compared with the same period last year.

- The Vietnam Fashion Fair 2014 kicked off yesterday at the Tan Binh Exhibition Center in Ho Chi Minh City. The event, held by the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group in collaboration with the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, gathers 300 booths featuring products from 200 Vietnamese enterprises.

- On September 24, the Kien Giang provincial People’s Committee announced the opening of Phu Quoc – Singapore and Phu Quoc – Siem Riep flight routes. Accordingly, the Phu Quoc – Singapore route will be put into operation from November 2 with two flights a week; and the Phu Quoc – Siem Riep route will be launched from December 18 with three flights a week.

- The General Statistics Office has announced that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the whole country in September increased 0.4% in comparison with the previous month. Also according to the office, the CPI of the first nine months of this year saw the lowest increase (0.25% per month on average) in the last 10 years.

Lifestyle:

- Nine plays will be performed for free within the framework of a professional stage festival in Hanoi from September 26 to October 3. The festival is being organized by the Vietnam Stage Artist Association and Hanoi’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism .