Outstanding domestic and international events on January 15

DOMESTIC

On January 15, in Hanoi, General Secretary To Lam attended and delivered a speech at the 6th National Forum on Developing Vietnamese Digital Technology Enterprises with the theme "Mastering digital technology, mastering Vietnam's digital transformation process with Vietnamese digital technology enterprises". Also in the morning, General Secretary To Lam attended and pressed the button to start the project to renovate, upgrade and build a new West Lake Guest House area.In the picture:General Secretary To Lam and Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung congratulated Vietnamese digital technology enterprises on pioneering the New Era.Photo: Thong Nhat - VNA

On the morning of January 15, at the Presidential Palace, President Luong Cuong received Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on the occasion of his official visit to Vietnam. Also in the morning, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin presented the Friendship Medal of the Russian Federation to President Luong Cuong and other leaders and former leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center.In the picture:President Luong Cuong received Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin.Photo: Pham Kien - VNA

On the morning of January 15, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation (January 30, 1950 - January 30, 2025), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin attended an art performance at the Academy of Music. Also in the morning, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin attended the Vietnam - Russia High-Level Business Dialogue; Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the first meeting of the Steering Committee for the construction of the Nuclear Power Plant. In the afternoon, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife, along with a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, left Hanoi for official visits to Poland, the Czech Republic, and to attend the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, and to hold bilateral meetings in Switzerland.In the picture:Farewell ceremony for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife at Noi Bai International Airport.Photo: Duong Giang - VNA

On the afternoon of January 15, at the National Assembly House, the National Assembly Standing Committee held a meeting to consider and decide on the adjustment of the Law and Ordinance Development Program for 2025; Consider and decide on the establishment of wards in Phu My town and the establishment of Phu My city in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province; Give opinions (for the second time) on the preparation for the 9th Extraordinary Session.In the picture:National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks.Photo: Doan Tan - VNA

On January 15, the Nam Dinh Provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board held a closing ceremony for Lac Quan Bridge under the Nam Dinh - Lac Quan - Coastal Road Construction Project. The newly built Lac Quan Bridge (retaining the old bridge) has a width of 17 m, going to the right of the old bridge; the new Lac Quan Bridge crosses Ninh Co River connecting Truc Ninh District with Xuan Truong District; the total length of the bridge is 508.8 m, including 13 spans, 3 continuous spans 55+90+55 (m), clearance 85x11 m; after 14 months of construction, the closing ceremony was held on January 15.In the picture:Nam Dinh provincial leaders performed the closing ceremony of the new Lac Quan Bridge.Photo: Thai Thuan - VNA

On January 15, in Thai Nguyen province, the Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation of Thai Nguyen province launched the voluntary blood donation campaign "Pink Spring Festival" in 2025 with the message "Donate blood in early spring - Multiply happiness". This year's voluntary blood donation campaign "Pink Spring Festival" is expected to receive 6,800 units of blood, reaching about 20% of the planned target for 2025. All of this blood will be transferred to the province's hospitals to overcome the shortage of emergency blood and treat patients during the upcoming Lunar New Year.In the picture:Thai Nguyen people participate in voluntary blood donation.Photo: Tran Trang-VNA

INTERNATIONAL

On January 14, 2025, the US Senate began the hearing process for nominations to top positions in President-elect Donald Trump's administration. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate and nominations require only a simple majority, meaning most of President-elect Trump's picks will be confirmed easily after he takes office next week. Republican senators are looking to confirm the President-elect's Cabinet as quickly as possible, before Trump's inauguration on January 20 and the start of his agenda.In the picture:A vote in the US Senate.Photo: AP/VNA

In an interview with the US NBC News channel on January 14, 2025 (local time), when asked about Iran's response to the possibility of a military attack from the US and Israel against its nuclear program, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran does not want war, but is ready to respond if attacked by the US and Israel. He affirmed that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, while criticizing accusations that the country is trying to build a nuclear bomb.In the picture:Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during an open session of the parliament in Tehran, Iran, October 29, 2024.Photo: AP/VNA

According to South Korean media, in the early morning of January 15, 2025, investigators used a ladder to enter the Presidential Palace, in a second attempt to execute an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. South Korean police deployed about 3,000 officers to execute the arrest warrant and search Yoon Suk-yeol's residence, after about two and a half hours of being blocked by security forces protecting the President, many lawmakers from the ruling KPP and lawyers, along with thousands of President's supporters who formed a barricade outside. Clashes also broke out between investigators and Yoon's supporters.In the picture:Clashes between investigators and security forces protecting the President and supporters of Yoon Suk-yeol, as investigators for the second time execute an arrest warrant for the impeached President, January 15, 2025.Photo: YONHAP/VNA

The World Health Organization (WHO) on January 14, 2025, issued a warning to Tanzania and other countries in Africa to be on guard against the high risk of spreading the Marburg virus - a rare and dangerous virus like the Ebola virus, after recording a suspected outbreak caused by this virus in Tanzania that killed 8 people. According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, there have been 9 cases of suspected Marburg virus in Tanzania so far, including 8 deaths. WHO predicts that there will be more cases in the coming days as disease surveillance improves.In the picture:Health workers inspect the home of a suspected Marburg virus victim in the town of Uige, northern Angola.Photo: Reuters/VNA