Outstanding domestic and international events on January 20

DOMESTIC

In the atmosphere of the whole country excitedly celebrating the Party and the New Year of At Ty 2025, on the morning of January 20, at the Party Central Committee headquarters, the Politburo and the Secretariat held a meeting with leaders and former leaders of the Party, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and members of the Party Central Committee of all terms to review the glorious tradition of 95 years of building and growing of the Party (February 3, 1930 - February 3, 2025); to express gratitude and honor Party members who have made many contributions to the Party and the country; to inform about the situation of the country and to wish the delegates a Happy New Year on the occasion of the New Year of At Ty 2025.In the picture:General Secretary To Lam and leaders and former leaders of the Party and State.Photo: Thong Nhat – VNA

On the occasion of the New Year 2025 and before the Lunar New Year of At Ty, on the afternoon of January 20, President Luong Cuong and the Central working delegation visited, encouraged and wished the Special Forces a Happy New Year at the Command Headquarters of the Special Forces. Expressing his joy at visiting and working with the unit in the first days of the New Year 2025, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, the President sent to all officers and soldiers of the heroic Special Forces his warm regards and best wishes for the New Year.In the picture:President Luong Cuong with commanding officers of the Special Forces Command.Photo: Lam Khanh - VNA

During his official visit to the Czech Republic, on the morning of January 20 (Hanoi time), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife visited the Sapa Trade Center of Vietnamese people in Prague; attended the Spring Homeland 2025 program and wished the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic a Happy New Year. In the afternoon, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and spoke at the Vietnam - Czech Business Forum.In the picture:Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the Vietnam - Czech Business Forum.Photo: Duong Giang-VNA

On the afternoon of January 20, on the occasion of preparing to celebrate the traditional New Year of the nation, Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his delegation visited and presented Tet gifts to families of policy beneficiaries, poor households, and households in difficult circumstances in Tan An ward, Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city. The National Assembly Chairman wished the Party Committee, government and people of Can Tho city, Ninh Kieu district and Tan An ward and families of policy beneficiaries, poor households, and households in difficult circumstances a new year filled with joy, health, new spirit, and new success.In the picture:National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man presents Tet gifts to policy families and poor households in Tan An ward, Can Tho city.Photo: Doan Tan - VNA

On the morning of January 20, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor organized the "Union Train - Spring 2025" to bring 500 families of union members and workers with their relatives back to their hometowns to celebrate Tet, from the South to the North from January 18 to 28 and vice versa from the North to the South from February 1 to 9, a total of 44 round-trip train tickets. This is the first "Union Train - Spring 2025" of the union organization to bring families of union members and workers back to their hometowns and welcome them back to Ho Chi Minh City to continue working after Tet. The activity has a profound humanitarian meaning of the union at all levels to encourage and share the difficulties of workers so that their families can reunite during Tet.In the picture:Many families and workers returned home to celebrate Tet on the "Union Train - Spring 2025".Photo: Thanh Vu-VNA

The Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (Dien Bien Provincial Police) has just coordinated with the Technical and Offline Department, Nam Po District Police to arrest 3 subjects for illegally buying, selling and transporting drugs. The functional forces seized 2 cakes, 6 blocks of heroin, 20 blue nylon bags and 3 white nylon packages containing 4,400 synthetic drug pills and many related evidences.In the picture:Ly Sua Binh, born in 1986, residing in Huoi Linh village, Nam Cha commune, Nam Nhun district (Lai Chau province) was arrested while transporting 2 cakes, 6 blocks of heroin, 20 blue nylon bags and 3 white nylon packages containing 4,400 synthetic drug pills.Photo: VNA

INTERNATIONAL

On January 19, Chancellor Olaf Scholz affirmed that Germany has a responsibility to maintain the memory of the Holocaust, under the Nazis during World War II. Speaking to the Jewish community in Frankfurt at the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp - the largest of the Nazis - Chancellor Scholz affirmed that the past cannot be forgotten. He also expressed particular concern and warned against indifference and underestimating the dangers of anti-Semitism, hateful ideology and the far right, especially calls for violence on social media platforms.In the photo (document):German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at a press conference in Berlin.Photo: THX/TTXVN

US President-elect Donald Trump made a series of bold promises about major policy changes at a rally in Washington on the eve of his inauguration. Speaking to supporters at the Capitol One Arena on the evening of January 19, 2025, Mr. Trump vowed to solve the problems facing the United States as he prepares to return to power. With a message of strong changes in policies from immigration, trade to energy, he pledged to bring a new beginning for the country towards "strength, prosperity and pride".In the picture:US President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Washington on the evening of January 19, 2025.Photo: Kyodo/VNA

Yonhap news agency quoted the legal team of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol as saying that he will not appear for questioning on January 20 as requested by the investigative agency. The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) summoned Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning on the morning of January 20, after he refused to appear on January 19. If Yoon continues to fail to comply with the summons, the CIO may take coercive measures or go directly to the Seoul Detention Center - where he has been detained since last week - for questioning.In the picture:Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is escorted to the Seoul Detention Center after being questioned in Gwacheon, January 15, 2025.Photo: Yonhap/VNA

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) said it had released 90 Palestinian prisoners in the early morning of January 20, after Hamas returned three Israeli hostages. According to IPS, the 90 prisoners were released from Ofer prison and the Jerusalem detention center. Thus, the two sides completed the first hostage exchange within the framework of the Gaza ceasefire agreement that took effect a day earlier.In the picture:An ambulance carrying three Israeli hostages returned by Hamas arrives at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel.Photo: THX/TTXVN