Outstanding domestic and international events on January 9

DOMESTIC

On January 9, in Ho Chi Minh City, General Secretary To Lam met with former leaders of the Party and State, exemplary veteran cadres, and intellectuals, scientists, and artists from southern provinces and cities. Attending the meeting were former Politburo members and former Presidents: Nguyen Minh Triet and Truong Tan Sang; former Politburo member and former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; former Politburo member and former Standing Member of the Secretariat Le Hong Anh; and former leaders of the Party and State. Also attending were Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department Nguyen Trong Nghia; Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Party Central Committee Office Nguyen Duy Ngoc; and representatives of leaders of central departments, ministries, branches, agencies, and Ho Chi Minh City.In the picture:General Secretary To Lam and delegates take a group photo.Photo: Thong Nhat – VNA

On January 9, right after arriving in Vientiane, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the 47th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee. Attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son; Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith; Minister of Planning and Investment, Chairman of the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee Nguyen Chi Dung; Minister of Planning and Investment, Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee Phet Phomphiphak; ministers, leaders of ministries, sectors, localities and enterprises of the two countries.In the picture:Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the 47th Session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee.Photo: Duong Giang-VNA

On the afternoon of January 9, at the National Assembly House, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Vietnam Ha Vi. On the same afternoon, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes. Also attending were: Secretary General of the National Assembly, Head of the National Assembly Office Le Quang Tung; Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Le Thu Ha.In the picture:National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man received Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Ha Vi.Photo: Doan Tan - VNA

On January 9, in Hanoi, the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization held a national conference to review the mass mobilization work in 2024 and deploy tasks for 2025. Attending and giving a speech at the conference, Politburo member, Standing member of the Secretariat, Chairman of the Central Inspection Committee Tran Cam Tu commended the results of the mass mobilization system at all levels achieved in 2024. The Standing member of the Secretariat requested that the policy of merging the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization and the Central Propaganda Department continue to be implemented urgently and seriously; propose a plan for scientific arrangement and streamlining, ensuring progress; develop and implement the 2025 work program immediately after the merger.In the picture:Delegates attending the conference.Photo: Phuong Hoa – VNA

On January 9, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and the Central working delegation visited and presented 400 gifts (each worth 1.3 million VND) on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2025 to policy families, poor households, and workers in difficult circumstances in Long Thanh district, Dong Nai province.In the picture:Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha presents Tet gifts to policy families, poor households, and workers in difficult circumstances in Long Thanh district, Dong Nai province.Photo: Cong Phong – VNA

On January 9, at Chan May Port (Phu Loc district), Hue City Department of Tourism coordinated with Chan May Port Joint Stock Company and Saigontourist Travel Service One Member Co., Ltd. to welcome the first cruise ship and tourists to Hue by sea in 2025.In the picture:The cruise ship Anthem Of The Seas, Bahamas nationality, belonging to Royal Caribbean carrying 4,455 tourists docked at Chan May port.Photo: Do ​​Truong – VNA

On January 9, Dak Nong Provincial Police announced that Gia Nghia City Police had issued a decision to prosecute the case, prosecute the accused and issue a temporary detention order for 3 subjects to investigate and clarify the act of illegally buying and selling invoices (according to the provisions of Article 203 of the Penal Code). The subjects prosecuted and temporarily detained include: Le Thien Nhat Thi (36 years old), Lo Ai Nhi (34 years old), both residing in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City; Tran Vinh Son (37 years old), residing in Ninh Phuoc District, Ninh Thuan Province. In relation to the incident, subject To Diem Xuan (31 years old, residing in Phong Dien District, Thua Thien Hue Province) was subject to preventive measures of being prohibited from leaving his place of residence.In the picture:Subjects at the police station.Photo: VNA

INTERNATIONAL

Israeli forces have withdrawn from several border towns in southern Lebanon, a Lebanese security source said on January 8. The Lebanese army will expand its deployment to the areas at a time to be determined after coordinating with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).In the picture:Lebanese soldiers are preparing to expand their deployment to southern border towns after Israeli troops withdraw.Photo: THX/TTXVN

Clashes between government forces and M23 rebels in the Masisi area of ​​North Kivu province in recent days have displaced more than 100,000 people, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on January 8. The conflict has also affected humanitarian access and forced many international organizations to maintain a limited presence, according to OCHA. The agency called on all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of civilians and not impede humanitarian operations.In the picture:Children at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.Photo: THX/TTXVN

According to Yonhap news agency, on January 9, the coldest weather of this winter is covering South Korea. Temperatures dropped below -10 degrees Celsius in the capital Seoul and the northern regions of the country. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that as of the morning of the same day, the lowest temperature in Seoul was -10.2 degrees Celsius and the average lowest temperature index across the country was -16.7 degrees Celsius.In the picture:Heavy snowfall in Seoul, South Korea.Photo: Yonhap/VNA