World News in Brief: January 20

Cooperation benefits both and confrontation hurts both. China is ready to properly manage differences with the new U.S. administration, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on Monday in response to a question about China's expectations for the new U.S. administration.
People are reflected on a display panel at the Congress Center for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2025. The Annual Meeting 2025 of the WEF will kick off here on Monday under the theme "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age." (Photo: Xinhua)
People are reflected on a display panel at the Congress Center for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2025. The Annual Meeting 2025 of the WEF will kick off here on Monday under the theme "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age." (Photo: Xinhua)

* Representatives of Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives (parliament) on Sunday discussed forming a unified government in the country with the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

* Tanzania's ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), passed a resolution on Sunday endorsing Samia Suluhu Hassan and Hussein Ali Mwinyi as the party's official candidates for the Union and Zanzibar presidential elections, respectively.

* The Republic of Korea's police on Monday planned to seize martial law documents in the presidential office, according to multiple media outlets.

* TikTok resumed its service in the United States on Sunday, hours after it was suspended. TikTok said it would work with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will assume the presidency on Monday, for a long-term solution that would keep TikTok in the United States.

* Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday announced a 2-billion-Australian-dollar (1.24 billion USD) plan to incentivize aluminum smelters to transition to renewable power.

* Indonesia on Monday launched its first international carbon trading platform, inviting foreign investors to participate.

* The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has called for continued caution over potential tremors and tsunamis despite a gradual decrease in seismic activity a week after the magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Kyushu region.

* Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners from Ofer prison, located west of Ramallah in the West Bank, early on Monday, just hours after three Israeli hostages returned to Israel following their release from Hamas captivity in Gaza.

* Three Israeli women, released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, arrived in Israel on Sunday, the first day that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect, according to Israeli officials.

* Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi on Sunday expressed his country's readiness to work immediately and effectively with the European Union (EU) to facilitate the entry of European aid into the Gaza Strip.

* Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received on Sunday the Gaza relief, recovery, and emergency response plan presented by the Palestinian government to deal with the emergency situation in the Gaza Strip after the ceasefire takes effect.

* At least 80 people were killed and 20 others injured over the weekend in attacks by guerrilla groups in Colombia, said local authorities on Sunday.

* The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in the eastern province of Zhejiang saw its cargo throughput exceed 1.37 billion tonnes in 2024, ranking first globally for the 16th consecutive year, according to the port.

* The Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture has decided to impose a six-month ban on potato exports to non-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries to stabilize domestic potato prices, a statement published by the ministry said on Sunday.

* The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved an immediate disbursement of about 248 million USD to Ethiopia to help the East African country meet its balance of payments needs.

Xinhua