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Philippines keeps Cabinet mostly unchanged after 'bold reset' call

Philippines keeps Cabinet mostly unchanged after 'bold reset' call

The Star03-06-2025
MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (pic) has retained the majority of his Cabinet ministers, two weeks after requesting their resignations in what he called a "bold reset" of his administration, his executive secretary said on Tuesday (June 3).
The call for "courtesy resignations" came in the wake of the disappointing performances by Marcos-backed candidates in the country's recent midterm elections.
Speaking at a press briefing, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed that Marcos had decided to keep several key officials, including the secretaries of agriculture, education, labour, health, and social welfare.
Marcos had earlier maintained his core economic team, along with the heads of the defence, justice, and interior departments.
Bersamin also clarified that Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will remain in his role until Congress confirms his appointment as the Philippines' permanent representative to the United Nations. Manalo was initially expected to step down by July 31.
Performance reviews for other senior officials, including undersecretaries, are still ongoing, Bersamin added.
"If you are asking for blood, there will still be blood," he said, suggesting further changes could follow. - Reuters
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China to stage massive military parade involving tens of thousands of people
China to stage massive military parade involving tens of thousands of people

The Star

time13 minutes ago

  • The Star

China to stage massive military parade involving tens of thousands of people

BEIJING: China will stage a massive military parade next month involving tens of thousands of people in the heart of Beijing to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War Two following the surrender of Japan. Hundreds of aircraft including fighter jets and bombers as well as ground equipment, some of which have never been seen in public before, will be featured in the parade, military officials said at a press conference. The Sept 3 parade, the second such procession since 2015 to observe the formal surrender of Japanese forces in 1945, will be a show of China's military strength as some of its neighbours and Western nations look on with concern over the projection of power by the People's Liberation Army in recent years. From trucks fitted with devices to take out drones, new tanks and early warning aircraft to protect China's aircraft carriers, military attaches and security analysts say they are expecting China to display a host of new weapons and equipment at the parade. Additions to its expanding suite of missiles, particularly anti-ship versions and weapons with hypersonic capabilities, will be particularly closely watched as the US and its allies prepare to counter China in any future regional conflict. The 70-minute-long "Victory Day" parade, comprising 45 contingents of troops will be surveyed by President Xi Jinping at Tiananmen Square alongside a number of foreign leaders and dignitaries including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also attended the 2015 parade. Authorities have stepped up security in downtown Beijing since early August when the first large-scale parade rehearsal was held, setting up checkpoints, diverting road traffic and shutting shopping malls and office buildings. - Reuters

Top News Headlines Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: Aug 20, 2025
Top News Headlines Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: Aug 20, 2025

Barnama

timean hour ago

  • Barnama

Top News Headlines Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: Aug 20, 2025

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Israel France row escalates over Macron Palestinian state recognition
Israel France row escalates over Macron Palestinian state recognition

The Sun

time3 hours ago

  • The Sun

Israel France row escalates over Macron Palestinian state recognition

PARIS: A major diplomatic crisis has erupted between Israel and France over Paris's plan to formally recognise a Palestinian state next month. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu escalated the row by accusing President Emmanuel Macron of actively fomenting antisemitism. The French presidency issued a swift and forceful rebuttal, labelling Netanyahu's allegation as both abject and erroneous. A statement from the Elysee emphasised that this is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation. Netanyahu's serious accusation was detailed in a letter addressed directly to Macron, which was seen by international news agency AFP. The letter claimed that antisemitism had surged across France following the French president's announcement last month. Macron had declared that France would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a United Nations meeting scheduled for September. That initial announcement drew an immediate and sharp rebuke from the Israeli government at the time. In his personal letter, Netanyahu delivered a stark message to the French leader. Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire, Netanyahu wrote. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets. With this move, France is poised to join a growing list of nations recognising Palestinian statehood since the Gaza war began nearly two years ago. According to an AFP tally, France is among at least 145 of the 193 UN members that now recognise or plan to recognise a Palestinian state. France has a long-standing foreign policy of advocating for the so-called two-state solution. This envisions a Palestinian state living in peace side-by-side with an Israeli one. The French government has asserted that its move to recognise a Palestinian state is actually a stance against Hamas, which rules Gaza. The French position is that Hamas has excluded the two-state solution from its agenda. In its official response to Netanyahu's antisemitism allegation, the French presidency stated unequivocally that France protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens. Macron's office added that the allegation in Netanyahu's letter will not go unanswered. The French presidency described violence against the Jewish community as intolerable. That is why, beyond criminal convictions, the president has systematically required all his governments since 2017 to show the strongest action against perpetrators of antisemitic acts, the statement read. Macron's minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, separately reacted to Netanyahu's letter with defiance. Haddad stated that France has no lessons to learn in the fight against antisemitism. He added that the issue which is poisoning our European societies must not be exploited. France is home to the largest Jewish community in Europe. Reported antisemitic acts in France have seen a significant increase in recent years. Official figures from the interior ministry show a surge from 436 incidents in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023. The number dipped slightly to 1,570 reported acts last year. The diplomatic fallout extended beyond France, as Australia also plans to recognise Palestinian statehood next month. This decision earned sharp criticism from Netanyahu earlier on Tuesday. The Israeli leader used his office's official X account to call Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews. The personal attack occurred amidst a separate diplomatic spat between Israel and Australia. The Australian government cancelled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman on Monday. Rothman, whose ultranationalist party is part of Netanyahu's governing coalition, was scheduled to speak at events in Australia. Hours after his visa was cancelled, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar revoked the visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called Israel's reaction unjustified. She stated that Netanyahu's government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution. - AFP

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