Latest Government appointments and nominations News

Estonia's ruling party taps climate minister for the Baltic country's top job

Jun. 29, 2024 08:56 AM EDT

HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia’s ruling center-right Reform Party has chosen Saturday Climate Minister Kristen Michal to replace outgoing leader Kaja Kallas as prime minister of the Baltic country. The unanimous decision to nominate Michal was made following a closed-door meeting by...

Trump gloats over Biden's debate performance at a Virginia rally

Jun. 28, 2024 18:50 PM EDT

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia (AP) — Former President Donald Trump gloated Friday over President Joe Biden’s often halting performance at the first debate ahead of the November election, saying Democrats have no better choices while calling the Democratic incumbent “the most incompetent president" in...

Pakistani parliament denounces US congressional resolution calling for a probe into recent elections

Jun. 28, 2024 14:53 PM EDT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s lower house of Parliament on Friday denounced a U.S. congressional resolution that called this week for an independent investigation into allegations that Pakistan's parliamentary elections earlier this year were massively rigged. The Pakistani...

EU leaders have tapped their top brass. Von der Leyen must win over parliament to keep her job

Jun. 28, 2024 13:34 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s leaders this week agreed with surprising speed on a trio of top jobs, tapping European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a second term, Portugal’s António Costa as European Council President, and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas as their top diplomat....

South African president says Parliament will open July 18 amid discord in the new coalition

Jun. 28, 2024 07:45 AM EDT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Friday that Parliament will open for its next term on July 18 as he remains locked in negotiations with other parties to form a Cabinet well before then amid rifts in the new governing coalition. The talks...

Biden's debate performance spurs Democratic panic about his ability to lead party against Trump

Jun. 28, 2024 07:18 AM EDT

ATLANTA (AP) — Above all, Joe Biden's allies wanted him to demonstrate strength and energy on the debate stage to help put to rest questions about the 81-year-old Democrat's physical and mental acuity. But on the biggest stage in U.S. politics on Thursday night, Biden did not meet...

Mexico’s incoming president appoints expert in sustainable development as head of energy

Jun. 27, 2024 21:51 PM EDT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s incoming President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday announced five additional members of her future cabinet, presenting a group of scientists and former colleagues including Luz Elena González, an expert in sustainable development, as the next secretary of energy. ...

Von der Leyen, Costa and Kallas endorsed for the EU's top jobs. Here's who they are and what they do

Jun. 27, 2024 21:45 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Following the elections for EU Parliament, European Union leaders have agreed on the officials who will hold the key positions in the world’s biggest trading bloc in the coming years for issues ranging from antitrust investigations to foreign policy. The three...

European Union leaders agree on top officials who will be the face of world's largest trading bloc

Jun. 27, 2024 19:32 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders signed off on a trio of top appointments for their shared political institutions on Thursday, reinstalling German conservative Ursula von der Leyen as president of the European Commission for another five years. At the side of von der Leyen,...

Belarus' authoritarian leader names new foreign minister and reshuffles other top officials

Jun. 27, 2024 12:27 PM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday reshuffled his top officials in what observers saw as part of maneuvering ahead of the 2025 presidential election. Lukashenko, who has ruled the country of 9.5 million with an iron hand for three decades and...