PBBM supports leadership of new Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero

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PBBM supports leadership of new Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero;  Iran VP Mokhber appointed as acting President after death of President Raisi;  Slovakia's prime minister recovering after assassination attempt;  Taipei Entrepreneurs Hub opens pitch contest for PH startup companies

Transcript

00:00Good day, I am William Theo and this is PTV News Now.

00:04President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. congratulates the new Senate President, Francis Chis Escudero.

00:11The president said he is confident the Senate will continue to prioritize transformative laws

00:16to achieve their shared vision of a Bagong Pilipinas under the leadership of Senator Escudero.

00:23He also commended Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri for his outstanding performance as former Senate

00:28President. Zubiri resigned from his post yesterday saying he always supports the

00:34independence of the Senate despite his misgivings and heartbreak over his ouster.

00:41Iran's first Vice President Mohammad Mokhber was appointed acting President of the Islamic

00:48Republic. This after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in the

00:54country's northwest over the weekend. Mokhber, 68, largely has been in the shadows compared to

01:01other politicians in Iran's Shiite theocracy. Raisi's death under the constitution has thrust

01:08Mokhber into public view. He is expected to serve as caretaker president for some 50 days

01:14before mandatory presidential elections take place in Iran. Meanwhile, a large crowd of

01:20mourners gathered in the Iranian city of Tabriz Monday after the helicopter crash.

01:27Meanwhile, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico remains in serious condition days after

01:34an assassination attempt. A suspect also remains in custody. BOA's Arash Arabasadi has more.

01:41News cameras last week captured the moment when a would-be assassin opened fire on Slovak

01:52Prime Minister Robert Fico. A helicopter then carried Fico to the Roosevelt University Hospital

01:58at Banksa Bistrica where he had at least two surgeries, one of which repaired gunshot damage

02:03to his abdomen and hand. From the hospital, his deputy addressed the media Sunday.

02:11I think the worst fear, at least for now, has passed. But the condition remains very serious,

02:17and therefore I want to thank again the doctors for the miracles that have happened in the recent

02:21days. By Friday, a Slovak television station showed footage of police taking a suspect into

02:28custody. The office of Slovakia's general prosecutor describes the suspect as a 71-year-old

02:33former coal miner, amateur poet and lone wolf attacker. Some news media reports have partially

02:40identified the suspect as Juraj C. Fico's party won parliamentary elections last year on a pro-Russian

02:47and anti-American platform. Upon his victory, Fico promptly stopped arms shipments to Ukraine

02:53after his country's initial support for its neighbor. This prompted demonstrations in the

02:58streets of Slovakia, a NATO member state, and fueled what officials say may have motivated the

03:03shooter to act against Fico's government. Slovak President-elect Peter Pellegrini called

03:10Slovakia a wounded country, but added that political parties were not yet ready to meet

03:15on how the country should move forward. And despite Fico's Russia-leaning government,

03:24Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recorded a message in which he called the attack

03:29appalling and totally unacceptable before wishing Fico a speedy recovery. White House

03:35Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden expressed alarm and deep concern over

03:41the attack. We condemn this horrific act of violence and our embassy is in close touch

03:46with the government and ready to assist. And I'm just going to leave it there for now. Fico's

03:51shooting came just three weeks ahead of European Union parliamentary elections. If convicted,

03:57the suspect faces life in prison. Arasher Basadi, VOA News.

04:05The Taipei Entrepreneurs' Hub has opened the door for local startups with its 2024 AI Plus Taipei

04:12Startup Pitch Contest set for October this year. The competition aims to encourage local startup

04:19companies to get on with their adventure and journey to success in Taiwan. And to make this

04:25possible, the company offers a total of 50,000 new Taiwan dollars to cover the finalists' round

04:31trip tickets to Taipei and accommodation expenses. The contest is open to Philippine-based startups

04:37that have been involved in the AI industry in the last eight years. Their products or services

04:43should provide solid solutions with collaboration potential and must have a strong strategic plan

04:49for business development in Taipei. Philippine-based startup companies will

04:54have until June 28, 2024 to submit their proposals.

04:59This is William Thio. Stay informed, get ahead, get the news right here.

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