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Nicola Sturgeon's major reshuffle of her government has continued with nine new junior ministers being selected.

The first minister announced sweeping changes to her cabinet on Tuesday, with Shona Robison and Keith Brown among the biggest names leaving the top team.

Changes continued on Wednesday with the new junior ministers which included seven first elected in 2016.

All new ministerial appointments will be subject to a vote of parliament on Thursday afternoon.

Tuesday's cabinet reshuffle saw five new cabinet secretaries join Ms Sturgeon's top team, which expanded from 10 secretaries to 12.

Among the major moves, Jeane Freeman replaced Ms Robison as health secretary, Mike Russell rejoined the cabinet as constitutional relations secretary and Humza Yousaf was promoted to the justice brief.

Three junior ministers also returned to the backbenches on Tuesday as Ms Sturgeon looked to bring "fresh talent" into her government.

Five other junior ministers were kept on - Joe Fitzpatrick, Kevin Stewart, Paul Wheelhouse, Jamie Hepburn and Maree Todd - but the other nine announced on Wednesday are all new, many of them from the 2016 intake of MSPs.

Who is new?
• Kate Forbes takes on the public finance brief
• Gillian Martin is minister for further and higher education
• Ivan McKee will work on trade and investment
• Mairi Gougeon takes on the rural affairs junior brief
• Ben Macpherson is minister for Europe, migration and international development
• and Graeme Dey is overseeing the veterans brief

Ms Sturgeon said: "The ministerial team represents constituencies the length and breadth of Scotland, coming with a range of professional backgrounds and bringing a breadth of real life experience to their roles.

"For instance, Claire Haughey brings her extensive background as a mental health nurse to the mental health portfolio, Kate Forbes will bring her finance background to bear in her brief, Gillian Martin has long experience in further education as a college lecturer, and Ivan McKee brings the expertise he has acquired from a highly successful career in business to the role of trade and innovation minister.

"All of the new ministers I have appointed today, have already proven themselves as effective parliamentarians - and I know that they will do likewise in ministerial office." </s> Image caption Nicola Sturgeon met her new junior ministers at Bute House

Nicola Sturgeon's major reshuffle of her government has continued with nine new junior ministers being selected.

The first minister announced sweeping changes to her cabinet on Tuesday, with Shona Robison and Keith Brown among the biggest names leaving the top team.

Changes continued on Wednesday with the new junior ministers which included seven first elected in 2016.

All new ministerial appointments will be subject to a vote of parliament on Thursday afternoon.

Tuesday's cabinet reshuffle saw five new cabinet secretaries join Ms Sturgeon's top team, which expanded from 10 secretaries to 12.

Among the major moves, Jeane Freeman replaced Ms Robison as health secretary, Mike Russell rejoined the cabinet as constitutional relations secretary and Humza Yousaf was promoted to the justice brief.

Three junior ministers also returned to the backbenches on Tuesday as Ms Sturgeon looked to bring "fresh talent" into her government.

Five other junior ministers were kept on - Joe Fitzpatrick, Kevin Stewart, Paul Wheelhouse, Jamie Hepburn and Maree Todd - but the other nine announced on Wednesday are all new, many of them from the 2016 intake of MSPs.

Who is new?

Kate Forbes takes on the public finance brief

Gillian Martin is minister for further and higher education

Clare Haughey is mental health minster

Ivan McKee will work on trade and investment

Ash Denham becomes minister for community safety

Mairi Gougeon takes on the rural affairs junior brief

Ben Macpherson is minister for Europe, migration and international development

Christina McKelvie takes on the older people portfolio

and Graeme Dey is overseeing the veterans brief

Image caption Ms Surgeon said the new ministers were all "effective" MSPs

Ms Sturgeon said: "The ministerial team represents constituencies the length and breadth of Scotland, coming with a range of professional backgrounds and bringing a breadth of real life experience to their roles.

"For instance, Claire Haughey brings her extensive background as a mental health nurse to the mental health portfolio, Kate Forbes will bring her finance background to bear in her brief, Gillian Martin has long experience in further education as a college lecturer, and Ivan McKee brings the expertise he has acquired from a highly successful career in business to the role of trade and innovation minister.

"All of the new ministers I have appointed today, have already proven themselves as effective parliamentarians - and I know that they will do likewise in ministerial office."

The government is the largest in Holyrood's history, with more cabinet members and junior ministers than ever before.

The Scottish Conservatives said it was "harder to avoid a ministerial brief than to land one" in Ms Sturgeon's government.

Deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: "The few who've been left out must wonder what on earth they've done wrong." </s> Nicola Sturgeon today promoted a raft of new talent to government positions as she completed the most dramatic reshuffle of the SNP’s time in power.

The First Minister appointed nine new junior ministers in a bid to reinvigorate the nationalists after 11 years in government.

The wide-ranging changes completed a reshuffle which had already seen five new cabinet secretaries appointed on Tuesday.

The new junior ministers come largely from the SNP’s 2016 intake of new MSPs, many of whom first came to prominence as independence campaigners in the run-up to the 2014 referendum.

The fresh faces include Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes , who at 28 is one of the youngest government ministers in the history of devolution.

Sturgeon took advantage of the new ministers’ previous experience before coming into politics when selecting the roles.

Cambridge graduate Forbes is a trained accountant and was made Minister for Public Finances and Digital Economy. She previously sat on the SNP Growth Commission , which made a new economic case for independence.

Meanwhile, former mental health nurse Clare Haughey was made Minister for Mental Health and former college lecturer Gillian Martin was made Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science.

Ivan McKee, the new Trade and Innovation Minister, had wide-ranging business experience before entering politics.

Sturgeon said: “The new ministers I am announcing today bring a range of fresh talent to the Scottish Government, ensuring that we are equipped to deal with the challenges and maximise the opportunities facing the people of Scotland.

“The ministerial team represents constituencies the length and breadth of Scotland, coming with a range of professional backgrounds and bringing a breadth of real life experience to their roles.

“For instance, Claire Haughey brings her extensive background as a mental health nurse to the mental health portfolio, Kate Forbes will bring her finance background to bear in her brief, Gillian Martin has long experience in further education as a college lecturer, and Ivan McKee brings the expertise he has acquired from a highly successful career in business to the role of Trade and Innovation Minister.

“All of the new ministers I have appointed today, have already proven themselves as effective parliamentarians – and I know that they will do likewise in Ministerial office.”

Other fresh faces include Angus North MSP Mairi Gougeon, who was appointed Rural Affairs Minister, Edinburgh Eastern MSP Ash Denham, the new Community Safety Minister, and Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson, who was made Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development.

Meanwhile, more experienced MSPs Christina McKelvie and Graeme Dey were also promoted to junior minister positions.

McKelvie is Minister for Older People and Equalities, while Dey will become the new Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans.

Five MSPs also remain in junior minister positions.

Joe FitzPatrick is to become Minister for Public Health, while Jamie Hepburn takes on a new, expanded role of Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills and Paul Wheelhouse becomes Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands.

Maree Todd continues as Childcare Minister, as does Kevin Stewart in the housing brief.

Sturgeon appointed Jeane Freeman, a former adviser to Labour first minister Jack McConnell, to take on the high profile Health Secretary post on Tuesday, after Shona Robison quit the job.

Former Social Security Secretary Angela Constance also left the cabinet along with former Economy Secretary Keith Brown.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney today claimed Brown’s sacking was an attempt to prepare the party for a possible snap Westminster election later this year.

Brown, who was elected SNP deputy leader earlier this month, will be in charge of party campaigns.

The SNP is priming itself for “the possibility of an early election in the autumn for which the party has to be ready, and also to make sure the party is advancing the arguments around independence,” Swinney said.

New Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf became the first ethnic minority cabinet secretary in Scottish history. </s> Jean-Yves Le Drian will become foreign minister in French president's new government; defense minister is Sylvie Goulard. </s> Belgium's far-right New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party quit Prime Minister Charles Michel's coalition government over his decision to sign a U.N. accord on migration, Interior Minister and N-VA member Jan Jambon said Sunday.

The decision will leave Michel as head of a minority government.

Belgian media reported that Michel was reshuffling his cabinet to replace three ministers from the N-VA who have resigned.

Minister for Health and Social Affairs Maggie de Block will inherit the asylum and migration portfolio, a post she had previously held, according to the VRT broadcaster. Vice premier Alexander De Croo is to take over as finance minister from Johan Van Overtveldt.

Secretary of State Peter de Crem will be promoted to interior minister, taking over from Jan Jambon, while Denis Ducarme, whose portfolio includes agriculture, is to become defence minister, according to VRT.

Michel was meeting on Sunday with King Philippe, who has accepted the resignation of the three ministers. </s> Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled a major reshuffle of her Scottish Government cabinet which has seen Keith Brown step down as Economy Secretary and a new Business minister unveiled

Former Business, Energy and Innovation Minister Paul Wheelhouse will take on a new role as Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands.

The Scottish Government said the role will combine Mr Wheelhouse's existing support for Scotland's energy industry with the delivery of 100 per cent super fast broadband across Scotland as well as the implementation of the Islands bill.

He will report to new Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Secretary Michael Matheson.

Jamie Hepburn will take on the new role of Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills - combining the post of Business Minister with his previous responsibility for employment and skills.

He will report jointly to the Education Secretary and the Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work.

Meanwhile Shona Robison handed in her resignation as health secretary, to be replaced by Jeane Freeman.

Angela Constance has also quit as Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities.

Mike Russell rejoining the cabinet as constitutional relations secretary and Humza Yousaf taking on the justice brief after swapping jobs with Michael Matheson who is now transport secretary.

Derek Mackay's finance portfolio has been expanded, but John Swinney remains education secretary, while Fergus Ewing, Fiona Hyslop and Roseanna Cunningham have retained their jobs in rural affairs, culture and the economy.

In all there are five new cabinet secretaries in the First Minister's cabinet team, which has expanded from 10 to 12, which remains gender balanced.

This expanded cabinet also sees Shirley-Anne Somerville in the newly elevated post of social security secretary and Aileen Campbell as communities and local government secretary.

After six years as Minister for Parliamentary Business, Joe FitzPatrick will become Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, taking forward the Government's actions to tackle obesity.

Kevin Stewart will remain in post as Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning and has been tasked by the First Minister with implementing the Homelessness Taskforce recommendations.

Maree Todd, who was appointed Minister for Children and Young People in October last year, will remain in her post focused on delivering the Government's childcare ambitions.

Commenting on the Scottish Government reshuffle, FSB’s external affairs manager for Scotland Stuart Mackinnon said: “Every Scottish Government Minister must do what they can to charge local economies and help smaller firms thrive.

"But FSB looks forward to working especially closely with Jamie Hepburn and Derek Mackay in their expanded roles. We’re also pleased to see new portfolios charged with developing trade and the digital economy.” </s> Minister of National Defence Gabriel Les on Wednesday and Thursday will participate in Helsinki, Finland, in the informal meeting of defence ministers from the EU member states, reads a press release of the MApN (Ministry of National Defence).

According to this source, the meeting will be chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, with General Secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, to participate.

The programme includes a series of working sessions to debate on maritime coordination, artificial intelligence and new technologies, as well as the impact of climate changes and the surrounding environment on security and defence.

A common session with the foreign affairs ministers will be held on Thursday afternoon, to focus topical issues in the hybrid threats field, specified the same source. </s> " Albania's prime minister has replaced four Cabinet ministers who he says stepped down to devote their time to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election. Edi Rama said after a meeting of his Socialist Party's leadership Monday that Fatmir Xhafaj would be the new interior minister, Ogerta Manastirliu the new health minister, Olta Xhacka the social wellbeing minister and Eduard Shalsi the state minister for local affairs.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The New Zealand Herald. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption Giuseppe Conte (L) presented a new list of ministers to President Sergio Mattarella

A coalition government has been agreed in Italy, ending months of uncertainty in the EU's fourth-biggest economy.

Prime Minister-designate Giuseppe Conte presented his list of ministers to President Sergio Mattarella for the second time in a week and the new government will be sworn in on Friday.

Ministers are drawn from both the anti-establishment Five Star (M5S) and the right-wing League.

Attempts to form a technocratic government had failed.

Mr Mattarella rejected Mr Conte's original choice for economy minister but a different candidate was agreed on Thursday.

Conflict with EU not over

Analysis by BBC's James Reynolds in Rome

Four days of political and constitutional crisis are over. And a new populist government - led by law professor Giuseppe Conte - will now be sworn in.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Aiming to rule: The Five Star Movement's Luigi Di Maio (left) and the League's Matteo Salvini

In the end, the populist parties decided to back down and accept the president's veto of their original choice of a eurosceptic economy minister.

Their newly chosen minister, Giovanni Tria, is in favour of Italy's continued membership of the single currency.

But the populists' conflict with the EU is not entirely over. The M5S and the League have promised both new welfare spending and also tax cuts - which may run into conflict with the EU's spending rules.

League leader Matteo Salvini will be the interior minister. He has promised a tough new policy on migration, which may provoke arguments within Europe.

What deal was reached?

After meeting President Mattarella, Mr Conte confirmed reports that the new candidate for the key economy minister post would be economics professor Giovanni Tria.

M5S leader Luigi Di Maio and Mr Salvini said in a brief joint statement: "All the conditions have been met for a M5S-League government."

Image copyright EPA Image caption Paolo Savona will enter government after all - but not as economy minister

Other notable appointments to the new cabinet include:

Interior and Deputy Prime Minister: Matteo Salvini (League)

Industry and Deputy Prime Minister: Luigi Di Maio (M5S)

Foreign: Enzo Moavero Milanesi (independent, ex-European Affairs minister)

Defence: Elisabetta Trenta (M5S)

European affairs: Paolo Savona (independent), the controversial original choice for finance

"We will work intensely to realise our political objectives which we have already put together in our government contract," Mr Conte was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.

The new government is expected to be sworn in later on Friday.

After the ceremony, it will face confidence votes in both chambers of parliament, where the M5S and the League have a majority.

Italy is no stranger to political turmoil - it has had 64 governments since World War Two.

Mr Conte is taking over from Paolo Gentiloni, who led a coalition cabinet for two years.

How did we get here?

4 March: 5-Star wins 32% of the vote in the general election, with the League taking 18%.

The two populist parties eventually attempt to form a coalition, putting forward Mr Conte, a political novice, as prime minister.

28 May: Mr Conte presents his cabinet list to President Mattarella who vetoes the choice of Mr Savona as finance minister on the grounds that he is a eurosceptic. Mr Conte bows out. Both parties are furious and Mr Di Maio calls on parliament to impeach Mr Mattarella. The president asks ex-IMF economist Carlo Cottarelli to form a technocratic government until fresh elections can be held.

Image copyright EPA Image caption Carlo Cottarelli (left) was President Sergio Mattarella's choice for interim PM

30 May: Mr Cottarelli appears to suspend his own efforts to form an interim administration as Five Star and the League engage in new talks.

31 May: Mr Conte returns to the president with a new cabinet list, which is accepted.
New ministers of defence, finance, interior, health, environment and foreign affairs, amongst others, are appointed.