Tunisia Protests Grow as Opposition Unites Against President Kais Saied’s Rule 
Zelenskiy Signals Willingness to Drop NATO Bid as Ukraine, U.S. Hold Crucial Peace Talks in Berlin 
Thailand Vows Continued Military Action Amid Cambodia Border Clash Despite Trump Ceasefire Claim 
Judge Orders Return of Seized Evidence in Comey-Related Case, DOJ May Seek New Warrant 
Supporters Gather Ahead of Verdict in Jimmy Lai’s Landmark Hong Kong National Security Trial 
International Stabilization Force for Gaza Nears Deployment as U.S.-Led Planning Advances 
Russian Drone Attack Hits Turkish Cargo Ship Carrying Sunflower Oil to Egypt, Ukraine Says 
Global Leaders Condemn Deadly Antisemitic Shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach During Hanukkah 
Bolivia Orders Pre-Trial Detention of Former President Luis Arce Over Embezzlement Probe 
Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Targets Senior Hamas Commander Amid Ceasefire Tensions 
Special Prosecutor Alleges Yoon Suk Yeol Sought North Korea Provocation to Justify Martial Law 
U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Amid Shift in Brazil Relations 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
California, 18 States Sue to Block Trump’s $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee 
U.S. Soldiers Killed in ISIS Attack in Palmyra, Syria During Counterterrorism Mission 
Belarus Frees 123 Political Prisoners in U.S.-Brokered Deal Over Sanctions 
Colombia’s Clan del Golfo Peace Talks Signal Mandatory Prison Sentences for Top Leaders 
Under Joe Biden’s administration, several ambassadorial posts have yet to be filled out with dozens of nominations yet to be confirmed. This week, progressive Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Biden’s nomination of former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel for the US ambassador to Japan.
The New York Democrat, also popularly known as AOC, released a statement criticizing Biden’s nomination of Emanuel for the ambassadorial post citing Emanuel’s record during his tenure as Chicago mayor. AOC also urged the Senate to vote against Emanuel’s confirmation, saying that his nomination is “deeply shameful.”
“As mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel helped cover up the murder of Laquan McDonald -- a mere teenager when he was shot 16 times in the back by a Chicago police officer. This alone should be flatly disqualifying for any position of public trust, let alone representing the United States as an ambassador,” AOC said in the statement.
“That the Biden administration seeks to reward Emanuel with an ambassadorship is an embarrassment and betrayal of the values we seek to uphold both within our nation and around the world,” added the New York congresswoman.
Emanuel was already known for being a controversial politician, especially among progressives despite having served as President Barack Obama’s White House chief of staff. Earlier this year, progressive advocates and civil rights groups have lobbied the Biden administration not to consider Emanuel for any diplomatic post.
AOC and other fellow progressive democrats have also called on Biden to replace the current chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, who was appointed by Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump. The group added that the Biden administration should conduct an overhaul of the US central bank that would put some focus on climate risks as well as tackling racial and economic justice.
While they acknowledged that Powell prioritized the goal of full employment and his quick response to the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic, they said that not much action was taken regarding mitigating climate change.
The Biden White House has yet to announce whether Powell, whose term expires in February 2022, will be reappointed for the post. However, it would not be unusual for Biden to do so as part of a change in the administration.
