European Leaders Tie Ukraine Territorial Decisions to Strong Security Guarantees 
Italy Supreme Court Upholds Salvini Acquittal in Migrant Kidnapping Case 
Trump Attends Dover Ceremony Honoring U.S. Personnel Killed in Syria 
U.S. House Advances GOP Healthcare Bill as ACA Subsidies Near Expiration 
U.S. Initiates $11.1 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan Amid Rising China Tensions 
Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting Sparks Calls for Stronger Protection of Jewish Community in Australia 
Honduras Election Recount Delayed Amid Protests and Political Tensions 
Lukashenko Urges Swift Ukraine Peace Deal, Backs Trump’s Push for Rapid Resolution 
UN Warns Gaza Humanitarian Aid at Risk as Israel Registration Rules Threaten NGO Operations 
Trump Weighs Reclassifying Marijuana as Schedule III, Potentially Transforming U.S. Cannabis Industry 
Venezuela Seeks UN Security Council Meeting Over U.S. Oil Tanker Blockade 
Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency 
Trump’s Rob Reiner Remarks Spark Bipartisan Outrage After Tragic Deaths 
Trump Taps Former DHS Official Troy Edgar for U.S. Ambassador Role in El Salvador 
European Leaders Launch International Claims Commission to Compensate Ukraine for War Damage 
Republicans Raise National Security Concerns Over Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools 
Union-Aligned Investors Question Amazon, Walmart and Alphabet on Trump Immigration Policies 
US President Joe Biden has announced another set of high-profile nominations for ambassadorial positions this week. JFK’s daughter Caroline Kennedy has been nominated as the US ambassador to Australia.
Biden nominated Caroline Kennedy to Australia ambassador this week, a position that will require a confirmation from the Senate. Ms. Kennedy previously served as the US ambassador to Japan during the Obama administration. It has long been anticipated that Ms. Kennedy would be serving under the Biden administration in a diplomatic post, and she would become one of the dozens of nominees whose confirmations have been put on hold due to two Republican Senators’ ambitions.
Much like her work in Japan, Ms. Kennedy will look to bolster relations between the US and Australia if she is confirmed. The nomination also comes at a time where relations between the US and China are under a lot of strain over several key issues. Back in September, Biden announced a security alliance made between the US, the UK, and Australia in an effort to deter China’s increasing aggression in the region.
Ms. Kennedy was praised by the Japanese government during her tenure in Tokyo when she criticized Beijing over its declaration of an air space in the East China Sea that also covered Japanese-owned islands.
Aside from Ms. Kennedy, Biden has nominated prominent figure skater Michelle Kwan to be the US ambassador to Belize.
In other related news, Biden weighed in on the House’s vote to hold former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt for failing to show up in his deposition to the House committee probing the Capitol insurrection. Meadows initially cooperated and turned over sets of records to the bipartisan panel before walking back his decision to cooperate.
“I don’t know enough – just what I’ve seen, I have not spoken to anyone. It seems to me he’s worthy of being held in contempt,” said Biden.
Biden was also pressed on the House committee’s revelation of text messages to Meadows from members of Congress, including Fox News personalities leading up to the insurrection and on the day itself. The US leader said that he had not seen all of the texts.
