Maduro, U.S. Prosecutors Propose June 2027 Trial Date in Drug Trafficking Case 
FCC Moves to Ban Imports of Foreign Military-Grade Drones Over Security Risks 
US Military Completes 11th Straight Day of Iran Strikes Amid Strait of Hormuz Security Concerns 
Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Unveils Growth Plan as BOJ Independence Concerns Lift Bond Yields 
FBI Director Kash Patel Plans Russia Visit in October, Report Says 
ASEAN Ministers Warn Middle East Conflict Threatens Regional Stability and Energy Security 
Trump Tightens China Sourcing Rules for U.S. Defense Contractors 
China Conducts Live-Fire Naval Drill Near Japan’s Okinotori Island Amid Joint Operation With Russia 
Trump-Aligned MAGA Inc Builds $400 Million War Chest Ahead of Midterm Elections 
Trump Announces 100% Tariff on Generic Drug Imports Starting in 2028 
Trump Says Netanyahu Will Not Be Arrested During U.S. Visit Amid ICC Dispute 
US, Solomon Islands Deepen Ties as Peace Corps Set to Return After 25 Years 
US-Backed Pediatric HIV Treatment Drops After Foreign Aid Changes, Study Finds 
ASEAN Summit Faces Pressure as U.S.-Iran Conflict, South China Sea Tensions Dominate Agenda 
Saudi Oil Tankers Reverse Course as Houthi Threats Disrupt Red Sea Shipping 
US-Iran Conflict Escalates as Gulf Attacks Threaten Global Oil Supply 
There is less than a month to go before Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. Following his previous announcements unveiling his potential Cabinet picks, Biden announced his nomination of Miguel Cardona for Education Secretary.
Biden announced his plans to nominate Cardona on Tuesday to become his Education Secretary. Should Cardona be confirmed by the Senate, he would be taking the lead in the reopening of most public schools in the first 100 days. Cardona would also become another Latino that Biden brings onto his diverse Cabinet. Currently serving as Connecticut’s education commissioner, Cardona was a public school educator in Meriden, Connecticut for 20 years.
“In Miguel Cardona, America will have an experienced and dedicated public school teacher leading the way at the Department of Education,” said Biden in a statement. The president-elect and vice president-elect Kamala Harris will be formally announcing Cardona’s nomination on Wednesday, December 23 at Wilmington, Delaware.
The nomination earned praise from many as Cardona is not affiliated with any teachers’ unions or is an advocate of school choice. Biden also pledged to reverse the policies that outgoing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has implemented such as stricter rules for investigations of sexual harassment in schools and colleges and looser guidelines that benefit for-profit colleges. The Biden administration will likely be focused on embracing a public school-friendly agenda, according to analysts.
Despite the criticism that Cardona has received from the Connecticut Education Association regarding keeping schools open during the pandemic, the union noted his years of experience as a teacher and administrators have been integral in his appointment as the state’s education commissioner.
Once Biden is sworn into the presidency on January 20, 2021, he will also be taking over the official POTUS Twitter account, but not the followers that the account comes with. The Biden-Harris transition team has slammed the social media platform’s move to wipe out the millions of followers of the White House accounts when it is handed over to the new administration. When Trump and his administration took over the official accounts in 2017, they also inherited the millions of followers from the Obama administration.
