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Somaliland President Meets Eric Trump and Israeli President at Davos to Seek Recognition and Investment 
Trump Pushes Back on 401(k) Homebuyer Plan Amid Housing Affordability Debate 
U.S. Steps Aside as Syria Reclaims SDF-Held Territory in Power Shift 
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Stall as Energy Crisis Deepens 
California Sues Trump Administration Over Federal Authority on Sable Offshore Pipelines 
U.S. Lawmakers Demand Scrutiny of TikTok-ByteDance Deal Amid National Security Concerns 
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok Meets U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Advance Trade and Security Talks 
Trump Explains Bruised Hand, Cites High Aspirin Intake During Davos Trip 
Taiwan President Offers Cooperation With Ukraine to Combat Sanctions Evasion 
NATO, Trump, and Arctic Security: Greenland Talks Highlight Rising Russia-China Concerns 
U.N. Human Rights Council Condemns Iran Over Deadly Crackdown on Protests 
U.S. Backs Iraq’s Move to Detain ISIS Fighters, Urges Global Repatriation 
Trump Withdraws Canada Invitation to Board of Peace Initiative 
New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District 
Japan Snap Election Sparks Bond Yield Surge as Parties Clash Over Fiscal and Monetary Policy 
NATO Chief Says Greenland Sovereignty Not Discussed as Trump Backs Off Tariff and Force Threats 
Following the confirmations of his Cabinet members, President Joe Biden is now making more nominations on the other levels of the government. Biden recently announced his first lineup of nominees for the federal courts.
Biden announced his first set of nominations for the courts this week made up of 11 candidates. The most notable name on the list is DC District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson - whom Biden is nominating for the US Court of Appeals in the DC Circuit. Jackson is also speculated to be Biden’s potential nominee for the Supreme Court.
Two more of Biden’s federal appeals court nominees are Tiffany Cunningham of the firm Perkins Coie LLP and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi of Zuckerman Spader. Both women are nominated for the US Court of Appeals in the Seventh Circuit and all three federal appeals court nominations are African-American women.
The lineup also gives insight on Biden’s plans to shape the judicial branch following his pledge during his 2020 campaign to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court if presented by the chance. The nominations also present a challenge for the Senate Democrats who hold a very slim majority in the upper chamber leaving hardly any room for error.
Other nominations, according to the White House, are also presenting as history-makers as included in the lineup, if confirmed, would become the first Muslim American federal judge, the first AAPI woman to serve in the District Court for DC, and the first woman of color to serve as a federal judge for Maryland.
“This trailblazing slate of nominees draws from the very best and brightest minds of the American legal profession,” said Biden in a statement. “Each is deeply qualified and prepared to deliver justice faithfully under our Constitution and impartially to the American people -- and together they represent the broad diversity of background, experience, and perspective that makes our nation strong.”
On Wednesday this week, Biden is also set to unveil his $2 trillion infrastructure plan that would span eight years. Called the “American Jobs Plan,” will have money for plans for roads, power grids, as well as funds for clearing up abandoned mines - a nod to lawmakers from coal states whose support is important for its passage.
