Canada Vows Trade Fight as Trump Imposes 50% Tariffs 
Appeals Court Rejects Trump Bid to Reinstate $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee 
Trump Administration Monitors OpenAI Incident as Lawmakers Push AI Kill Switch Bill 
US Military Completes 13th Straight Night of Iran Strikes as Trump Warns of Further Action 
Trump Administration Opens Civil Rights Probes Into Five U.S. Medical Schools Over Admissions 
Global Leaders Push Back as Trump Imposes New Forced Labor Tariffs 
Canada Opens Gordie Howe Bridge Without U.S. Officials as Trump Tariff Tensions Persist 
Trump Orders Warning Signs Outside Smithsonian Museum Over ‘Anti-American’ Exhibits 
Trump Says No Decision on Major Iran Strikes as U.S.-Tehran Talks Intensify 
Trump Threatens Iran With 'Major Military Punishment' as Red Sea Attacks Push Oil Above $100 
Trump Praises Nigeria’s Tinubu, Signaling Stronger U.S.-Nigeria Security Ties 
Trump Orders Section 301 Probe Into EU Tech Fines, Signals New Tariffs 
Arizona Primaries Set High-Stakes Governor and House Battles Ahead of Midterm Elections 
ASEAN Forum Puts Middle East Conflict, South China Sea Tensions in Spotlight 
UN Reappoints Volker Turk as Human Rights Chief Despite U.S., Russia, Israel Opposition 
Russian Bomb Strikes Hit Zaporizhzhia, Sloviansk, Injuring Dozens in Eastern Ukraine 
US President Joe Biden has released a new lineup of nominations, including those for ambassadorial posts. In the latest lineup, Biden has nominated a former ambassador to Romania to serve as the US Ambassador to the European Union.
In the latest slate of nominations, Biden tapped Mark Gitenstein, who served as the US Ambassador to Romania from 2009 to 2012, to be the US Ambassador to the EU. The position is currently being held by Charge d’Affaires Kelly Adams-Smith, who replaced Mark Libby. The last US ambassador to the EU was Gordon Sondland, appointed by Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump.
The nomination of Gitenstein was welcomed by European Council President Charles Michel on social media.
“I welcome nomination of @POTUS of Mark Gitenstein to become US Representative to the EU. We have a big transatlantic and global agenda to take forward. We need all hands on deck and I look forward to working with him when confirmed,” tweeted Michel.
Aside from Gitenstein, Biden has nominated Patricia Mahoney for US Ambassador to the Central African Republic, former US ambassador to Uruguay Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon for US Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Peter Hendrick Vrooman for US Ambassador to Mozambique, and Laura S. Holgate to serve as US Ambassador to the Vienna office of the United Nations and as the US Representative for the International Atomic Energy Agency. All of whom require a confirmation from the Senate.
Meanwhile, Biden will be meeting with Cuban-American leaders Friday to discuss the recent social unrest happening in Cuba as of late. The discussions also include possible sanctions on the Cuban government and options to provide internet access to the Cuban people.
The upcoming meeting at the White House follows three weeks after the protests in Cuba -- seeing record numbers of citizens express frustration with its government. This included the shortage of food and medical supplies, power outages, the economic crisis, and government policies. The pandemic had only worsened the shortage of goods in the country.
A Biden administration official told the Associated Press that among the leaders Biden will be meeting with is Yotuel Romero, who co-wrote the song “Patria y Vida!” that has become a kind of anthem for the ongoing protests.
