Republicans Raise National Security Concerns Over Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools 
Venezuela Seeks UN Security Council Meeting Over U.S. Oil Tanker Blockade 
Fernando Haddad Confirms He Will Not Run for Office in 2025, Signals Possible Exit as Brazil’s Finance Minister 
Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency 
U.S.-Russia Talks in Miami Raise Hopes for Potential Ukraine War Deal 
Honduras Election Recount Delayed Amid Protests and Political Tensions 
U.S. House Advances GOP Healthcare Bill as ACA Subsidies Near Expiration 
Federal Appeals Court Allows Trump’s National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C. to Continue 
EU Delays Mercosur Free Trade Agreement Signing Amid Ukraine War Funding Talks 
Union-Aligned Investors Question Amazon, Walmart and Alphabet on Trump Immigration Policies 
Trump Signals Progress in Ukraine Peace Talks Ahead of U.S.–Russia Meeting 
Italy Supreme Court Upholds Salvini Acquittal in Migrant Kidnapping Case 
Putin Signals Possible Peace or Continued War in Ukraine at Major Year-End Address 
U.S. Senators Move Toward Deal to Strengthen Military Helicopter Safety Rules 
Trump Attends Dover Ceremony Honoring U.S. Personnel Killed in Syria 
Trump Announces $1,776 Cash Bonus for U.S. Military Personnel Ahead of Christmas 
Barham Salih Elected as Next UN High Commissioner for Refugees 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is currently in the midst of sexual harassment allegations made against him resulting in calls for him to step down. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently touched on the allegations against Cuomo again when she said that the accusers must be taken seriously.
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” over the weekend, Pelosi said that the women who came forward to reveal the misconduct inflicted on them should be taken seriously and that they must be treated with respect. However, Pelosi did not echo the calls by Congressional Democrats in New York to get Cuomo to resign from his post as the state’s governor.
Pelosi also added that Cuomo must reflect to see if he can still govern effectively. Pelosi also expressed confidence in New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is overseeing an independent investigation on the allegations.
“What I said at the time these revelations came forward, I said what these women have said must be treated with respect. They are credible and serious charges, and then I called for an investigation. I have confidence in the attorney general of New York,” said the House Speaker. “Again, with all respect in the world for what these women have come forward and said.”
Cuomo is facing several allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate advances. The New York Governor is also facing calls for impeachment following the New York State Assembly gave the go-ahead to the state judiciary committee to start the probe this week. Cuomo apologized for making the accused uncomfortable but has insisted that he never touched anyone inappropriately.
In other news, Pelosi also pledged that Congress will begin work on drafting a “fiscally sound” job and infrastructure package. However, the House Speaker noted that she is not sure if the next major item on President Joe Biden’s agenda would gain support from their Republican counterparts in Congress. This follows the successful passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which went through both the House and the Senate on party lines without any Republican support.
“Building roads and bridges and water supply systems and the rest has always been bipartisan, always been bipartisan, except when they oppose it with a Democratic president as they did under President Obama, and we had to shrink the package,” said the House Speaker.
