Monday, Jan. 17

• In a speech celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen acknowledged the need to close the racial wealth divide when she said the United States economy “has never worked fairly for Black Americans — or, really, for any American of color.”

Tuesday, Jan. 18

• Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to consult with them on the Russian troop build-up at the Ukrainian border and to “reinforce the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” per a State Department statement.
• The Treasury Department sanctioned three businessmen who are alleged to be “financial facilitators” for the Lebanese militant Shia Islamist group Hezbollah: Adel Diab, Ali Mohamad Daoun and Jihad Salem Alame. The department also sanctioned their travel company, Dar Al Salam for Travel & Tourism.
• The White House launched its website for ordering COVID-19 tests a day ahead of schedule in a move to boost testing capacity amid an omicron-fueled surge in coronavirus infections. The program allows four tests per household, which “will typically ship within 7 to 12 days of ordering,” according to the website.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

• Alongside a number of other judicial nominees, President Joe Biden nominated Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, a Bangladeshi-American civil rights lawyer, to serve on a federal district court in New York. If confirmed by the Senate, she would become the first Muslim-American woman to serve on a federal court in the U.S.
• Blinken commented that Russia is ready to attack Ukraine at “very short notice” and warned that the country is facing an “unprecedented threat” that he pledged to use “relentless” diplomacy to defuse. Biden backed Blinken’s comments, saying that “Russia will be held accountable if it invades – and it depends on what it does.”
• At a news conference ahead of the one-year mark of his presidency, Biden said his administration achieved “enormous progress,” but stressed that he would continue to address challenges including COVID-19 and the rising cost of living.
• The Biden administration announced that it is considering re-designating Yemen’s Houthi rebels as an “international terrorist organization” after the group claimed responsibility for a drone and missile attack on Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates that killed three people.

Thursday, Jan. 20

• The Senate sunk the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act — both part of Biden’s push to defend voting rights — after being faced with Republican and centrist Democrat opposition. “I am profoundly disappointed that the Senate has failed to stand up for our democracy. I am disappointed — but I am not deterred,” Biden said in a statement.
• The CIA determined that the so-called “Havana Syndrome,” a set of symptoms purportedly affecting hundreds of U.S. diplomatic workers across the world which first appeared in Cuba, is not part of a widespread campaign by a foreign power, and is more likely caused by environmental factors, undiagnosed medical conditions or stress, per a New York Times report.
• The Pentagon publicly released drone footage of a botched strike in Kabul that killed 10 innocent people, including seven children, when it mistakenly targeted a man who worked for a U.S. humanitarian organization. The footage was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by the New York Times and was subsequently released by Central Command. Despite acknowledging the tragedy, the Pentagon has said no one will be held accountable for the attack.
• The Supreme Court rejected a request from former President Donald Trump to block White House records including presidential diaries, visitor logs, speech drafts and handwritten notes sought by the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. The court ruled that the documents would not be protected even if Trump were still the president.
• The U.S. sanctioned four Ukrainian nationals, including two lawmakers — Taras Kozak and Oleg Voloshyn — two members of the Ukrainian parliament; and Vladimir Sivkovich and Volodymyr Oliynyk, two former officials, whom it accuses of working on behalf of Russia to “destabilize” Ukraine.
• China and Russia delayed a U.S. effort at the United Nations to sanction five North Koreans in response to recent North Korean missile launches by placing a “hold” on the sanctions ahead of a closed-door UN Security Council meeting on North Korea. The block period can last for up to six months.
• The Justice Department announced charges against Rodolphe Jaar, 49, a dual Haitian-Chilean citizen, the second man it accuses of being involved in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise last year. Jaar was arrested in the U.S., where the Justice Department said some of the conspiracy was formulated.

Friday, Jan. 21

• Biden held a virtual meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first substantial conversation between the two leaders since Kishida became Japan’s prime minister in October. The conversation centered on cooperation in economic and security issues including China, North Korea missile threats and Russian troop build-ups along the border with Ukraine.
• The Justice Department charged Chad Stark, 54, of Texas, with posting an online threat on Craigslist against election officials in Georgia. Stark was arrested by the FBI and is due to appear in federal court on a criminal charge of threatening three Georgia election officials.

Saturday, Jan. 22

• The Transportation Department said, starting Jan. 30 and continuing until March 29, it will suspend 44 flights from the U.S. to China by Xiamen, Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines, as a response to the Chinese government’s decision to suspend some U.S. airlines’ flights due to concerns about COVID-19.
• The Centers for Disease Control released studies showing that booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 90% effective at preventing omicron-related hospitalizations.

Sunday, Jan. 23

• The State Department ordered the families of all American staff at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine to leave the country as tensions with Russia ramp up. It also said non-essential embassy staff could leave Ukraine at government expense and that all Americans should consider departing immediately.
• Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley said the U.S. is unlikely to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement unless Iran releases four U.S. citizens that the federal government claims it is holding hostage.