Monday, Jan. 18

á           The United States Capitol complex in Washington, D.C., temporarily went under lockdown when a fire was set off under a highway nearby, upending a rehearsal for the inauguration of President Joe Biden. The National Guard later found out the fire was from a propane tank explosion near a homeless camp.

Tuesday, Jan. 19

á           Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said President Donald Trump ÒprovokedÓ the rioters who broke into the Capitol earlier this month, explaining that Trump and other powerful people Òtried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government which they did not like.Ó

á           The Justice Department concluded its investigation into Sen. Richard BurrÕs (R-NC) alleged insider trading without pursuing criminal charges. Burr was one of many lawmakers who made suspicious trade deals after receiving closed-door briefings on the pandemic in early 2020.

á           House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in an MSNBC interview that Trump could be an accessory to murder following the deadly riots at the Capitol Òbecause he instigated that insurrection that caused those deaths and this destruction.Ó

á           On the eve of his inauguration, Biden spoke at a vigil at the Lincoln Memorial in honor of the victims of the coronavirus pandemic. ÒTo heal, we must remember,Ó Biden said. ÒItÕs hard sometimes to remember, but thatÕs how we heal.Ó

á           Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump administration determined China has committed Ògenocide and crimes against humanityÓ in its repression of Uighur Muslims in the western region of Xinjiang.

á           The Treasury Department sanctioned oil-trading firms, individuals and vessels that helped Venezuelan state-run oil company Petroleos de Venezuela break U.S. sanctions by selling crude oil to Asia and, to a lesser extent, other regions of the world.

á           Trump pardoned 73 people, including former aide and strategist Steve Bannon, former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and rapper Lil Wayne, and commuted sentences for 70 more.

á           TrumpÕs Bureau of Land Management issued drilling leases on more than 400,000 acres of AlaskaÕs Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a habitat for polar bears and caribou. This may be reversed under the new administration because Biden has vowed to protect the refugeÕs 19.6 million acres and to ban new oil and gas leasing on federal lands.

Wednesday, Jan. 20

á           Inauguration day. Biden was sworn in as the 46th U.S. president at a scaled-back, socially distanced ceremony. ÒWe must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts,Ó Biden said in a 21-minute address. Trump left early in the day before the event, departing from the White House for Florida.

á           The Senate confirmed BidenÕs pick for national intelligence director Avril Haines, making her BidenÕs first cabinet-level official confirmed by the Senate.

á           Democrats regained control of the Senate after Vice President Kamala Harris swore in Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) became majority leader as well.

á           The Biden administration named its roster of acting cabinet secretaries and agency heads until the Senate confirms BidenÕs nominees.

á           Biden signed a number of executive orders, many reversing Trump-era policies, including a ban on workplace discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, protections against deportation for Liberian immigrants, action to rejoin the World Health Organization, a reversal of TrumpÕs ÒMuslim ban,Ó the establishment of a COVID-19 response office, a freeze on student loan collection, a ban on senior advisors taking corporate bonuses, the cancellation of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline and the termination of TrumpÕs conservative history-promoting 1776 Commission.

á           The Biden administration took action to rejoin the Paris climate accord and to halt leasing on drilling in the Arctic.

á           At his Senate confirmation hearing, incoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he would not reverse the Trump administrationÕs controversial decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem — which has been viewed as implicit support for IsraelÕs illegal encroachment into and occupation of Palestinian land — and backed the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

á           China imposed sanctions on 28 U.S. individuals, including some from the Trump administration like Pompeo, trade advisor Peter Navarro, national security advisor Robert OÕBrien, assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs David Stilwell, health secretary Alex Azar and UN envoy Kelly Craft, over Òcrazy actions that have gravely interfered in ChinaÕs internal affairs.Ó

Thursday, Jan. 21

á           Two Florida men, including Joseph Biggs, an organizer for the far-right extremist group the Proud Boys, were arrested on charges of taking part in the riot at the Capitol.

á           Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, highlighted the urgency of inoculating everyone with the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible by warning that new variants of the coronavirus may make vaccines less effective against the disease.

á           Both the House and Senate signed off on a waiver allowing retired Army general Lloyd Austin, BidenÕs nomination for defense secretary, to take the cabinet position.

á           A group of Senate Democrats filed an ethics complaint against Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) due to their Jan. 6 efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. ÒBy proceeding with their objections to the electors after the violent attack, Senators Cruz and Hawley lent legitimacy to the mobÕs cause and made future violence more likely,Ó the senators wrote in a letter to the Senate Ethics panel.

á           Biden unveiled his Òwartime undertakingÓ to address the pandemic, a science-backed federal plan called the National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. He warned of difficult days ahead as the coronavirus death toll in the country is on track to reach 500,000 in February.

Friday, Jan. 22

á           Schumer agreed to a two-week delay of TrumpÕs impeachment trial in the Senate to allow time to focus instead on confirming BidenÕs cabinet picks and coronavirus relief package, although Mitch McConnell originally requested the delay to give Trump time to prepare his legal defense. The trial is set to officially begin the week of Feb. 8.

á           The Biden administration announced it is bumping up aid payments for low-income households with children by 15% as part of a series of actions to get more government assistance out to the needy while the pandemic continues.

á           Fauci confirmed he believes the Trump administrationÕs dishonesty and habitual breaks with scientific guidance in its pandemic response Òvery likely didÓ cost lives. ÒWhen you start talking about things that make no sense medically and no sense scientifically, that clearly is not helpful,Ó Fauci said.

á           Biden asked the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to conduct a Òcomprehensive threat assessmentÓ of domestic extremism following the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, to be coordinated with the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.

á           Biden signed two executive orders to increase food aid, protect the unemployed and give federal workers and contractors a $15 hourly minimum wage. ÒThe crisis is only deepening. It is not getting better,Ó Biden said.

á           The Senate confirmed Lloyd Austin as defense secretary.

á           The White House directed law enforcement and intelligence officials to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the threat of violent ideologies in the country. ÒWe want fact-based analysis, upon which we can shape policy,Ó White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

á           Texas filed a lawsuit seeking to block BidenÕs pause on certain deportations for 100 days, claiming the state would face Òirreparable harmÓ if the order went into effect and Ò[f]ailure to properly enforce the law will directly and immediately endanger our citizens and law enforcement personnel.Ó Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have already vowed not to follow the order.

Saturday, Jan. 23

á           National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan promised his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat that the U.S. Òwill closely consult with Israel on all matters of regional security.Ó

Sunday, Jan. 24

á           Politico reported that as many as 5,000 National Guard troops will remain in Washington through mid-March for Òsecurity concernsÓ over TrumpÕs upcoming Senate impeachment trial.

á           Former White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx revealed Òoutside advisorsÓ likely brought Trump parallel sets of data on the COVID-19 pandemic, which he would use in lieu of BirxÕs. ÒI saw the president presenting graphs that I never made,Ó Birx explained.