Monday, April 4
- President Joe Biden doubled down on his condemnation
of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a Òwar criminal.Ó Biden said that a
Òwar crimes trialÓ could be held and that he is seeking additional
sanctions against Russia in light of reports of massacres in the Ukrainian
city of Bucha.
- United States federal agents, in collaboration with
SpainÕs Civil Guard, seized a mega-yacht in the port of Palma de Mallorca,
Spain, that is owned by an oligarch with close ties to Putin. The Justice
Department alleged the vessel Òwas subject to forfeiture based on
violation of U.S. bank fraud, money laundering, and sanction statutes.Ó
This is the first action taken in an initiative to enforce U.S. government
sanctions against Russia by seizing and freezing expensive assets of
Russian elites.
- Missouri, Arizona and Louisiana sued the Biden
administration over its plans to lift Title 42, a border policy that has
led to the expulsion of the overwhelming majority of people trying to file
asylum claims in the U.S. during the pandemic. The states argue that
ending the restriction would result in an Òunprecedented crisis at the
United States southern border.Ó
- National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan warned of a
ÒprotractedÓ conflict in Ukraine as Russia is expected to focus on the
broader eastern and southern regions of the country as a way to Òencompass
more significantly more territory than Russian proxies already controlledÓ
prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Tuesday, April 5
á
Former President Barack Obama returned to the
White House — his first time since handing over the presidency to Donald
Trump in 2017 — to mark the 12th anniversary of the passage of the
Affordable Care Act, which he called the Òhigh point of my time here.Ó
á
Enrique Tarrio, a
former leader of the right-wing group the Proud Boys, pleaded not guilty to
criminal charges of conspiring to block Congress from certifying BidenÕs 2020
election victory in advance of last yearÕs attack on the Capitol.
á
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
opened an investigation into electric and hybrid vehicle batteries after
General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Stellantis
and Volkswagen issued recalls due to possible defects that could cause fires or
stalling in more than 138,000 vehicles that use batteries made by the South
Korean company, LG Energy Solution.
á
The Treasury Department blocked bond payments
from Russian accounts at U.S. banks, complicating Russian attempts to meet debt
obligations amid the sanctions imposed after it invaded Ukraine.
á
The defense alliance known as AUKUS, which is
made up of Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S., agreed to cooperate on
initiatives to research and develop hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare
capabilities. ÒThese initiatives will add to our existing efforts to deepen
cooperation on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum
technologies, and additional undersea capabilities,Ó a statement explained.
- TrumpÕs eldest daughter Ivanka
Trump testified before the congressional committee investigating the Jan.
6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, answering questions for about eight hours.
Wednesday, April
6
- The State Department approved the potential sale to
Taiwan of $95 million worth of equipment, training and other services to
support the island nationÕs defense systems. ÒThe proposed sale will help
sustain TaiwanÕs missile density and ensure readiness for air operations.
The recipient will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats
and to strengthen homeland defense,Ó the department said in a statement.
- The U.S. released a new round of sanctions against
Russia including a ban on American investments in Russia, penalties on
family members of Putin and other top Russian officials and tightened
restrictions on Sberbank, RussiaÕs largest financial
institution.
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen
warned that RussiaÕs acts in Ukraine and Eastern Europe in general will
have Òenormous economic repercussions in Ukraine and beyond,Ó adding that
Biden wants Russia expelled from the Group of 20, a major intergovernmental
economies forum.
- The House voted 220 to 203 to hold Peter Navarro and
Dan Scavino, two former advisors to Trump, in
criminal contempt of Congress for their refusal to comply with demands
from the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.
Thursday, April
7
- The Senate confirmed Ketanji
Brown JacksonÕs nomination to the Supreme Court on a 53-47 vote, making
her the first Black woman in the nationÕs history to serve on the U.S.Õs
highest court.
- Congress voted overwhelmingly to suspend normal trade
relations with Russia and ban the importation of Russian oil.
- Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, announced she
had contracted COVID-19. ÒThe speaker is fully vaccinated and boosted, and
is thankful for the robust protection the vaccine has provided,Ó a
spokesman said in a statement. Several other legislators and cabinet
members also tested positive for the virus.
Friday, April 8
- Charles Donohoe, the leader
of the Proud BoysÕ North Carolina chapter at the time of the Jan. 6 insurrection,
pleaded guilty to charges related to the attack on the Capitol.
á
The United States arrested Takeshi Ebisawa, a leader of the yakuza (Japanese ÒMafiaÓ), along
with three Thai men — Sompak Rukrasaranee, Somphob Singhasiri and Suksan Jullanan — accusing them of trafficking in heroin and
methamphetamines and trying to acquire U.S.-made surface-to-air missiles for
armed groups in Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
Saturday, April
9
Sunday, April 10
- Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said on CNN that the House
committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol
acknowledged there was significant evidence of Trump's criminality but
that it has not reached a final decision about making referrals to the
Justice Department.