Axios

A former top White House official has revised her statement in the Mueller investigation after her original claim contradicted the guilty plea of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, the Washington Post reports.

The details: K.T. McFarland, a former deputy to Flynn, now says Flynn may have been referring to sanctions when the two spoke in late December 2016. McFarland initially said she never spoke to Flynn about his talks with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak about sanctions. "Flynn and [McFarland] discussed the U.S. sanctions, including the potential impact of those sanctions on the incoming administration’s foreign policy goals,” per Flynn's plea agreement.

Pope Francis has recognized seven bishops appointed by China, settling a longstanding debate between the Vatican and the communist country, the BBC reports.

Why it matters: The pope's decision is part of a greater push to mend the relationship between the Catholic Church and the communist country, which has 10 million Catholics. The Vatican has historically been a part of appointing bishops, however, it has not recognized any appointed by China since the country broke off diplomatic ties in 1951.

This week the Treasury Department placed 33 Russian individuals and entities on a list to limit their business affairs on a worldwide scale for interfering in U.S. elections, per Politico. The State Department is also adding the 33 individuals to its blacklist.

Why it matters: The administration is tying up loose ends from penalties it imposed in March on Russian nationals for election meddling and in August for the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy, per Politico. The blacklist includes other Russian military and intelligence operatives, according to Politico, and means that if anyone on the list engages in "significant transactions" they will be penalized.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said in a tense statement Friday that Brexit negotiations between the U.K. and the EU have reached an impasse, after EU leaders said her Chequers plan for Brexit would not work.

Why it matters: The U.K. is due to leave the EU in little more than six months, and there's still no palatable deal for all sides on the table. May reiterated there will be no second referendum, called on the bloc for more details on its negotiating stance, and assured the protection of the rights of EU citizens living in the U.K. The British pound fell sharply following May's comments.