Acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker told reporters on Monday he has been "fully briefed" on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and that it's "close to being completed."
"I look forward to Director Mueller delivering the final report. ... But, right now the investigation is, I think, close to being completed. And I hope that we can get the report from Director Mueller as soon as possible."
Why it matters: Whitaker's remarks came in response to a question on whether he has observed any developments in the probe that gives him concerns. This also comes days after Roger Stone, a longtime political advisor to President Trump, was indicted on seven counts, including allegations of witness tampering, obstruction of justice and making false statements to Congress.
The Treasury Department announced Sunday that it had lifted sanctions on three companies linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, including the world's second-largest aluminum producer Rusal.
From Poland to Israel, people around the world took part in International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday, marking the 74th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and remembering the millions of Jews and countless other minorities murdered by Nazi Germany.
What they're saying: President Trump issued a presidential message, saying, "To remember these men and women — those who perished and those who survived — is to strive to prevent such suffering from happening again. Any denial or indifference to the horror of this chapter in the history of humankind diminishes all men and women everywhere and invites repetition of this great evil."
Venezuela is shaping up to become a major geopolitical flashpoint, with both Russia and China opposing the U.S. stance in very strong terms.
The big picture: Along with a large chunk of the Western Hemisphere, the U.K. stands with the U.S. and has reportedly refused a request from the Maduro government to liquidate $1.2 billion of gold reserves held at the Bank of England.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that Israel would recognize Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country's de facto president, joining the U.S., Canada and a host of Latin American nations.
The big picture: As I reported yesterday, the Trump administration asked Israel to support its move against President Nicolás Maduro and recognize Guaidó as president. Israel, which has no diplomatic relations with Venezuela, initially hesitated to support Guaidó amid fears that the Maduro regime would harm the Jewish community in Venezuela.
