U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May saw her maligned Brexit deal hit with a third defeat in the House of Commons on Friday in a 344-286 vote.
Why it matters: It means that big changes may be coming to the British political sphere over the next few days, like the announcement of an early general election, as only way that the EU might grant another long-term extension — the U.K. is currently set to leave the bloc on April 12 — would be through some form of significant political upheaval. Otherwise, the U.K. would be forced into a no-deal Brexit.
National security adviser John Bolton released a statement on Friday condemning Russia's military deployment in Venezuela, cautioning that the U.S. will protect its interests in the Western Hemisphere and consider such actions a "threat to international peace and security in the region."
The state of play: Earlier in the week, two Russian military planes touched down in Caracas with supplies and military advice for embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's regime, per the New York Times.
For nearly two years,tomorrow was supposed to be the day that the United Kingdom officially left the European Union and made good on its 2016 decision to Brexit.
Why it matters: Due to the political stalemate, some of the world's largest economies remain in a state of flux with no end in sight. It's still not clear when the U.K. will actually leave the EU — or what its exit will even look like. As we approach the end of a week that was supposed to bring clarity to the process, things are more unsettled than ever.
Special counsel Robert Mueller concurs with the Intelligence Community's assessment that the Russian government carried out a sophisticated, multi-pronged campaign to interfere in the 2016 election, per Attorney General William Barr’s letter summarizing the investigation’s findings.
Why it matters: Absent a bipartisan effort to combat this threat, Russian meddling may continue to disrupt American democracy.
Maria Butina, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as a Russian agent in December 2018, will be sentenced on April 26 at 10 a.m., a federal judge said Thursday.
The big picture: Butina, who has been in jail since July 2018, had previously had her sentencing delayed as she continued to cooperate with the government. As part of her plea deal, Butina admitted to working with Russian official Alexander Torshin and her American boyfriend Paul Erickson to infiltrate conservative circles, including the NRA, for the purpose of influencing U.S. policy on behalf of the Kremlin.
A dissident group accused of a commando-style break-in at the North Korean Embassy in Madrid said Thursday it had suspended operations after a judge issued arrest warrants for 2 suspects believed to be in the U.S.
Details: Cheollima Civil Defense, which wants to overthrow North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said it took the temporary action because of speculative media reports. A Spanish judge issued international warrants for the suspected gang leader, Mexico-born U.S. resident Adrian Hong Chang, and U.S. citizen Sam Ryu, El Pais first reported.
