The Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday released the first part of its redacted report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, focusing on "Russian efforts against election infrastructure."
Driving the news: The release of the report comes one day after former special counsel Robert Mueller testified before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, warning that Russia would continue its interference efforts in the future. Despite his statement, Republican senators this week blocked a package of election security measures designed to protect election systems in 2020.
A renewed onslaught by the Syrian and Russian governments against opposition-held areas of Idlib reflects both the conflict's ongoing toll and the loss of American influence over events on the ground.
The big picture: The State Department condemned this week's attacks, which have killed at least 36 civilians, andSecretary of State Mike Pompeo called for "an immediate ceasefire" and "return to the political process." Since April, airstrikes across Syria's northwest attributed to Russia and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have killed at least 606 civilians, including 157 children, and displaced up to 300,000 people.
North Korea has launched 2 short-range missiles 267 miles into the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, according to AP.
Why it matters: This is the first report of North Korea firing projectiles since President Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met with Kim Jong Un at the Demilitarized Zone last month. A South Korean official said at least 1 of the missiles appeared to be a new design, per the BBC.
Newly installed Prime Minister Boris Johnson brought the Theresa May era to a screeching halt on Wednesday, dispatching 17 cabinet ministers and installing a team of loyalists and enthusiastic Brexit backers.
Why it matters: Johnson came to power through the Conservative leadership contest that followed May's resignation, not by winning a general election. It's highly unusual for an incoming prime minister to make sweeping personnel changes under such circumstances, and Johnson has sent a clear message that the Brexiteer flank is now in control.
In his testimony Wednesday, former special counsel Robert Mueller disputed 5 of President Trump's frequent claims about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the president's potential efforts to obstruct justice.
The big picture: Many of the claims Mueller knocked down were already refuted in his 450-page report, but Democrats were seeking to animate the special counsel's findings through Wednesday's high-stakes testimony. That was clear from the moment that Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) opened the hearing with his line of questioning.
Following Wednesday morning's hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, which largely focused on allegations of obstruction of justice by President Trump, former special counsel Robert Mueller testified before the House Intelligence Committee on efforts by Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
What's new: Mueller told Rep. Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.) that he didn't subpoena President Trump for an interview "because of the necessity of expediting" the investigation. "If we did subpoena the president, he would fight the subpoena and we would be in the midst of the investigation for a substantial period of time."
Former special counsel Robert Mueller testified Wednesday in back-to-back sessions before the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees.
The big picture: Mueller — who refused to read directly from the report during his appearances, denied Democrats some of the cinematic wins they'd hoped for — was generally concise with his responses, often asking members to repeat their questions and directing them to refer to the wording in his report.
Boris Johnson officially became the U.K.'s prime minister on Wednesday after his meeting with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
The big picture, via Axios' Dave Lawler:He now has 99 days to fulfill his promise to bring the country out of the European Union by Halloween, with or without a deal. Johnson says a "no-deal" exit, which would have major economic repercussions for the U.K. and the world, is preferable to another delay, despite a parliamentary majority prepared to act to block it.
China criticizes the U.S. for undermining global stability and says it won't "renounce use of force" against Taiwan in a defense white paper published on Wednesday.
Details: Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a news conference if "anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will certainly fight, resolutely defending the country’s sovereign unity and territorial integrity," according to AP. The white paper states "we will not attack unless we are attacked, but we will surely counterattack if attacked."
