| By Derek Caney
- Secretary of Defense nominee James Mattis believes Russia is the biggest threat to U.S. interests. President-elect Donald Trump praises President Vladimir Putin and seeks cozier relations.
- Prospective CIA director Mike Pompeo pledged to defend intelligence agencies against accusations that they are being politicized. Trump accused the agencies of leaking unverified, salacious allegations about his contacts in Russia to the media. He also said he would not comply if ordered to renew the use of torture in interrogation. Trump said, "Torture works."
- Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson favors maintaining sanctions against Russia and that NATO allies were right to be alarmed by Moscow's aggression. Tillerson opposes some U.S. allies acquiring nuclear weapons. Trump floated the idea in April. Tillerson doesn't see the need for a Muslim registry that Trump advocates. Tillerson doesn't oppose the Trans Pacific Partnership. Trump vociferously campaigned against it.
Ice ice baby 
A man climbs an artificial wall of ice in the city of Liberec, Czech Republic, January 12, 2017. REUTERS/David W Cerny
Around the country - Trump's latest Twitter rant: Intelligence agencies leaked "phony allegations" to the media.
- Some House Republicans may have buyer's remorse over the aggressive zeal to deep-six Obamacare without knowing the budget consequences or how they would replace the healthcare law. The Senate took the first step toward dismantling the law that gave 20 million uninsured people coverage by voting to instruct key committees to draft legislation to repeal it. The House votes on that legislation today.
Quotes of the day "I don't want to vote for this and say it’s the first step, and find out that there are some long-term budget consequences." – Republican Representative Mark Amodei. - The Obama administration repealed a measure granting automatic residency to virtually every Cuban who arrived in the United States, whether or not they had visas, ending a longstanding exception to U.S. immigration policy.
Around Wall Street - China's massive export engine sputtered for the second year in a row in 2016, with shipments falling in the face of persistently weak global demand and fears of a trade war with the United States.
- Senior Volkswagen managers have been warned not to travel to the United States after six current and former managers were indicted for their role in the German carmaker's diesel test-cheating scheme. One of the six charged, Oliver Schmidt, was arrested at Miami International Airport on Saturday as he was about to fly home from holiday in Cuba.
Digits of the day: 20 percent - The gaudy price of Nintendo's latest video game console disappointed investors, sending the share price to its lowest level in two months. At 29,980 yen, the company's new Switch, which hits the stores March 3, is 20 percent more than the current WiiU console. In the U.S., Switch, a a hybrid home console and handheld device, will be priced at $299, the same as the WiiU.
Around the world - Blocking Chinese access to islands in the South China Sea would require the U.S. to "wage war", according to an editorial in an influential Chinese state-run tabloid. Secretary of State nominee Tillerson wants to send a signal to China that their access to islands in the disputed South China Sea "is not going to be allowed," he said at his confirmation hearing.
- Poland welcomed several thousand U.S. troops along with tanks and heavy equipment under a planned NATO operation to beef up its Eastern European allies, vexing the Kremlin.
- Breakfast at Duterte's: Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe feasted on bean soup and rice cakes at the humble home of the Philippines president, sampling the down-to-earth living of a volatile new friend who is shaking up the status quo in Asia.
Today's reason to live Carlene Carter – Every Little Thing |
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