Trump: Russian hacking claims – ridiculous’

Donald Trump on Sunday called a recent CIA assessment of Russian hacking "ridiculous" and says he's not interested in getting daily intelligence briefings - an unprecedented public dismissal by a president-elect of the nation's massive and sophisticated intelligence apparatus. Trump's remarks come as key congressional Republicans joined Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the Kremlin's activities and questioned consideration of Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson - who has close business ties with Moscow - as head of the State Department.

Position Taken? Transition sources say Trump will nominate ExxonMobil …

President-elect Donald Trump will nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson for secretary of state, according to two sources close to the transition. The sources warned that nothing is official until the president-elect announces it, which is likely to come over the next few days.

Rand Paul plots challenges for Trump in Congress

Appearing on ABC News' "This Week" today, Sen. Rand Paul gave interviewer George Stephanopoulos a glimpse of some of the challenges that President-elect Donald Trump will face in the coming year. When Stephanopoulos asked him about his impressions of the CEO of EXXON, Rex Tillerson, Paul said that he would Tillerson during any prospective confirmation hearings, "Do you understand that the Iraq war was a failure, a strategiic mistake?" Paul said that he would reserve judgement about Tillerson's nomination.

Trump rejects intel, lawmakers vow probe of Russia hacking

President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday called a recent CIA assessment of Russian hacking "ridiculous" and says he's not interested in getting daily intelligence briefings - an unprecedented rejection of the nation's massive and sophisticated intelligence apparatus. Trump's remarks come as key congressional Republicans joined Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the Kremlin's activities and questioned consideration of Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson - who has close business ties with Moscow - as head of the State Department.

Unnerving concerns over top pick

ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson is President-elect Donald Trump's likely pick for secretary of state, US media reports say, with some lawmakers quickly voicing concerns about his ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.Tillerson has extensive experience in international negotiations, overseeing his oil company's activities in more than 50 countries. But his links to Russia could be problematic, lawma... ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson is President-elect Donald Trump's likely pick for secretary of state, US media reports say, with some lawmakers quickly voicing concerns about his ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Priebus: ‘Premature’ to Say Tillerson for Secretary of State is a ‘Done Deal’

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus , who is slated to become President-elect Trump's chief of staff, today praised ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson , who has emerged as the likely pick for secretary of state. But Priebus cautioned that it's a "little premature to be claiming" the secretary of state choice for the incoming Trump administration is a "done deal."

Iran says it’s finalized $16.6B Boeing deal to buy 80 planes

The long campaign season finally ended Saturday in Louisiana, a month later than the rest of the country, with voters deciding the nation's final three congressional seats in runoff elections. Louisiana voters chose Saturday to send Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy to the U.S. Senate, filling the nation's last Senate seat and giving the GOP a 52-48 edge in the chamber when the new term begins in January.

Hospital director: 160 dead in collapsed Nigerian church

The long campaign season finally ended Saturday in Louisiana, a month later than the rest of the country, with voters deciding the nation's final three congressional seats in runoff elections. Louisiana voters chose Saturday to send Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy to the U.S. Senate, filling the nation's last Senate seat and giving the GOP a 52-48 edge in the chamber when the new term begins in January.

Is Bruited Sec. of State Tillerson allied with Iran & at war with Iraq?

The problem? Iraqi Kurdistan is a province of Iraq, and the central government in Baghdad claims that petroleum discovered in Iraqi Kurdistan is under the control of the Baghdad Ministry of Petroleum. The attempt of Iraqi Kurdistan to export petroleum to the US without going through Baghdad created an immediate court case.

Turkish official: 15 killed, dozens wounded in twin bombings

President-elect Donald Trump is partaking in one the nation's most storied football rivalries, saluting U.S. troops at the annual Army-Navy game on Saturday as he prepares to enter the White House. President-elect Donald Trump moved closer to nominating Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of State on Saturday, a decision that would bring a business leader with close ties to Russia into the Cabinet.

More than 30 dead as tanker rams into vehicles on Kenya road

President-elect Donald Trump is partaking in one the nation's most storied football rivalries, saluting U.S. troops at the annual Army-Navy game on Saturday as he prepares to enter the White House. President-elect Donald Trump moved closer to nominating Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of State on Saturday, a decision that would bring a business leader with close ties to Russia into the Cabinet.

Report: Trump’s Secretary of State Is Rex Tillerson

Multiple outlets are reporting this, although it all traces back to NBC News at this point. Here is the Wall Street Journal from a couple of days ago talking about Tillerson's ties to Putin : Friends and associates said few U.S. citizens are closer to Mr. Putin than Mr. Tillerson, who has known Mr. Putin since he represented Exxon's interests in Russia during the regime of Boris Yeltsin.

US Army Corps Hands Victory to Dakota Pipeline Protesters

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has denied an easement for the highly controversial $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline project, the subject of months of protest by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which contends the project would affect its drinking water supply and destroy its sacred sites. In a statement Sunday, the Corps of Engineers said it would be undertaking an environmental impact study to look at possible alternative routes for the project.

Gore says U.S. climate curbs on track, hopes Trump will surprise

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are likely to fall irrespective of the pro-coal policies of President-elect Donald Trump, who may still surprise the world by embracing global action to limit climate change, former vice president Al Gore said. Gore, a climate activist who will lead a 24-hour televised marathon on Dec. 5-6 about global efforts to limit rising temperatures, told Reuters that companies and U.S. states would cut emissions despite Trump's doubts that warming is man-made.

US Veterans to Form Human Shield at Dakota Pipeline Protest

More than 2,000 U.S. military veterans plan to form a human shield to protect protesters of a pipeline project near a Native American reservation in North Dakota, organizers said. Meanwhile, North Dakota law enforcement will not make spot checks on vehicles headed to the camp where activists are based, the governor's office said on Wednesday, backing away from a previous plan.

Upstate NY towns embroiled in fight over tall wind turbines

In this Aug. 25, 2016 file photo, people gather to protest the installation of windmills in Somerset, N.Y. A battle of clean energy vs. the environment is playing out in western New York over a plan to build dozens of wind turbines that could be among the nation's tallest, rising 600 feet above the scenic shores of Lake Ontario. less FILE - In this Aug. 25, 2016 file photo, people gather to protest the installation of windmills in Somerset, N.Y. A battle of clean energy vs. the environment is playing out in western New York over a plan to ... more Clean energy and environmental interests usually go hand in hand.

Topeka’s renewed downtown hosts Miracle on Kansas Avenue parade

The cavalcade of first responders, business vehicles, community organizations and decked-out marchers led by a U.S. Marine Corps color guard is a familiar sight for the holidays in downtown Topeka, but this year's Miracle on Kansas Avenue parade is special, organizers said. "This represents in every way what we're trying to do," said Vince Frye, president and CEO of Downtown Topeka Inc., as he stood surrounded by thousands of revelers downtown.