Democrats prepare to battle Trump nominees

Senate Democrats may not be able to block Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees. But that won’t stop them trying. Eight in particular are being targeted as “troublesome”, including Rex Tillerson (state), Jeff Sessions (attorney general) and Steve Mnuchin (treasury). ” “We have asked for fair hearings on all of those nominees,” minority leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Wednesday. “There are a lot of questions about these nominees.” Sessions was grilled by Senator Dick Durbin about his history on making racially insensitive comments, which he reportedly said would not be an issue. “Certainly there are elements in his background that raise questions,” Durbin said after their meeting. Confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin on 11 January, with Democrats hoping to secure two days of hearing for each nominee.

Democrats prepare for confirmation battle over ‘troublesome’ Trump cabinet nominees

Four arrested for ‘anti-Trump’ beating

Chicago police have arrested four people in connection with a video that emerged on Facebook Live showing a gagged man being brutally beaten up while assailants shout: “Fuck Donald Trump.” Chicago police department superintendent said the man in the video had “mental health challenges” and the four suspects would be charged in the next 24 hours. The men in the video scream “fuck white people” and force the victim to say “fuck Trump”. A knife is placed to his head and used to cut his clothing. Police commander Kevin Duffin said that the incident may be investigated as a hate crime but added that officers were trying to determine “whether or not this is sincere or just stupid ranting and raving”.

Four arrested over Facebook Live video of man tortured amid anti-Trump taunts

Trump rift with Republicans over Assange

Leading Republicans broke with Trump on Wednesday after the president-elect appeared to put more faith in WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange than in US intelligence agencies. In a series of tweets, Trump backed Assange’s claim that Russia was not the source of the DNC leaks, putting him at odds with American intelligence agencies. House speaker Paul Ryan called Assange “a sycophant for Russia” on a conservative radio show, and Senator Tom Cotton told MSNBC that he supports intelligence officers over Assange. Barack Obama deported 35 Russian diplomats last month in response to reports by intelligence agencies that the Kremlin had hacked the DNC. Trump, who has repeatedly praised Putin, was critical of the move, and has continued to cast doubt on the veracity of the evidence of Russian interference. The president-elect is set to have an intelligence briefing on Friday.

Republicans voice disdain after Trump tweets support for Julian Assange

Covering Obama’s second term

As part of the Guardian’s series on Obama’s legacy, former Washington bureau chief Dan Roberts recalls his time covering the outgoing president’s second term. Reporting for the Guardian on this difficult second act was complicated by our own walk-on part in the drama, Roberts writes. A conference call in June 2013 with White House national security staff about the bulk collection of mobile phone records was the first of several awkward conversations involving a young whistleblower called Edward Snowden.

Obama’s second term: a president faces the limits of his power

Apple aims to please China government

Apple has removed the New York Times app from its app store in China, as a spokesperson said it was in “violation of local regulations”. The Chinese government enforces vast censorship of any foreign website that may pose a threat to the communist government, which includes Google, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. The New York Times’s website has been blocked since 2012 after the paper published an expose of the wealth of former prime minister Wen Jiabao and his family. Apple’s compliance with the rule indicates how far the company will go to remain active in its third-largest market. In 2016 Apple publicly rebuked the US government for attempting to force the company to unlock an iPhone that belonged to a suspected terrorist. Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the time that complying with the government request would be “setting a dangerous precedent that threatens everyone’s civil liberties”.



Apple removes New York Times app in China

America gets taste of its own medicine?

While accusations of the Russian government attempting to interfere with the US election are troubling and should be taken seriously, the US is no stranger to election manipulation, writes Owen Jones. “The US is a world leader in the field of intervening in the internal affairs of other countries,” he writes. The US has intervened in a number of foreign elections, with the post-cold war Russia among the most notable.



Americans can spot election meddling because they’ve been doing it for years

Support the Guardian’s fearless journalism

Never has America needed fearless independent media more. Help us hold the new president to account, sort fact from fiction, amplify underrepresented voices, and understand the forces behind this divisive election – and what happens next. Support the Guardian by becoming a member or making a contribution.

Will Ben McAdoo’s laid-back approach help the Giants top Green Bay?

New York Giants’ young coach Ben McAdoo is far from a rookie – he has coached nine teams over the last two decades. But some were surprised by his lenient approach to star receiver Odell Beckham Jr flying to a party in Miami days before a playoff game; his predecessor Tom Coughlin, who won the Super Bowl twice, would not have tolerated such behavior, writes Dave Caldwell. But his laid-back approach seems to be working as the Giants enter the tie with the Green Bay Packers with a record of nine wins in their last eleven games.



Will Ben McAdoo’s laid-back approach help the Giants top Green Bay?



In case you missed it ...

A mysterious radio wave discovered a decade ago has been traced to its source, likely a dwarf galaxy some 3bn light years from Earth, astronomers said. The discovery could help solve questions that have plagued astronomers over what causes high energy surges of long waves at the far end of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Source of mysterious deep space radio wave discovered for the first time

