Rand Paul Questions Secretary of State Nominee Rex Tillerson
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Photo Credit Jim Lo Scalzo/European Pressphoto Agency
The intrigue over a sensational but entirely unverified dossier on Mr. Trumps ties to Russia deepened. The ex-spy who compiled the information disappeared from his home in Britain, saying he feared for his safety.
Mr. Trump discussed the dossier with James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence. They had radically different takeaways from the conversation.
And the Justice Department said it would investigate the decision by James B. Comey, above, the F.B.I. chief, to inform Congress about a new review in the Hillary Clinton email investigation ahead of the election.
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Photo Credit Francis R. Malasig/European Pressphoto Agency
Japans prime minister, Shinzo Abe, ended a two-day visit with President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines in which he promised the country about $8.7 billion worth of business deals, investments and equipment.
Mr. Abe is on four-nation diplomatic push that will continue with stops in Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Separately, Mr. Duterte ordered government agencies to provide free contraception to women, especially the poor, in a move that is likely to face strong resistance from Catholic leadership in the country.
Above, protesters in the Philippines.
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Photo Credit Jean Chung for The New York Times
Prosecutors in South Korea are planning to use revelations about a cultural blacklist to strengthen the impeachment charges against President Park Geun-hye.
So far, two versions of the blacklist have been reported by the news media, citing anonymous sources. One version listed more than 9,000 people, including some of the countrys most beloved filmmakers, actors and writers.
Above, Hong Sung-dam, one of the artists who was reportedly blacklisted.
And we look at Aceh Province, Indonesia, which began enforcing Shariah law in 2001. Women are required to wear head scarves, alcohol is prohibited, and many offenses from adultery to homosexuality to selling alcohol are punishable by public whipping.
The Muslim-majority nation has drifted in a conservative direction, but one Aceh politician says that a silent majority thinks the local government has gone too far.
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BusinessPhoto Credit Josh Haner/The New York Times
Indias largest conglomerate, the Tata Group, named Natarajan Chandrasekaran, 53, to be chairman of its holding company, Tata Sons, ending months of turmoil after the previous chief, Cyrus Mistry, was ousted.
Health care stocks tumbled after Mr. Trump denounced pharmaceutical companies for shifting manufacturing abroad. But many of the imports are generic drugs a large percentage of which are manufactured in India that help keep costs down.
The Environmental Protection Agency accused Fiat Chrysler of cheating on emissions tests on at least 104,000 diesel vehicles, a case with echoes of the Volkswagen scandal.
Vietnams industrial policy will take a hit if Mr. Trump follows through on his pledge to scrap the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but companies have their own plans for going global.
U.S. stocks were down. Heres a snapshot of global markets.
In the NewsPhoto Credit Najim Rahim/Associated Press
A U.S. military investigation found that 33 civilians were killed and 27 others wounded during a firefight and airstrike in northern Kunduz Province in November. [The New York Times]
New rules will make it easier for the National Security Agency to share globally intercepted personal communications with other U.S. intelligence agencies. [The New York Times]
A renewed push by Iraqi forces brought them closer to controlling the eastern half of Mosul, the Islamic States last major stronghold in the country. [Reuters]
An Australian Supreme Court jury found a Sydney man, Robert Xie, guilty of bludgeoning to death five members of his extended family. [ABC]
Hong Kongs chief secretary, Carrie Lam, leaves her post today. She submitted her resignation and, if approved, will run for chief executive. [Hong Kong Free Press]
In Bangladesh, a popular restaurant in Dhaka"s diplomatic quarter reopened after a terrorist attack in July that killed 22 people. [The New York Times]
Wilbur Ross, the billionaire chosen by Mr. Trump to manage trade with China, once volunteered to be part of project by a famous Chinese artist. [South China Morning Post]
Star Wars was the inspiration for the common name scientists gave to the worlds newest primate the Skywalker hoolock gibbon which was discovered in Chinas Yunnan Province. [BBC]
Smarter Living: Morning EditionPhoto Credit Daniel Leal-Olivas/Agence France-Presse Getty Images
(In this new section, well help you start your day right.)
Were not saying you will need this tomorrow, were simply presenting it for your consideration: Heres how to nurse a hangover (and how to head one off). Have a great weekend!
An inspiring story of weight loss and its aftermath: Brooklyns borough president reversed his Type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise, without taking medication.
Recipe of the day: Give baked sweet potato fries a shot.
NoteworthyPhoto Credit Benjamin Haselberger
Portraits of addiction. A German photographer spent a year traveling in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines to explore the regions underworld of ice, or crystal methamphetamine.
The Handmaiden, an erotic period drama from South Korea, earned six nominations for the Asian Film Awards. I Am Not Madame Bovary, from the Chinese director Feng Xiao Gang, earned five. Heres the list.
The newly expanded World Cup may have the biggest impact in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, where it will offer a chance for smaller teams to reach the global stage.
Back StoryPhoto Credit Ian Willms for The New York Times
If youre superstitious, today isnt your day.
But Friday the 13th isnt universally feared. Many countries disregard it. In Greece and some Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th is the dreaded day. Its Friday the 17th in Italy.
The number 4 is unlucky in parts of Asia its Chinese pronunciation is close to the word death making April 4 (4/4) a day to stay inside.
A maneki-neko, a cute charm showing a cat with a raised paw, is used to ward off the bad luck.
Other animals believed to combat bad omens include pigs. In Germany, marzipan pigs are given as gifts on New Years Eve.
And if a cricket is chirping in your house, dont kill it. Across Asia, Africa and Europe, the insects are viewed as harbingers of wealth.
Magpies have great significance in Britain. Seeing a single magpie can be bad luck, it is believed, though saluting one can ward off ill fortune. But if you spot a group, you may be in luck, according to an old nursery rhyme that goes:
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told.
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Des Shoe contributed reporting.
Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings.
What would you like to see here? Contact us at asiabriefing@nytimes.com.
President-elect Donald Trump has had a lot to say on Trumps official Twitter account about the golden shower report from Buzzfeed. As reported by the Inquisitr, Trump called Buzzfeeds report about golden showers fake news, reiterating claims from others on Twitter that Trumps golden showers buzz was trolling by 4chan. As a result of the melee, Twitter reports that #GoldenShowerGate is one of their top trending items on Wednesday, January 11, along with #goldenshowergate Buzzfeed, since the outlets article, titled These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties To Russia, started the whole Trump golden showers allegations. That piece has nearly 3 million views as of this writing.
However, opinion pieces like the article Buzzfeeds Trump report takes fake news to a new level by John Podhoretz published by the New York Post are criticizing the piece. Even BuzzFeed has come out with a new article, titled Kremlin Says Trump Claims Are Fake While Trump Slams Political Witch Hunt, in the wake of the golden showers debacle. And #goldenshowergate is being compared to pizzagate on Twitter, referencing the fake news surrounding Hillary Clinton that featured folks trying to link Clinton with child abusers.
Meanwhile, #goldenshowergate and Rick Wilson are also trending, with Wilson posting the following tweet declaring that he is not BuzzFeeds source.
If you believe the Russian/4chan spin that this information came from them, you cant use a calendar, or common sense.
However, Wilson also claims that the 4chan trolling claims and Russias denials arent true.
A quick note on the BuzzFeed/Trump/Russia story. https://t.co/lJewqiNqHJ
Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 11, 2017
Speaking of the trending #goldenshowergate and 4chan side of things, which has terms like 4chan golden shower trending on Twitter, tweets like the ones below are claiming that Russia had nothing to do with the leaked dossier published by BuzzFeed. The allegations are being blamed on 4chan, which allegedly played a prank on the CIA with what some are claiming is a fake 35-page report about Trump, which included the passage about golden showers.
????BREAKING: Russia now joining in mocking the CIA for getting trolled by 4chan#GoldenShowerGate pic.twitter.com/rteFDszU2V
Project Purge ???????? (@_ProjectPurge) January 11, 2017
The allegations against Trump in what is being called a fake dossier included notions that Trump may have witnessed prostitutes giving each other golden showers, urinating on the bed slept in by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Trump himself has come back against such allegations. Trumps official Twitter account of published the following tweets on Tuesday, asking if people are living in n**i Germany with such fake news reports about golden showers being leaked to the public.
Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to leak into the public. One last shot at me. Are we living in n**i Germany? I win an election easily, a great movement is verified, and crooked opponents try to belittle our victory with FAKE NEWS. A sorry state! Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING! Russia just said the unverified report paid for by political opponents is A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FABRICATION, UTTER NONSENSE. Very unfair!
Despite Trumps denials, some folks on Twitter are still having fun with the golden showers accusations, as seen in tweets like the following from twitter about trump.
Maurice van Berkel (@Mvan_berkel) January 11, 2017
While Penthouse is offering money to anyone who can provide the golden shower tapes allegedly involving Trump, others are having fun with the Golden Shower Gate Bridge theme on Twitter, comparing golden showers to the Golden Gate Bridge and other bridge scandals.
Penthouse promises a $1 MILLION reward for those alleged #DonaldTrump golden shower tapes! https://t.co/nl0j0bobDM #GoldenShowerGate pic.twitter.com/JdOw7m48Y7
Perez Hilton (@PerezHilton) January 11, 2017
As seen in the top photo above, Trump blew a kiss in the wake of speaking at Trumps caucus night rally on, Monday, February 1, 2016, in West Des Moines, Iowa.
The president-elect focused on veterans issues during the presidential campaign. He says veterans have been mistreated under the Obama administration and promises to straighten things out.
The VA secretary post was one of two Cabinet posts Trump still has to fill. Agriculture secretary is the other one.
11:31 a.m.
Donald Trump plans to put all his business assets in a trust and hand control of his company to his two adult sons and a longtime business executive to allay concerns about conflicts of interest.
A lawyer who worked with the Trump Organization on the plan says Trump is planning to make the change by Inauguration Day, relinquish control over the Trump Organization and isolate himself from the business.
The lawyer says the company will do no new foreign deals but can pursue domestic ones, and says that the Trump Organization will appoint an ethics adviser to its management team who must approve deals that could raise concerns about conflicts.
The lawyer spoke to reporters before Trumps news conference, the first since his Nov. 8 election, and requested anonymity to discuss details of the plan.
AP Business Writer Bernard Condon
11:30 a.m.
Donald Trump says intelligence agencies will have a tremendous blot on their record if they leaked a report claiming top intelligence officials told him about an unsubstantiated report that Russia had about him.
Trumps press secretary Sean Spicer also calls a report, first published Tuesday by CNN, outrageous and irresponsible.
A U.S. official says top intelligence officials told Trump about an unsubstantiated report last week.
A summary of the allegations was separate from a classified assessment of Russias suspected attempts to meddle in the U.S. presidential election. Trump and President Barack Obama were briefed on the intelligence communitys findings last week.
The dossier contains unproven information about close coordination between Trumps inner circle and Russians about hacking into Democratic accounts as well as unproven claims about unusual sexual activities by Trump among other suggestions attributed to anonymous sources. The Associated Press has not authenticated any of the claims.
9:55 a.m.
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee says allegations that Russia has collected damaging personal and financial information on Donald Trump shakes our democracy to its very core and should be investigated by Congress.
In a brief interview, New York Rep. Eliot Engel says if the unsubstantiated charges that the Russians have compromising material on the president-elect are true, Its a scary thing to have Putin in the drivers seat.
Trump and a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin have denied the allegations.
Engel says Trump needs to come clean. He says simply denying the charges is insufficient and says Trump must tell us everything he knows.
A U.S. official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that intelligence officials told Trump last week about the unproven report.
9: 15 a.m.
The Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee says he received sensitive information last year and turned it over to the FBI, an apparent reference to news that President-elect Donald Trump was told by intelligence officials about an unsubstantiated report that Russia had compromising personal and financial information about him.
Sen. John McCain of Arizona said in a statement Wednesday that he examined the contents of the material, was unable to make a judgment about the accuracy and delivered the information to the director of the FBI, James Comey.
McCain said: That has been the extent of my contact with the FBI or any other government agency regarding this issue.
8:05 a.m.
President-elect Donald Trump is criticizing U.S. intelligence agencies over the leak of an unsubstantiated report that Russia had compromising personal and financial information on him.
Trump tweeted Wednesday that Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to leak into the public. One last shot at me. Are we living in n**i Germany?
The tweet was part of an early morning Trump firestorm denouncing the reports, in which he said he has nothing to do with Russia. Various news outlets reported late Tuesday that U.S. intelligence officials briefed Trump last week on the unverified information Russia was said to have on him.
Trump insisted that the media reports were very unfair and payback for defeating other Republican presidential hopefuls and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
I win an election easily, a great movement is verified, and crooked opponents try to belittle our victory with FAKE NEWS. A sorry state!
7:50 a.m.
President-elect Donald Trump is denouncing unsubstantiated reports that Russia had compromising secret information on him.
He tweeted Wednesday morning: Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. In capital letters, he added: I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA - NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING! He called the unverified report paid for by political opponents A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FABRICATION, UTTER NONSENSE.
A few minutes earlier, he repeated Russias denial of the reports, which he called, Very unfair!
A U.S. official told The Associated Press Tuesday that intelligence officials had informed Trump about an unsubstantiated report that Russia had compromising personal and financial information about him. The briefing about the document was first reported by CNN.
The Associated Press has not been able to substantiate the information in the dossier, which misspelled the name of Russias largest bank.
7 a.m.
President-elect Donald Trump will hold his first full news conference Wednesday since winning the 2016 presidential election.
The last time Trump held a news conference, he was plunging into a heated general election campaign with Hillary Clinton and suggested Russia could help dig up some of his rivals emails.
Nearly six months and a presidential campaign victory later, Trump will finally step before reporters again Wednesday to face questions about what role he believes Russia played in the election year hacking of Democratic groups interference the intelligence community says was intended to help the Republican defeat Clinton. Trump has challenged that assessment and has yet to say whether a full briefing with intelligence officials last week did anything to sway
"Were weather wimps," portland mayor charlie hales told patch a little after 9:00 Thursday morning as he was getting ready to head to city hall. "There"s no way around it."
City offices would be opening late as most of the snow that had fallen the day before was still there. Schools had already announced they would be closed for the day - a big step ahead of Wednesday when delaying the decision to close resulted in hundreds of kids in the region being stranded for hours.
Snow is the citys kryptonite, a fact that Hales - the citys mayor recognizes.
People back east hear that weve shut down and ask, how may feet of snow did you get? he says. And I have to tell him less than three inches and you can hear them shaking their heads.
Were supposed to be an area filled with people who love the outdoors," he says. "We can do better."
Portland and much of the region is not really equipped to deal with snow and ice, a slight bit of irony for an area that sits in the shadow of more than 11,000-foot mountain and not far from similarly sized peaks.
Yet, for the fourth time in a week, most government offices will open late again on Friday and - almost all schools will be closed. Winter break started two days early.
School districts including Beaverton, Oregon City, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Gresham-Barlow, West Linn-Wilsonville, David Douglas, Centennial, and Portland have announced they will be closed on Friday as well.
The region is still sitting with a couple of inches on the snow on the ground and districts don"t want to take a chance for a repeat of Wednesday. While there is no precipitation forecast for Thursday into Friday, the temperature is expected to remain around freezing.
"It"s going to remain on the cold side through the weekend, meaning snow and ice across the region will be slow to melt," the weather service said. "Not that you should ever not be careful driving, but with ice and snow slow to melt, and the potential for roads to refreeze at night, please remain extra cautious when out and about this weekend.
Even though there was barely any snow on the ground until late in the afternoon, what snow there was was enough to turn the region into a parking lot. There were reports of five-plus hour trips getting from Vancouver into Portland, three hours to make it from Southwest Portland to Southeast.
Accumulations varied - from 1.5 inches in downtown Portland to four inches in Gresham by Mount Hood Community College. There were two inches in Beaverton and Oregon City, three inches in Lake Oswego
There were few reports of people being happy about anything.
More than 1,00o students at different districts were stranded for hours as school buses struggled to maneuver and parents were challenged to pick up their kids.
The weather made the commute treacherous.
Many drivers abandoned their cars rather than try to drive. Portland"s Bureau of Transportation offered parking amnesty through Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. for people who left their cars parked at meters and were unable to move them or didn"t want to risk driving.
Hundreds of cars were abandoned in the region. The Oregon Department of Transportation set up temporary tow yards at OMSI and the Old Spaghetti Factory.
With the Winter Weather Advisory in effect, the Portland Bureau of Transportation sent out notice saying that while freezing rain is not expected, below freezing temperatures means that people should be prepared.
"The best advice for traveling in bad winter weather is not to travel at all if you can avoid it," they said in a statement. "Wait until conditions improve before venturing out in winter weather. Allow the snow plows, sanding trucks, and other emergency vehicles to get out ahead of you to treat conditions. Allow yourself extra time to reach your destination."
PBOT offers other tips as well:
The City of Portlands Snow and Ice Plan discourages private vehicle use and encourages public transit use instead. Plan ahead for your public transit commute by calling 503-238-RIDE (7433), visiting TriMet.org for bus and MAX light rail schedules and alerts or PortlandStreetcar.org for streetcar schedules and alerts. In snow and ice, plan for bus delays of 20 to 30 minutes. Know where your transit stops are before venturing out.PBOT provides tips for winter travel for people walking, biking or driving. Learn more at: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/47307
Check www.PublicAlerts.org for breaking news and information on major service disruptions. Visit http://bit.ly/snowicepdx to learn more about how PBOT responds to snow and ice events in Portland.
PBOT VIDEO:
What"s it like to drive a snow plow?
Drivers have limited visibility
We invited our friends from AAA Oregon/Idaho, AARP Oregon, and The Street Trust (formerly the Bicycle Transportation Alliance) to take our snowplows for a spin at our annual snowplow training event for PBOT crews in October.
Watch what they learned:
Video by Hannah Schafer, Portland Bureau of Transportation.
Do not bike, walk or drive in front of a snow plow. Do not pass snow plows or sanding trucks, which are focused on the city"s busiest streets. The drivers have limited visibility, and you"re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
Winter travel safety tips
Carry an emergency weather kit
Have a well-stocked emergency kit in your vehicle to keep you safe and more comfortable during long waits. Your kit should include chains, shovel, bag of sand, battery jumper cables, first aid kit, basic tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver and knife), blanket, extra clothing (hats, socks, boots, mittens), flashlight, and a cell phone or CB Radio.
Expect slippery sidewalks; clear your own as well
In a winter storm, the sidewalk in front of your neighbors house may be the slickest surface you encounter. PBOT applies anti-icer and uses snow plows to clear streets along bus routes, but property owners are responsible for ensuring safe passage on sidewalks.
Look out for people on bike or out walking
Be watchful for pedestrians and bicyclists who are also trying to get around in hazardous, low visibility conditions. Share the Road safely and responsibly.
You are responsible for your vehicle
If you choose to drive, stay with your vehicle in a snow and ice storm. Any abandoned vehicle is subject to being cited and impounded. To locate your vehicle, call Police Auto Records at 503-823-0044. If you are driving and visibility and conditions are getting worse rapidly, do not stop in a travel lane. Any vehicle creating a safety hazard is subject to towing. The citation for "preventing free passage" is $80 and the current contractual cost of a tow is $168, so motorists can expect to pay at least $248. The cost to store a towed vehicle past the initial four hours is $25 per day.
Look for an opportunity to pull off the road into a safe parking area and wait for conditions to improve. If you cannot reach your home, move your vehicle off a major street or plow route onto a side street so that plows can completely open up major streets. If you become stuck or stranded in severe weather, stay with your vehicle for warmth and safety until help arrives. While you wait for help to arrive, open a window slightly for ventilation, run your motor sparingly, and use your emergency flashers.
You may be towed on West Burnside and Sam Jackson Parkway
PBOT sets up chain-up areas in the shoulder heading uphill on West Burnside and SW Sam Jackson Parkway. They are set aside as a safe place for people to attach snow chains during a storm. Parking is not allowed in these areas and vehicles abandoned there are subject to towing.
Recover your vehicle as soon as possible
Parking regulations and other road safety regulations remain enforceable during a winter storm. If you leave your vehicle parked in a metered parking space or other time zone during a winter storm, recover your vehicle as soon as possible when conditions improve. If you receive a citation, follow the instructions on the back of it to resolve it or contest it with the County Circuit Court.
PBOT is prepared, with crews working in tough conditions
PBOT crews applied 8,100 gallons of anti-icer on Monday night, and expect to apply more to try to prevent snow or ice accumulation. Leaf Day service will be provided as scheduled Wednesday morning, for as long as conditions allow. The city"s fleet of more than 50 snow plows will be ready by noon. Parking enforcement officers will be in place to tow abandoned vehicles during the evening rush hour.
Plows are not able to move snow accumulations of 1 inch or less, so people who insist on driving should be prepared to drive on snow.
Chains - your link to safety!
Buy chains, practice putting them on your car, carry them in your vehicle, and use them. You may need them unexpectedly. During snow storms, PBOT often requires chains or traction devices on West Burnside and SW Sam Jackson Parkway.
Graphics via National Weather Service/Photos via Oregon State Police
Mr. Tillerson came to the hearing acutely aware that his first task was to allay concerns that his four decades at Exxon had left him too close to Mr. Putin and dictators around the world. So he staked out his turf early in the hearing, arguing that if he had been in office when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, he would have recommended that the United States provide arms and intelligence support to the government of Ukraine, even though it is not a member of NATO.
What the Russian leadership would have understood is a powerful response, he said, casting the Obama administrations reaction as too weak. His message to the Russian leadership, he said, would be, Yes, you took Crimea, but this stops right here.
But Mr. Tillerson dodged a series of questions about whether Exxon Mobil, under his leadership, had lobbied against the sanctions imposed on Russia, which prevented the company from fulfilling huge contracts for oil exploration on Russian territory.
On climate change, mr. tillerson said he did not view it as the imminent national security threat that some others did. Although he surprised many in the oil business by acknowledging the dangers of global warming and even embracing carbon taxes, as he did again on Wednesday, he said that much of the literature on the issue remained inconclusive, despite the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community about the role of humans.
Graphic
Rex W. Tillerson, former chief executive of ExxonMobil and Donald J. Trumps nominee to be secretary of state, has conducted his own brand of oil-oriented diplomacy during his 41-year career at Exxon, a company that has often cut deals with authoritarian leaders of politically unstable countries.
Mr. Tillerson showed a deep familiarity with many of the most contentious issues in American foreign policy, including the rules governing transactions with the Cuban government and the outlines of the Iran nuclear deal. It was on Iran that he tried to strike a middle ground between Republicans who said the deal should be scrapped including Vice President-elect Mike Pence and those who simply call for tougher enforcement of its provisions.
He promised a comprehensive review that would include confidential side agreements, largely between Iran and international nuclear inspectors, that have long been a subject of Republican suspicions. But his real complaint about the 2015 accord is that its key restrictions on Iran expire in 2030, and he said he feared Iran would go back to where they were, trying to build a nuclear weapon.
At one point Mr. Tillerson complained that there was no provision to keep Iran from buying a nuclear weapon, though later, after a break, he corrected himself to acknowledge that both the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the Iran agreement itself contain prohibitions on any acquisition of a nuclear device.
Protesters shouted out regularly, interrupting Mr. Tillerson, and he did not look at them, pausing expressionless as they were removed. He told the committee repeatedly that he would not act on human rights abuses, such as the summary executions underway in the Philippines, until he received corroboration, presumably from American intelligence agencies. That inflamed Mr. Rubio, who charged that Mr. Tillerson was ignoring easily verifiable news reports. It also angered Human Rights Watch, the nongovernmental organization that monitors such violations.
Rex Tillersons reluctance to acknowledge human rights abuses by Russia, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines raises serious questions about whether he can effectively serve as secretary of state, the group said in a statement. Numerous independent observers, U.N. investigators, media, and humanitarian and human rights groups have published extensive and detailed reporting about the Russian governments highly problematic domestic human rights record and war crimes in Syria, and the killing in the Philippines of 6,200 suspected drug users in the last six months.
Photo Rex W. Tillerson, center, the chief executive of Exxon Mobil and Mr. Trumps choice for secretary of state, before the start of his confirmation hearing. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times
Mr. Tillerson said he simply had an engineers view of the need for evidence.
Some of the days most fascinating moments came as Mr. Tillerson tried to weave a fairly conventional, hard-power view of American influence into a tapestry that clearly rejected some of Mr. Trumps views. Although the president-elect has said that he doubted the usefulness of the United States-led sanctions against Russia for its incursion into Ukraine, Mr. Tillerson took the opposite view. He said he looked forward to working with the Senate particularly on the construct of new sanctions against Moscow in an effort to cause modifications in Russias positions.
At the same time, in a tense series of exchanges, Mr. Tillerson said he could not say whether Exxon had lobbied against Russia sanctions after the annexation of Crimea, even though the company had submitted filings saying that it was lobbying on the topic. Lets be clear, the company said on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. We engage with lawmakers to discuss sanction impacts, not whether or not sanctions should be imposed.
There were other attempts to separate from positions Mr. Trump took last year. Mr. Tillerson indicated that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria would ultimately have to leave power the Obama administrations position and assailed Mr. Assads bombing of civilians. Mr. Trump had talked about allying with Mr. Assad and Russia to fight the Islamic State, even while acknowledging the Syrian leader is a bad guy.
Pressed on Mr. Trumps calls for a national registry of Muslims, Mr. Tillerson said he would need to have a lot more information around how such an approach would even be constructed.
Democrats questioned Mr. Tillerson on whether his 41 years at the worlds largest oil company would affect his view of American national interests. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, got to the Democrats key critique of Mr. Tillerson, arguing that having a view from the C-suite at Exxon is not at all the same as the view from the seventh floor of the Department of State, Mr. Cardin said, referring to where the secretarys office is.
And those who suggest that anyone who can run a successful business can, of course, run a government agency do a profound disservice to both, he said.
Ezekiel Elliott: On Car Accident; Excited To Get Back On Field
David Johnson , Ezekiel Elliott and Le"Veon Bell were all drafted in the first 10 overall picks in the majority of leagues on CBS Sports in 2016. And all three delivered in a big way.
In looking at the win percentage for leagues on CBS Sports -- which takes into account the teams that won the most games, not Fantasy titles -- Johnson, Elliott and Bell were the three best players, in that order. And those three running backs likely helped many Fantasy owners win a championship as well.
The win percentage data shows us the players on successful rosters at the end of the season. For example, popular waiver wire pick ups like Malcolm Mitchell , Taylor Gabriel , Bilal Powell and Ladarius Green have a high win percentage because they were likely added to teams late in the year that were in playoff contention and already had stacked rosters. Even Adrian Peterson falls into that category when he was trying to come back from his Week 2 knee injury and Fantasy owners added him where available.
We removed DST and kickers from this discussion because, as some Fantasy owners will tell you, they don"t matter, especially kickers. But the San Diego Chargers DST was actually No. 3 overall in win percentage, mostly because they were added for their Week 16 matchup at Cleveland, which resulted in a strong performance.
What we want to do here is look at the players who were successful, and also see where others failed. Aside from Johnson, Elliott and Bell, we also got great results from other early-round selections like LeSean McCoy , Mike Evans , Jordy Nelson , Antonio Brown , Aaron Rodgers and Odell Beckham.
The guys who disappointed us in a major way also had a bad win percentage, which should come as no surprise. These players included DeAndre Hopkins , Brandon Marshall , Todd Gurley and Cam Newton , who were among the biggest busts in 2016, especially since all four were healthy for most of the year.
We wish this list could serve as a blueprint for how to build your Fantasy team in 2017. Unfortunately, that"s not the case because every year there are going to be first-round busts, along with difference-making waiver wire additions.
But it"s always good to review players who helped you win and also see why some players flopped. Whenever there is relevant data, there is usually always something we can learn and apply to the future.
Editor"s note: The numbers listed next to each player"s name is their win percentage for 2016.
Top 50 overall win percentage David Johnson RB / Arizona Cardinals (2016 stats)
The two names who jump out at the top of the list are Murray and Gordon, who were drafted after Round 3 in the majority of leagues but finished as top-10 running backs in standard formats. When you hit on players of this caliber in your draft, especially at running back, these are the guys who help you win your league, especially if your first two or three draft picks are successful. Based on our recent early 2017 mock draft, some players who could fall into that category next season are Thomas Rawls , Kelley and Ware.
As we said above, players like Mitchell, Gabriel, Powell and Green became Fantasy relevant late in the season, and in some cases they were starters. Green had trouble staying healthy all season, including late in the year when Fantasy owners were hoping he would make a difference, but these were some of the best waiver wire additions of the season.
And we tell you all the time that while the draft is important, it"s the waiver wire where your league will be won. Some other waiver wire additions from this list, who were added in the early or middle part of the season, included Montgomery, Hill, Williams, Howard, Kelley, Matthews, Gillislee, Crowder and Brate. Look back on your league, and you will likely find these players on many of the winning teams.
Top 10 quarterbacks Drew Brees QB / New Orleans Saints (2016 stats)
We know why Brady wasn"t an early-round pick in 2016 because of his four-game suspension, but this list should show you that, once again, you can wait on a quarterback and still have a successful Fantasy team. Rodgers was drafted in Round 2 in the majority of leagues, Luck and Brees in Round 4 and Roethlisberger in Round 5.
But everyone else was drafted in Round 6 or later in most leagues, including Prescott, who was likely a waiver wire addition. You don"t have to reach for a quarterback in Round 1, which could prove costly as it did in 2016.
Newton was selected in the first 10 overall picks based on average draft position, and he had the second-lowest win percentage (0.452) of the 157 players we looked at. The worst was Russell Wilson (0.446), who was drafted in Round 3 on average. Wait, wait, wait.
Like DeMarco Murray and Gordon, one of the best value picks at any position was Blount, who was drafted in Round 8. All he did was lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 18, and he finished as the No. 6 running back in standard leagues. He"s 30 and a free agent this offseason, but we hope he"s back with the Patriots as the No. 1 option in their backfield.
I was surprised to see Freeman at No. 15 on this list since he finished as the No. 7 Fantasy running back in standard leagues. He was worth the price as an early second-round pick in most leagues, but he probably ended up on teams with bad players, which lowered his win percentage. I expect another strong season from Freeman in 2017 in tandem with Coleman, who had a slightly better win percentage than Freeman this year.
Some running backs on this list to watch this offseason are Powell, Peterson, Latavius Murray, Dixon, Gore and Henry. If they get starting jobs (Powell with the Jets and Dixon with the Ravens) or keep the ones they have (Peterson with the Vikings, Murray with the Raiders and Gore with the Colts), their Fantasy value could change.
Murray is a free agent and could leave Oakland, and Minnesota and Indianapolis could move on from aging running backs Peterson and Gore. As for Henry, don"t be surprised if he takes on more work for the Titans, which would clearly impact DeMarco Murray.
Top 20 wide receivers Mike Evans WR / Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016 stats)
TAR: 175 REC: 96 YDS: 1,321 TD: 12
Mike Evans, Buccaneers - 0.570
Malcolm Mitchell, Patriots - 0.552
Jordy Nelson, Packers - 0.549
Antonio Brown, Steelers - 0.547
Taylor Gabriel, Falcons - 0.545
Ty Montgomery, Packers - 0.540
Odell Beckham, Giants - 0.535
T.Y. Hilton, Colts - 0.532
Sammy Watkins, Bills - 0.530
Julio Jones, Falcons - 0.528
Michael Thomas , Saints - 0.524
Tyreek Hill, Chiefs - 0.524
Tyrell Williams, Chargers - 0.524
Brandin Cooks, Saints - 0.521
A.J. Green, Bengals - 0.521
Alshon Jeffery, Bears - 0.519
Rishard Matthews, Titans - 0.518
Amari Cooper, Raiders - 0.515
DeSean Jackson, Redskins - 0.514
Jamison Crowder, Redskins - 0.512
We didn"t know how Nelson would do coming off a torn ACL in 2015, but he narrowly beat out Evans for the No. 1 Fantasy receiver in standard leagues. Evans, however, proved to be the better value pick in Round 3 compared to Nelson in Round 2.
It was great to see several young receivers step up this year and help Fantasy owners, including rookies in Mitchell, Thomas and Hill, and second-year guys Montgomery and Williams. The best player of this group is clearly Thomas, who should be considered a low-end No. 1 receiver in 2017 and is worth drafting in Round 3. He and Cooks were great in 2016, and should post outstanding stats again next season with Brees and Sean Payton staying in New Orleans.
We have Montgomery listed as a receiver here since that was his primary position coming into 2016. He was inconsistent as a Fantasy option for the Packers, but he could be a mid-round pick in 2017, especially if he"s the starting running back in Green Bay.
Williams will be interesting to monitor this offseason with Keenan Allen (knee) expected back for the Chargers, and we"ll see what happens with Danny Woodhead (knee), who is a free agent. Steve Johnson (knee) could also return to San Diego, and the Chargers still have Antonio Gates , Hunter Henry and Dontrelle Inman . We"d expect Williams to start opposite Allen, but there could be a lot of mouths to feed in 2017.
We hope Jeffery lands with a team that will enhance his talents -- and has a good quarterback -- since he"s a free agent this offseason. He likely was on this list after Fantasy owners dropped him when he had a four-game suspension in Week 11 and was then added to a successful team for the final three games of the year.
We also hope Watkins can stay healthy after he had another injury-plagued year in 2016. He"s expected to have another foot surgery this offseason, but hopefully that will be his last one and could help him thrive like other receivers with foot problems in the past, including Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and Julian Edelman .
Top 10 tight ends Ladarius Green TE / Pittsburgh Steelers (2016 stats)
TAR: 34 REC: 18 YDS: 304 TD: 1
Ladarius Green, Steelers - 0.539
Travis Kelce, Chiefs - 0.532
Jimmy Graham, Seahawks - 0.518
Greg Olsen, Panthers - 0.512
Jordan Reed, Redskins - 0.511
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings - 0.510
Delanie Walker, Titans - 0.510
Cameron Brate, Buccaneers - 0.509
Tyler Eifert , Bengals - 0.509
Zach Ertz , Eagles - 0.509
You don"t see Rob Gronkowski on this list because he was dropped from Fantasy leagues following his back injury in Week 12. When healthy, he"s still the best Fantasy tight end and is worth drafting toward the end of Round 2 or beginning of Round 3 in all leagues. He"s expected to be fine for Week 1.
We also expect Reed and Eifert to be healthy for 2017 after injuries were once again a problem this past year. Reed should be over his late-season shoulder injury in time for offseason workouts, but Eifert underwent back surgery in January and is hopeful to be ready for training camp. These will be two prominent tight ends to monitor all offseason.
Kelce finally had the breakout year we were all hoping for in 2016 with 85 catches for 1,125 yards and four touchdowns, and he should be considered the No. 2 tight end coming into next season. Kelce is worth drafting in Round 4 in most leagues.
It was great to see Graham rebound from the torn patella tendon he suffered in his knee in 2015. While most players who previously suffered this injury were never the same, Graham bounced back to finish as the No. 2 Fantasy tight end in standard leagues behind Kelce. Graham will again be a top-five option at the position, and he"s worth drafting in Round 6.
Top 20 worst players Randall Cobb WR / Green Bay Packers (2016 stats)
TAR: 84 REC: 60 YDS: 610 TD: 4
Randall Cobb , WR, Packers - 0.479
Carson Palmer , QB, Cardinals - 0.477
Jason Witten , TE, Cowboys - 0.476
DeVante Parker , WR, Dolphins - 0.474
Coby Fleener , TE, Saints - 0.473
Doug Martin , RB, Buccaneers - 0.472
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans - 0.469
Terrance West , RB, Ravens - 0.469
James White , RB, Patriots - 0.468
Brandon Marshall, WR, Jets - 0.467
Jerick McKinnon , RB, Vikings - 0.466
Jeremy Maclin , WR, Chiefs - 0.465
Darren Sproles , RB, Eagles - 0.464
T.J. Yeldon , RB, Jaguars - 0.460
Will Fuller , WR, Texans - 0.458
Chris Ivory , RB, Jaguars - 0.458
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams - 0.457
Matt Asiata , RB, Vikings - 0.456
Cam Newton, QB, Panthers - 0.452
Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks - 0.446
This list likely makes a lot of Fantasy owners throw up. You have three of the first seven quarterbacks drafted in Newton, Wilson and Palmer, two of the top 11 running backs in Gurley and Martin and three of the top 20 receivers in Hopkins, Marshall and Cobb. Oh yeah, and the No. 6 tight end off the board in Fleener. Blech.
These players cost many Fantasy owners in 2016, and there were other disappointments with Maclin (drafted in Round 5) and Ivory (drafted ahead of Blount, Ajayi and Ware). I"m surprised McKinnon is here since he played well toward the end of the season and was drafted in Round 13 in the majority of leagues, but he just ended up on bad Fantasy teams based on his win percentage.
The players to focus on here are Gurley, Hopkins, Newton and Wilson since all four should bounce back in 2017. We hope the same happens for Cobb and Marshall, and Cobb just had a standout wild card performance against the Giants, which is positive. Marshall could need a change of scenery -- and quarterback -- to help his Fantasy outlook.
Gurley was overvalued as the No. 1 running back coming into the season, and he failed, whether due to a lack of talent around him or his own shortcomings. He"s too talented to be a complete bust, and I"d still draft him as a low-end No. 1 running back in Round 2 in 2017, especially with a new coach and another year for Jared Goff .
Hopkins has played well in his past two games heading into the divisional round of the playoffs at New England, and we hope Brock Osweiler improves to help Hopkins get better. He won"t get back to his 2015 level with Osweiler, but he can still be a No. 2 Fantasy receiver worth drafting in Round 3.
Newton and Wilson remain No. 1 quarterbacks heading into 2017 despite both finishing outside the top 12 in Fantasy points in 2016. Newton was the No. 1 quarterback in 2015 and Wilson was No. 3, and both should end up as great value picks in 2017.
These are two perfect quarterbacks to wait for on Draft Day. Again, wait, wait, wait.
The DJ says he was asked to play at the Inaugural Ball, and jokingly said that he will only take the offer if Trump releases his taxes.
He wrote on Instagram, Hahahahaha, I was just asked by a booking agent if I would consider djing at one of the inaugural b***s for #trump... Hahahahaha, wait, Hahahaha, really? I guess Id DJ at an inaugural ball if as payment #trump released his tax returns. Also I would probably play public enemy and stockhausen remixes to entertain the republicans. Im still laughing. Hahahaha. So #trump what do you think, I DJ for you and you release your tax returns?
It is odd that Moby was asked to perform, since he has slammed the president-elect on social media. Even just the other day, the musician posted a side-by-side photo on Instagram of Trump next to King Joffrey from Game of Thrones.
