Trump's alleged Russia ties cast shadow on confirmation hearings Donald Trump's picks to lead the CIA and the Department of Defense both sounded warnings over Russia's growing global ambitions during their confirmation hearings before the Senate on Thursday. Mike Pompeo, Trump's choice for CIA director, sided with intelligence officials who accuse Moscow of attempting to skew the US election. His comments came amid an increasingly bitter row between Trump and US intelligence agencies. James Mattis, Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, told the Senate armed services committee that Russia had "chosen to be a strategic competitor, an adversary in key areas". Meanwhile, Eric Swalwell, the ranking member of the CIA subcommittee of the House permanent select committee on intelligence, has called for an independent bipartisan commission to investigate Russian influence on the US election. The commission was needed to "to set the record straight on what happened, and to recommend how best to protect ourselves from now on", Swalwell writes for the Guardian. Trump's inauguration is next Friday, though some have already begun to wonder what happens now and to speculate as to whether he could be impeached. Donald Trump's alleged ties with Russia overshadow confirmation hearings Justice department to review FBI's handling of Clinton email inquiry The justice department's Office of the Inspector General announced it would investigate the FBI's handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton's personal email server from her tenure as secretary of state. The review would include an examination of whether FBI director James Comey violated policy or procedure when he sent Congress notification about new evidence his department had discovered, 11 days before the presidential election. Comey later publicly conceded that none of the new material was pertinent to the investigation, which had concluded that Clinton was not criminally responsible for the use of the personal server but had been "extremely careless" in her handling of sensitive information. Justice department to review FBI's conduct in Clinton email inquiry WhatsApp backdoor allows snooping on encrypted messages
Facebook claims no one can intercept WhatsApp messages, not even the company and its staff, ensuring privacy for its billion-plus users. But new research shows that the company could in fact read encrypted messages due to the way WhatsApp has implemented its end-to-end encryption protocol. Privacy campaigners said the vulnerability was a "huge threat to freedom of speech" and warned it could be used by government agencies to snoop on users who believe their messages to be secure. Read our breakdown of how this may affect you: Should I be worried about the WhatsApp encryption backdoor? WhatsApp backdoor allows snooping on encrypted messages Trump risks 'war' over South China Sea access The US risks a "large-scale war" with China if it attempts to blockade islands in the South China Sea, Chinese state media has said, adding that if recent statements become policy when Donald Trump takes over as president "the two sides had better prepare for a military clash". During his confirmation hearing, Rex Tillerson, Trump's nominee for secretary of state, said China's "access to those islands … is not going to be allowed". He did not specify how the US would block access but experts agreed it could only be done by a significant show of military force. Trump risks 'war' with Beijing if US blocks access to South China Sea, state media warns Obama gives US intelligence greater access to warrantless data on foreigners In one of his final acts on national security, Barack Obama has permitted US intelligence and law enforcement agencies far greater access to raw communications data warrantlessly collected on foreign targets, alarming privacy advocates. Under an executive order, the CIA, FBI and other security agencies will be able to access unfiltered surveillance aimed at foreigners abroad, before information identifying or revealing Americans they may be in contact with gets censored out. Obama gives US intelligence greater access to warrantless data on foreigners
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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. Obama ends longstanding Cuban immigration policy Obama is ending a longstanding immigration policy that allows any Cuban who makes it to US soil to stay and become a legal resident, a senior administration official said Thursday. The repeal of the "wet foot, dry foot" policy is effective immediately, according the official. The decision follows months of negotiations focused in part on getting Cuba to agree to take back people who had arrived in the US. Obama ends 'wet foot, dry foot' policy for Cuban immigrants A surprise for Joe Biden Obama awarded vice-president Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest US civilian honor, on Thursday. The president presented a teary-eyed Biden with the award in honor of Biden's "faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country and a lifetime of service that will endure through the generations". Barack Obama surprises Joe Biden with Presidential Medal of Freedom | 
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James Mattis, Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, arrives at a confirmation hearing. Photograph: ddp USA/Rex/Shutterstock 
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