US Intelligence to Testify on Russian Hacking; Moldova, Transnistria Leaders Meet for First Time in 8 Years

LIVE UPDATES: US intelligence officials are to testify on claims of Russian hacking amid skepticism. Moldovan and Transnistria leaders meet for the first time in 8 years.

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US Intelligence to Testify on Russian Hacking; Moldova, Transnistria Leaders Meet for First Time in 8 Years

2017-01-05 15:24:32

The ruble is trading at 59.29 to the dollar and 62.56 to the euro. Brent crude is selling for $57.30 per barrel. 

U.S. Intelligence Officials To Testify On Russia-Hacking Claim

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US Lawmakers Preparing Russia Sanctions Bill 

Kissingers Associate Advisor Thomas Graham Discounts Rumors of His Appointment As Ambassador to Russia; Candidates Previously Named Were Graham and Dana Rohrabacher

New Moldovan President Igor Dodon Recounts First Meeting with Transnistria Leader Vadim Krasnoselsky; First Since 2008

Moscow Prepared to Become ‘Close Friend of Philippines” — Russian Ambassador

Ukrainian Defense Minister Says 5,000 Russian Military in Donbass

Disabled Aeroflot Airplane Finally Removed in Kaliningrad with Help of Military’s Baltic Fleet and Emergencies Ministry; 3 Receive Medical Treatment

6 Charged, Released in Picket to Support Missing Political Prisoner

Condition of MMA Champ Rasul Mirzayev Worsens After Attack; Friend Says He Suffered Bullet Wounds, Bruises

Chechen Upset at Postponement of Procedure to Identify Remains of War Victims Brought from Rostov

Lawyers Criticize Lack of Investigation of Deaths of Victims of First Chechen War

What We’re Reading

Joint Statement for the Record to the Senate Armed services Committee: Foreign Cyber Threats to the United States by James R. Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, Marcel Lettre, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Adm. Michael S. Rogers, USN, Commander, US Cyber Command Director, National Security Agency [English] 

Interview with CIA Director John Brennan [English]; CIA Chief Hopes Relations Between US and Russia Will Improve Under Trump [Russian]

Thomas Graham’s Geopolitical Recipies — Voice of America Interview [Russian]

CIA Chief Addresses ‘Doubters’ of Russian Hacking Report [English]

Peskov Describes How Putin Berated Him for Napping During His Speech by Sasha Pyatnitskaya [Russian]

How the Virtual Reality Industry is Growing in Russia and Whether You Can Earn Money In It [Russian]

— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick