From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Did Russia influence the U.S. election?

Hello again. I'm on me, and this is To the Point. Here's how Donald Trump answers that question.

I think it's ridiculous. I think it's just

another excuse. I don't believe it. That puts the president-elect at odds with the CIA,

the Democrats, and leading Republicans on whether Vladimir Putin helped to put Trump in the White

House. President Obama is accused of failing to take any action long before the November

voting, but Trump is isolating himself even before he takes office.

He says the intelligence community is being used for politics, while members of both parties in Congress say the stakes are too high for partisanship.

On our talking point later, the Trump transition team targets government scientists who've worked on climate change.

First, here's the news.

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Hello again, Mormon. I'll be back with To the Point. Washington Democrats and Republicans want a bipartisan investigation. Did Russia try to help Donald Trump win last month's election? But the president-elect says the claims are political, and he's challenging the credibility

of the CIA.

On our talking point later, civil servants and the Energy Department are being questioned by

the Trump transition team.

What roles did they play in President Obama's climate action plan?

We heard about what that could mean.

First, this news update, and the biggest loss for Syrian rebels since the start of the Civil War five years ago, government forces claim they have taken 98% of eastern Aleppo.

And Barnard is Beirut Bureau Chief in neighboring Lebanon for the New York Times.

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