Highs, the nasdaq just a fraction off its record close that optimism rippling through asian trade. A warm welcome to the programme, briefing you on all you need to know in global news, business and sport. And you can be part of the conversation. Tell us what you think just use the hashtag bbcthebriefing. We start in the us where the impeachment investigation against President Donald Trump is about to move to a new stage. All this week, the democrat led inquiry interviewed witnesses behind closed doors, building up the momentum for the first public hearings next week. The latest reports suggest the committees investigating the president have now subpoenaed acting white house chief of staff, mick mulvaney. Mr trump insists he has done nothing wrong and says the whole inquiry is a hoax. Our north america correspondent, david willis has this report. As senior official of the us state department, george kent told congressional investigation that one point he was told by a superior to keep his head down. Mr kantor said he became aware of a Smear Campaign targeting the former Us Ambassador to the ukraine who was later recalled to washington by President Trump. The campaign consisted of what mr ken said were lies and Incorrect Information about the ambassador, put about i President Trump s personal lawyer, rudy giuliani. A man portrayed by other witnesses is operating what operated to what amounted to a shadow us policy towards you crane, one designed to put pressure on the government to investigate joe designed to put pressure on the government to investigatejoe biden. At the centre of the impeachment enquiry is a telephone conversation between President Trump and the ukrainian resident and mr trump has denied reports in the us media that he asked his attorney general, william barr, to hold a News Conference and publicly clear him of wrong doing over the call. Mr mahut has attracted criticism in the past for its close relationship with President Trump has declined. For the president , the setbacks continue. He is also ordered to pay 2 million in damages after a judge in new york found he had used funds from the charitable arm of his financial empire for personal and political purposes. Among them, the promotion of his president ial bid and paying off business debt. In a statement on twitter, mr trump derided the verdict and claimed the foundation had given 100 of its funds two great charities. Mrjohns real problems may lay here in the house of representatives that make mr trumps. Aid money for the ukraine was delayed as part of an effort to bring about an investigation into joe biden. Effort to bring about an investigation intojoe biden. The president insists he was engaged in a broader effort to read out corruption there. Next week sees the start of public hearings into the matter. Billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg is strongly considering entering the democratic president ial nomination race. The former new york mayors spokesman said mr bloomberg was worried the current candidates couldnt beat President Trump in the 2020 us election. Hes expected to file paperwork to enter the race this week. The president of burkina faso, marc kabore, has called for a National Mobilisation against terrorism following an attack on a mining convoy that killed at least 38 people and injured 60 others. The convoy was carrying workers at a gold mine owned by the canadian company, semafo, in the capital ouagadougou. The families of dozens of miners still missing after the ambush say the government hasnt done enough to quell a rise in attacks by islamic extremists. Freya cole reports. The families of those killed, injured or still missing wait for answers. Theyve united in grief to confront government representatives the very people who, they say, should have protected their loved ones from this type of attack. Translation we need our parents bodies, to bury them with dignity. That is all we are asking. Imagine the stress that we are living through. None of us have had any sleep. The victims were in a military lead convoy on their way to work for a canadian owned gold mine in the east of the country. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the bomb blast on the military escort vehicle, followed by a shooting spree, suggest islamic extremism. The once peaceful nation is grappling with an insurgency of three militant groups with links to alqaeda and islamic state. This man tells the government that they live with jihadist extremists every day in their villages and that death no longer shocks them. President marc kabore has announced 72 hours of National Mourning and has ordered a nation wide effort to combat terror. Translation only a concerted mobilization of the sons and daughters of the nation, regardless of region, ethnicity, political opinion or religion confession can defeat these lawless and faithless murderers. The montreal based Mining Company has so far offered no explanation. It was forced to tighten security at the mine last year after two terror incidents. It now flies Foreign Workers by helicopter to the mine, but local workers still go by road. On its website, it offers its sympathies, saying given the scale of the attack, it will take some time to properly deal with it and it will do its utmost to support those affected. But its not yet known whether a Company Representative from canada will go to the region, or whether there are plans for compensation for those left behind. Freya cole, bbc news. Lets brief you on some of the other stories making the news more than a hundred flood warnings remain in place in the north of england after torrential rain flooded roads and disrupted public transport services. In the city of sheffield, dozens of people spent the night in a Shopping Centre after a nearby river burst its banks. Weather warnings have also been issued for southern england and most of wales because of heavy rain and strong winds. Brazils Supreme Court has ruled that convicted criminals should go to prison only after they have exhausted their appeal options. The decision benefits former president lula da silva, who has been injail since april 2018. Lula was sentenced to 12 years in prison for unlawfully receiving a beachside apartment from a company. The market leading us e cigarette maker, juul, has decided to stop selling its mint flavoured Nicotine Products with immediate effect. The decision follows an annual Youth Tobacco survey showing that vaping among teenagers is at an all time high. Turning now to our top business story walt disney. Because the force is very much with the entertainment giant, after revenues surged by more than a third in the last quarter. The lion king and toy story 4 both earned more than a billion dollars at the box office. The recond breaking run continues after Avengers Endgame became the highest grossing movie of all time. Disney is now more enormous than ever, following its massive 70 billion takeover of 21st century fox, giving it access to content such as star wars. And its about to begin a new episode in its 96 year history, as it prepares to enter the world of streaming. Lets discuss this with financial journalist simoney kyriakou. Tell me, are you a believer in the disney story . They do seem to go from strength to strength. As a child you are brought up with disney so child you are brought up with disney so there is a great affinity with it. But here the shares are up 5 and it is about to launch disney plus. It will be much cheaper than netflix and it looks like it has a very strong offering in the streaming service and i think many pa rents streaming service and i think many parents will be very excited by this as well. That is dead. We know that the content that is it. We know the content that is it. We know the content that is it. We know the content is clean and there is a huge amount, stuff you can just repeat and repeat full and that is the key. It has Intrinsic Value that does not disappear. It is not as if it is just does not disappear. It is not as if it isjust one does not disappear. It is not as if it is just one new series and then the content disappears in value. It is just one new series and then the content disappears in valuem has an important valuable franchise. Absolutely. They brought a massive backlog of stuff from 20th century fox and it also has development in the pipeline for more marvel staff. It also has more adult channels responsible for things like the handmaids tale as well as the big ticket selling items like disney films and star wars franchises in the lion king and frozen frozen two. What more could parents want . You are apparent as am i, and this is what we really home . More children watching more content . I thought the move was away from screens and trying to get children off the screens rather than plonking them in front of it. Springtime has been proven by american psychologists as being detrimental and they recommend may one hour of screen time a day full of but if you wa nt to screen time a day full of but if you want to have a nice film with your children, just being able to switch it on and get good streaming sites, you know that the contact content and you can be in charge of what they are seeing on disney plus whereas you cannot always be sure what they are seeing on television plus on television there may be advertisements for things and you dont want that sort of pester power stop there will be more of an element of parental control over Something Like this streaming service. And there is nothing wrong with watching many films. Many of them have a strong moral message, be good be courageous, be kind, be courageous i think was the cinderella one. But that kind of idea that a parent can have time with a child or a grandparent can have time with their child with a family movie, i think it is a great idea. Good luck with that pester power. We will have a look at some of the other paper stories in a moment. The Funeral Services have begun for some of the victims of an attack in northern mexico in which nine us citizens were killed. The victims were all members of a Mormon Community based in the mexican state of sonora. Initial investigations suggest the attack was a case of mistaken identity by a drug cartel a version of events disputed by the victims families. From mexico, will grant reports. Hand hewn wooden coffins made by their relatives were used to bury the dead in the langford family. The mother, dawna ray, her two young children, Trevor Harvey and rogan jay, in the others. Buried as they had died, side by side. Thank you everyone for coming out. The mourners had travelled in convoys from mormon communities in utah and arizona, escorted by the mexican military down the same road where their loved ones had been murdered. They struggled to comprehend the massacre of children. I feel that they really need to get on it and really do something and take it very serious, because it is serious. This should not have happened to three women and their children that were all hurt, injured and died needlessly. For decades, the breakaway religious group lived in relative peace in a region controlled by drug cartels. But that changed with these brutal killings. The Mexican Government insists the deaths were a mistake. The gunmen from the la linea cartel confused the cars full of children with a rival gang. Community elders say that does not add up. Translation the children who witnessed the attack were travelling in the suv and saw their mother get out and raise her arms, and that is when she was gunned down. So the question of whether there was confusion and crossfire is completely false. These criminals have no shame. They opened fire on women and children with premeditation and unimaginable brutality. I dont know what kind of animals these people are. The investigation is under way. Although whether this was a mistake or a deliberate act, the effect is the same. The cartel has sown fear in this part of mexico. For now, the mormons insist they are not leaving. Instead, they prepare for more funerals to come. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come one million miles and counting the veteran cyclist riding into the record books. The israeli Prime Minister, yitzhak rabin, the architect of the middle east peace process, has been assassinated. A 27 year old jewish man has been arrested, and an extremistjewish organisation has claimed responsibility for the killing. At polling booths throughout the country, they voted on a historic day for australia. As the results came in, it was clear. The monarchy would survive. Of the american hostages, there was no sign. They are being held somewhere inside the compound, and student leaders have threatened that should the americans attempt rescue, they will all die. This mission has surpassed all expectations. Voyageri is now the most distant man made object anywhere in the universe, and itjust seems to keep on going. Tonight, we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms, or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals. Youre watching the briefing. Our headlines our top story as the democrats prepare for the first public hearings in President Trumps impeachment inquiry, a judge orders him to pay 2 million in damages for improper use of charitable funds. After a deadly attack on burkina faso miners, their families say the government isnt doing enough to combat islamic extremists. The final rallies are taking place today ahead of this weekends general election in spain. Its the second time the country is called to the polls this year and the fourth general election in as many years. Acting Prime Minister pedro sanchez, whose socialists won the most seats last time, announced the autumn poll after failing to win enough support to form a government in the spring. But is another election likely to break the deadlock . Tim willcox has more. So, nearly six months after the last one, what are the chances of any party now being able to form a government or well, if the polls are to be believed, pretty slim. One recent survey had the socialist party led by mr sanchez winning i2i seats stopping letters to make fewer than the last time it also predicted a slide by more than the last time it also predicted a slidt whatore than the last time it also predicted a slidt what ore. The than the last time it also predicted a slidt whatore. The right . Than the last time it also predicted a slidt what ore. The right . Polls party. What about the right . Polls suggest they might benefit this time around, but again may not enough to form a majority. The Popular Party is expected to do much better than a day a current seats stopping so to the populace right Wing Party Vox which could double its share to 46 feet. However, the Citizens Party could be a big loser, perhaps dropping 60 seats to the midteens. Catalonia has once again loomed over the election stopping there have been more large scale pro and anti independence demonstrations, after nine separatist politicians were jailed for their part in the illegal referendum of 2017. The recent all male leaders debate, they talked about new laws around state media. Added to mr sanchezs woes are a slowdown in the spanish economy, and ajump of nearly slowdown in the spanish economy, and a jump of nearly 100,000 in the countrys unemployment rate. With about one quarter of spains voters undecided, there could be a lot more uncertainty to come in europes fifth largest economy. Now its time to get all the latest from the bbc sports centre. Hello, im gavin and this is your friday sport briefing. In the europa league, severe put on a 5 star performance to cruise into the last 32 of the competition on thursday night stopping a hat trick helped the most successful side in the competition to a 5 2 when. Celtic came from behind to seal their place next round, a time when. Manchester united willjoin them after a 3 0 when over belgrade. That was the reason we played them as well, we felt that if we played a strong team it would create chances and we needed players out there to take them. Very pleased with all those finishes, all three goals were high class, of course. We had quite a few more as well, but the first one settles down i think. Sunny Billy Williams completed his return to rugby league on thursday confirming his move to canadian side toronto wolfpack on a two year deal with almost 6. 5 million. Toronto have just been promoted to the top tier of the game in the english legal system. It will be his third speu legal system. It will be his third spell and rugby league making him the highest paid player in the history the code stopping all blacks previously played league in australia. Is the decision good for the game of rugby league . What a signing. First and foremost as a director of rugby, purely selfish, it really helps in the dynamics to where we are in the super league. The ancillary staff, a less bothered about than anybody else but everywhere they go a hit them with a baseball bat with legends of new Zealand Rugby let alone new zealand by Zealand Rugby let alone new Zealand Rugby league. Justin rose will be looking to close a politic is open leaders, rose will start the second day two shots of the lead after a late 30s saw him firing an opening round of 67. He is having to be the first player 19 years to when a European Tour title three is in succession stopping the milwaukee bucs will attempt to continue their impressive start to the season. Giannis antetokounmpo, has been in particularly good form, having scored 38 points last time, and having just missed out on a triple double. All the buzz on social media, in the sporting world, is over these two at the moment. Youtube stars ksi, and logan paul and their boxing rematch in los angeles this weekend. The pair have an audience of a0 million who follow them. Britains ksi could have earned a reported 100 million us from the first fight, in manchester last year. American paul, is the favourite, in his hometown in front of an expected sell out at the staples centre. Millions more are expected to watch on pay per view. Promises to be very exciting indeed. You can get all the latest sports news at our website thats bbc. Com sport. But from me Gavin Ramjaun and the rest of the sport team, thats your friday sport briefing. Hows this for dedication . An 82 year old man has become the first briton to ride a million registered miles on his bicycle. Russ mantle has been pedalling away for more than 65 years, averaging around 15,000 miles a year. The bbcs tim allman has the story. You know what they say. The millionth mile is always the hardest. Russ mantle clocked up miles 999,995 1 million. A very big numberfrom a man who harbours a very big affection for two wheeled transportation. I just love the mobility that cycling gave me. Even now, im stuck with a bike, no longer have a car, no longer have scooters. His cycling odyssey began in 1952 when he got his first bike, a coventry eagle. The crucial thing was he kept a meticulous log of every mile he rode. Russ has travelled the equivalent of two return trips to the moon or a0 circumnavigations of the globe. Lots of people have a bike in the shed or garage that they may not have rode for a while, and really hoping that hearing russs story and that he cycled all the way to 82 will help people get back on their bikes. But he has wound down a little in recent times this year he has only managed a measly 8000 miles, but shows no signs of stopping. Just another milestone, and then onto one one, one two, i should probably finish up very close to 2 million by the time i die, when im 100 so, whats his secret . Just an attitude of mind. An attitude of mind, he says. And presumably, strong calves. Tim allman, bbc news. Fantastic, good for him let me know what you think about some of the stories were covering, we have lots more updates on the general election here on the uk, we will have some word on nato as well and some harsh words coming in from president macron, we also have the news that james dean is coming back to life in cgi form james dean is coming back to life in cgiform ina james dean is coming back to life in cgi form in a new movie stopping when you on that . That a big leap for tech or is it a terrible precedent . Just let me know what you think, get in touch with me on twitter, the hashtag is bbcthebriefing. Able see you very soon, goodbye. Hello. We had heavy persistent rain on thursday which has caused travel disruption and very widespread flooding problems. We have about 100 flooding problems. We have about 100 flood warnings and severe flood warnings in force, that number co nsta ntly warnings in force, that number constantly going up and down so check the latest on our website. If we ta ke check the latest on our website. If we take a look at where we have seen the torrential rain through the course of thursday and overnight, it has been really this band which has been really slow moving, slowlyjust pushing its way a little bit further south now, but an amber warning in force until six oclock on friday morning, up to 100 millimetres of rain that is that you cause more travel disruption through the course of friday. That rain is going to be turning quite late and patchy through the midlands and through the day it will eventually become confined to parts of Eastern England, so an improving picture elsewhere after a cold and frosty start to your friday morning, if you wintry flurries over the highest ground of higher scotland, particularly towards the north east, more sunshine for the western further south, certainly an improved day competitors that. Still pretty chilly, temperatures 6 11 degrees, somewhat below par. We will lose the cloud and patchy rain from Eastern England as we move through friday night and into the early areas of saturday and you can see the blue colours returning to the map, that shows quite a frosty start to your weekend, temperatures in towns and city below freezing is and it will be colder than that in the countryside saturday particularly youve got the clear sky, starts off very cold. Stopping suddenly moving on from the west, that will for a time turn to snow over the highest ground of wales, but certainly rain down at low levels. Eastern england, northern eastern scotland will stay dry throughout the course of the day although many of us will struggle, only about four or five degrees under the cloud with the outbreaks of rain around. Through saturday night into sunday we will start to lose this area of low pressure so ethnically as a way toward the near continent, it is looking dry again, perhaps some freezing fog pictures during the morning too. Some sunny skies for most areas, and 00 28 34,892 4294966103 13 29,430 temperatures 6 10 degrees