Gaza. More than 200 rockets are f fird from gaza in response. Venices mayor says the city is on its knees as the highest tide in 50 years of floods its historic piazzas. We begin in the United States where the impeachment inquiry into President Trump entered a vital new phase, the first public televised hearing has seen two senior u. S. Diplomats take the stage on capitol hill for crossexamination by the intelligence committee. It has been a day of competing narratives from the democrats and trumps republicans. Trumps republicans. William taylor and george kent took the stand at the first public hearing of the impeachment inquiry. Career foreign officers called to tally compelling story to the american public. Taylor is the acting u. S. Ambassador to ukraine who upon assuming the post found himself in the middle of a mystery. Once i arrive, i discovered a weird combination of encouraging, confusing and ultimately alarming circumstances. Taylor had begrudgingly agreed to come out of retirement to take over the Diplomatic Mission at a critical time. His predecessor had been ousted without explanation and President Trumps personal lawyer was meeting with ukrainian officials to discuss debunked correction allegation corruption allegations against trumps political rivals. I encountered a informal, irregular channel of communication unaccountable to congress. Taylor learned the informal channel was aimed at getting ukraine to investigate joe biden, trumps potential opponent in the president ial election. He says career diplomats word sidelined as trump pressed ukraine to announce a biting investigation. George kent, a state department expert on ukraine, says giuliani was getting more involved in negotiations. They clear that giuliani is efforts to gin up politically motivated investigations were affecting the u. S. s relationship with ukraine. There was more. Ambassador taylor says he had a clear understanding that u. S. Security aid to ukraine worth 400 million was on the line. Formoney was essential ukraine to fend off russias military advances. To withhold that assistance for no good reason other than help with a Political Campaign made no sense. To allcounterproductive of what we had been trying to do. Illogical, it was crazy. Multiple witnesses have corroborated the testimony. Many facts are uncontested there is a critical factor still missing from the democrats argument. That is evidence that trump was directly involved and therefore should be blamed. The closest immigrants have come is a july phone call between trump and the president of ukraine who tells trump his country is ready to buy more weapons for defense purposes. Trumps answer, i would like you to do us a favor, then asks for investigations into democrats and the bidens. This is extortion. This is bribery. In any other instance, people would go to jail for sure. Innocent and he is republicans are staunchly defending him. Anyone familiar with the democrats war against President Trump would not be surprised to see the typical signs that this is a carefully orchestrated media smear campaign. Prior to the start of the public hearings, americans were evenly divided on whether to impeach trump and remove him. Now that they are hearing from witnesses, all eyes are on whether the publics opinion will change. Al jazeera, washington. As you have heard, at the center of the trump impeachment process is a threat to withhold military aid to ukraine. 1. 5 billion in the past five years from its ally. Ukraine is at war with russian backed separatists and is on the frontier between russia and the west. Now it fears it is being dragged into a u. S. Political scandal. Laying low seems to be the message in ukraine after u. S. Military aid was suspended. The country is at the center of a u. S. Military scandal. Is going ony what in washington, ukrainian soldiers are preparing wargames with u. S. Call logs u. S. Colleagues. Tactics they can use in the ongoing war against russian backed separatists in the east. Politics,attention to it does not affect our daytoday process. We will be here tomorrow. Both governments agree that we are here. Besides having ukraines back against russia, the americans are getting ukraines troops ready to become part of nato. This is how u. S. Military aid to ukraine looks like. An army which was suffering from corruption and a lack of funds now create now beefed up, despite threats to withhold this aid raising concerns about how long ukraine can rely on its most important ally. After the phone call with trump, ukraines president assad he did not feel pressure ukraines president said he did not feel pressured to withhold aid. The relationship between u. S. And ukraine and could push some toward moscow. What you are seeing in washington is under threat of unraveling completely. Trump is not interested in any larger issues of democracy promotion, state building in human rights in ukraine. He is interested in using ukraine for his own political needs. The u. S. President still has some fans here. This coffee shop only opened a few months ago. I would say it would make ukraine more famous and more people are aware of whats happening in ukraine about war. It would not hurt ukraines image. The americans dont even know that ukraine exists. Particularfeel any help from america so i think we have to rely on ourselves. Not the sort of message ukrainian soldiers fighting what is known as the forgotten war to hear. They hope the u. S. Will continue to support them. Al jazeera, ukraine. U. S. President donald trump says talks with his turkish counterpart at the white house have been productive. They discussed turkeys offensive into syria and trump urged europe to pay more toward the syrian refugee crisis. They also discussed russia they also discussed washingtons disappointment. It claims turkey is a great nato ally. I want to thank the president for his cooperation as we work to build a more stable and peaceful and prosperous middle east. Other thatured each turkey will continue to uphold what it is supposed to uphold. I am a big fan of the president. , know that the ceasefire while complicated, is moving forward at a rapid clip. We all agree that we need to further provide our operation and relations should be on a healthy foundation. I think we should remain resolved in order to open a new chapter in relations which are in full compliance with our alliance. Reciprocally stated our will to fight terrorist organizations presenting a clear and present danger on national security. Lets bring in al jazeeras senior analyst. Not so long ago, President Trump was threatening economic destruction for turkey if they stepped over a line and now he has a big fan. There is quite a warming up. It is actually astounding. I am shocked by this positivity, this optimism, this honeymoon feeling. Listening tok me that testimony about impeachment just how long does it take for president of a midsize country to even have a phone call with the american president . It took the ukrainian president some consultation, now a phone call, let alone a meeting. To have a meeting after what you just mentioned and for that meeting to be so successful on so many levels meaning military, strategic, economic, trade, war on terror, Nato Alliance and so on, as to really pass high marks by all of them and for President Trump to be showering president erdogan as a fan of his, that was quite something. The only point of contention was turkeys purchase of missiledefense from russia. Points a bit of a sore but it seems like both president s agree that this was a good dialogue. How does all of this play for president erdogan . This is more important for president erewhon then President Trump. President trump is living under the shadow of impeachment. For president erdogan, this comes at a very important time when turkey just intervened in syria to start settling syrians there to deal with the kurdish question and the pyd question between what he calls terrorist groups and Kurdish People in general. Refugees inte are turkey. It is a big deal for president erdogan. Just look at how this press conference is viewed today in saudi arabia or United Arab Emirates or israel or iran and russia. All these countries that deal with or have issues with turkey or with turkeys policies in syria or turkeys role as a Regional Power are looking with a bit of cautiousness, because president erdogan has just been empowered by the superpower President Trump in a sense of saying we are with you in the war on terror in your policy on the middle east and you are a senior partner of ours in the middle east. Likewill echo in places korea and the philippines. Thanks. Youre watching al jazeera live from london. Bolivias new interim leader denies former ,resident was ousted in a coup deploying Security Forces to keep the peace. Hong kong police claim universities have become refuges for criminals as violent crashes clashes with prodemocracy protesters escalate. The wind has swung around now. In some places that helps with the fires, in sums it doesnt. Speedhould lower the wind but there is no rain falling except down here in victoria. Probably good news. 22 in melbourne, 38 in perth. Getting hotter in western australia, near the 40 mark by friday. There is a warming trend. Hobart held at about 48 degrees. You get the front moving through. That is the active one that just moved through queensland. Rain to the south and most of the north of new zeeland. The sun returns more vigorously come friday but the rain is still falling somewhere to the south. Apparent inas been the northeast of asia. We have got winterer coming g te mainland. This massive snow makes its way across, nice warm day for tokyo. Come friday, its all changed. The top stories here on al jazeera, a top u. S. Diplomat in ukraine said he was told President Trump cared more about the probe into his likely 2020 arrival dan about ukraine. William taylor was speaking at the house impeachment hearing into whether trump pressured ukraine to investigate his rival. Trump has been hosting the turkish president at the white house for the First Time Since turkeys syria offensive. The president said europe should be paying more to cover the costs of syrian refugees. According to medical sources, two palestinians were killed overnight as Israeli Military jets continue to target gaza. Rockets are being launched into israel. Since tuesday, the number of dead in gaza is 24. Gazas skies filled with smoke for the second day as israels military continues to target what it says our rocket launch sites. Level, theernight rockets are fired from gaza into israel. Gaza city has all but shut down. Many of its people are hiding. I think the situation is going toward war like in 2014. Still, it is not clear. In the coming hours, the situation will become more clear. Tuesday, israeli fighter jets killed a leader. Israel blamed him for dozens of attacks. Islamic jihadists responded by launching more than 200 rockets into israel. Israeli Armored Vehicles are now lining up at the border and airstrikes continue. Israel has said that any attacks that originate inside gaza are the responsibility of hamas, the palestinian Political Group which is in control. There are fears that if hamas joins forces with Islamic Jihad, this conflict could get much worse. Hamas seems reluctant to get involved. Point of making a blaming Islamic Jihad fighters for the attacks. We are responding to every attack against us with a sharp response. The Islamic Jihad best understand that now rather than when it is too late. While the United Nations and egypt want to negotiate an end to the shelling, the Border Crossing has been closed and the number of dead is rising. The misery of people who cant escape is growing. Al jazeera, jerusalem. Bolivias new interim president has ordered Security Forces to guarantee the pacification of the country a day after she swore herself in as later. She has called for Transparent Elections as soon as possible following the resignation of the former president. He is currently in mexico where he has been granted asylum. He stepped down sunday at the militarys request after weeks of protest. He has described it as a coup. Very clear. Be there has not been a coup in bolivia. There has been a repositioning of constitutional legality. This fight happened in the streets to defend citizens votes and for that reason my task is to make those votes count as soon as possible. More from the streets of la paz. We are just a few blocks away congress. Olivian there is teargas not far away as supporters of morales are trying to make it there. Party has been trying to call for a session to reject for what is going on in this country, which is naming an interim president. We are here seeing morellas supporters. These men with the red ponchos are Indigenous Leaders that have come from different parts of bolivia. They are demanding the right to go inside congress. They are convinced that what happened in this country is a was because eva morales asked to resign by the military. What has happened has polarized the country. The interim president has said that pacifying the country is a priority. She has called the armed forces and police to pacify the situation but that will be extremely difficult if the new administration does not consider the enormous amount of support that evo morales continues to have here and his Movement Toward socialism, the party has been trying to go inside congress to hold a session. In order to reject what happened in this country. Moralesxico city, evo has held a press conference saying he will return if the bolivian people requested. His nt morales news used his press conference to call for National Dialogue to call out to sort out the mess what hepened after called a military coup in the country. He said he was asked to leave by the military and the proof of was theas that coup interim president declaring herself president of bolivia. He also spoke about the election process and the vote count that led to the organization of american states saying there were irregularities. He said there was not fraud. He said the organization of american states was acting in the interest of the United States. That is president moraless take on whats happening in bolivia. The organization of american states points to irregularities in voting. There were doubts that spread the opposition and many people to take to the streets. The president has not stopped in bolivia. Looking at clashes between the opposition and it of president morales. Hisformer president says sisters house was attacked in one of those confrontations. A very disturbing situation in bolivia and the next president is now many miles away here in mexico. Court hasngs high dismissed an application for an injunction to stop police entering the Chinese University. It was put forward by the Universitys Student Union after protesters clashed with police tuesday, injuring dozens of students. The court declined the injunction on the grounds that it is a public space. Have mainlyattles shifted to university campuses. Police have used teargas and rubber bullets against demonstrators. More from hong kong. At the Chinese University decided to take matters into their own hands long before the high court decided not to grant the Student Union an injunction that would have allowed the university to stop police from entering the campus. Students had blocked all entrances, screening anyone who tried to enter. They set up barricades along the campus road and have been stocking up on supplies, indicating that they were digging their heels in for the long haul to safeguard the university. They brought in food, water, andhes, fire extinguishers umbrellas not just for the weather by in case police decided to come in and teargas them. I am disappointed about the because we can see the police are on patrol now and students are trying our best to protect us. Into early wednesday, this was the scene of intense confrontation between protesters gas,olice who fired tear Water Cannons and rubber bullets at protesters on the campus. This is on the forefront of many peoples minds wednesday as they took part in an impromptu protest in the financial center. Police are not normal. Doing according to hong kong law. So we want to fight. Chinese University Students say theyre pulling more protests after the university canceled classes until the end of the year. The University Says it is because of safety concerns and damage to property. Lebanons president says the Economic Situation is getting worse because of widespread protest of the political crisis. Antigovernment rallies ramped up since they urged demonstrators to end the revolt against the ruling elite. One man was shot dead tuesday south of beirut. The army says a soldier has been detained. We are at one of the many roadblocks that are now across the country. You can probably hear people arguing. There is a lot of frustration among drivers saying this is not the way to air their grievances because they want to go about their daily lives, get to work, get to wherever they want to go. Sorry, sorry. We are live. Sorry, sorry. We are live. There is a lot of frustration. Why are you here blocking the road . I dont understand you. [speaking simultaneously they killed one of my friends. How does that make you feel . About what . Why are you here . We dont want this policy. What is your reaction to the president s speech . It is unacceptable. How could the president say to f you dont like [honking] this is why people are frustrated, interpreting the words of the president who said if you are not happy, you should go. This is what they are doing to try to keep the pressure on the government for change. You can see cars are backed up. They are turning down. The highway is blocked with burning tires. Thousands of students from iraqs university have joined ongoing antigovernment protests accusing the government of failing to tackle mass unemployment and widespread corruption. More than 300 people have died in the unrest. The countrys top she a cleric u. N. Roadmap. D a the mayor of venice is claiming Climate Change for floods which are overwhelming the city. More than 85 of its historic streets are underwater. It is the highest recorded level in 53 years. Streets and canals merged as the secondhighest tide ever recorded swept through venice tuesday. Undaunted, motorists took to touring the city on getting planks but some chose to swim through the citys main piazza, as water hit the highest in half a century. Residents, the effects are devastating. Plight. Everything. Look what we are living with. I just want to cry. The m mayor narrator on this episode of earth focus. Los angeles is knownwn for itsts urban sprawl d trafficclogogged syststem of frfreeways rather than i its diverse array of living species. The secondmostpopulated city in america is actually a biodiviverse hotspotone ofof just a few in the entire world. Withthin the confinenes of thihs conncrete jungle, species are adapting and, in some cases, even thriving. Welcome to the los angeles urban wild