A warm welcome to the programme, briefing you on all you need to know in global news, business, and sport. Also in the programme amazons head scientist says alexa could one day become an active companion that can see and even walk around the home. What do you think . Is this a thrill or a threat . Are you a fan of Digital Assistants . Tell us what you think just use the hashtag bbcthebriefing. We begin in hong kong. Police in hong kong have used live ammunition at pro democracy demonstrations and shot one protestor at close range. Protesters had called for a general strike on monday and have been trying to disrupt transport in hong kong by setting up barricades. Shocking pictures of the incident in the sai wan ho district were livestreamed on social media. An unarmed demonstrator can be seen approaching an officer, and then falling to the ground after being shot at close range. Local media are reporting that he is in Critical Condition in hospital. The police have issued a statement de
Hello to you. New developments in washington as the impeachment inquiry against President Trump gathers pace. His dealings with ukraine are at the centre of the inquiry and testimony has now emerged from a senior american diplomat, whos told congressional investigators the president s personal lawyer ran a Smear Campaign against the former Us Ambassador to ukraine to try to get her removed. George kent, whos in charge of ukraine policy at the state department, accused Rudy Giuliani of spreading what he called lies about marie yovanovitch. She was later recalled from her post. George kent testified last month before the house impeachment inquiry and the transcript has only just been released. The bbcs david willis has been taking a look. It is a long and comprehensive transcript. He gave a lot of evidence to that enquiry last month, mike, and george kent hitting the headlines today for that claim that there was a Smear Campaign orchestrated by Rudy Giuliani against the Us Ambassador to
New developments in washington as the impeachment inqury against President Trump gathers pace. Mr trumps dealings with ukraine are at the centre of the inquiry, and testimony has now emerged, from a senior american diplomat, whos told congressional investigators the president s personal lawyer ran a Smear Campaign against the former Us Ambassador to ukraine to try to get her removed. George kent, whos in charge of ukraine policy at the state department, accused Rudy Giuliani of spreading what he called lies about marie yovanovitch. She was later recalled from her post. George kent testified last month before the house impeachment inquiry and the transcript has only just been released. The bbcs david willis has been taking a look. And it is a long and comprehensive transcript. He gave a lot of evidence to that enquiry last month and george kent hitting the headlines today for that claim that there was a Smear Campaign orchestrated by Rudy Giuliani against the Us Ambassador to the ukrain
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 h
As the impeachment inquiry around President Trump intensifies, with congressional hearings due to go public next week, more revelations have emerged from testimony already given behind closed doors. This time from bill taylor, the top american diplomat in ukraine. He told the hearing he was astonished that the president appeared to have made military aid to ukraine a us ally, under threat from russia dependent on ukraine investigating joe biden, one of his rivals for the white house. Ambassador taylor responded that was my clear understanding, Security Assistance money would not come until the president of ukraine committed to pursue the investigation. Then from the lawmaker questioning him so if they dont do this, they are not going to get, that was your understanding 7 ambassador taylor says yes, sir. The follow up are you aware that quid pro quo literally means this for that . The response i am. Lets go to our north america correspondence. Peter bowes, what is the significance of al