Well. Not so great. Good morning. Its 8 00am in singapore, midnight in london and 11 00am in New South Wales in australia where a state of emergency has been declared. On wednesday, for the second day in a row, australia set a new record for its hottest ever day. And bushfires are continuing to cause havoc. Two volunteer firefighters have been killed in a road crash near sydney. The australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison has been criticised for being on holidays as the crisis unfolds. A short time ago, he released a statement saying, i express my sincere condolences and sympathies to the families of the firefighters who have so tragically been killed these most recent events, i will be returning to sydney from leave as soon as can be arranged. For more on the bushfire emergency, heres the bbcs david shukman. A roar like a jet engine as the flames advance. A line of trees is suddenly ablaze. In record heat and parched conditions, at least 50 of the fires are out of control. Lets get out of here, bro. This is an emergency on dozens of fronts. House by house. And this one is surrounded. Firefighters are doing their best. The wind is incredibly strong and this blaze is fierce. Its ferocious. The heat is unbearable. Australia has always had fires, but these battles are unprecedented. Theyre unusually early in the season, and theyre reaching areas not normally affected. New south wales has declared a state of emergency because the danger continues. This comes as much of australia injures a brutal heatwave, setting a new record, 41. 9 celsius, for the average maximum temperature. Severe drought resulted in the past three months being the driest on record. That left the largest ever area of australia, nearly 60 , at risk of fire. And the crisis has sharpened divisions over Climate Change. Smoke from the fires has drifted over sydney, almost hiding the famous landmarks. The air is so polluted that many people have resorted to wearing masks. We want to be listened to. Protesters gathered outside the home of the australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. He is sceptical of Climate Change and is accused of ignoring reality. Australian families are worried about Climate Change. Were worried about the Climate Change of the future, but were worried about the Climate Change of the present. But australia is the Worlds Largest exporter of coal. Burning coal gives off the gases that heat the planet but its a big earner, and the Australian Government lobbied hard in the un climate talks last week to protect the industry, and many australians support that view. Im not so sure that Climate Change is responsible for what were experiencing here. Possibly the drought has got a lot to do with it in australia. Were talking about 60, 70 metre flame heights. Every day, a new front line emerges. And the science is clear that as temperatures rise heatwaves will become more severe, and in this land of extremes therell be even more fires. David shukman, bbc news. Lets take a look at some of the days other news. The mud slinging has been thick and fast in washington, as republicans and democrats react to Donald Trumps impeachment. The republican leader of the us senate, mitch mcconnell, called the process rushed and unfair. His democratic counterpart Chuck Schumer meanwhile, has, urged the republican dominated chamber to try the president impartially. 0ver over the last 12 weeks, Health Democrats have conducted the most rushed, least thoreau and most unfair impeachment enquiry in modern history. It contained nearly hardly a single defence of the president of the United States. Almost none defended president trump, because they cant. So what are the next steps in the impeachment process . The bbcs Laura Trevelyan is in washington. The house of representatives is going to go home for the holidays. They wont be back until at least january seven, so it would be then at the very earliest before the house would send those articles of impeachment over to the senate, but what is happening is because democrats want to see a trail with witnesses in the senate, they are hoping that by holding onto the articles of impeachment and trying to prolong the process a little bit, they can put pressure on republicans to call witnesses. That seems unlikely because republicans do control the senate and are hoping to acquit the president fairly speedily, so those are the kind of dynamics of it. President trump is impeached, only the third american president in history to be so but the likelihood is that he will be acquitted from the senate and not removed from office. And how, if at all, will this process impact the president ial election next year . No doubt it absolutely well and already there is a Washington Post story thatis there is a Washington Post story that is out tonight which is suggesting that the whole idea the president got about ukraine interfering in the 2016 election which then made him want to get ukraine to investigate corruption and why allegedly military aid was being withheld this idea came from Vladimir Putin stopping this story is sourced to former us officials because of course Vladimir Putin has no love for ukraine. Nancy pelosi, the house speaker, says this is all about russia. This will fan the fla mes about russia. This will fan the fla m es of about russia. This will fan the flames of this and make for a very lively 2020. Also making news today, russias main intelligence agency, the fsb, says one of its officers has been killed in a shooting near its headquarters in moscow. Five people are being treated for injuries, one of whom is said to be another employee of the agency. Russian media say the gunman, who opened fire with an automatic weapon, was killed by an armed officer. The fsb is now trying to establish the attackers identity. Queen elizabeth has set out the british governments legislative plans at the state opening of parliament. Its the second queens speech in less than three months, after the conservative partys emphatic victory in last weeks election. Tough criminal justice laws and an increase in funding for the National Health service were among the policies given priority. But of the 29 bills mentioned in the speech, seven of them dealt with brexit. Now, this manifesto hasjust sold for 8. 8 million at auction in new york. To give you a clue, it was written in french back in 1892 and relates to a major sporting event taking place in tokyo next year. It was penned by pierre de coubertin, founder of the International Olympic committee, and its the outline for the modern games. Sothebys said the sale set a new world record for sports memorabilia. The final price was nearly nine times higher than the pre sale estimate of 1 million. Indian authorities are struggling to cope with mass protests, against a new citizenship law, which has spread across the country. A curfew has been imposed in parts of the Southern City of mangaluru after three people died. Videos posted on social media showed Police Firing live rounds in the air to disperse the crowd. The Indian Home Ministry has called for a crisis meeting of officials. The Bbcs Rajini Vaidyanathan has more from delhi. Protests are continuing in india, opposing the new citizenship law. Here as you can see, thousands of people have gathered. And other parts of the country officials have imposed a section 144, which is a curfew banning public protests but people have taken to the streets in defiance of that and we have seen a crackdown in some parts of the country, police lashing with protesters. There is still huge and frustration about this law which people say discriminates against muslims stopping the citizenship law offers a path to citizenship to immigrants from three neighbouring countries, pakistan, bangladesh and afghanistan. But crucially, it does not offer those protections to muslims, and that is why people are angry because they say that this law violates indias secular principles which are founded in the constitution, which state that all religions in this country are treated equally. Lets take you live to macau now where chinas president xi jinping is attending a flag raising ceremony to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Southern Citys handover to the chinese. Macau is known as the las vegas of South East Asia and is famous for its casinos. Security has been tightened between macau and the neighbouring territory of hong kong where pro democracy protests continue. Macau is also governed under chinas one country, two systems policy but locals say that protests are not allowed there. Mr xi will attend the swearing in of macaus new beijing backed leader, ho iat seng, on friday. You are watching newsday on the bbc. Still to come on the Programme New zealand bans semi automatic weapons after a mass shooting that left 51 people dead earlier this year. Also on the programme meet Nandi Bushell, the drumming sensation who is an internet star at the tender age of nine. Saddam hussein is finished because he killed our people, our women, our children. The signatures took only a few minutes, but they brought a formal end to 3. 5 years of conflict, a conflict that has claimed more than 200,000 lives. Before an audience of world leaders, the president s of bosnia, serbia and croatia put their names to the peace agreement. The romanian border was sealed and silent today. Romania has cut itself off from the outside world in order to prevent the details of the presumed massacre in timisoara from leaking out. From sex at the white house to a trial for his political life, the lewinsky affair tonight guaranteed bill clinton his place in history as only the second president ever to be impeached. This is newsday on the bbc. Im rico hizon in singapore. Im ben bland in london. Our top stories New South Wales has declared a state of emergency as record temperatures continue to fuel more than 100 bushfires. The bitter divisions in us politics have boiled over into another day, as republicans and democrats argue over the impeachment of president trump. Lets take a look at some front pages from around the world. The japan times leads with one of the biggest global stories of the day, the impeachment of us president donald trump. The paper takes a look at what might happen next as the proceedings head to the senate. Dubais gulf News Features the protests which have spread across india against a new citizenship law. Police have detained more than 1,200 demonstrators who say the law discriminates against muslims. And the Financial Times leads with newly elected uk Prime Minister boris johnson, laying out his plan for the next five years. Thursdays queens speech unveiled the governments legislative programme, which mrjohnson has called the most radical in a generation. The Opposition Labour Party said it had no substance. And those are the papers. Now, what stories are sparking discussions online . Now, in the music world, Nandi Bushell has become an Online Sensation, and she is only nine years old. She has already jammed with Lenny Kravitz and featured in a major christmas advertisement here in the uk. She has been playing drums since she was a toddler, and her videos have been viewed many thousands of times. She is so talented. Taiwan finds itself in the middle of americas trade war with china. It has effectively been an independent state since 1949, but it is claimed by china. Beijing has stepped up economic and diplomatic pressure on the island, banning individual Chinese Tourists from travelling there, and luring away many of taiwans remaining diplomatic allies. 0ur asia correspondent Rupert Wingfield hayes has been to visit the front line island ofjinmen, still controlled by taiwan, but only 2 km from the coast of communist china. 0n the tony taiwan controlled island ofjinmen, the big guns still point out at the china coast. This was once one of the most militarised places on earth. But today, the gun crew are actors. The audience tourists. The tank traps on the beaches ofjinmen are remnants of a conflict many here thought was long over. For the past 20 years, ferries have crossed the Narrow Strait from a chinese city every half hour. Since the crossing opens, this mans business has thrived. Jinmens most famous knife maker has now become one of the islands top tourism attractions. He is slowly turning thousands of old chinese artillery shells into frighteningly sharp kitchen knives, and selling them back to tourists from mainland china. But his best customers have 110w china. But his best customers have now suddenly stopped coming. Translation recently, relations between china and taiwan have got much worse, and the numbers of Chinese Tourists has dropped dramatically. By around 70 . Jinmen is now suddenly back on the front line, and what some american politicians are now describing as a new cold war. Back in 1958, the United States and china very nearly went to war over these islands. Since then, there has been an uneasy peace, maintained in large part by americas military might and chinas relative weakness. But today, china is no longer weak, and under president trump, the United States commitment to defend taiwan and its outlying islands is at best uncertain. And why would america defend taiwan against all of this . Americas own simulations show the us could now lose the war against china in the taiwan straits. |j us could now lose the war against china in the taiwan straits. I have never been so worried about taiwans security. I dont know how to put it more politely, but us politics and the Us Government is indeed very, very confusing. They do have a hostile attitude toward china, but only attitude, not yet a strategy. Next month, taiwan will elect a new president and legislature. This man is out canvassing, hoping to win a seat this woman. It is this, she says, that really sets taiwan apart from china, and why the world must stand behind this island democracy. We identify ourselves as taiwanese, as people from a free and democratic country, and thats why chinas attem pts country, and thats why chinas atte m pts to country, and thats why chinas attempts to unify taiwan or to force unify taiwan will not succeed. Back on the front line island ofjinmen, taiwanese tourists are looking out at china from an old military bunker. The coast is just two kilometres away. But politically, these two places are in different worlds. Starting this weekend in new zealand, it will be illegal to possess military style semi automatic firearms. The country banned the weapons after a lone gunman killed 51 people during friday prayers in christchurch earlier this year. There was a nationwide amnesty for those willing to hand in their guns. So far, more than 50,000 firearms have been destroyed. From christchurch, Danny Vincent reports. A community struggling to grieve. This is not only a place of worship, but also the scene of an attack that shocks the world. Friday prayers bring a moment of reflection, but also pain. What happened here changed new zealand. With unity came a warning of the need to guard against extremism. I was sat here against extremism. I was sat here against the window here. Nathan smith is the only british survivor of the shooting. He saw many of the congregation keeled. They were my friends. If i leave because of what hes done, i feel like friends. If i leave because of what hes done, ifeel like im letting them down. He he has one. And he is not going to win, is he . On the 15th of march, a lone gunman walked into this mask, armed with a semiautomatic, military style weapon. He killed 51 people and injured dozens more. New zealand is now determined to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. And this is what they are doing about it. New zealand plans to destroy nearly all high powered semiautomatic assault rifles. Centres like this one have been set up centres like this one have been set up across centres like this one have been set up across the country, and tens of thousands of gun owners have been forced to hand in their firearms as pa rt forced to hand in their firearms as part ofan forced to hand in their firearms as part of an amnesty. In the centre we visited in christchurch, these are some of the guns that have been handed in in just some of the guns that have been handed in injust one day. And why do you think its so important that these guns are now off the streets . As you can see, all these are semi autos. You have your ar 15 here, they can take up to 30 or more magazine capacities. Sk is, again semiautomatics. These are the go to arms for Mass Shootings worldwide sks. But while the band was swift, it is not without its critics. This is the hand loaders range on the outskirts of the city. In a country where there is roughly one firearm for every four citizens, the people here represent cade long traditions of gun ownership stop weve had a really world class, i would say almost the best in the world, history of low firearms crimes in new zealand, because we regulate the people, not the firearms. But none of this legislation is doing that. Across