Real. Also coming up crowds in most head demoncratic nations all to a businessman is held in connection with the murder of investigative journalist daphne kind of. The tycoon who was arrested on his yacht allegedly has financial ties to government ministers. Plus opposition groups in georgia demand the elections off to Parliament Failed to reform the countrys Voting System they say the one in place puts too much power in the hands of the ruling party. I met an unfree glad you could join me. A key witness has given potentially damaging testimony at the impeachment hearings in the us Gordon Sunland the u. S. Ambassador to europe told lawmakers that he followed Donald Trumps wishes in seeking a deal for the cranes president to investigate Democrat Joe Biden and exchange for a white house visit a minute straight. He was the most highly anticipated witness said president Donald Trumps impeachment hearing so far and ambassador gold in some land didnt disappoint in his testimony sunderland told will make his he was pressured to follow orders and ukraine by trying to slow every giuliani and that washington had pushed kiev to investigate trumps rival joe biden and his links to Ukrainian Energy fembot raise money in return for white house access as i testified previously mr giulianis requests were a quid pro quo for arranging a white house visit for president selenski mr giuliani was expressing the desires of the president of the United States and we knew these investigations were important to the president but was there also a quid pro quo involving military aid we learned that the white house had also suspended security aid to ukraine i tried diligently to ask why the aid was suspended but i never received a clear answer i later came to believe that the resumption of security aid would not occur until there was a Public Statement from ukraine committing to the investigations of the 2016 elections and were recently as mr giuliani had demanded it is not good enough according to republicans you acknowledge that this is speculation right it was a presumption ok. But a good enough presumption for democrats hoping sundins testimony will prove that trumps dealings with ukraine are grounds for impeachment trump himself remains defiant a full evening on a trip to texas he angrily denied pushing for an exchange of faith is with ukraine. I think is the best hitters response i want nothing i want nothing i want no quid pro quo tells dilutes the president is willing. To do the right thing i want nothing thank you both had a good time but boy did that. Set for him the inquiry was over but its up to House Democrats when the hearings will end. Well here with me this you reporter would have to analyze what has been going on what do you do you think that best disownment deliver the kind of testimony that democrats have been hoping for it was very strong testimony coming from a trump ally you know a multimillion dollar donor to donald trump. And he said there was a quid pro quo as far as the meeting and the call was selenski was concerned less equal less certain about the military aid. So republicans and democrats can look at it as they want of course and the but the most important thing here is to always remember that quid pro quo is not necessarily or peach bowl offense its not what is necessary here for democrats to make their case of course makes the case much clearer because you can point smoking gun could pro quo impeachment but lets not forget that that is not the Legal Standard or even the political standard for democrats pursuing impeachment and then eventually removal from office some of them have been labeling it as misuse of power for example county and all the times President Trump has said that he is by this statement how does he justify that well donald trump i think will always assume that hes cleared and exonerated any no matter what happens we see hes not doesnt have a track record of apologizing or saying he made a mistake so of course donald trump par for the course going to say hes exonerated there is that strong statement that he repeated again and again and went to the truck when saddams from asked him an open question what do you want from ukraine and trump said i dont want anything but we dont know the context of that we dont know what mood he was in we dont know what tone of voice he had we dont know what else was happening at other times because it is very clear is on that has made it very clear that there was an exchange there was an expectation of some kind of investigations into burma and the by the ins in effect so donald trump can say he was xander because that one particular moment. But its online brought up many other cases through were to giuliani through other elements of the official official government policy where it showed that donald trump. Was looking for something out of the landscape to give him the attention of the United States right and we do also have to say of course at the moment proceedings featured prominently last night of course during that t. V. Debate between democratic president ial hopefuls lets take a listen to what the candidates had to say god would not direct were a Justice Department like this president does i let them make 30 independent judgment i would not dictate who should be prosecuted for who should be exonerated thats not the role of the president of the United States what we saw today is ambassador sonnen by his own words told us that everyone was in the loop that means it is a criminal and to promise engaged in by the president from what we heard today the Vice President the secretary of state and the chief of staff of the president who is not only a pathological liar he is likely the most corrupt president in the modern history of a miracle but we cannot simply be consumed by donald trump because if we are going to water were going to lose the election and of course the proceedings essentially with the elephant in the room the candidates have to talk about them in their address but i wonder is there a danger in focusing too heavily on not one single issue because at the end of the day those hearings could be done and dusted its in a months time of course and they we just heard of Bernie Sanders saying we as democrats cant be focusing on this if you want to win this election. Even if donald trump is impeached and a trial goes to the senate the chances are that hell be cleared and that will mean he it will be the candidate they are facing in the 2020 election and remember the republicans are charging this is all a witch hunt this is all an effort to undermine the 2016 election and prevent trump from getting a 2nd term in 2020 and. If democrats if Democratic Candidates are only focus on that it will only lead to that idea that theyre just trying to find another way to beat him because as republicans will charge they cant beat him fair and square in the election so we also know that voters especially in really important swing states many of them also subscribe to this g. O. P. Point of view and they want to hear about all the issues that matter to them and impeachment is a very complicated topic is something a lot of people dont follow detail by detail and the other issues of health care and Education National security these kinds of things immigration are much more important them and they want to see candidates talking about the issues of every campaign absi one of these issues mattering as well we thank you so very much hell insights. Well lets take a look now at some of the other stories making news around the world israels meeting closer to its the election in the space of a year off the Opposition Leader benny gantz wasnt able to form a government before the wednesday deadline nor make his now have 3 weeks to rally around dance Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu all another candidate in order to avoid going to the polls for. Ukraine says 3 naval ships returned by russia this week are in bad condition and have been stripped of equipment president loading if that ends key inspection the vessels upon their arrival back into ukraine and their release is part of efforts to ease tensions ahead of a peace summit between russia and ukraine next month. Tens of thousands of people have filled bangkoks National Stadium to see pope francis meet a podium us the pontiff is the 1st to visit thailand in a way School Decades and hes taken the opportunity to urge cooperation between the british majority and the catholic church. In australia firefighters are battling hundreds of bushfires across the east and southern regions of the country authorities have issued warnings of severe fire danger smoke from the fires has created a thick haze over large parts of sydney with Health Officials telling people to stay inside pollution recordings show that the smoke is at times 5 times the level considered hazardous Officials Say that the smoke is expected to continue for several days well joining us now from sydney is journalist william bream william you have had no let up there in australia for weeks hundreds of bushfires across the country whats the situation there at the moment. Absolutely anna thanks for having me its pretty serious at the moment people are saying the pollution is a hazardous levels people are being encouraged to stay indoors people like me without some of the weird being told not to go out many schools that close at sydney particularly in the northern suburbs and the c. B. D. The Central Business district where youve been getting quite a lot of the smoke and my view i live in a suburb which is pretty central and it looks out on to the Central Business district and waking up today and yesterday i was met with a haze of smoke so its pretty serious grey skies and its just very eerie out there at the moment as you mentioned sydney way you are now its covered in a thick haze people are wearing face masks school kids are having to play inside how people that coping. I think a lot of people are getting very frustrated a lot of people are linking it to Climate Change greenhouse emissions and of trolls the Prime MinisterScott Morrison is at the moment sort of backpedaling on that and people are saying that certain elements of denial people are saying not enough is being dominant a lot of people are not used to this weve got bush tries to many years home the centuries but this really does feel unprecedented and people just arent accustomed to it and i think a lot of people are feeling very angry but not enough is being done in that its not always being taken seriously enough you know thats a take away from of course the amazing work that Emergency Services are doing. Generous with in broome in sydney and. Thank you. As the scandal over Prince Andrew his friendship with a convicted paedophile and suspected sex trafficking continues to widen the British Royal says that he is stepping back from public duties and into the Prince Andrew gave to the b. B. C. Last week only fueled condemnation of his personal ties to Geoffrey Epstein the princes all say been accused of having sex with an underage woman trafficked by epstein he was found dead in a new york jail 3 months ago. Waving goodbye to public life Prince Andrew now forced to take a back seat the results of his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein compounded by a disastrous Television Interview at the weekend in a statement and he said the controversy had become a major disruption for the royal family commentators agree the press has been sick for us its attacking its reporting. And has decided to step back you know take stock of where his future lies it is just an absolute call crush will start to finish the show levels of surprise he was giving the be all it says surrounding his relationship with it stay with us mostly unbelievable but whatever it is left andrew was criticized for appearing out of touch insensitive to epsteins victims and for failing to adequately explain why he met abstain even after his release from prison in 2010 you were staying at the house as a convicted sex offender. It was a convenient place to stay. Reports in the u. K. Suggest the queen herself gave andrew the order to step down in a bid to avoid further embarrassment for the royal Family Lawyers for epsteins victims now want andrew to tell us authorities what he knows. He should also answer questions from all of the accusers attorneys especially the attorney for for genial Roberts Giuffre who has very significant claims against him he should turn over any and all evidence he has emails texts calendars all the normal stuff that you turn over when youre in litigation. So drew once the favorite son out of the spotlight from now that sees a mess the f. B. I. Comes calling. Him a 2nd look now at some of the other stories making news around the world mexicos celebration the anniversary of its revolution on wednesday with historical reenactments in mexico city president no president also received a pledge of loyalty from top military chiefs 3 weeks after reports that army leaders were unhappy with his government. Riot police in zimbabwe have beaten spoke to said the Opposition Movement for Democratic Change a crowd had gathered in the capital harare to hear a speech to live it by the m. D. C. Needed Nelson Chamisa he later said that the instant show that the government was afraid of public anger about the countrys collapsing economy. Where protesters in malta autumn on the government resign after a prominent businessman was arrested in conjunction with the murder of the investigative journalist. The killing 2 years ago sparked world wide outrage and a multis government has come under scrutiny for its handling of the case which is raised questions about the rule of law in malta. I demanding justice from the Justice Minister i hear they shout and shame on you. And our wrist has reignited anger at the murder of journalist death knew how to honor god leave a murderer still without a conviction. They say the government is corrupt and want Prime MinisterJoseph Muscat to step down i was there in order to get there they must soon their political or supposedly if you decide you know of religion here we cannot go on like this. The protests came after an arrest in connection with galatea as murder a. Prominent businessman new york and finnick was on his luxury yacht and apparently preparing to flee when armed forces arrested him. Finish a rigidly run hotels and casinos but then got involved in a lucrative power Plant Project 6 years ago. Apart from that he said to be the owner of a previously secret company 17 blank that aimed to transfer money to maltese politicians via offshore companies in panama thats what Daphne Koller one and i had been investigating it was 2 years ago in october that the 53 year old investigative journalist was killed in a car bomb attack she had previously received multiple Death Threats which she reported to the police. It was a murder that sparked outrage in malta and abroad. 3 men have now been charged with planting the car bomb but its still not known who instigated the crime. Unit acknowledged as Prime MinisterJoseph Muscat appears guarded he has spoken of a person of interest being arrested hes offered a middleman immunity from prosecution he says he knows who was behind the killing but some believe members of his own government may be involved in the crime. The money stashed away or not it is premature to speculate on anything you the media are free to reach your own conclusions but i cannot speculate. We have to wait some hours or days it depends on i will hold back a few days before expressing myself to. Be moved. Scott says he wants to discover the truth about Daphne Koller death but that doesnt stop calls for him to resign from growing louder. Now i spoke to kareena velour she is the sister of daphne carolina galatz here and we asked her why she thinks that the government of Prime MinisterJoseph Muscat has been tracking its heels with the investigation into her sisters much i dont know how much you know. What i do know is going to cook 2 years trying to reach a point where the foreign minister announced the country can cooperate and you got. This is something we should have done 2 years ago now the point of a Public Inquiry into more of a State University so you know where have we failed what have we done well how can we do better how can we protect on the eve of the. Believing that the truth and we can explain what it was he was afraid of. And that was korean valor the system of the united journalists ethnic one again its you s