public television in america and around the globe. the allegations had been explosive but the question today, would be testimony be equally so? straight out of the gates, the director of the fbi confirmed his agency is looking into possible into parents by russia in the us presidential elections. he also made clear there is no evidence to back up president trump's claims of wiretapping at trump's claims of wiretapping at trump tower. both of these issues have consumed the us public and been the talk of washington for weeks. jon sopel has this. big questions for a big man, at 638 inches, james comey stands head and shoulders above all of those around him, would he stick his neck out at today? the hearing today? the answer is yes. the fbi, as the answer is yes. th, pm: x in} i of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the russian government efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. that the 2016 presidential electien. that includes the 2016 presidential electieh. that includes investigating the 2016 presidential election. that includes investigating the nature of includes investigating the’natgre—tjf includes inveefigeting the’netgre—ef links includes investige'cing the’neture—uf links between individuals includes investige'cing the’neture—uf links b with en individuals includes investige'cing the’neture—uf links b with the 1dividuals includes investige'cing the’neture—uf links b with the trump als associated with the trump campaign, and the russian government, and whether there were any coordination is between the campaign - russia's 0n the detail of the efforts. on the detail of the into russian investigation into russian pollution, james comey would not be what about the president's drawn. what about the president's claims that his predecessor, barack 0bama, wiretapped trump tower? he was more forthcoming here. with respect . those tweets from the about alleged wiretapping president about alleged wiretapping directed at him from the prior i have no evidence administration, i have no evidence to support those and we have carefully looked inside of the fbi. resident 0bama could not order a wiretap of unilaterally order a wiretap of anyone? -- president. no president could. president 0bama has been of engaging in mccarthyism, accused of engaging in mccarthyism. you? i tried very hard not to accused of engaging in mccarthyism. you': in tried very hard not to accused of engaging in mccarthyism. you': in anyi very hard not to accused of engaging in mccarthyism. you': in any isms hard not to accused of engaging in mccarthyism. you': in any isms of il’d not to accused of engaging in mccarthyism. you': in any isms of any ot to accused of engaging in mccarthyism. you‘ in any isms of any kind. engage in any isms of any kind. then, they turned to the director of the national security agency to a nswer the national security agency to answer questions - british involvement, - the security involvement, but the responses were unequivocal. feeeenees were unequivscsls . , , n ,, .,.,,, you ever feeeenees were unequivscsls . , , ,, ,, w you ever request that your could you ever request that your cou nterpa rts could you ever request that your counterparts at gchq % wiretap counterparts at gchq should wiretap president trump on behalf .— counterparts at gchq should wiretap president trump on behalf of .— counterparts at gchq should wiretap president trump on behalf of as w president trump on behalf of barack 0bama. that would break the fisa agreement that has f, 3,3: in 0bama. that would break the fisa agreement that has i 3,3; in place for agreement that has been in place for decades. they called this nonsense, would you agree? yes, sir. does it damage the relationship with one of oui’ damage the relationship with one of our closest intelligence partners for the president to makei bailiff for the president to make a bailiff —— baseless claim that the british participated in this against him? —— baseless claim that the british participated in this against him7m participated in this’against thnee frustrates a key ally. this relationship is strong enough, we relatienshin is strand eneuuh, cue ww can deal with - donald trump can deal with this. donald trump didn't wait for the committee to start but —— before tweeting his verdict. and... at the white house briefing, were they getting ready to hoist the white flag? of course not. they getting ready to hoist the white flag? of course not. is the president prepared to withdraw that accusation and apologise? no, we started a hearing. it is ongoing. as for collusion with the what pollution? there is russians, what pollution? there is no evidence, according to the people have been briefed, of any who have been briefed, of any collusion or activity leading them to believe it exists. the president had a public meeting today with the iraqi prime minister, and even he got in on the act, grabbing the arm— of the president at the end and said, we had nothing to do with the wiretapping. it is not recorded whether or not the president laughed at thejoke. co straiht to ca-itol hill, let's go straight to capitol hill, and laura trevelyan. after those allegations and speculation, a significant speculatjcrnfisignifrcenc about the investigation? development about the investigation? yes, we now know the fbi had sufficient evidence, whether circumstantial or what, we don't know, to decide to open a m investigation counterintelligence investigation into whether there were links between a foreign power, russia, which . know between a foreign power, russia, which i know intelligence agencies which we know intelligence agencies concluded, tried to interfere in the election with the aim of helping donald trump against hillary clinton. remember, vladimir putin does not like her. an investigation into foreign powers, russia, and the trump campaign i see into foreign powers, russia, and the trump campaign . see if officials trump campaign to see if officials couuded trump campaign to see if officials colluded or coordinated at all with russian agents during the campaign. we now know the existence of this enquiry. before it had been reported by media outlets, but now it has been officially confirmed. potentially - is been officially confirmed. potentially. is a criminal potentially this is a criminal investigation, right at the door of the white house. upstart involving those currently in the white house but those who were known to the trump campaign or part of it. where it leads or how long it takes? we have no idea. all we know is the fbi director has said he will follow the facts wherever they may lead. and, the existence of- of and, the existence of this? of course, it's not good news for the white house as it revives the whole question of whether or not be relationship with russia was to close, and the president is very sensitive about the election and the fa ct sensitive about the election and the fact he sensitive about the election and the fa ct he lost sensitive about the election and the fact he lost the popular vote to hillary clinton and doesn't want the issue of russia revived. and, difficult for the white house, saying there was i evidence of saying there was no evidence of wiretapping trump tower. another big hearing today, neale course edge, do we expect him to be blocked as a supreme courtjudge by blocked as a supreme courtjudngy democrats russian market is a the democrats russian market is a question as to whether they invoke the filibuster, talking out that. the nominee by barack 0bama was not given a hearing by republicans, they 95. waged» given a hearing by republicans, they ‘é‘h‘ counted given a hearing by republicans, they j‘éjfl” counted that they could correctly counted that they could win the election and have the chance to fill the vacancy. what he does isn't changing the ideological balance of the court. the court would still be split 4—1; with a swing justice. it is the possibility of more vacancies opening up in the next couple of years that could tip the balance. do they go for broke now, or do the democrats wait and save their energy for the next fight? that is big question, he is doing his best to appear like the bestjudge you can appealing to centtal bestjudge you can appealing to central democrats. thank you. and as we saw earlier, much of the world's media attention was focused on congressional hearings but donald trump welcome to the iraqi prime minister to the the iraqi prime ministerto the ' ' ' house. his visit comes as the white house. his visit comes as the trump prime —— trump prime minister —— administration has meetings on fighting isis. he sought financial and military assistance from the and military assistancefremthe ‘administration. i and military assistancefremthe ‘ administration. i spoke and military assistancefremthe ‘administration. i spoke to a prior administration. i spoke to a an expert on the matter. what is he seeking from president trump?|j think prime minister haider al—abadi is looking for president trump, that he will be wanting to semething that he will be wantingtel it is all daesh daesh daesh, hear, it is all daesh daesh daesh, 01’ hear, it is all daesh daesh daesh, or islamic state. you will want there to be programmes to keep it c ,. c$ being as effective as a terror from being as effective as a terror group, they had a terrible coming in from being as effective as a terror group, ti todayi a terrible coming in from being as effective as a terror group, ti today thaterrible coming in from being as effective as a terror group, ti today that killed coming in from being as effective as a terror group, ti today that killed over ng in from being as effective as a terror group, ti today that killed over a0 in baghdad today that killed over a0 people. he will want some help. baghdad today that killed over a0 people. he will want some helpm looks like mosul may finally be reta ken looks like mosul may finally be retaken but looks like mosul may finally be reta ken but he looks like mosul may finally be retaken but he is also looking for and that. —— money reconstruction and that. —— money for that i well. how does reconstruction and that. —— money for that. well. how does it have a president trump and his with president trump and his proposed budget cuts which would see the state department losing a lot of money which would be responsible for reconstruction in iraq? when it comes to the reconstruction, president trump may tell them to look elsewhere, like the gulf states and donors, germany look elsewhere, like the gulf states and - donors, germany and ‘ european countries. but the other european countries. but the usa has pulled most of the weight on the security side which is where should expect to see they should expect to see contributions. with proposed 54 billion us extra for the pentagon, more money could be earmarked for the fight against daesh, islamic state, in iraq and syria? yes, they could request a long—term military presence to train their army and police forces. it could easily fit into the new budget proposals. where are we at. moment in terms of g are we at the moment in terms of us forces fighting in iraq? how many thousands are there? in iraq? there are about i've thousand, 5500. most of them in a kind of training role. mostly high—end special forces with iraq on the battlefield. we've heard of these conversations with haider al—abadi asking donald trump in the early days about these restrictions on iraqi forces. he has won a battle against the usa administration? or has found allies. secretary matters, the new national security advisor, general mcmaster, they work well and i expect the prime minister had a receptive audience and people to carry his into the administration water into the administration and make his case. and we have president trump hosting this meeting, 68 countries in the fight against ”sass—ff ww this meeting, 68 countries in the fight against ”a“ state, 77, ww this meeting, 68 countries in the fight against ”a“ state, what as, *w this meeting, 68 countries in the fight against ”a“ state, what do 7 ww fight against islamic state, what do we expect america will offer to spearhead any agreement with all of those different countries?” spearhead any agreement with all of those different countries? i expect the 68 countries are going to be looking less at iraq, as you mentioned. that fight is nearly done, and focus more on syria where that problem is more complicated and= are more difficult to find. answers are more difficult to find. america promises more cash in the fight against islamic state as well? possibly, but money can only take you so far. what you need our boots on the ground and good allies, not boots but local forces who american boots but local forces who carry the fight to islamic state. 0n the syrian side of the border, they are more difficult to find. it's a pleasure talking to you. pope francis has askedg god ‘s pope francis has asked for god ‘s forgiveness for what he called the and failings from the roman sins and failings from the roman catholic church during the rwanda genocide, and it came after he met the president of rwanda. he asked for an for the president of rwanda. he asked for an - for the role he asked for an apology for the role that some catholic priests played in the manner scope —— massacres. some of the biggest consumers of brazilian meets have. a meeting with ambassadors from in a meeting with ambassadors from europe, the usa and china, the brazilian president said that the is confident in the government is confident in the meat‘s quality, the biggest red meat exporter in the world. the five main candidates for the french presidency are taking part in the first of three televised debates. the frontrunners in the opinion marine le pen and her polls, marine le pen and her opponent, they are hoping. the divorce date is set, the uk will start the brexit process on march the 29th. the prime will notify the 29th. the prime - will notify the the prime minister will notify the eu that is leaving the prime minister will notify the eu that - is leaving the eu that britain is leaving the union. downing street says theresa may will a letter to the european write a letter to the european council to make it official and earlier she spoke about the expected benefits of brexit. when people voted in the referendum last year it wasn't just about leaving the eu but voting for change, they wanted a change in how . w country! change, they wanted a change in how ta country works, to make sure it the country works, to make sure it works for everyone, notjust the country works, to make sure it works for everyone, not just the few. as pa rt few. as part of that, we privileged few. as part of that, we have a plan for britain and part of it is about building a stronger economy. against the backdrop of brexit, president trump made it clear he wa nts to president trump made it clear he wants to renegotiate the north american free trade agreement which could be bad news for texas cattle ranchers, as the trade agreement eliminates trade barriers between the us, canada and mexico. this: big}; esnsds and fisgmfi "h” 7" "7" 77 the ee; eeheee ehze iseee'ke "h” 7" "7" 77 the ehe ee eeheee ehe iseee'ke "h” 7" "7" 77 the introduction in 198a, us since the introduction in 198a, us beef exports have soared. coleman lock is a fifth—generation texas cattle rancher. my family have raising cattle since 1915, a been raising cattle since 1915, a little over 100 years. his fortunes are tied to international trade little over 100 years. his fortunes are tied to i significantl trade little over 100 years. his fortunes are tied to i significant number of commission significant number of his brahman cattle are sold abroad, including just south . the border including just south of the border in mexico. we've been dealing in international trade since 1933 when we - expect —— exported cattle we first expect —— exported cattle to australia. the export market is important to you? it is very important to you? it is very important to you? it is very important to our organisation. some yea rs, important to our organisation. some years, i've seen our international sales be 85% of all of our business we did that year. sales be 85% of all of our business 1 we did that year. the sales be 85% of all of our business we did that year. the north that we did that wag free trade agreement is american free trade agreement is really important for those exports. it his beef in enter really important for those exports. it - his beef é enter mexico it allows his beef to enter mexico duty—free. so any changes could hurt him and other american cattle owners. donald trump enjoyed strong support in rural communities like this one, as well as the rust belt. now, the challenge is, can he come up now, the challenge is, can he come up with a trade policy that helps both manufacturing and farming?m the state capital of austin, the texas agriculture commissioner called for calm. syd millar was part of the trump campaigns advisory council, and like the president he believes changing the trade agreement is a good thing, even if it shakes things up. i predicted e eeeeee eeeee {e- e eeeeee 3eeee {e- isaid when e eeeeee 3eeee {e- i said when the president that, i said when the president takes office, it will be a rocky start, he will upset people and rock the boat, we will renegotiate deals, people won't want to re—negotiate deals if they don't have a sweet deal. the honeymoon isn't over yet, but is the cattle industry is beginning to fray? according to this but is the cattle industry is begin dealer, 'ay? according to this but is the cattle industry is begin dealer, trump's )rding to this but is the cattle industry is begin dealer, trump's decision this but is the cattle industry is begin dealer, trump's decision to is cattle—de’alefi t rumpsdeclslorrttr away from the transpacific walk away from the transpacific partnership, a trade pact with asia, means partnership, a trade pact with asia, m ea ns lost partnership, a trade pact with asia, means lost dollars for ranchers. we can qualify tpp today, what could be going to those countries today is about $a00,000 worth of beef or that would be going. it is not. it is a quantifiable number. they are hoping his tough sta nce number. they are hoping his tough stance on the trade agreement is an opening negotiation tactic. you are watching bbc world news america and still to come... a region in peril in nigeria. 0ur boko haram has put hundreds of thousands lives at. in the country's of lives at risk in the country's north—east. the hundreds of years, the unique language thrived in the malayan archipelago iii now there are only a archipelago but now there are only a handful of people who speak his language. 0ne handful of people who speak his language. one group from singapore wa nt to language. one group from singapore want to stop that. and bring it back. here is how they've done it. we are trying to teach this language toa we are trying to teach this language to a new generation of learners, so we rebuild the critical mass. these we rebuild thecritical massrthese ‘ learners pass the language onto new learners pass the language onto their children so it will be used future generations. we use social media like facebook to out to young people and keep reach out to young people and keep the which reach out to young people and keep the - which relevant so their the land which relevant so their generation cares enough about the language g keep h generation cares enough about the language g keep it going. there are gaps l the language because it is critically endangered, it hasn't been spoken for many years but what we are trying to do is new terms which fill the gaps create new terms which fill the gaps and leave the language relevant. the un says hundreds of thousands of people are at risk in north—east nigeria as the army continues to push fighters from the islamist boko out of boko - out of towns and group boko haram out of towns and villages. food shortages have forced many people to flee their homes and farms. the bbc‘s clive myrie has this report. farmers fields in north—east nigeria, known to yield crops but eigaria. icnge niceg’relecjrjeee edi = bligana. ehee neeereleeeeee ecle = they litigants. ehee neeereleeeeee etie = they are dusty brown patches pity. they are dusty brown patches because farmers for years have been unable to use this land due to conflict. 0n the ground in this town, bullet riddled buildings and homes ransacked. lives destroyed. this city used to have a population of close to 300,000 people but now you walk down the main street here and there is nothing but trouble. it's a ghost town. a shell, empty of life. residents had to flee the islamist group boko haram, and now the grounds of the derelict hospital many call home. this woman escaped, , , .,. .. blood let. she is the blood let. she is 1a. translation: they started killing and burning houses, so we people and burning houses, so we hide. they said that they would be safe, don't be afraid. but when they found us, they hacked my father, cutting his neck and cutting his throat. - in their own country, throat. excels in their own country, the rituals of life but so the rituals of life continue. but so many people are paying the price for the twisted ideology of the few that the twisted ideology of the few that the camps for those displaced by the fighting are struggling. this one houses 11,000 people and was so overcrowded with malnourished and a few months ago, there not enough food. more than 1000 was not enough food. more than 1000 died. nevertheless, hundreds of thousands are arriving at camps like this daily, as the nigerian military to push boko haram back continues to push boko haram back and liberating villages. a woman had walked with her three children from walked with'her'three'childrenrfroat one walked with'her'three'childrenrfrfiat one evening, and it took