A few hostage taking ukraines president. To the governments demands that all the hostages were freed. Welcome u. S. Secretary of state mike is visiting denmark to try to persuade it to stop walk on the north stream to gas pipeline passing through its waters denmark has just given the go ahead for the work but hopes to get the danes to change their minds the u. S. Believes germany too dependent on russian gas. Last week pompei or warned Companies Working on the project they would be subject to u. S. Penalties if they didnt end that involvement. In the baltic sea gas pipeline north. Stream 2 is still moving forward albeit slowly the u. S. Has threatened sanctions for Companies Participating in the project so right now theres just one russian ship laying the pipes for the remaining 160 kilometers the pipeline runs parallel to the north stream one pipeline from russia to germany 1200 kilometers across the baltic once complete it will allow russia to supply double the current volume of gas
Happening with the vaccine story. Depending on which market you were looking at, one is winning out. Here in europe, the bulk of equity markets are writing higher today, and its been a good week. The ftse 100 being dragged lower by names like hsbc, which is certainly down quite sharply. That obviously relates back to what is happening in hong kong. A big impact there. You can ripple that out into what is happening as well within the commodity space. Copper trading down by over 2 . U. K. , data out of the some deficit data that is terrifying, but in some ways to be anticipated. Again, the market has largely priced that in. We are going into a long weekend. Do you want to carry risk over this weekend . The pound trading 1. 2177 on the cable rate. Vonnie hong kong chief executive carrie lam spoke a short time ago, addressing the unrest caused by chinas new National Security legislation. For more on what carrie lam is saying and what exactly is going on in china, lets get to our first gues
National counterintelligence and security center. The Senate Intelligence committee considered the of texas congressman John Radcliffe to be the next director of National Intelligence. Since august, the position has been occupied by officials in the absence of a senateconfirmed director. Representative radcliffe was asked about whistleblowers, his view on russian interference and the origins of the coronavirus as well as his ability to be nonpartisan as the nations top intel chief. This hearing will be a little different. It is perhaps the first congressional hearing held during the extenuating circumstances of a pandemic. We have a sparse crowd and an expanded dais reflective of the committees adherence to guidelines put forward by the rules committee and attending physician. We thank our members and staff are there patience and understanding as we work through the logistics involved in holding this hearing, which is a critical part of the committees ongoing oversight of the Intellige
Congressional hearing held during the extenuating circumstances of a pandemic. We have a sparse crowd and an expanded dais reflective of the committees adherence to guidelines put forward by the rules committee and attending physician. We thank our members and staff are there patience and understanding as we work through the logistics involved in holding this hearing, which is a critical part of the committees ongoing oversight of the Intelligence Community. Members will be joining us on a rotating basis throughout the morning. Again, this afternoon, as we move to close session. Their absence now is not a reflection of the importance they place on this matter. We have asked members to watch as much of the hearings as they can from their offices, only coming into the hearing room to ask questions. I would also like to thank the press corps for your accommodation of the restrictions we are placing as we seek to fulfill our requirements to hold this nomination hearing in an open setting,
Are watching this morning, snow already falling in parts of carolinas and georgia, up to 6inches could blanket southern part of virginia region and eastern North Carolina, drivers are being warned about extremely dangerous Road Conditions this morning. Onto coronavirus this morning, the number of cases appear to be falling as death toll is now topping 2,020, 2200. The passengers quarantine have tested positive for coronavirus. New infections in china have fallen this week but new cases are being counted and they have a new way of counting the cases, the virus claiming 2,248 lives with at least 76,000 individual cases confirmed across the world. 27 countries affected by the deadly path of coronavirus. 11 americans meanwhile cruise ship tested positive, i will be speaking with two passengers, one of whom is infected. Maria roger stone learns fate, roger stone sentenced to 40 months, far less than 9 months originally sought, career prosecutors, the attorney general and the president. And