and an easy calm across the gaza strip a cease fire is in place after 2 days of violence between israel and the islamic jihad. you're watching al-jazeera live from a headquarters and. also ahead withholding security assistance in exchange for help with a domestic political campaign in the united states would be crazy i believe that and i believe it now. more evidence against u.s. president donald trump by a senior diplomat in the 1st public hearing of the impeachment inquiry. into

the. another day of violence in hong kong the schools and universities are closed across the territory costs. in linton north dakota remember the people who protested at standing rock in north dakota over plans to build an oil pipeline unit of american land well they're back this type protesting plans to expand that pipeline. hello a cease fire has been agreed in gaza after 2 days of cross border fighting and israeli airstrikes egypt has been mediating between israel and the palestinian group islamic jihad's 34 palestinians have been killed in the air strikes over the past 48 hours the escalation began after the israeli army assassinated a senior leader of a slum of jihad on tuesday. israel's foreign minister says it will observe the

truce as long as the group does the same an islamic jihad spokesman confirmed the ceasefire and other than the also led winton to effect on the ground at 5 am with islamic jihad conditions on behalf of the palestinian resistance factions dealing clue to the occupation submission to conditions which is to stop the assess the nation's protecting the protesters at the much of britain's demonstrations and to begin practically the procedures to break the siege of gaza this is guaranteed by the presence of resistance in the field and it's really nice to respond to any agreements in the future and also the continuation of the egyptian role at the political level. very fossett is joining us now for an update from the israel gaza border what more are we learning about the terms of fire and from what you've been seeing or hearing is that holding. it certainly appears to be holding for now we haven't had any sirens in the area since 6 o'clock this morning that was just a few minutes after the cease fire was was meant to go into effect israel has

relaxed restrictions across almost the entire country in terms of schools and transport and businesses some restrictions to in place here in the gaza area the israelis declaring very these really army is declaring that this operation has concluded and they say successfully with little cost to israel and and punishing islamic jihad a very different sort of set of assumptions coming from islamic jihad as you heard in that brief announcement there they say that they have secured concessions from israel in terms of not targeting leaders in the way that they did on the early hours of tuesday morning when. i was killed along with his wife as he slept and in terms of. truck trying to circumvent the kind of israeli live fire tactics that we've seen at the friday brought border protests israeli officials denying that and

indeed the foreign minister israel katz was interviewed earlier this morning saying that they would continue to target anybody who may deemed a threat one of the interesting things that has happened in all of this is how mass israel israel has been very much saying it's targeting islamic jihad it's moved away from its policy of holding hamas responsible for everything that comes out of the gaza strip israel has made this about islamic jihad so far although the rhetoric has been very supportive of islamic jihad hamas did not get involved in a big way in terms of rocket firing all right ahead we thank you for that update. a u.s. ambassador has described how president donald trump put pressure on ukraine to investigate his political rival joe biden william taylor was one of 2 diplomats to appear in the 1st public hearing at the center for impeachments inquiry into trump

caster reports from washington d.c. the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god william taylor and george kent took the stand together at the 1st public hearing in the impeachment inquiry career foreign officers called by democrats to tell a compelling story to the american public taylor is the acting u.s. ambassador to ukraine who upon assuming the post in june found himself dropped in the middle of a mystery once i arrived and gave discovered a weird combination of encouraging confusing and ultimately alarming circumstances taylor had begrudgingly agreed to come out of retirement to take over the u.s. diplomatic mission at a critical time his predecessor maria had been ousted without explanation and president trump's personal lawyer rudy giuliani was meeting with ukraine officials to discuss debunked corruption allegations against political rivals that had taylor

worried and countered an irregular informal channels of u.s. policy making with respect to ukraine unaccountable to congress taylor began asking questions and learned the informal channel was aimed at getting ukraine to investigate joe biden trumps potential opponent in the upcoming presidential election taylor says career diplomats were sidelined as trump's shows and aides pressed ukraine to publicly announce a biden investigation george kent a state department expert on ukraine says giuliani was getting more involved in u.s. relations with kiev it became clear to me that giuliani's efforts to gin up politically motor. it investigations are now infecting u.s. engagement with ukraine leveraging president selenski desire for a white house meeting but there was more ambassador taylor says he had a clear understanding that u.s. security aid to ukraine worth 400000000 dollars was also on the line the money was essential for ukraine to fend off russia's military advances to withhold that

systems for no good reason other than help with the political campaign made no sense it was it was counterproductive to all of what we had been trying to do. it was illogical it could not be explained it was crazy multiple witnesses have corroborated taylor's testimony much of the facts are uncontested but there is a critical factor still missing from the democrats' argument to impeach president trump and that is evidence that trump was directly involved and therefore to be blamed the closest democrats have come is a july phone call between trump and the president of ukraine a lot of years olinsky tells trump his country's ready to buy more weapons from the us for defense purposes trump sansar i would like you to do us a favor though then ask for investigations into democrats and the bidens this is

extortion this is bribery and in any other instance people would go to jail for sure trump says he's innocent and republicans are stanch leave defending him but anyone from 1000000 with a democrat scorched earth war against president trump would not be surprised to see all the typical signs that this is a carefully orchestrated media smear campaign prior to the start of the public hearings americans were about evenly divided on whether to impeach trump and remove him from office now that they're hearing directly from witnesses all eyes are on whether the public's. will change. castro al-jazeera washington. nancy sorter berg is a former deputy national security advisor to president bill clinton and she says the public hearings are an important milestone in the impeachment inquiry well it was like going from black and white to a full living color on

a big screen it brought to life the career public servants who are having their courage to stand up to what they believed was wrong to come forward against instructions from the president not to testify and to lay out the facts which are very clear that the president held up military aid to ukraine in exchange for an investigation of the vibes is the real piece of i think new news was more meat on the bones there was a little bit of news that ambassador bill taylor said when one of his staffers he had learned since his previous testimony had overheard trump and sunlight in the ambassador to the e.u. who's in the middle of all of this talking to the president and it's very clear that it was about the biden investigation and they summed up what they call saying that the president cared more about the investigation of the bidens than he did about ukraine that was made headlines kind of a bombshell revelation today but it is very clear that the democrats are building

a very methodical case and that the republicans will do anything to blow it up and mirror the president's witchhunt phrases. protesters in hong kong have blocked many parts of the city center for a 4th straight day. many are angry after 2 demonstrators were injured in confrontations with police and left in critical condition there occupying the city center and blocking several major roads schools are being kept shot until sunday let's get an update sara couric is joining us from hong kong to talk us through what you've been seeing sara. let's you mentioned there was a gathering earlier in central the water cannon was moved in as well as a number of right place to try to disperse that crowd that was a flash mob of protesters in a number of onlookers the members of the public joined in with another small want to talk to xing which is an area on the hong kong islands east and districts and where we are where the polytechnic university this is on cal inside this is been an

assembly point all day we have hundreds of protesters behind me and students have been gathering in the campus an hour on this road blocking all access points into the polytechnic university they've been calling on others to come and join them as well now they've almost kind of created their own force where we are the barricaded themselves in they've used everything possible including titles chairs. pot plants to try and block the place from getting in the not be able to see the bricks behind me they have basically chiseled out these bricks from the pipes and created again another barricade or a block for those place the right place when the event she didn't move in we had some right place earlier ahead of me they seem to have are treated and we had another group of police arrive in the last hour or so but once again they seem to have disappeared so at the moment it's a waiting game to see whether or not the right place doing move in to try to disperse this large gathering growing number of protesters here at the polytechnic university one more thing i should add they got the press conference has just been held by the police it's under way it also announced their boosting their forces by

recruiting members of the correctional services staff to try and hats they the officers in the police force to try and deal with with the ongoing protests ok sara thank you for that update from hong kong. still ahead on al-jazeera a new ebola vaccine is all set to roll out but some congolese are skeptical. deep trouble in one of the world's top tourist spots water levels in venice are at their highest in half a century. hello there still a very unsettled picture across much of europe the southeast is a huge swathe of cloud with some rain pushing into turkey and there's more rain on the way into central regions of the meds that means more rain for the already flooded venice meanwhile another big system is just getting its lawyers out across

the west but also as well as this rain of course we have had some significant snow just look at there's more than 25 centimeters this is in austria just the southern portion really so close over sea to the alps and if it's hard to the north away from heather boushey had about 70 centimeters of snow in just 24 hours through thursday there's more rain across the central med also across into the southeast of their family light and scattered but really the main system is this one in the west a med against innovations and another very intense pressure working its way across areas of u.k. and across into low countries and france that will continue his journey eastwards by friday this rain then pushing across of the central areas so again they'll be more rain across much of italy particularly heavy into the southeast of france so we really are expecting to see some flooding because of the amount of rain that will be coming down meanwhile northern africa is mostly dry but with all this rain throughout the mediterranean thursday and friday there is a chance and time is

a low of just 15 and l.g.'s. sponsor. it's. going to deal with all the t.v. unless you get out you disallow i disagree with that. a lot this sounds like i would be labeling the public the country for the are you not literally mean anybody these people well trained much of the islamic state machinery. of a very inspirational popular literature teacher join me in the hot sun as i put the questions to my special guests and challenge them to some straight talking political debate. al-jazeera.

problem again the top stories on al-jazeera a ceasefire has been agreed in gaza after 2 days of cross border fighting between israel and the group islamic jihad's 34 palestinians have been killed in israeli airstrikes since tuesday. the tossers in hong kong a block many parts of the city's center for a 4th straight day many are angry after 2 protesters were injured in confrontations with police and left in critical condition. 2 u.s. diplomats have become the 1st to publicly testify at the impeachment inquiry both william taylor and george can say they felt cornered concerned rather over pressure president trump put on ukraine's leader. and donald trump's threat to withhold military aid to ukraine is an important part of the inquiry so kiev has received an estimated one and a half $1000000000.00 from the u.s. over the past 5 years stuff awesome reports from the center in western ukraine where american forces train local troops. but it.

seems to be domestic in ukraine after u.s. military aid to. spend it in july the country was suddenly at the center of an american political storm involving a phone call between the u.s. president. and the newly elected ukrainian leader. undeterred by what's going on in washington ukrainian soldiers are preparing war games with the u.s. colleagues at the joint multi national training center in the west of the country tactics they can use in the ongoing war against russian backed separatists in the east. where we pay attention to politics that doesn't affect our day to day process will be here tomorrow as long as both governments agree that were needed here. besides having ukraine's back against russia the americans are getting ukraine's troops ready to become part of nato. this is how u.s. military aid to ukraine looks like an army which was said to be suffering from corruption and the lack of funds now beefed up to face russia in the east but one

threat to withhold this aid even though it was only temporarily has caused doubts about how much ukraine can we rely on its most important ally. after the much debated phone call with trump ukraine's president followed emir zelinsky sat he did not feel pressured by trump's threat to withhold military aid but analysts say it has affected the image of the united states and ukraine and could even push some towards moscow what we're seeing in washington now that is under threat of unraveling completely as widely reported to see is that for trump our job is not interested in any larger issues of democracy promotion state building and human rights in ukraine rather he's interested in using grain for his own political needs . but the u.s. president still has some fans in this coffee shop only opened a few months ago i would say it would make ukraine more famous and more people

aware of ukraine was happening in ukraine about war in the middle of europe ok but it wouldn't hurt the plane in which many americans don't even know that ukraine is this young pitcher vios billeted. i don't feel any particular help from america so i think we have to rely on ourselves it's. not the sort of message ukrainian soldiers fighting what is known as the forgotten war against russian backed separatists want to hear they hope the u.s. will continue to support them step files from al-jazeera livy ukraine. they were formally recognized bolivia's new interim leader janine on years but there is widespread opposition to her appointment 2 people were killed in violence that broke out on her 1st full day in office by ana sanchez has more from the bolivian capitol. protesters clashed with police and the army on the streets of bolivia live rounds were shot tear gas didn't display and we believe who demanded

interim president. to resign on her 1st day in office she's facing a country in turmoil i socialize political disputes are battled on around including the national assembly on wednesday some of it will more or less is mass party members tried entering congress at the end i had resigned from the senate's presidency she tried to come back a police block the way i know to get this government is trying to portray the court it as a natural thing where legislature's and we need to go to the assembly. on the other side of the barricade his foes shouted adversaries a reminder of what sparked the political crisis that forced president to resign. the interim president does rely on security forces to restore law and order she appointed military commanders before the cabinet. taking up command of the armed

forces at a crucial time for the state to bring this stage to an end and for new elections. the entering president has said that she wants to bring peace back to the streets of the country and that means the police will continue their patrols with the army . stability naming a new electoral court and calling on new elections in december is the priority of the transitional government but analysts say nothing can be done without negotiating with more or less is suppose. orders nor seen the president must begin a dialogue because the m.e.'s party is a reality whether people like it or not otherwise if there's no dialogue were lost . from his refuge in mexico former president model is pledged to return to your question sleep will appear if my people ask for it we're ready to go back to pacify the country but national dialogue is important otherwise it would be difficult to stop this cup from taishan. in the capital some roadblocks were removed and stores

opened after weeks of near shutdown but just for a short time. thousands of angry believe yes we're back on the streets early a reminder of just how far believe this from coming out of the crisis. in a scientists i just. believe you and libya's former leader ever marla's who is now living in mexico has been speaking out he says the new interim leader is not legitimate because he was removed from office as a result of his and the generous routes and he says he's ready to go back home and has more from mexico city. president rallies used his press conference in mexico city he's been granted asylum in mexico call for a national dialogue in bolivia to try and sort out the mess that's happened after the bolivian elections he repeated that the him this is a military coup in the country again said that he was asked to leave by the

military and he said the proof of that coup was senator and now interim president jeanine and years declaring yourself interim president of bolivia he also spoke about the election process in the in the vote count that led to the organization of american states saying that it was serious or regularities he said that there was a fraud he said that he felt that the organization of american states was acting in the interest basically of the united states so. that's president morales is take on what's happening back home in his country believe you the organization american states define serious or regularities in the voting process there was serious doubts and that's the opposition a many people to take to the streets in a process that really hasn't stopped him believe you're now looking at crushes also between the opposition and between the supporters of president morales the

president the ex-president now said that his sister's house was attacked in one of those confrontations so a very disturbing situation in bolivia and the president and the next president that's now many miles away here in mexico where the mayor of venice is blaming climate change for floods overwhelming the italian city where than 85 percent of his historic squares and streets are under water charlie angela reports. the streets and canals merged as the 2nd highest tide ever recorded swept through venice on cheese day undaunted most tourists took to touring the city on gangplanks but some chose to swim through st mark's square the city's main piazza as waters hit 1.87 meters high the highest in half a century siren sound. for residents the effects a devastating day skidding al box out plates everything look at what we're living

with here i just want to cry. the city's mayor has declared a state of emergency blaming the rising waters on climate change meanwhile much needed off shore barriers designed to prevent floods remain under finished the project started in 2003 has been dogged by delays soaring costs and corruption scandals and venetians a demanding progress bar the shuttle did she had to give out all of it's been 10 years but they have done nothing. it's in total eclipse it doesn't work and i have stolen 6 and a half $1000000000.00 our politicians are old fleas they should be in jail. the damage is estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars and there are concerns that this flood is the starkest morning yet that the city is drowning. india's top court has ordered the government to assess the feasibility of switching

from fossil based fuels to cleaner hydrogen the order comes amid an ongoing smog emergency that's affecting parts of northeast india in the capital new delhi schools have been told to remain shut for 2 days as the air quality index sits at 458 anything above 60 is considered unhealthy new york's level for example is currently at 11 and egypt's health ministry says 7 people have been killed after an oil pipeline caught fire on wednesday the blaze broke out in. woods people have been gathering to collect leaking fuel and containers before that fire began. health authorities in the democratic republic of congo are beginning a major clinical trial of a new ebola vaccine but the rollout is already facing criticism catherine soy has more from the eastern border city of goma. a new a ball of vaccine for a major child santis the testing it on up to half a 1000000 congolese over the next 10 months to study the facts. the vaccine is safe

it has already been tested on a small sample of people elsewhere. would not have approved it if it was harmful to the people. but some people are concerned that the long term effects of the drug made by u.s. multi-national are not yet known and the fact that it needs to doze is 8 weeks apart we not walk on people who travel often it's a challenge to shine rates between the 2 duties will be a indication of the acceptance of his vaccines of population. we we will work with the communities we explain to the communities we believe though that if we explain simply things to the people say they are able to understand about 250000 people in parts of this region are already being injected with another vaccine made by a german company that has just been approved by european regulators those receiving

the new a drug given areas that are considered at low risk of an outbreak this is a very busy border crossing between d.r. congo and rwanda tens of thousands of people mostly traders use it every day health workers say vaccinating them is crucial feelings here over both vaccinations are mixed. destruction is good it helps us go about our business without fear of women a lot of them i can never do it i don't know what they're injecting into us they didn't benny and people are still dying now goma. the nations in the democratic republic of congo have long been controversial and one health minister is reported to have lost his job. for opposing the u.s. study some congolese say they don't trust what's going on but health workers insist this is the best way of beating a disease that has killed many people catching song al-jazeera comma. there is

anger over plans to expand an oil pipeline your lands of indigenous people in the u.s. state of north dakota a recent leak out another pipeline nearby making more anxious al-jazeera as alan fischer reports from linton in north dakota then we'll begin the hearing some came a great distance some came to object and some were veterans of the fight to stop the pipeline in the 1st place you know. for months the student defiance of standing rock in north dakota determined to block the building of the dakota access pipeline when the courts gave the go ahead the protesters were forcibly removed from the land now the company that built the pipeline wants to expand it pumping twice as much oil through it environmentalists. but if you double the amount of oil going through a pipeline you do have a leak. you're going to have twice as bad a leak so that's

a real concern the state has been hearing the case for the expansion and the arguments against this is like for humans we can't eliminate all risk one of those objectives was to try the native americans from standing rock there what is heightened by a leak at the nearby keystone pipeline i think there was i hope definitely it was i would say was a blast and unfortunately probably some people are not going to feel that way but. it definitely opened some ice the company behind the pipeline says the expansion is simply meeting consumer demand we need to expand the. i believe because the commercial need is there we have shippers who have oil that needs to get out to markets around the country and south being able to do this on the ticket access pipeline by coming in and doing something that's really very common in the industry we're basically adding mainline booster we're not doing any mainline construction public consultation on the expansion plans and next week the commissioners will

then look at the evidence before making a final decision if it gets to go ahead there's no guarantee that it will bring more protests to north dakota and to standing rock alan fischer al-jazeera linton north dakota. hello again the headlines on al-jazeera this hour a cease fire has been agreed in gaza after 2 days of cross border fighting between israel and the group islamic jihad's egypt has been mediating between israel and the palestinian group 34 palestinians have been killed in israeli airstrikes since tuesday harry faucet has an update from the israel gaza border the terms of the cease fire are a little bit different depending on who you listen to islamic jihad is saying that it has secured from israel and undertaking not to carry on with or a return to targeted assassinations and not to use of live fire at the border

protests on fridays and israeli officials being quoted in the call media saying that that is not the case in terms of the protests and the israeli foreign minister israel cuts has been on the airwaves to say that israel will target and kill anybody who it deems a threat. protesters in hong kong have blocked many parts of the city center for a 4th straight day many are angry after 2 protesters were injured in confrontations with police and left in critical condition several major roads have been blocked schools are being kept shut until sunday. 2 u.s. diplomats have become the 1st of publicly testify at the impeachment inquiry both william taylor and george can say they felt concerned over pressure president trump put on ukraine's leader when the u.s. has formally recognized bolivia's interim president as 2 people have been killed in violent protests against her appointment former president says the new interim

leader has no legitimacy. india's top court has ordered the government to assess the feasibility of switching from fossil based fuels to cleaner hydrogen the order comes amid an ongoing small game urgency that's affecting parts of northeast india the capital new delhi schools have been told to remain shut for 2 days as the year quality index sits at 458 anything above 60 is considered unhealthy new york's level for example is currently at 11 egypt's health ministry says 7 people have been killed after an oil pipeline caught fire on wednesday people had gathered to collect leaking fuel in containers before the fire began those are the headlines will have more news coming up after the stream that's next thanks for watching. notice there are. they don't believe the 2 state solution the do you still believe in the 2 state solution we listen to what i just said it was that pakistan would

never start a war i'm anti-war we meet with global news makers and talk about the stories that matter so does their own. freedom or that that was the rallying cry of the largest slave rebellion in the us more than 200 years ago this week hundreds of people brought it back to life ensuring a powerful reenactment imo they could be and here in the stream join us on twitter or in our live you to chat to talk about the lessons learned from the resistance. and 1811 some 500 slaves march for 2 days and enough are to take over new orleans and declare a free republic their attempt was reenacted this week by participants try.