this is bbc news. i'm ben bland. our top stories: bring in on! president trump says he wants an impeachment trial in the senate. he says it'll help him be re—elected. there should never be an impeachment. this is not an impeachment. this is not an impeachment. that phone call was totally appropriate. the four main contenders in the british general election take part in a question time leaders‘ special. there were uncomfortable moments for them all as they made their pitches with less than three weeks to go before polling day. why this video that was meant to teach russian children about tolerance and diversity has led to a sexual assault investigation. and the boy in the dress is something to sing about. two of britain's biggest stars team

up to bring the book to life. hello and welcome to bbc news. president trump says he wants to face an impeachment trial in the senate. but he also wants the anonymous whistleblower, who raised concerns about his phone calls to ukraine, to give evidence. mr trump is currently being investigated by a house of representatives committee. it's examining claims that he withheld military aid to force ukraine to investigate his political rival, joe biden — which he denies. nada tawfik has more. adjourned. less than 24 hours after two weeks of dramatic and contentions public impeachment hearings and, president trump out with his counter—attack will stop

increasingly, every waking moment in washington seem to hang on the latest revelations from these 12 us officials, told us fact witnesses by democrats to bolster their case that president trump abused his office for personal particle gain. with impeachment all but certain and pressure building, the president rang into his favourite programme firefox and france, for a nearly hour—long interview. firefox and france, for a nearly hour-long interview. mr president, you would expect an impeachment vote, do you expect to be impeached, and you say you embrace it? no, don't expect it. you don't expect democrats will vote for this?” think it is hard for them to impeach when they have absolutely nothing. still the president has begun strategising with republicans and claims he wants a senate trial. a lot of the key question, whether a white house meeting on usaid was tied to the bidens? perhaps the damning testimony against the present came from morgan sunderland. was there a quid pro quo? the answer is yes. the president again denied

it and claims reported phone call about the investigations never took place. there was no quid pro quo. i wa nt place. there was no quid pro quo. i want nothing. democrats believe they have enough evidence to draft articles of impeachment. with a full houseboat possible by the end of the year, the present‘s moves in 2020 to the senate and perhaps to voters, —— house vote. nada tawfik, bbc news. let's talk more about this with our washington correspondent chris buckler. what we got from that phone call was his version of events was different from that given to the committee. yes. and it was a punchy president. don trump came out fighting. essentially trying to lay our different ideas of exactly what happened as far as ukraine was concerned, as opposed to what we

have heard of the last two weeks in these impeachment inquiries. remember, these have come from members of us officials, us diplomats, staff members, even some people who used to work in the white house. but president trump was pushing different things. and sometimes he attacked witnesses. even said that as far as he was concerned people needed to look at the idea that ukraine had actually interfered in the us presidential election, as opposed to russia. which of course was dismissed as a conspiracy theory by some witnesses of the past two weeks. and he made very clear that he has concerns about the whistleblower and tried to focus some of this ontojoe biden, his potential presidential rival, who, of course, he has accused of trying to get ukraine to launch an investigation into but who he says has questions to answer about his son hunter's dealings in ukraine itself. of course, those are unsubstantiated allegations and gives you this idea that the republicans and president trump are lining up with the democrats for a

fight and that could, of course, and up fight and that could, of course, and up in an impeachment vote. we also have some fascinating detail, during a phone call he may, things like the ambassador to ukraine allegedly refusing to hang the present‘s picture in the embassy. yeah, this was the ousted ambassador, marie yovanovitch, who some people talk about not being treated particularly well by president trump and being briefed against by some of his associates, for example, rudy giuliani, the president's personal attorney who we heard was air dropped into ukraine to essentially put this idea that —— push this idea of investigations. and we do get little tidbits of gossip like the idea that he claims, again, without providing evidence that marie yovanovitch refused to hang the president's picture. it gives you this idea that it has become very personalfor this idea that it has become very personal for the this idea that it has become very personalfor the president this idea that it has become very personal for the president and this idea that it has become very personalfor the president and i don't think that is going to change. people are watching closely to see what happens next. not least because

he is former national security advisor, john bolton, who has been mentioned a lot during these inquiries, he has now got access to his twitter account again. he claims that the white house took control of it and he did not have control of it. the white house claimed they did not block mr boulton from accessing his twitter account. he is back on social media and is suggesting he might talk. that is important because according to others it was suggested that rudy giuliani was a hand grenade waiting to go off and even compared what was happening in ukraine toa even compared what was happening in ukraine to a drug deal. i suspect democrats and a loss ofjournalists following ambassador bolton to find out what he has to say about the president and what he believes he was up to. chris butler there in washington. let us focus on politics on this side of the atlantic.

with less than three weeks to go until the uk's general election, the leaders of the four biggest parties appeared on the bbc to answer voters' questions. they appeared individually but members of the audience got a chance to compare their views. this report from our deputy poltical editorjohn pienaar contains some flash photography. he's looking confident — it's what he does — but this campaign's just getting going. everything's still to play for. just look atjeremy corbyn. young voters often like him and he needs them. 0h jeremy corbyn! tonight, though, he wants to reach more than just the converted. so does the lib dem leader jo swinson, maybe keen to build more momentum. and snp leader nicola sturgeon. looking forward to tonight, first minister? looking forward to it, yes. for them all, it's a big night. first up, the labour leader, and from jeremy corbyn a clear answer to the brexit question that's dogged him. will you campaign to remain or leaving the eu if elected? why would anyone vote for labour without knowing the answer to that question?

the answer was neither one and his frustration showed. one, we will negotiate a credible leave deal with the eu. laughter. let me finish, please. i'm trying to answer the gentleman's question. secondly, we will put that alongside remain in a referendum. i will adopt a neutral stance so that i can credibly carry out the results of that, to bring our communities and country together. then, a question that hurt him. anti—semitism in the party, his own treatment of a jewish woman mp. ruth smeeth, a jewish mp, was heckled out of that press conference and there you are at the end of the press conference chatting happily to that same heckler. i don't buy this nice old grandpa, i see that video and that shows me all i need to know. misogynism, racism in any form is absolute not acceptable in any form whatsoever. there's a big question over the union. the snp wants a referendum, he says not his priority, so when? what does the early years mean, year two, year three, year four?

the early years, the first two years, at least. another answer that'll be remembered, but nicola sturgeon wants more and hoped to get it if no party wins the election outright. if there is a hung parliament, what is the price of your cooperation with a minority government? i could not in good conscience ever put borisjohnson into number 10 downing street. applause. in terms of what i would seek to win from a minority labour government, obviously i would ask for and expect jeremy corbyn to respect the right of the scottish people to choose their own future. and if she wanted another brexit referendum why was one vote on independence enough? would you want a confirmatory vote? no, because... ok, so you want a referendum for brexit, a second one, but not for your independence deal? the point i'm making is i don't think the position we're in right now with brexit had to be like this. that was down to the bad planning, the lack of planning.

jo swinson next, she's a potential power broker, too, but the lib dems, to one questioner, were still carrying the baggage of being junior partner to the tories in coalition. do you regret consistently voting with the conservatives in favour of harsh and uncaring benefit cuts? there are far, far too many people in our country living in poverty and life is too hard and we did not get everything right. the lib dem pledge to block brexit came with a cost — the anger of leavers. is revoking article 50 confirming to 17.4 million people that you think we're stupid and didn't know what we were voting for? you want to leave and i don't think that makes you a bad person and i want to remain in the eu and i hope you think that doesn't make me a bad person. you can disagree with me, but you lost. i haven't changed my view on whether i think we're better off in the european union. but anger too from people who never wanted brexit at all. but the liberal democrats standing on a manifesto to unilaterally

cancel brexit and the electoral pact has absolutely cost you my vote. this is the essence of democracy. i am standing here and telling you honestly what i would do if i was elected as prime minister, i would revoke article 50 and if you vote me into that position, i will do what i've said i will do. then, the one they all want out of his job and straight away a tricky one for borisjohnson, who's so often accused of bending and breaking the truth — this time to his face. how important is it for someone in your position of power to always tell the truth? i think it's... i think it's absolutely vital. and i think that the issue of trust in politics is central to this election and fundamental to the corrosion of trust in politics at the moment is... so why do you think were are being asked that question? ..let's be clear, is the failure of politicians to deliver brexit.

because the people have, yes... hang on. hang on a minute. we have a deal and it's a good deal. applause. it will allow us, it's a great deal, it's there and ready to go. as i never tire of saying, oven ready. so a potentially awkward moment used to make the case for brexit. no shortage of tough ones, though, this one to the man who compared muslims in burqas to bank robbers and letterboxes. racist rhetoric in this country is completely rife. will you admit that you have personally contributed to this and say the words "i'm sorry"? i've written many millions of words in my life as a journalist and i genuinely never intended to cause hurt or pain. what i was really doing was mounting a strong liberal defence of the right of women in this country to wear what they choose. and again, could the country believe what he says?

why on earth should i now believe yet another pledge that you will recruit an additional 6,000 gps over the course of the next parliament? well, richard. 5,000 more doctors this year than last year. we are making progress. yes, of course i want more gps and of course i want more investment in the nhs. and we're putting in, now, the biggest ever cash boost into the nhs under this one nation conservative government. he'd survive the ordeal, they all did. borisjohnson even seemed pleased or at least relieved with how it had gone. trust is an issue for all the leaders in this campaign and somehow they all seemed rather defensive. john pienaar, bbc news, sheffield. the brexit party has unveiled its policies for the election, promising "fundamental change" for the uk after it leaves the european union. instead of a traditional manifesto, the party's leader nigel farage published what he called a ‘contract with the people'. this is not a manifesto. big cause a word association test with manifesto gave us the word lie. and is that

surprising givenjust gave us the word lie. and is that surprising given just how many broken promises we have seen in british politics of the last few general elections? no, manifestoes area general elections? no, manifestoes are a means of telling people what they want to hear without ever having the genuine desire to implement them. so it is a contract with the people and these are the policies that not only will we campaign on over the because of the next three weeks, but we will campaign on these in the years to come. let's get some of the day's other news. bolivia's interim government has launched legal action against the ousted president, evo morales. it's after he called on his supporters to maintain blockades in the country. road blocks in the capital, la paz, have been in place for weeks, causing severe food and fuel shortages. morales — who is currently in exile in mexico — has been accused of sedition and terrorism. people in the pacific island group of bougainville have begun voting on whether to become independent

from papua new guinea. the referendum is part of a peace deal, ending a decade of civil war that has killed at least 20,000 people. observers predict strong support for independence. president trump hosted a roundtable of experts to discuss the health impact of vaping and whether there needs to be a ban on flavoured products that attract young people. representatives from the vaping industry said jobs would be lost if they were banned and that responsible marketing was the answer. but doctors stressed that this was a health crisis that needs to be addressed. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: two weeks to write 24 songs! a tight schedule for two british stars adapting a bestselling book into a musical.

president kennedy was shot down and died almost immediately. the murder ofjohn kennedy was a disaster for the whole free world. he caught the imagination of the world, the first of a new generation of leaders. margaret thatcher is resigning as leader of the conservative party and prime minister. before leaving number 10 to see the queen, she told the cabinet, "it's a funny old world." angela merkel is germany's first woman chancellor, easily securing the majority she needed. attempts to fly a hot air balloon had to be abandoned after a few minutes, but nobody seemed to mind very much. as one local comic put it, it's not hot air we need, it's hard cash. cuba has declared nine days of mourning. castro developed close ties with the soviet union in the 19605. it ties with the soviet union in the 1960s. it was an alliance brought the world to the brink of the nuclear war with the cuban missile

crisis. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: president trump has told fox news that he wants a trial in the senate and that he'd like to hear from the whistleblower whose report led to the impeachment inquiry. the uk prime minister, borisjohnson, has been asked about trust as the four main contenders in the general election have taken part in a special question time leaders' special. a criminal investigation in russia has begun into a video which children ask a gay man questions about his life and sexuality. promoting homosexuality to young people was banned in 2013. those involved in making the video fear they could be charged and face other repercussions that are far more serious. our moscow correspondent sarah rainsford reports. we have just landed from moscow to another city but i can't see where

we are because the person we have come to media is lying. he features ina come to media is lying. he features in a video in russia where children are asking him questions about the fa ct are asking him questions about the fact that he is gay. now, a criminal investigation has been opened under the article of law on sexual assault. we have come to meet maxime because basically he is terrified.

tell me why you wanted to take part in this product —— project. i have tracked the video producer down and she has left. this is a

notification of a sexual assault against children, and the language in it is extraordinary, especially given the video we have seen, it is childrenjust talking to given the video we have seen, it is children just talking to maxine about the fact is gay. here, it says these are topics of a debauched character, that the aim was to sexually arouse the children. the kremlin has told us that this is nothing to do with them of the investigators themselves haven't responded to our request for comment. the producer, though, has agreed to and in interview, although she doesn't want us to say where she is. we're going to talk to her online because just how serious this is.

we have arranged to meet one of the mothers of a boy who is in the video, and she has told us already that she has been called in for questioning by the authorities and she has even have a social services come to visit. she is obviously extremely worried about what is going to happen next.

do you wish you had never taken part in this? that report from our moscow correspondent sarah rainsford. south korean superband bts are having to do military service even though they're said to be worth $3.5 billion to the country's economy. two years of military service is compulsory for all able—bodied

south korean men. occasionally exceptions have been made for classical musicians and athletes who compete internationally, but not this time! the boy in the dress is a best—selling children's book and it was written by the tv star and author david walliams. now, it has been turned into a musical with the help of the royal shakespeare company and the pop star robbie williams. our arts editor will gompertz reports. # though it feels so right to me # how do i know that it isn't wrong? you gave us two weeks! two weeks to write 24 songs. # feel like i belong... elton john wrote the songs for billy elliott in one week. yeah, but i can go... but, you know, i can't... i don't know how to do that! words are very different. i bet eltonjohn did, but i bet you... lee hall, i think, wrote the lyrics. well, i bet you lee hall

took about two months to think of the words. ok, all right. # you have to admit that's a perfect fit # i've never dressed up like a girl # you wouldn't ever know it... it's written before you had a child. it's written before instagram and social media has become a big thing. if you were writing it today, would you write it differently? um, i hope not because i think the theme is always relevant, because the theme is what it is to be different and the celebration of someone who has the courage to be different and do their own thing. the interesting thing is that debate has kind of moved on a lot in ten years, because when the book came out, it wasn't much of a success commercially because i think that people were quite resistant to maybe the title of the book. and then, the creative process? my process is, "i'm going

into the studio today to get a hit." you know, where i think that other people that may have written musicals before are thinking about the book and the journey and where it needs to go and the elements, it's like, each individual song, i'mjust thinking, should be a number one somewhere in the history of music. # dance, dance, dance # forget about the world outside... does this show relate to shakespeare? i think it does in a way. there was a point where i decided on a cunning piece of programming, which was that we would do as you like it and the boy in the dress, so the girl in the trousers and the boy in the dress. you know, rosalind in as you like it puts on her trousers and understands a different perspective on humankind and i think dennis does the same in the boy in the dress. # dance, dance, dance! don't forget, you can reach me on twitter. i'm @benmbland.

this is bbc news. thank you for watching. hello there. rain is the main concern over the next 24 hours. there are various warnings about the persistent rain but they could be some travel disruption and flooding. it has been wet through the evening and night and across northern ireland. that rain has been northern —— moving north. eventually parts of scotland as well. given we have already had well in excess of what we would normally see through the autumn, rain wise, there is a concern there will be further flooding because we could see another half a month's weather rain in some parts of england, wales and up into scotland as well. pretty wet for northern ireland as well. all this rain is

meandering around was not even once the main rain clear there will be showers around, and they dry up for a time but we have a legacy of drizzly and rather cloudy weather, low clouds and hill fog around as well. quite wet in the afternoon as well. quite wet in the afternoon as well. that rain is creeping up into eastern parts of scotland. it might see the west —— best of the sunshine. northern ireland doing quite well in terms of dry and bright weather on saturday but the rain arrives through the evening and overnight and across eastern and north—western parts of scotland. elsewhere, we see a brief ridge of high pressure, so that is a window of dry weather, 12 to 24 hours for most of us before the next low pressure roles in by the end of sunday and into monday. sunday looks like the dryer day of the for most of us, not all of us. a lot of grey weather. nor —— morning fog after all that moisture and takes a long time to clear in november because we

are lacking strength from the sun. a much wetter day for the northern isles and here comes the rain later. the wind won't be as strong tomorrow as they will be today, so it will feel cold today because of the window in the cloud. that is easing tomorrow. it is only nine to 11, which is about average for this time of year. sunday night season x arrival of rain. tuesday's rain on monday night, tuesday looks a bit more persistent once again. we are into this unsettled picture. temperatures are up on those of last week. it is just a temperatures are up on those of last week. it isjust a hint temperatures are up on those of last week. it is just a hint that later in the week we might again get a respite from the rain and has some drier weather. for the weekend, respite from the rain and has some drierweather. forthe weekend, rain is definitely the concern. particularly as we say in england and wales and parts of scotland it does look dry for many of us on sunday. the warnings are on the west side.

this is bbc news. the headlines: president trump says he would welcome a full trial in the senate if the house of representatives votes to impeach him. he told fox news the process would help him get re—elected. mr trump added he'd like to hear from the whistle—blower whose report led to the inquiry. with less than three weeks to go to the british general election, the leaders of the four biggest parties at westminster, have been given a grilling by members of the public, in a special edition of the bbc‘s question time. there were uncomfortable moments for them all as they made their pitches. a criminal investigation in russia has begun into a video in which children ask a gay man questions about his life and sexuality. promoting homosexuality to young people has been banned since 2013 and those involved in making the video fear they could be charged. now on bbc news — a year—long investigation has revealed that