Jeffrey epstein for the very first time. Hear what he has to say, coming up. And live from cnn World Headquarters here in atlanta, welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world, im michael holmes. Cnn newsroom starts right now. Welcome, everyone. Fridays testimony from two u. S. Diplomats painting a vivid picture of the u. S. President s direct involvement in the ukraine scandal. First up, Marie Yovanovitch literally outlining how she became the target of a Smear Campaign. The president went after her on twitter. Well have more on that in a moment. The other witness, david holmes, a u. S. State Department Aide in kiev. Holmes said he was told the president did not care about ukraine, only about getting political dirt on Democratic Political rival joe biden and bidens son hunter. And the person who told him that was the ambassador to the eu Gordon Sondland. He said, this, quote, i heard ambassador sondland greet the president and explain he was calling from kiev. I heard President Trump then clarify the ambassador was in ukraine. Ambassador sondland replayed, yes, he was in ukraine. Went on to state that president zelensky, quote, loves your ass. I then heard President Trump say, so, hes gonna do the investigation . Ambassador sondland replied that hes going to do it. Adding, quote, hell do anything you ask him to do. And it comes on the heels of ambassador Marie Yovanovitchs public appearance. Even some republicans were taken back. Get, everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad the president wrote. He added that ukrainian president had spoken about him. Yovanovitch was told about the tweet moments later. What effect do you think that has on other witnesses willingness to come forward and expose wrongdoing . Well, its very intimidating. Its designed to intimidate, is it not . I mean, i cant speak to what the president is trying to do. But i think the effect is to be intimidating. Well, i want to let you know, ambassador, that some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously. People in the gallery applauded ambassador Marie Yovanovitch at the end of her six hours of testimony. We get more now from cnns alex marquardt. Our ukraine policy has been thrown into disarray. And shady interests of the world over have learned how little it takes to remove an American Ambassador it who does not give him what they want. Reporter a blistering Opening Statement by ambassador Marie Yovanovitch as as he took same at her Smear Campaign. Theres a question as to why the kind of campaign to get me out of ukraine happened. Because all the president has to do is say he wants a different ambassador. And in my line of work. Perhaps in your line of work as well, all we have is our reputation. And so this has been a very painful period. Reporter the president has criticized yovanovitch repeatedly, including on the july 25th call with president zelensky calling her bad news and saying she would go through some things. I was shocked and devastated that i would feature in a phone call between two heads of state, in such a manner, where President Trump said that i was bad news to another world leader. And that i would be going through some things. So, i was it was a terrible moment. Reporter terrible and threatening. Sounded like a threat. Did you feel threatened . I do. Reporter yovanovitch quickly called out Rudy Giuliani the president s personal lawyer for leading the Smear Campaign against her. I do not understand mr. Giulianis motives for attacking me. Nor can i offer an opinion on whether he believed the allegations he spread about me. Reporter republicans didnt defend giulianis role or his parallel policy in ukraine. Im not exactly sure what the ambassador is doing here today. This is the House Intelligence Committee thats now turned into the house impeachment committee. Reporter they argued that the president has the right to recall any ambassador he likes and saying the way she was attacked by no defense from her bosses and suddenly pulled out has created a chilling effect. Not only in embassy kyiv, but throughout the state department. Because people dont know kind of whether their efforts to pursue our stated policy are going to be supported. And that is a dangerous place to be. What was clear in this hearing is how profoundly disturbing this experience was for yovanovitch. A 33year career coming to a crashing halt after she had been asked to extend her tenure in kiev. And yanked out of her post by a 1 00 a. M. Phone call and told to get on the next plane home. She used the words, shocked, appalled, devastated. Then when she read the transcript talking about her go going through her face. The color left her face and theres no surprise that yovanovitch thinks theres a chilling effect. Leslie vinjamuri is in london. Thank you for joining us. This from democrats being, of course, criticized for secondhand evidence, how do you view this . How significant is it for the president . Well, i think its very significant. And, of course, remember that these impeachment hearings are not meant to be part of them. Theyre meant to be looking into whether or not there was a quid pro quo. And whether the president of the United States was withholding military aid for purposes that had to do with getting dirt on one of the leading contenders for the democratic nomination Vice President joe biden. So, its not meant to be partisan. But, yes, that was testimony was tremendously important because it suggests very clear evidence that the president was directly pressuring the ukrainian president to conduct investigations and linking that to military aid. And, of course, that all in the face of denial, donald trump denied this week knowing anything about that call, never heard about it, he said. Hes also said he hardly knew sondland. Yet, this is a man sondland who can pick up a cell phone in a restaurant in kiev and get the president on the line. And according to other people who might testify about that. Where does that leave the president in terms of his denials about all of this . Yeah. I think what were seeing in these hearings a few days in, you know, were seeing the credibility of the claims that the president is putting out being consistently undermined. And next week, well have sondland testifying. I think what were seeing in the hearings is an effort to establish the broader context of how zig ukraine has been for u. S. Foreign policy. The two key goals of that policy have been rooting out corruption. And assisting ukraine towards a successful democratic transition. And providing for its National Security in the context of the 2014 illegal annexation that russia undertook of crimea. So, incredibly important context to establish. And then to drill down on the president s disregard for the very important goals of american policy in support these pressure to have this investigations. All right. Now, lets talk, for a moment, about the former Ukraine AmbassadorMarie Yovanovitch in that public hearing. What was the head line for you out of that testimony . Well, i think there were a couple of things. One, again, is that we are talk about anz ambassador who you noted served 33 years. Taking a very challenging post who has been very committed across republican and democratic president s first served under president reagan. So what weve seen for three years, those people most committed to americas engagement diplomatically overseas, that state department is being hollowed out. So, i think that general point was really on display. But also, of course, the fact that the president was tweeting during this testimony suggests that he is not taking seriously the integrity of impeachment hearings. And that there is a very serious threat that witnesses, not only the ambassador while she was testifying, but future witnesses are being subject to intimidation by the United States of america. Its tremendously grave. In fact, there was blowback from journalists and fox news as well criticizing the president for that tweet. In the totality, how do you view the events of friday, yovanovitchs testimony, david holmes testimony, youve got sondland next week. Other witnesses coming up. Somebody from the office of budget management as well. The roger stone verdict. How does it impact the strategy despite the impeachment . Well, you know, the republicans, unfortunately, at the moment, it does seem to be an impeachment hearing the hearings do seem to be viewed through partisan lens. One hopes that wont be the case. But on the republican strategy has varied. Its for some, i think its a strategy of saying is this really so significant. Once the evidence becomes clear and clearer, as it did on friday that the president was pressuring zelensky, the ukraine president , to conduct those investigations, and lynching it to military assistance, then the strategy is to move towards saying is it really that significant. I think one of the Big Questions here, and this is what were really waiting to see how Public Attitudes of americans will develop. Will they change . How dynamic is this . And will americans remain somewhat fixed in their views. And you know, congressmen and women are going to be watching, to see how their constituents respond to these public hearings. That is what we dont know yet. But that is what i really think is most significant as we move forward. Always reminds you of the saying that the republicans were with Richard Nixon until they werent. Leslie vinjamuri, thanks so much. Thank you. U. S. House democrats hope to be done with the impeachment by christmas they say. So a lot of witnesses are being called to Tell Congress publicly what they know. Eight scheduled for next week, including the u. S. Ambassador to eu Gordon Sondland which he will attempt version three of his testimony. While the president faces impeachment hearings, one of his longtime advisers is being found guilty of lying to and congress. Roger stone convicted on seven counts. They include lying to congress and failing to turn over documents. For the most serious of the crimes, witness tampering, he faces 20 years. Stone had this reaction to the verdict. Mr. Stone, whats your reaction to the verdict . No comment. Are you receiving a pardon from President Trump . No comment. Dont do that, no comment. 67yearold is still under a gag order as he awaits sentencing, which is in february of next year. Stone is the sixth trump associate to have been convicted of a crime since the president took office. All of those cases stemming from the russia investigation. And President Trump has ignored advice from his defense secretary and pentagon officials and abosolved three Service Members accused of war crimes. Cnns warren brown with more. President trump making a major decision on three highprofile military justice cases on friday. Pardoning two u. S. Army soldiers and restoring the rank of a navy s. E. A. L. Who had been convicted of posing with a corpse in iraq. The first what lieutenant Clint Lawrence who had been convicted of Second Degree murder for ordering his troops to fire on an afghan man. And major matthew golcy who had been charged with murder after killing an unarmed afghan man. He had pled not guilty. The pardons mean that lawrence and goldstein will return to the u. S. Army in good standing. Lawrence after being convicted had been imprisoned inleavenworth in kansas. He will likely, were today, return to military. President trump had been expected to make some decision on this. Some members of congress had lobbied President Trump. And some fox news lobbied trump for full pardon for levinstein and lawrence. He overviewed the advice of his senior military commanders who are worried this decision do have a negative impact on good order and discipline, as well as potentially underline the ucmj, the uniform code of military justice system. The white house says President Trump as commander in chief has every right to make these type of decisions. This is something he had promised to do, take a look at these cases, and hes fulfilling that promise. Again, a controversial decision embraced by some. Some are also criticizing it as a potential abuse of the military justice system. For now, President Trump making it clear these three men, two will be pardoned, and one will have his rank restored despite objections of some. Ryan browne, cnn, the pentagon. One year ago, parts of france descended in chaos. Fuel hikes backing violent protests across the country. Now theres fear of a yellow vest resurgence. Well have that when we come back. Also, class is out for the semester at one hong kong university. How protesters are turning campuses into fortresses. Well have that as well, when we come back. Shes the one the one for you when you know you just know she isnt perfect but shes perfect for you love is rare loves unique love is her love is him love is us the vera wang love collection designed for zales, the diamond store. Cdc guidance recommends topical pain relievers first. Like salonpas patch large. Its powerful, fdaapproved to relieve moderate pain for up to 12 hours, yet nonaddictive and gentle on the body. Salonpas. Its good medicine. Hisamitsu. Theres more unrest on the streets of bolivia has supporters of the ousted president evo morales clashed with police. 125 people injured in fridays unrest bolivias interim president blamed morales. Hes willing to stay out of the race but willing to get back into it as well. Morales resigned from office on sunday from allegations of irregularities in the last election. Turning now to iraq where Officials Say at least one more person is dead, 16 injured after a roadside bomb exploded in baghdad near antigovernment protests. No claim of any responsibility as yet. Iraqs Human Rights Committee says at least 320 people have died. 15,000 have been injured, since his wave of antigovernment protests began in october. And violent unrest in hong kong has forced the Polytechnic University to cancel all facetoface classes for the rest of the semester. For the past week pro democracy protesters have occupied the campuses across the city. Guarding with makeshift obstacles. Some abandoning the universities but many dug in at the polytechnic because its near a tunnel that links the rest of the city. The university is asking the students to complete their course work online. And telling staff to work from home. One year on, yellow vest protests no longer grinding paris to a halt. Protesting a hike in the fuel tax. And more. Since the movement began, the government has made many concessions. But the anger still remains and there is still fear that the protests could erupt again, sending france into chaos. Melissa bell reports. Reporter they seemed to come from nowhere. On november 17th, 2018, more than 250,000 protesters took to the streets of france. In paris, they wore the yellow vests that french motorists are obliged by law to carry in their cars. Their target, a hike in the fuel tax, announced by the government in the name of the environment. After that first mass protest, the yellow vests occupied roundabouts, rallying their sympathizers through social media, setting up road blocks and waiting to see how many would join them the following week. The leaderless revolt setting a trend that would come to be followed elsewhere, not least in its violence. After were here, now even the police, they can feel it. We are not afraid anymore. Reporter by early december, paris was burning. With violence worsening, week after week, in the face of the government response judged too little too late. On december 12th, the french president cancelled the fuel tax hike, and later announced an 11 billion package rate hikes and tax relief for the least well off, conceding to many of the demands of the yellow vests. The opponent brought responsibility. I accept my share of responsibility. I may have given you the feeling that i wasnt concerned that i had other priorities. I also know that ive hurt some of you with my statements. Reporter but the concessions seemed only to broaden the grievances of the yellow vests from high taxes to the cost of living to equality in general. The anger unleashed proved impossible to contain. With the police facing off each week with ordinary groups of protesters, but also with more radical and violent activists from both the far right and the far left. By the end of january, Emmanuel Macron held meetings across the country, holding marathon sessions with local officials and ordinary citizens in order to hear their grievances himself. New antiriot legislation was introduced and little by little, the Movement Lost momentum. According to interior ministry figures 20 protesters and 1800 had been injured and 11 people killed, mainly in traffic accidents. Yellow vest organizers say that 24 people lost an eye. As the violence became more sporadic and the numbers of yellow vests dwindled, the question of what had been achieved had been debated not least among the yellow vests themselves. Gives us nothing. Only violence in the streets, nothing else. Reporter one year on, have the yellow vests vanished for good . Or can they once again appear to come from nowhere . And melissa bell joins us now live from paris. I know youre keeping an eye on things there. What have you been seeing . Reporter well, were starting to get a sense, michael, of how this day