Public hearings in impeachment inquiry to begin

WASHINGTON - US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said on Wednesday that the panel's first open hearings as part of an impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump will begin next week.

Schiff said in a tweet that the panel will hear on Nov 13 from William Taylor, the top US diplomat in Ukraine, and George Kent, an expert on Ukraine and Russia who serves as a deputy assistant secretary at the State Department.

Former US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch will testify on Nov 15, Schiff added.