the hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. hunter biden appears in federal court in los angeles, and pleads not guilty to nine felony and misdemeanour tax offences. hunter biden is appearing in federal court in los angeles this hour.

he's has pleaded not guilty to nine felony and misdemeanour tax offences. mr biden is facing three felony and six misdemeanour counts of evading $1.1; million in taxes. the president's son is also the focus right now of an inquiry from house republicans who yesterday staged a hearing to hold him in contempt of congress, for not complying with a subpoena to sit for a closed door deposition. what caught them by suprise was hunter appearance was hunter's appearance in the committee room in the middle of those contempt proceedings. and that sparked utter chaos. it doesn't matter who you are, where you come from or who your father is or your last name. yes, i'm looking at you, hunter biden, as i'm speaking to you. you are not above the law, at all. you are the epitome of white privilege. coming into the oversight committee, spitting in ourface, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed, whata re you afraid of? you have no balls.

to come up here and... mr chairman, point of inquiry. mrchairman, um... if the gentle lady wants to hear from hunter biden, we can hear from him right now. mr chairman, let's take a vote and hear from hunter biden. what are you afraid of? order, order, order. are women allowed to speak in here or no? order. because you keep interrupting me. our correspondent emma vardy is in los angeles for us. so so he's entered a plea, emma, has he been released? he has, under certain terms, but i can tell you're certainly not the kind of drama that you saw yesterday. it was a pretty short hearing here today. hunter biden arrived around the back through in a car, so we couldn't get to see him walk up the steps here. lots of press here to watch. he was in an out of court pretty quickly, he was there dressed in a black suit or tie, he was there dressed in a black suit ortie, he he was there dressed in a black suit or tie, he answered yes or no to a few procedural questions and then he

pleaded not guilty to the nine charges he's facing of tax evasion. he there was some discussion about when the dates would come up when he would be facing trial in the coming months. but of course this is a legal battle that he's facing here but very much linked to the overall political picture because, of course, republicans who are conducting an impeachment inquiry in washington are trying to leak hunter biden�*s business dealings, his problems with his father the presidentjoe biden, so it's all playing into the big political picture, what might happen to hunter biden, what if he was found guilty of some of these serious charges, he could be facing up to 17 years in prison, but in reality that would probably be quite a lot less. but his legally team are expected to argue that these charges are politically motivated. they will say he's pleaded not guilty because they argued that after he became sober after telling alcohol and drug addictions that he then went on to pay his taxes and any panel. but the

indictment, the charge that he is facing made pretty opening reading, he is accused of over $1.1; million in taxes, over a period of about 2016-2019. he is in taxes, over a period of about 2016—2019. he is accused of funding a lavish lifestyle, spending money on drugs, women, expensive cars, expensive hotels and not paying his taxes, and in some cases putting personal spending down as business spending. so a pretty complicated charge sheet that he's facing, but a short hearing today in which he pleaded not guilty to all those charges. pleaded not guilty to all those charaes. . �* . ~ pleaded not guilty to all those charaes. . ~ ., ~ , ., pleaded not guilty to all those charaes. . �* . ~' , ., , charges. emma, in la, thank you very much for that — charges. emma, in la, thank you very much for that. they _ charges. emma, in la, thank you very much for that. they are _ charges. emma, in la, thank you very much for that. they are trying - charges. emma, in la, thank you very much for that. they are trying to - much for that. they are trying to link hunter biden to his father in an election year, there is no evidence yet that he's profited from hunter biden�*s business affairs. yesterday's appearance and the committee room, it's a fairly aggressive media stunt, spearheaded

by abby laurel who is a pretty proud nation's defence attorney, but i wonder how they might view that over on at the white house.— on at the white house. look, hunter biden ism — on at the white house. look, hunter biden ism is— on at the white house. look, hunter biden is... is charged _ on at the white house. look, hunter biden is... is charged with _ on at the white house. look, hunter biden is... is charged with very, - biden is... is charged with very, very serious crimes, as your correspondent pointed out. if he is convicted, and by the way we should bearin convicted, and by the way we should bear in mind that he was indicted by his own father's justice department, then he is in serious, serious trouble. but what the republicans are attempting to do in the really embarrassing committee hearing has it on full display, what they are attempting to do is to equate hunter biden with president trump. and hunter biden never held elective office. hunter biden never served in his father's white house. the offences that he is accused of by the way, happened when trump was president, not biden. so they really have very little to hang around present biden�*s net, but they are

hoping to create enough smoke, enough accusations, enough heat to blur that important distinction. yeah, and in an election year there's a huge media battle of wills that's going on around us, the first ladyjoe ——jill biden that's going on around us, the first ladyjoe —— jill biden was on that's going on around us, the first ladyjoe ——jill biden was on us today, sticking up for hunter biden. how do you think how this plays for president biden in an election year? well i can't imagine the white house would _ well i can't imagine the white house would have been very happy with the hunter's_ would have been very happy with the hunter's appearance in the committee room yesterday. i imagine it was part of— room yesterday. i imagine it was part of a — room yesterday. i imagine it was part of a more defined and aggressive media strategy but every time hunter does make these appearances thenjoe is time hunter does make these appearances then joe is often linked, — appearances then joe is often linked, whether republicans have the evidence _ linked, whether republicans have the evidence or— linked, whether republicans have the evidence or not, his father is always— evidence or not, his father is always put into the picture. and because — always put into the picture. and because of the salacious allegations in the _ because of the salacious allegations in the indictment and the republicans have released in the impeachment investigation, they are --oin impeachment investigation, they are going to _ impeachment investigation, they are going to be intrinsically linked leading — going to be intrinsically linked leading up to november 2024 and that's_ leading up to november 2024 and that's going to be a play the

republicans use as much as they can leading _ republicans use as much as they can leading up— republicans use as much as they can leading up to the vote. just generally — leading up to the vote. just generally speaking, mona, this has been a really ineffective congress, the house of representatives has done very little in the two years. is it a dangerous strategy to impeach the homeland secretary homeland security mayorkas to go after hunter biden to try and impeach the president. is there a danger this backfires on republicans?— danger this backfires on reublicans? ~ , , republicans? well it is interesting that even some _ republicans? well it is interesting that even some conservative - republicans? well it is interestingl that even some conservative maga affiliated people to impeach mayorkas, high crimes and misdemeanors, rather this is a policy dispute. and it does open the doorfor impeaching members of policy dispute. and it does open the door for impeaching members of the trump administration for policy reasons, etc. so there's been a cautionary note struck by some of

the lawyers. but, you're right, there has not been... the main accomplishment of this republican congress has been internal chaos within the gop majority, where you've had, you had that embarrassing spectacle of not being able to elect a speaker for a very, very long time, and then cashiering the speaker that they did choose after about eight months, and then another embarrassing episode where they couldn't settle on another speaker. it is now at mikejohnson's turn in the barrel, he is facing a mutiny among the ungovernable wing, the freedom, so—called freedom caucus. who do not want any governing to happen at all. so because mikejohnson is talking about a deal to fund the government, they are now in rebellion, again.

and so that is the legacy of this congress, at least so far, is just internal dissension and chaos. just a word on that _ internal dissension and chaos. just a word on that chaos, particularly around the spending package, will. that really does worry allies and, you know, i'mjust that really does worry allies and, you know, i'm just looking here and has dropped on writers. this is from christine lingard who is the president of the european central bank. if we draw lessons from the manner in which trump carried out the first four years of his medic, it is clearly a threat. you have to look at the commitments regarding nato, and you have to look at his attitude to governing. it is a threat to the european union. and they'll look at what's happening in they'll look at what's happening in the house and they will see some of that chaos now.— that chaos now. they will, and the fact that congress _ that chaos now. they will, and the fact that congress essentially - that chaos now. they will, and the | fact that congress essentially their business _ fact that congress essentially their business has come down to six or seven— business has come down to six or seven members who can stage a mutiny

whenever— seven members who can stage a mutiny whenever they want, has caused such disarray— whenever they want, has caused such disarray that — whenever they want, has caused such disarray that we are in the process of deja _ disarray that we are in the process of deja vu — disarray that we are in the process of deja vu of building up to another us shutdown. the size of the us economy— us shutdown. the size of the us economy is notjust it's a domestic issue, _ economy is notjust it's a domestic issue. it's — economy is notjust it's a domestic issue. it's a — economy is notjust it's a domestic issue, it's a global issue. and these — issue, it's a global issue. and these members of the far right of these members of the far right of the republican party who are conservative can, whenever they want, _ conservative can, whenever they want. try — conservative can, whenever they want, try and oust mike johnson. and mike johnson is as conservative as some _ mike johnson is as conservative as some of— mike johnson is as conservative as some of these members, he ran and was chosen— some of these members, he ran and was chosen is bigger because of his conservative ideals, and matt gates and nancy— conservative ideals, and matt gates and nancy macy you just saw in the biden— and nancy macy you just saw in the biden hearing, if they oppose any part of— biden hearing, if they oppose any part of the — biden hearing, if they oppose any part of the spending plan, which they do. — part of the spending plan, which they do, they can immediately stage a rebellion _ they do, they can immediately stage a rebellion and that conceivably destabilises, and it has implications of delayed flights and global— implications of delayed flights and global applications. implications of delayed flights and globalapplications. it implications of delayed flights and global applications. it should give the rest _ global applications. it should give the rest of the world because if

they— the rest of the world because if they believe that trump, if a reelection in 2024 will be a continuation of this. indeed, so, thank you _ continuation of this. indeed, so, thank you very _ continuation of this. indeed, so, thank you very much. _ continuation of this. indeed, so, thank you very much. although, | continuation of this. indeed, so, i thank you very much. although, it would be good _ thank you very much. although, it would be good for _ thank you very much. although, it would be good for biden. - thank you very much. although, it - would be good for biden. maybe, when it comes to the — would be good for biden. maybe, when it comes to the general— it comes to the general election, indeed so. thank you both for that. i'm just keen to remind your audience of events tonight. we expect them to be preparing military strikes against the who the rebels in yemen. the reason we think thatis rebels in yemen. the reason we think that is because yesterday the defence secretary suggested that military action was emily imminent. us and uk destroyers yesterday were shooting down drones and missiles that were launched by the iran backed group over the red sea. there was an emergency meeting here in london today, meeting of the national security council. the reason that we think things are moving forward is because tonight, the prime minister has spoken to of the prime minister has spoken to of

the opposition and also the shadow defence minister to put them in the picture, and also the speaker of the house. that doesn't tend to happen unless of course the uk is being put on a war footing. we've had very little so far from the pentagon, and of course it would be the americans that would lead since they are the bigger partner in the red sea. the us at the moment, not giving us very much detail on what their plans would be, but certainly something to watch very closely. we'll go to break, will be right back after this. voucsovsk: bbc news, - bringing you different stories from across the uk. i'm very much a car person. i like the looks of cars, like the engines of cars. i just find them really fascinating. i don't want to stop them enjoying themselves, but this is not a racetrack. the a47 around barwell is one of four racing hot spots identified by leicestershire police. people living here say it's

a fatality waiting to happen. i've been down here when those laybys have been full and then another ten, 20 cars up and down, racing at excessive speeds. never seen a speed camera, i've never seen police sat in the layby. i'm just asking the police — what is being done? we have issued a number of warnings and a number of antisocial behaviour notices have gone out to individuals. for more stories . from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. a huge ancient city which has recently been discovered in the amazon, it has been hidden for thousands of years by lush vegetation. it is an that area lies in the shadow of a volcano in the upano area of eastern ecuador. a volcano that would have had rich local soils on its slopes but might also have led to the cities destruction.

we knew about other communites in the highlands of south america, like machu picchu in peru, but it was believed until this point that people only lived nomadically or in tiny settlements in the amazon. and this is older than any other site we know of in the amazon. let's speak to stephen rostain, director of research at the cnrs national center for scientific research. thank you for being with us. why has it been undiscovered for so long? because nobody was looking out there, it's a part of ecuador, an area of the andes, so it was not so much visited up to the 50s. basically indigenous people, were

living in this valley. so nobody knew about this ecological site. what does it change about our understanding of these communities? i would say receding. up to now mainly researchers, not so much archaeologists, because archaeologists, because archaeologists begin to know about the ascent, just general opinion towards population, nomadic population looking for food through the rain forest in that condition, in fact we have the mega diversity of types of culture in the amazon. just 300 50 different —— 350 different languages spoken, the city of vegetation, there is also an

ethnic diversity in the amazon. just very quickly. _ ethnic diversity in the amazon. just very quickly, if you were to stretch this on a timeline, where are these tribes in the amazon? where are they in relation to the pyramids or the stone age, where are they in the timeline? so stone age, where are they in the timeline? . ., , , timeline? so much indigenous in this art of the timeline? so much indigenous in this part of the amazon, _ timeline? so much indigenous in this part of the amazon, but _ timeline? so much indigenous in this part of the amazon, but two - timeline? so much indigenous in this part of the amazon, but two or- timeline? so much indigenous in this part of the amazon, but two or 3000 years ago it was two full of people, living on the platform connecting the cities with the roads, wide agricultural system, very elaborate, it's a complete surprise even for archaeologists. find it's a complete surprise even for archaeologists.— archaeologists. and when we discovered _ archaeologists. and when we discovered it, _ archaeologists. and when we discovered it, they _ archaeologists. and when we discovered it, they just - archaeologists. and when we | discovered it, theyjust called archaeologists. and when we i discovered it, theyjust called it the new world. thank you very much indeed, external refined in the amazon. right, it's time for the

panel. mona, you want to talk about political predictions gone wrong. maybe it's an admission of ignorance but here and now is him, there are dire warnings we get all the time that don't turn out. and it's important to keep this in mind. 50. important to keep this in mind. so, for example- -- _ important to keep this in mind. so, for example... you're going to put me out of the livelihood, mona. j’m me out of the livelihood, mona. i'm sor , me out of the livelihood, mona. i'm sorry. myself— me out of the livelihood, mona. i“n sorry, myself too. look, in 2023 we heard endlessly about predictions that we were going to have a recession, right? the wall street journal asked a panel of 70 economists what the chances were in the coming year of a recession, and they all came out at like 65%. of course, the recession did not happen. we also, if you remember casting our minds backjust a little bit before that, there was a huge amount of attention to the scourge of monkeypox that was going to be

the next level pandemic. well, that did not happen. right. dear member the banking crisis that was supposed to overtake us? it’s the banking crisis that was supposed to overtake us?— to overtake us? it's an optimistic note, it's to overtake us? it's an optimistic note. it's an _ to overtake us? it's an optimistic note, it's an optimistic— to overtake us? it's an optimistic note, it's an optimistic note. - to overtake us? it's an optimistic note, it's an optimistic note. 0n| to overtake us? it's an optimistic| note, it's an optimistic note. on a less optimistic note, i'm just going to squeeze in wills with his story. are you telling me an american tipping is coming to the side? ilurul’eiiii tipping is coming to the side? well that's what i've _ tipping is coming to the side? well that's what i've heard. i've obviously, tipping in the us is an everyday— obviously, tipping in the us is an everyday occurrence, every restaurant check, every time we go to a cafe _ restaurant check, every time we go to a cafe nowadays, we are asked to provide _ to a cafe nowadays, we are asked to provide a _ to a cafe nowadays, we are asked to provide a tip — to a cafe nowadays, we are asked to provide a tip. but i was reading the other— provide a tip. but i was reading the other daym — provide a tip. but i was reading the other day- - -— other day... what do you tip, 25? 2596? are — other day... what do you tip, 25? 2596? are you _ other day... what do you tip, 25? 2596? are you going _ other day... what do you tip, 25? 2596? are you going to _ other day... what do you tip, 25? 2596? are you going to make - other day... what do you tip, 25? 2596? are you going to make me. other day... what do you tip, 25? - 2596? are you going to make me sound 25%? are you going to make me sound bad if— 25%? are you going to make me sound bad if i _ 25%? are you going to make me sound bad if i say— 25%? are you going to make me sound bad if i say 20? we 2596? are you going to make me sound bad ifl say 20?— bad if i say 20? we were at 12 at the side, bad if i say 20? we were at 12 at the side. so _ bad if i say 20? we were at 12 at the side, so that's _ bad if i say 20? we were at 12 at the side, so that's why - bad if i say 20? we were at 12 at the side, so that's why i'm - the side, so that's why i'm pessimistic about this. j the side, so that's why i'm pessimistic about this. i tend to be renerous pessimistic about this. i tend to be generous about _ pessimistic about this. i tend to be generous about tipping _ pessimistic about this. i tend to be generous about tipping because i l generous about tipping because i saw what the _ generous about tipping because i saw what the pandemic did to new york and especially the service industry, so i and especially the service industry, so i tend _ and especially the service industry, so i tend to — and especially the service industry, so i tend to give a couple of extra dollars _ so i tend to give a couple of extra dollars here and there. but i've

heard _ dollars here and there. but i've heard some diners in the uk and restaurants in yorkshire for e>

now voting to decide whether to accept the deal. having previously denied knowledge of the systemic use of discriminatory or racist language, for which the club was fined, graves has now apologised personally and unreservedly to anyone who experienced any form of racism at yorkshire. but his potential return has stunned rafiq. struggling, really, to be honest. struggling to understand everybody to be honest. it's a mix of emotions, you know, a lot of anger. my first, it's something i took a lot of pride on. and that's well and truly gone, there is no part of me that has that any more. the british and irish lions have named andy farrell as their head coach for next year's tour to australia. he's had an impressive four year reign as ireland's head coach and has experience under warren gatland on prevoius tours, as jane dougall reports. in 2023 he was named world rugby coach of the year. so when arguably the top coaching job on the uk and ireland came up

it was in the ferrules name is on everybody�*s lips. it was andy farrell's name is on everybody�*s lips. no surprise when it was officially confirmed today he will be the new british and i am doing irish lion code. the new british lions head coach. it means the world to be to be thought of as a candidate for the head coach's roll, it's pretty special. but to be chosen is pretty magical. it definitely is. i suppose being on a couple of lion's already gives me the feel of what it's all about for me to be chosen as head coach is beyond words. farrell will stay on as ireland's head coach where he's been credited with developing exciting attacking sign. exciting attacking side. farrell has led ireland to a six tournament win last year and a position as world number one. he's been heavily involved with lions tours in the past but this will be the first time he will have final say on selecting his son, owen farrell.

england's world cup captain is taking a step back from international duties citing mental health issues. but family is a sore point for farrell senior. when asked about the treatment of his son on social media last year he made his feelings clear. what i probably would say at this moment in time is at the circus moment in time is the circus that's going around all this is absolutely disgusting. in my opinion, disgusting. as a player it was the other code of rugby that andy excelled winning seven super league and five challenge cops but coaching union has brought him wider recognition and its hope the admiration he's experienced from irish fans will now be embraced by the uk. former england manager sven goran—eriksson has revealed he has, at best, a year to live after being diagnosed with cancer. eriksson was the first foreign coach to manage england, reaching the quarterfinals of the world cups in 2002 and 2006, and the euros in between. he was most recently working

at swedish club klaastad before stepping down 11 months ago. eriksson says he will "fight for as long as possible". i have cancer where you can't operate. and you have to try to slow it down as much as possible. that is what i'm doing. when you get a message like that i think you appreciate every day when you wake up in the morning and appreciate every day and you are happy you're feeling okay. so that's what i'm doing. spurs have had another busy day in the transfer market, signing romania defender radu dragusin from genoa for £25 million — tottenham's djed spencejoins the italian side on loan for the rest of the season as part of the deal. meanwhile, eric dier has left spurs, moving to bayern munich for a fee of around £3.5 million. he'll reunite with his former team—mate harry cane. ronnie o'sullivan is through to the semi—finals of the masters

for the fifteenth time after beating barry hawkins. it was a scrappy match at alexandra palace with both players making mistakes. this miss by hawkins when he was 50 points ahead in the ninth frame cost him dear as o'sullivan cleared the table to win by six frames to three. great britain claimed gold in the men's team pursuit at the european track cycling championships in the netherlands. the squad of dan bigham, ethan hayter, ethan vernon, ollie wood and charlie tanfield edged out world champions denmark by more than a second. it was a first team pursuit european title in nine years for britain. there was also a silver in the women's team pursuit. much more on the website of course, but that's all your support for now. goodbye. hello. it has been a cold day again up and down the uk. mostly dry though, thanks to the high pressure and that area of high pressure will be with us again for friday to bring another cold and dry day with variable amounts of cloud, a little bit of sunshine, but there will be quite a bit

of cloud around, i think, through friday across england and wales. best of the clearer spells across scotland and northern ireland with the best of the sunshine. but through tonight, under those clear skies, light wind scotland, northern ireland could see some fog developing and it really will turn quite cold. a sharp frost developing in places particularly central scotland, down to —8 celsius. but where we have more cloud for england, wales, then it should remain frost—free. but it does mean friday will be a rather gray, gloomy morning for england and wales. cold, frosty, crisp start for scotland, northern ireland, best of the sunshine here. stubborn mist and fog could linger all day in places and we could see a few breaks in the cloud further south till off some sunny south we'll have some sunny spells here and there. temperatures again struggling to get much over 2—3 celsius across scotland, 7—8 celsius for england and wales. as we move through friday night, we'll see this weather front bring some patchy rain, maybe some hill snow to northern scotland for a while. elsewhere, it's patchy cloud and clear spells. and where we have clear skies and it'll be frosty where we hold on to

the cloud, then frost—free. this weather front sinking south was weakening into a band of cloud. as we head on into saturday, another one will push into northern scotland to bring further showers here. and then by sunday, much colder air pushes in across northern scotland to bring frequent snow showers. here, it'll turn cold and windy. saturday, then, a chilly day to come, variable cloud, the odd spot of rain with those weak weather fronts, some sunny spells here and there, and temperature wise, generally ranged between 5—8 celsius. as we head into sunday, though, we'll see this weather front sink southwards and weaken. there'll be some patchy rain on it, some sunshine to the south. it turns windy, cold and snowy across northern scotland. these snow showers becoming quite frequent, even down to lower levels. and there'll be significant accumulations by the end of the day, but less cold in the south. into next week it stays cold across the northern half of the country. further snow showers, maybe even an area of more prolonged snow for a while. then we need to keep an eye on this area of low pressure which could approach the south. if it pushes northwards into the cold air, it's likely that we could see a spell of sleet and snow across the south of the country.

but it's quite a lot to play for here, so stay tuned to the forecast.

tonight at ten — after weeks of attacks on cargo ships in the red sea by rebels from yemen, tonight the uk is on the brink of military action against them. the prime minister held a conference call with his cabinet this evening. senior labourfigures and the commons speaker have also been briefed, all of which points to military strikes being imminent. here in washington, officials won't

speculate — here in washington, officials won't speculate in public about whether there _ speculate in public about whether there will— speculate in public about whether there will be any imminent military action— there will be any imminent military action but— there will be any imminent military action but it seems we may get confirmation sometime soon. we'll be looking at what's led to this and at what might follow. and we'll be speaking to our international editorjeremy bowen. also tonight — sub—postmasters who were wrongly convicted of theft come face to face with one of the post office investigators who accused them. terror at the tv station — we speak to the presenter in ecuador whose studio was overrun by masked gunmen you've been amazing, you really have. and an unexpected honour — prince william surprises rob burrow and kevin sinfield with their cbes in leeds, for their campaigning work on motor neurone disease. and on newsnight at 10.30, we'll go deeper behind the headlines and speak live to key players on today's big stories, plus a first look at tomorrow's front pages.