live from washington, this is bbc news. the british foreign office has confirmed that the final uk evacuation flight from sudanin final uk evacuation flight from sudan in the coming hours. and withjust a week sudan in the coming hours. and with just a week to go until the coronation, it is revealed the coronation, it is revealed the public will be asked to swear allegiance to king charles. plus a man hunt continues for a suspected gunman after five people were killed at a home in texas. it is good to have you with ours. we start here in

washington by the white house correspondence dinner is now under way. the event sees thousands of guests including journalists and politicians gather together in support of freedom of the present presidentjoe biden is due to speak in the next few minutes. we can take a lighter washington now and what you are seeing is inside the white house correspondence you can see people mingling and the address there from the npr white house correspondent. she is also head of the white house press association. joe biden preparing to deliver his remarks shortly where he will be focusing on the first amendment, freedom of press, but at the same time expected to make some jokes as well. to talk more about what we can expect as we await the speech from joe biden we can cross over to our correspondent who has been watching for most of the night. you have already been watching. it is a long night and all eyes will be on a

fight to, you can call it a toast and a roast. expecting that taste from joe biden. wrote, though, as well, from the comedian hosting this year. but what you think we can expect? in the market is always the toast and roast aspect. we were just watching and awards are being handed out for a journalist for all the work they have been doing over the past year so there is a very serious aspect, of course, of having a dinner. there are 2600 people in this room, journalists, celebrities, politicians. it really is one of those classic washington, dc events where the powerful are all gathering in a room but, at the same time, it is a very interesting night because of that comedy aspect and that is something that only began maybe two or three decades ago but you hearjokes from the president. we hearjokes from a comedian who is normally invited to the night and it will be roy wood junior from the daily show. it is one of

those fun nights for a journalist get to make fun of themselves but also make fun of politicians so it does makes for some good viewing. it is always about that healthy dose of satire but that really speaks to the first amendment. it comes at the heart of this. it comes at the heart of this. it always has with its white house correspondence dinner. freedom of speech under the constitution but also having a free press. on that point, i think that has really come to the fore, this year, wouldn't you say? when you look at us journalists currently in prison in russia for doing theirjob. right, and we know that his family, who is a washington journaljournalist family, who is a washington journal journalist who family, who is a washington journaljournalist who has been imprisoned now for about a month in russia. his family's at the event. we know that they actually had a private meeting with presidentjoe biden and jill biden earlier in the night. we saw colleagues saying free event. this is expected to be a night as you wait for the president to make his address.

you will be making those jokes but we are expecting him to be very serious as well when it comes to freedom of the press, freedom for journalists. comes to freedom of the press, freedom forjournalists. he will be highlighting many journalists around the world currently in detention. russia accuses him of essentially being a us spy. that is something he has denied vehemently. the wall street journal are denying it as well and he has been labelled as detained by the russian state departments of this will highlight his case in the case of a freelance journalist who disappeared in syria in 2012 and was never heard from again. his family are also in attendance tonight. a very serious side as well. i attendance tonight. a very serious side as well.- attendance tonight. a very serious side as well. i saw on the carpet — serious side as well. i saw on the carpet as _ serious side as well. i saw on the carpet as all— serious side as well. i saw on the carpet as all those - serious side as well. i saw on | the carpet as all those guests were coming in, the wife of alexei navalny currently in detention in a russian penal colony with sentences which continue to be extended to, his daughter was also there. . the

wnba star and gold medallist and as we know, she was in russia and was detained at the border accused of having a vape that had some cannabis products in it and were sentenced to nine years in prison in russia and this was a very high—profile case that president biden personally attended to as one of his priority is to make sure to get out of prison. this was a high—profile prisoner swap as well so they are at this event tonight as well as a guest of honour, the present meeting with her earlier as well. a big highlight tonight and, as you said, there always is a serious side to this event but i think, this year in particular, given the state of the free press around the world, and given what we have seen, this might have a more serious side than

some in the past. probably, with these speeches, they usually do make for viable moments and i expect that the hope from the biden administration will be putting that message out about press freedom at a time and these messages put out by social media and the like will make a greater case for journalists. pictures from the arrival earlier. moving on aside from that. this is washington. i don't think it would be washington without some electioneering and of course we did here, earlier this week, from the us presidentjoe biden, i would from the us presidentjoe biden, iwould not from the us presidentjoe biden, i would not say learning that he is running from 2024, confirming at least. do you think that means there will be the chance for some kind of political messaging to be slipped into comments tonight? if the would have to accept it. we simply would be running again in 2024. he took his time

announcing it so it is only been a few days. he has not really had a big major event since that announcement which, by the way, was done byjust sending out an online video. he did not do it in person or have a big rally like you might see when you are launching your real election campaign so tonight i think there will be some eyes on president biden and what he will say and whether or not he might give some kind of campaign speech, expecting him to talk a lot of topics that are really in his wheelhouse. talk about freedom of the press. he spoke a lot about that in the 2022 event and said what is clear, and from the bottom of my heart, that you, the free press, matter more than you ever did in the last century.— in the last century. anyway, biden can — in the last century. anyway, biden can really _ in the last century. anyway, | biden can really differentiate himself from who could be his top rival in the 2024 election, former president donald trump who, by the way, did not attend a single one of these events in

his presidency. he was very conspicuously absent from these events and of course, may depress one of his rivals as well during his time in office so we will see what the president says, president biden. but i think many people are expecting him to potentially have a few bits of electioneering tonight during his speech. he electioneering tonight during his speech-— electioneering tonight during his speech-— electioneering tonight during his seech. ., ., . his speech. he has got to have some jokes — his speech. he has got to have some jokes of _ his speech. he has got to have some jokes of course. - his speech. he has got to have some jokes of course. the - some jokes of course. the bi . . est some jokes of course. the biggest out _ some jokes of course. the biggest out that _ some jokes of course. tie: biggest out that many people some jokes of course. ti2 biggest out that many people in america have about president biden and his run for the election is his age. his 80 years old and would be 86 at the end of a potential second term in office. if he can get up term in office. if he can get up there have that energy, tell some jokes, up there have that energy, tell somejokes, how that up there have that energy, tell some jokes, how that sense of humour which he definitely does have, we saw it on display during his time to ireland and his meeting with the south

korean president recently, i think that he is going to be encouraged at least by his advisers to show that personality, that energy and those jokes because that is what this night is all about and that is one of the doubts some people have about the president is his age so if you can be lively and useful that is certainly something he would be looking to do tonight as well. ., ~ be looking to do tonight as well. . ~ , ., be looking to do tonight as well. . ~ i. be looking to do tonight as well. . ~ . well. thank you so much for now. i believe _ well. thank you so much for now. i believe that, - well. thank you so much for| now. i believe that, currently at the dinner, they are speaking about the detained wall street journalist. speaking about the detained wall streetjournalist. we can wall street journalist. we can just wall streetjournalist. we can just tune in and take listen to what is being said there at that dinner. we stand with you and we stand with evan. deborah is here as well seated with the washington post. right over there,

deborah. there. her son, a freelance journalist, was taken captive in syria almost 11 years ago. you were here last year, pressing austin's case. and unfortunately he is still in syria a year later. let's bring him home. ellen and austin are among the hundreds of journalists, too many to name, wrongfully detained in countries where there is no such thing as a free press. the threats also come from within. there are reporters in this room who have been derided by the people within their own organisation, dismissed as the

journalists for reporting the facts, for telling people the truth is if that is a bad thing. it isn't. this is also a challenging time for our country. people are choosing the news in part based on what they want to hear. and this makes us all vulnerable to conspiracy theories, to seeing the worst in our fellow citizens, to losing sight of our shared humanity. despite the fact that you see us all sitting here together on the stage, the relationship between president and the press to cover them is never easy. ever. every president privately and sometimes publicly bridles at his news coverage. and us in and take our questions. so, sir, may be not as many as we would like. because we represent the american people. and the

constitutionally enshrined principle of a free and independent press. so as difficult as the relationship between as may be, the alternative, but there is no relationship, no free press and no scrutiny, should be unthinkable for us all. there is a tradition at this dinner... to acknowledge the journalists in the room. the ones who are doing the work that this night is all about. these are difficult times in our industry. there is a lot of uncertainty and fear for what the future holds but we are still here so that stand proud. if you are a journalist who covers the white house please stand up. if you work in radio, please stand up. if you work for a regional newspaper, please stand out. if you work in local

or regional television please stand out. stay standing, guys. if you work for a net major national newspaper or wire service please stand. tv correspondence, anchors, producers, crew, stand up. and finally, if you support the work that all of us are doing, if you believe in a free press, if you believe in a free press, if you believe it is a pillar of democracy, if you depend on the power to ask questions to open eyes, to change lives and change minds, please stand. and now, raise a glass. as we

proudly continue our tradition of raising a glass and toast to the first amendment and to the president of the united states... here we go. ladies and gentlemen, presidentjoe biden. thank you for that introduction. i think. thank you for that introduction. ithink. let thank you for that introduction. i think. let me start on a serious note. jill, kamala, doug and i and members of our administration are here to send a message to the country and, quite frankly, to the world. the free press is a

pillar, may be the pillarfree society, not the enemy. thomas jefferson wrote... �*s. you will know this quote. if it was up to me to decide whether we had a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government i should not hesitate to prefer the latter. to add an�*s parents and sister, as i have told you in person, we, notjust me, all stand with you. evan went to report in russia, to shed light on the darkness that you will escaped from years ago. absolute courage. the hand written letter from courage. the hand written letterfrom prison courage. the hand written letter from prison to courage. the hand written letterfrom prison to his family, he wrote, i am letterfrom prison to his family, he wrote, iam not losing hope. and in an

interview... his mum said, one of the american qualities that we absorb is to be optimistic. that's where we stand right now. to the entire family, everyone in this hall, stands with you. we are working every day to secure his release. we will get opportunities and tools to bring him home. we keep the faith. we also keep the faith for austin. his mum deborah is here tonight. she knows from our conversations with me and my senior staff, we are not giving up. as i told you, at this dinner last year, as i told you in the oval office, you raised an incredible son. and he was a kid he was an eagle scout and

big brother, a barn protector. a us marine. three tours in iraq and afghanistan. austin, austin was a fearless journalist and a future lawyer. as a consequence of austin showing the world the cost of war, he has been detained in syria for nearly 11 years. it simply wrong, it's outrageous, and we are not ceasing our effort to get him, find him, bring him home. tonight... our message is this. journalism is not a crime. evan and austin should be released immediately along with every other american held hostage wrongfully detained abroad. paul whalen, held in russia for more than

four years, held in russia for more than fouryears, his held in russia for more than four years, his brave sister i have met with and his family has never quit fighting for pole and f promise you, neither will i and neither will this administration, untilwe will i and neither will this administration, until we get him home. and other americans being unjustly held in venezuela and elsewhere, their stories may not make headlines or hashtags but, every day, every day, their family looks at that empty chair at the kitchen table. birthdays, anniversaries, holidays without them, the pain of living in limbo ina them, the pain of living in limbo in a sense is almost worse than the pain of losing a child and looking at that empty chair. the stress of not knowing, the sorrow and uncertainty. but i want them and theirfamilies to uncertainty. but i want them and their families to know we understand. we see them. they are not forgotten. and i

promise you, i am working like hell to get them home. as a nation, we will never give up on hope. things can get better. things can turn, things can change. tonight, unlike last year, britney greiner is here with her wife. where are you, kid? stand up, come on. i love this woman. i love you, britney. this time last year, we were afraid for you, britney. hoping you knew how hard all of us are fighting

for your release. it's great to have you home and boy, i can hardly wait to see you back on the court, kid. rememberyour promise, i get to bring my granddaughter to see you, right? because of unrelenting efforts, have been able to bring home dozens of hostages and wrongful dating news from afghanistan, haiti, iran, venezuela, across west africa and around the world but were doing everything we can to prevent these cases from occurring in the first place. for example, the state department added the threat of detention as a new risk indicator to travel advisers. to go along with the threat of kidnapping where these threats are highest abroad. i recently signed an executive order increasing the consequences for terrorists who engage in the appalling practice of treating

human beings as bargaining chips, political pollens, just two days ago my administration announced the first sanctions under its new authority placing individuals in the security services in russia and iran who are part of the wrongful detention of americans. above all, across government, experts are working day and night to bring our fellow americans home. much of which, know, we can talk about, concerned that will backfire. my commitment, my commitment is to bring them home. just as i know your commitment is to continue to be the free and fearless press and thatis the free and fearless press and that is what we honour tonight. and this is not hyperbole. you make it possible. you make it possible for ordinary citizens to question authority and to

laugh at authority without fear and intimidation. that's what makes this nation strong. so tonight, let us show ourselves and the world our strength. not just from the example of our power about the power of our example. folks, i know a lot has changed, a lot of conversations with a lot of you, this is not yourfather�*s pressroom of 20 years ago. i am serious and you all know it better than i do. but still, it is absolutely consequential and essential. after all, i believe in the first amendment. not just because my good friend jenny maddison wrote it... a lot of ways this dinner sums up my a lot of ways this dinner sums up my first two years in office. i taught for ten minutes, takes zero questions and cheerfully walk away. yeah,

i know, ijust re—announced by the election campaign. some of you, some of you skipped that i announce the video but with the new authority in heart that i would just blurt it out, didn't you? and look, i get that age is completely reasonable issue. it is on everybody�*s mind. and everyone, by everyone in the new york times. headline: biden�*s advanced age is a big issue. trump's however, is not. so that was the new york times, i apologise. i love that guy. i should do an interview with

him. you might think i don't like rupert murdoch. that is simply not true. how could i dislike the guy that makes me look like harry styles? call me old? i call it being seasoned. they say i am ancient. i say i am eyes. they say i am over the hill. that is a man in its prime. folks, it is wonderful to be back here again. proving i haven't learned a damned thing. i want everyone to have fun

tonight. please be safe. if you find yourself disorientated or confused, you are either drunk or marjorie taylor green. thank you for hosting this. i love npr. because they whisper into the mic, like i do. but not everyone loves npr. elon musk tweeted that it should be defunded. the best way to make npr go away as far elon musk to buy it. and that's more true than you think, anyway. this dinner is one of the two great traditions of washington. the other one is underestimating me and kamala. but the truth is,

we really have a record to be proud of. vaccinated the nation, transformed the economy, urged historic legislative victories in midterm results, but thejob isn't finished. i mean, it is finished for tucker carlson. what are you doing that for? like you think that is not reasonable? give me a break! give me a break! look, they say don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative. we added 12 millionjobs. add ron desantis, had ron desantisjokes ready but mickey mouse beat the hell out of me and got there first.

now, look, can't be too rough on the guy. after his re—election as governor, he was askedif re—election as governor, he was asked if he had a mandate. he said, hell, no, i'm straight. i'm straight. i'll give you time to think that one through. you got it? look, you will keep approving my approval ratings is 42%. but i think you don't know this. kevin mccarthy called me and asked me, joe, what the hell is your secret? i'm not even kidding about that one. the speakers trying to

climb a big win this week. with the last time the public voted on something that hapless it took 15 tries. that was good. look, it's great that cable news here tonight. msnbc owned by universal. fox news owned by dominion voting systems. last year, your favourite fox news reporters were able to attend because they were fully vaccinated and boosted. this year, with that $787 million settlement, they are here because they could not say no to a female. —— to a free meal.

i would call fox honest, fair and truthful. then i could be sued for defamation. it ain't nothing compared to what they do to me. look, i hope the fox news team find this funny. my goal is to make them laughed as hard as cnn did when they read the settlement but then again, cnn was like, wow, they actually have $787 million. wow! folks, igo actually have $787 million. wow! folks, i go where people are, the daily show. roy is a great guy. he once dubbed me that jay—z of delaware. don't

have that look on your face, you did. tonight he asked me to keep it short and even offered me ten bucks if i keep it under ten minutes. that is a switch. the president being offered cash money. —— cash money. let me conclude on a genuinely serious note. he let me conclude on a genuinely serious note. he was let me conclude on a genuinely serious note. he was born let me conclude on a genuinely serious note. he was born in birmingham, alabama and it graduated from florida a and m. he started injournalism graduated from florida a and m. he started in journalism after his father roy wood senior who covered the civil rights movement. in black history month, i hosted a screening of the movie till, the story of emmett till and his mother is a story of a family's loss and a nation reckoning with hate and violence and abuse of power. a

story that was seared