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[00:00:13] Live from London. This is BBC
[00:00:16] News. More scrutiny on Fifa president
[00:00:19] president Gianni Infantino as allegations allegations emerge in the Daily Telegraph
[00:00:22] Telegraph that a woman he had an an alleged relationship with was was given a six figure severance
[00:00:26] severance payment while he was general general secretary of Uefa. Fifa say
[00:00:30] say the story is categorically untrue.
[00:00:34] untrue. At least three people, including including a child, have been killed
[00:00:37] killed in overnight Russian attacks
[00:00:39] attacks near the Ukrainian capital
[00:00:41] capital Kyiv, in an exclusive interview interview with BBC Newsnight, Hunter
[00:00:45] Hunter Biden says his pardon was was not good for America nor his
[00:00:48] his father's legacy and it's the
[00:00:52] the biggest celebration of Irish Irish music and culture in the world.
[00:00:55] world. Belfast hosts the Fleadh Festival
[00:00:57] Festival for the first time. Thanks
[00:01:09] Thanks for joining us. I'm Luxmy Luxmy Gopal there's yet more pressure
[00:01:12] pressure on Fifa president Gianni Gianni Infantino after the Daily
[00:01:16] Daily Telegraph newspaper reported reported claims that his alleged
[00:01:19] alleged lover was given a severance
[00:01:21] severance payment by Uefa when he
[00:01:23] he was their general secretary. European European football's governing body
[00:01:26] body has confirmed payment was made made to the woman. The BBC has contacted
[00:01:30] contacted Fifa and Infantino for for comment, but the Fifa boss told
[00:01:33] told the paper he strongly denies
[00:01:36] denies these categorically untrue untrue allegations. BBC sport's Mike
[00:01:39] Mike Bushell has more details. The The allegations date back to when
[00:01:42] when he was general secretary of
[00:01:43] of Uefa between the years of 2009
[00:01:47] 2009 to 2016, and there has been
[00:01:48] been the reaction to this with Uefa. Uefa. Given that statement. I'll
[00:01:52] I'll read more of that now actually, actually, because we are aware of
[00:01:54] of the allegations and can confirm confirm a departure payment was made
[00:01:58] made to the individual in question. question. Uefa. Uefa says coupled
[00:02:01] coupled with the payment of fees fees for an MBA course at a local
[00:02:04] local business school, Uefa go on on to say the payment was in line
[00:02:07] line with the regulations that existed existed for departing staff at the
[00:02:10] the time. Such regulations have been been tightened since 2016 and the
[00:02:13] the current staff regulations, which which apply to all Uefa employees
[00:02:16] employees at whatever level, reflect
[00:02:18] reflect those found in a modern high
[00:02:21] high profile organisation. Now, in in a Fifa statement to The Telegraph,
[00:02:24] Telegraph, as you were saying, they've they've completely denied all the
[00:02:28] the allegations. I'll read that to to you as well. Fifa president Gianni Gianni Infantino strongly denies
[00:02:31] denies these allegations. They are
[00:02:34] are categorically untrue. No employee
[00:02:36] employee at Uefa or Fifa has ever
[00:02:39] ever raised a complaint regarding regarding Mr Infantino's behaviour.
[00:02:43] behaviour. So strong denial from from Fifa and of course this comes comes against the backdrop where
[00:02:46] where he's trying to shore up support support around the world following following his apology for the doomed
[00:02:50] doomed proposal to sell off a stake stake in the World Cup to a private
[00:02:54] private investment firm. At the moment moment he seems to have enough support support around the world, certainly
[00:02:58] certainly not in Uefa, in Europe Europe but around the world to survive
[00:03:01] survive any sort of vote to oust oust him. At the moment. BBC sports
[00:03:05] sports Mike Bushell there well, Gianni Gianni Infantino is in Colombia where
[00:03:09] where he has attended the inauguration inauguration of the new president.
[00:03:12] president. The BBC caught up with with Mr Infantino as he was attending attending a meeting with the head
[00:03:16] head of South America's Football
[00:03:18] Football Confederation as Ione Wells
[00:03:21] Wells explains the events of the the inauguration have wrapped up
[00:03:24] up here in Cali, in the south of
[00:03:27] of Colombia and unsurprisingly, Jenny Jenny Hill Infantino did not answer answer any of the questions that
[00:03:30] that I tried to pose to him when
[00:03:32] when I saw him entering and leaving
[00:03:34] leaving that event where he was attending attending the inauguration of Colombia's
[00:03:38] Colombia's new president, Abelardo Abelardo de la Espriella Infantino.
[00:03:42] Infantino. Will you resign after after your plan to sell off part
[00:03:44] part of Fifa failed? A word for BBC
[00:03:47] BBC News. What is your response to to Europe? Who say they will boycott
[00:03:51] boycott the World Cup? Infantino. Infantino. I asked him whether he
[00:03:53] he would resign given his plan to to sell off parts of Fifa failed.
[00:03:56] failed. I asked him what his response response was to Europe, saying it
[00:03:59] it could boycott the World Cup given
[00:04:02] given Uefa doesn't have faith in in his leadership. I asked him whether,
[00:04:05] whether, as countries like Jordan
[00:04:07] Jordan have claimed, he has been been financially blackmailing some some countries to support him and
[00:04:11] and whether in fact he is here in
[00:04:13] in South America to try to shore
[00:04:15] shore up support for his presidency. presidency. I think many will see
[00:04:18] see this visit of his as essentially essentially an attempt to try and
[00:04:21] and get more countries on his side side to try and get every single
[00:04:25] single vote he can from countries countries that might still support
[00:04:29] support him ahead of that crucial crucial election next year to determine
[00:04:32] determine the next Fifa president. president. I think some could say
[00:04:36] say that as a result, this trip has has been somewhat of a success in
[00:04:40] in that regard, given that he met
[00:04:42] met with not just grassroots football
[00:04:45] football associations but also with with the federation. The Colombian Colombian Football Federation and
[00:04:49] and also, crucially, the President President of Conmebol, which is the
[00:04:51] the governing body of football in
[00:04:53] in South America. The President spoke
[00:04:56] spoke to us afterwards and seemed
[00:04:57] seemed to suggest that Conmebol did
[00:05:01] did support Infantino continued to
[00:05:03] to support him and in fact, the only only question, the only answer that
[00:05:06] that I received from Infantino was
[00:05:08] was very simply in his words I love
[00:05:11] love Colombia. Gianni Infantino, Infantino, could you just give us
[00:05:14] us one answer for BBC News? What's
[00:05:16] What's your view? That being said,
[00:05:19] said, just because he may have the the support of some governing bodies
[00:05:22] bodies and figures here, this scandal scandal certainly hasn't gone away
[00:05:25] away and he will continue to face face these questions. I think wherever
[00:05:29] wherever he goes next. Our correspondent correspondent Ione Wells there and
[00:05:32] and we'll have more shortly on Colombia's Colombia's new right wing president,
[00:05:35] president, who has broken with tradition tradition by being sworn in not in
[00:05:38] in the capital Bogota, but in Cali Cali in the country's volatile south-west
[00:05:42] south-west that has long been on on the front line of the government's government's conflict with armed
[00:05:45] armed groups. So we'll come to that that in a moment. But first, Paolo
[00:05:48] Paolo Del Rosario is a sports journalist journalist in Manilla, and he gave
[00:05:51] gave us his analysis of Mr Infantino's Infantino's precarious position.
[00:05:55] position. He is trying to garner garner more support for the upcoming
[00:05:59] upcoming elections. This is going going to be one of the moments where
[00:06:02] where in he will try to regain a
[00:06:04] a bit of the a bit of the support support that he had prior to the
[00:06:08] the World Cup where he said he had
[00:06:10] had around 200 member associations associations backing his presidency. presidency. Obviously that has changed
[00:06:14] changed with the FFA proposal, so so it feels like what we are seeing
[00:06:17] seeing right now from Gianni Infantino Infantino is him trying to garner
[00:06:20] garner support yet again to block block off any potential candidates
[00:06:24] candidates for the upcoming presidential presidential race. At the moment, moment, there is no one candidate
[00:06:27] candidate that has come up. Of course course there have been reports saying
[00:06:30] saying that Concacaf Victor Montagliani Montagliani is a candidate but then
[00:06:34] then nothing yet has been brought brought forward. The interesting
[00:06:37] interesting part about any opposition opposition that will come up against
[00:06:40] against Gianni Infantino is that
[00:06:43] that he cannot fracture the vote vote of the opposition to Gianni
[00:06:46] Gianni Infantino because if he does, does, Gianni will win anyway. So
[00:06:49] So the question now is which candidate
[00:06:52] candidate will be backed by all of of the all of those opposing Gianni
[00:06:56] Gianni Infantino? And I got to tell
[00:06:57] tell you, there are a lot of federations, federations, a lot of member associations
[00:07:01] associations who still backed Gianni Gianni Infantino despite the scandal
[00:07:04] scandal that we've seen so far. Paolo
[00:07:07] Paolo Del Rosario sports journalist journalist there. Now let's turn
[00:07:10] turn to Ukraine, where there's been been another night of Russian attacks.
[00:07:13] attacks. At least three people, including including a child, were killed on
[00:07:17] on the outskirts of Kyiv. Three more
[00:07:19] more were injured. Falling debris, debris, damaged apartment buildings
[00:07:22] buildings and cars while a fire broke broke out at a separate building.
[00:07:26] building. Meanwhile, Ukraine's president president is making his first official
[00:07:29] official visit to Serbia today. It's It's one of the few European countries
[00:07:32] countries to maintain close ties
[00:07:34] ties with Russia and President Zelensky Zelensky is due to discuss economic
[00:07:38] economic and security issues with with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar
[00:07:42] Aleksandar Vucic at the presidential presidential palace. Mr Vucic has
[00:07:44] has repeatedly refused to sanction sanction Moscow following Russia's
[00:07:48] Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine
[00:07:50] Ukraine in 2022, but has also supplied supplied non-military aid to Kyiv.
[00:07:54] Kyiv. Well, let's go live to Kyiv Kyiv now and to our Ukraine correspondent
[00:07:58] correspondent Dan Johnson. Dan, let's let's start first of all, with the
[00:08:01] the attacks that have been stepping stepping up recently. Give us the
[00:08:05] the latest on the attacks that have
[00:08:06] have happened overnight. Yes. Strikes
[00:08:11] Strikes both ways in this conflict conflict have been intensifying over
[00:08:14] over the past days and weeks. And
[00:08:17] And there was another exchange of
[00:08:19] of missiles last night. We know Ukraine Ukraine has targeted another oil
[00:08:23] oil refinery deep into Russian territory, territory, but there were Russian
[00:08:25] Russian missiles also heading to
[00:08:28] to the outskirts of Kyiv last night, night, as well as drone attacks.
[00:08:31] attacks. And that's how that house house was hit on the edge of the
[00:08:34] the capital. We know that it was was one family that was affected affected there. Three members of
[00:08:37] of that family killed, including including a three-year-old child.
[00:08:40] child. Another three members of the
[00:08:43] the family and another child injured.
[00:08:44] injured. So that shows you the impact
[00:08:47] impact and the risk that there is is around this city across the country
[00:08:51] country for Ukrainian civilians. civilians. But the missile strikes
[00:08:54] strikes last night, Russia says were
[00:08:57] were targeting a Ukrainian missile missile factory. One of the plants
[00:09:01] plants that is used to develop Ukraine's
[00:09:04] Ukraine's own long-range missiles missiles to strike Russia. The Ukrainians
[00:09:07] Ukrainians have not confirmed that.
[00:09:08] that. They say it was a construction
[00:09:11] construction plant, a tarmac facility facility that was actually hit. So
[00:09:14] So we'll have to wait for some more
[00:09:17] more detail on exactly what the truth truth of that is, whether we'll find
[00:09:20] find out exactly what the Russians Russians are claiming is true or
[00:09:23] or not. They've also hit ships off
[00:09:25] off the coast of Odesa, cargo ships ships that the Russians say were
[00:09:29] were being used to also convey military
[00:09:31] military equipment. Ukrainians deny deny that, saying that that port
[00:09:34] port is only used to ship grain and
[00:09:37] and other items for civilian use. use. So once again, it underlines
[00:09:40] underlines the risk that the Russian
[00:09:44] Russian missiles in particular are are posing to people right across
[00:09:47] across Ukraine because this country country simply doesn't have enough
[00:09:49] enough of the interceptors to keep keep its skies safe. The President
[00:09:52] President has repeated his message message throughout this week that
[00:09:55] that without more US made Patriot
[00:09:57] Patriot missile interceptors, the
[00:09:59] the Ukrainian air defences simply simply cannot protect the skies above
[00:10:03] above Ukraine. And Dan, if we turn turn now to the Ukrainian president's
[00:10:07] president's visit to Serbia, what
[00:10:09] what does Mr Zelensky hope to get
[00:10:12] get out of that visit, given Serbia's
[00:10:14] Serbia's strong ties with Russia?
[00:10:18] Russia? Yeah, this is significant. significant. It's the first time time Volodymyr Zelensky has been
[00:10:21] been to Serbia, a country that has has long standing links to Russia
[00:10:25] Russia and has refused to join in
[00:10:28] in European sanctions on Russia.
[00:10:31] Russia. He hasn't stated exactly exactly what he's hoping to get from
[00:10:33] from this visit, but he said these these would be important negotiations.
[00:10:37] negotiations. He's having two days days there talking to the President
[00:10:40] President and the Prime Minister, Minister, and he'll be hoping that
[00:10:43] that this could be perhaps a first first step towards a softening in
[00:10:47] in Serbia's position. Serbia has has said that it wants to join the
[00:10:50] the EU and knows that it won't be be allowed to do that while ever
[00:10:53] ever it is so closely linked to Russia,
[00:10:56] Russia, it has. Serbia already provided
[00:10:57] provided some aid to Ukraine and
[00:11:00] and promised to help refund and rebuild rebuild this country if and when
[00:11:04] when the war ends. In terms of concrete concrete outcomes, it's not clear
[00:11:07] clear exactly what President Zelensky Zelensky is hoping to get, he said. said. They'll be talking through
[00:11:11] through security issues, talking talking about relationships with
[00:11:14] with the European Union and talking talking over economic ties as well.
[00:11:17] well. But certainly it's a significant significant moment that he is on
[00:11:20] on Serbian soil conducting such high
[00:11:22] high level talks, and he'll be hoping hoping one of his aides said that
[00:11:26] that this was a slap in the face face to Russia, just a simple fact
[00:11:28] fact that he is there having such such high level discussions. Dan,
[00:11:31] Dan, thank you for that update. Dan Dan Johnson, our correspondent in
[00:11:34] in Kyiv there. And we were mentioning mentioning sanctions against Russia
[00:11:38] Russia there and sticking with that that subject, the US Senate has passed
[00:11:41] passed a sanctions bill against Russia, Russia, long championed by the late
[00:11:45] late Senator Lindsey Graham. The The legislation targets major buyers
[00:11:48] buyers of Russian oil and imposes
[00:11:50] imposes additional sanctions on Russian Russian leaders and oligarchs. The
[00:11:53] The measure will go to the House
[00:11:55] House in September, where it may may face some resistance. Lindsey
[00:11:59] Lindsey Graham's sister, South Carolina Carolina Republican Senator Darline
[00:12:02] Darline Graham and Richard Blumenthal, Blumenthal, the Democratic senator
[00:12:06] senator from Connecticut, were among among the lawmakers voicing support
[00:12:09] support for the bill. An emotional
[00:12:11] emotional day in a very exciting
[00:12:13] exciting day for me. Russia has waged
[00:12:16] waged war against Ukraine for far far too long, and this bill assists
[00:12:19] assists President Trump and his noble noble efforts to bring it to a close.
[00:12:23] close. This legislation was deeply deeply important to my brother Lindsey,
[00:12:27] Lindsey, and I am grateful that this
[00:12:29] this bill has achieved such a wide
[00:12:31] wide coalition of support. He believed believed that this was the most consequential
[00:12:35] consequential piece of legislation legislation that he had ever led.
[00:12:39] led. Vladimir Putin is watching in in Moscow. I'd like to thank Lindsey
[00:12:43] Lindsey Graham is watching as well well and proud of what we've done,
[00:12:46] done, because today we send a message
[00:12:48] message to Vladimir Putin you will
[00:12:51] will not win this war. Time to come
[00:12:54] come to the table for peace. Your
[00:12:57] Your economy already on its heels
[00:13:01] heels is going to be throttled, even
[00:13:02] even decimated. Well, Daniel Treisman, Treisman, the director of UCLA's
[00:13:06] UCLA's centre for European and Russian Russian Studies, told us how significant
[00:13:09] significant the passing of the sanctions sanctions bill in the US really was.
[00:13:12] was. Well, it shows that the only only real obstacle in the past was
[00:13:17] was the President and his supporters.
[00:13:19] supporters. Now the President is
[00:13:21] is on board with the bill. It includes
[00:13:24] includes also sanctions against Iran,
[00:13:26] Iran, which are very much a priority priority for President Trump at the
[00:13:29] the moment. But he's agreed to the
[00:13:33] the current version of the bill,
[00:13:34] bill, which has been watered down down somewhat from the starting version
[00:13:38] version that Lindsey Graham championed
[00:13:41] championed in which they were going
[00:13:43] going to be 500% tariffs on any country
[00:13:46] country that bought oil from Russia.
[00:13:50] Russia. Now up to 100% tariffs. And
[00:13:53] And at the President's discretion, discretion, he has the ability to
[00:13:56] to waive the sanctions if he believes
[00:13:58] believes it's in the national interest interest and national security interest.
[00:14:02] interest. So it's a significant step, step, assuming that the House passes
[00:14:06] passes it, as seems likely in a month
[00:14:09] month or so. But it's not totally
[00:14:13] totally unexpected at this point. point. Daniel Treisman there. Spain
[00:14:17] Spain has brought in border controls controls for all travellers arriving
[00:14:21] arriving from Italy amid a rare row row between the two EU and Nato member
[00:14:25] member states over the issue of immigration. immigration. Madrid's month long
[00:14:28] long suspension applies not just just to citizens of third countries
[00:14:31] countries arriving from Italy, but but also to Italians themselves.
[00:14:34] themselves. Spain was angered by by Italy's response to last week's
[00:14:37] week's sudden influx of tens of thousands thousands of would be migrants into
[00:14:41] into the Spanish territory of Ceuta
[00:14:43] Ceuta on Morocco's coast. Italy then
[00:14:45] then promptly imposed border restrictions restrictions on third country travellers
[00:14:48] travellers from Spain, which will
[00:14:50] will last at least until mid-August.
[00:14:54] mid-August. Thailand's Prime Minister Minister has promised to introduce introduce new firearm controls after
[00:14:58] after a mass school shooting in which
[00:15:00] which a teenage boy killed seven seven people before taking his own
[00:15:04] own life. Police say the 14-year-old 14-year-old killed two of his grandparents,
[00:15:08] grandparents, with whom he was living living before moving to the school,
[00:15:11] school, where he shot dead five teachers. teachers. The Prime Minister said
[00:15:14] said his actions suggested the attack
[00:15:16] attack was well prepared with clear clear steps and goals. Investigations
[00:15:20] Investigations are continuing into into the motive for the attack, which
[00:15:22] which took place near Bangkok. The
[00:15:26] The United States has pledged $1 $1 billion in security assistance
[00:15:30] assistance to Colombia after the
[00:15:32] the inauguration of its new right right wing president, Abelardo de
[00:15:35] de la Espriella. In his fiery maiden
[00:15:37] maiden speech, Mr de la Espriella Espriella pledged to crush armed
[00:15:41] armed insurgents, rebuild the country
[00:15:43] country and defend democracy by reason
[00:15:46] reason or by force. Colombia has
[00:15:49] has significant natural resources, resources, including substantial substantial oil reserves, but it's
[00:15:52] it's also home to violent drug trafficking trafficking organisations and is
[00:15:56] is the world's leading producer of of cocaine. Colombia's new president
[00:15:59] president is seen as an ally of President President Trump and has pledged to
[00:16:03] to be forceful and decisive against against crime. With more on this,
[00:16:06] this, let's speak to Doctor Johanna
[00:16:08] Johanna Amaya pounds, who's a senior senior lecturer in international
[00:16:12] international relations and politics politics at Liverpool John Moores Moores University. Thank you for
[00:16:15] for being with us, Johanna. How much much do you think this new president
[00:16:18] president will be able to tackle tackle the challenges that face him
[00:16:22] him compared to his predecessor? Well
[00:16:25] predecessor? Well President Abelardo
[00:16:28] Abelardo de la Espriella has promised
[00:16:31] promised security chips and iron
[00:16:33] iron fist policy aiming to tackle
[00:16:36] tackle a fragmented landscape of
[00:16:39] of violence around the country. However,
[00:16:41] However, he faces several challenges.
[00:16:45] challenges. First, in a conflict
[00:16:46] conflict which is extremely local
[00:16:49] local civilians and armed groups
[00:16:51] groups are intertwined. So a highly
[00:16:54] highly militarised strategy can create
[00:16:56] create serious risks exposing civilian
[00:16:58] civilian populations to greater violence.
[00:17:01] violence. Second, Colombia has tried
[00:17:03] tried military solutions in the past past without significant success,
[00:17:07] success, and this is because armed armed groups are fragmented and they
[00:17:11] they adapt. They move geographically geographically and can of course
[00:17:14] course diversify their criminal economies.
[00:17:17] economies. And third, de la Espriella Espriella will face institutional
[00:17:20] institutional constraints. He's a
[00:17:22] a political outsider who. So he needs
[00:17:25] needs to increase under the capacity
[00:17:26] capacity to build coalitions. And
[00:17:30] And of course, he is aiming to dismantle
[00:17:35] dismantle the 2016 peace agreement.
[00:17:37] agreement. But he faced constitutional, constitutional, legal and political
[00:17:40] political constraints given the opposition
[00:17:43] opposition and the highly polarised polarised political environment.
[00:17:45] environment. Yeah. And if you think
[00:17:48] think perhaps his a more militaristic militaristic approach won't work
[00:17:51] work in tackling the violence or
[00:17:53] or the criminal violence. The issue issue is his predecessor's approach
[00:17:57] approach didn't work either. So do do you think there's any president
[00:18:00] president who can come along and and actually tackle the fundamental
[00:18:03] fundamental underlying issues of
[00:18:04] of the country? That's a very good
[00:18:07] good question. The predecessor aim
[00:18:09] aim to deliver a total strategy total
[00:18:12] total peace strategy approach focused focused on negotiations with armed
[00:18:16] armed actors. And it was overly ambitious.
[00:18:20] ambitious. It produced limited results
[00:18:22] results and precisely de la Espriella Espriella built his campaign promoting
[00:18:26] promoting this strategy as a failure.
[00:18:29] failure. But the government before
[00:18:31] before managed to dismantle the main
[00:18:34] main rebel group in the country, country, the former FARC, through
[00:18:38] through negotiation strategies. But
[00:18:39] But at the same time using state
[00:18:42] state capacity to keep territorial
[00:18:43] territorial control. So the new government
[00:18:47] government need to balance those
[00:18:50] those two strategies managing not
[00:18:54] not just purely military strategy
[00:18:56] strategy to tackle criminality because
[00:18:58] because criminality is very fragmented,
[00:19:01] fragmented, but also the possibility
[00:19:03] possibility to open the doors for
[00:19:07] for voluntary demobilisation. And
[00:19:09] And he has closed the door for dialogues.
[00:19:12] dialogues. But at least build dialogues dialogues within with the opposition.
[00:19:15] opposition. And Joanna, this is another
[00:19:17] another right wing leader in Latin Latin America. We've seen right wing
[00:19:21] wing leaders winning elections recently recently in Peru, Chile, Ecuador,
[00:19:23] Ecuador, I mean, albeit he only defeated defeated the left wing candidate
[00:19:27] candidate by one percentage point. point. Why do you think there's been been this success of right wing leaders
[00:19:31] leaders in Latin America? Well, there
[00:19:35] there are different factors driving driving these results. Of course,
[00:19:38] course, the influence of the United
[00:19:41] United States is a highly important important here the securitisation
[00:19:44] securitisation of the region and and the hemisphere, given the United
[00:19:48] United States power is quite important
[00:19:50] important here. Second, there are
[00:19:52] are different dynamics related to
[00:19:55] to regional debates around migration,
[00:19:58] migration, security and as you have have mentioned before, coca production
[00:20:02] production has increased to historical
[00:20:05] historical levels of more than 250
[00:20:08] 250 000 hectares with increasing
[00:20:11] increasing in violence levels. So
[00:20:15] So security was fundamental to the
[00:20:17] the appeal of de la Espriella but
[00:20:20] but also other regional level leaders
[00:20:25] leaders are supporting iron fist
[00:20:27] fist measures in order to, to fight
[00:20:31] fight the rise of criminal organisations. organisations. Well, thank you so
[00:20:34] so much for that analysis, doctor. doctor. Johanna Amaya, Pants thank
[00:20:38] thank you. Thank you for having me.
[00:20:41] me. Well let's get some of the day's day's other news now at least ten
[00:20:45] ten people have been killed in a a Houthi attack on the Yemeni city
[00:20:48] city of Marib. It comes a day after after dozens of Yemeni government government troops were killed in
[00:20:52] in Houthi strikes on military camps
[00:20:54] camps in Ma'rib and Hadramout province.
[00:20:57] province. Tensions have mounted since since the Houthis announced a naval
[00:21:00] naval blockade in the Red Sea. More
[00:21:04] More than 180 000 households and and businesses in Puerto Rico are
[00:21:07] are rationing water, with the island island in the grips of a severe drought,
[00:21:10] drought, the governor of Puerto Rico Rico said. This situation is out
[00:21:14] out of our hands and blamed the water water shortages on climate conditions.
[00:21:17] conditions. July was the driest month month since record keeping began
[00:21:21] began back in 1899. One of the biggest biggest criminal networks smuggling
[00:21:24] smuggling drugs and people in the the western Mediterranean has been
[00:21:27] been dismantled, Europol said 78 78 people were arrested in Spain
[00:21:31] Spain and Algeria in a bust of the the network that is also linked to
[00:21:34] to other criminal activities, including including violent robberies, extortion,
[00:21:38] extortion, illegal detentions and
[00:21:39] and money laundering. The biggest
[00:21:44] biggest celebration of Irish music music and culture in the world has has been taking place in Northern
[00:21:48] Northern Ireland. The Fleadh Festival Festival is being held in Belfast
[00:21:51] Belfast for the first time. Nearly Nearly a million people are expected expected to attend the event, which
[00:21:54] which is projected to give the city
[00:21:57] city a £53 million economic boost. boost. Sara Girvan has been along
[00:22:00] along to find out more. On every
[00:22:05] every street of Belfast city centre,
[00:22:08] centre, on every corner, in every
[00:22:11] every nook and cranny, there's music.
[00:22:14] music. There have been 200 events events this week, sessions, concerts
[00:22:17] concerts and competitions with more more than 20,000 musicians taking
[00:22:21] taking part. The Fleadh in a heron
[00:22:24] heron or music festival of Ireland
[00:22:26] Ireland is the world's largest celebration celebration of traditional Irish
[00:22:30] Irish music and culture. People come come from all over this island and
[00:22:34] and all over the globe to perform,
[00:22:36] perform, to compete or simply to
[00:22:38] to watch, listen and enjoy. Early
[00:22:40] Early estimates put visitor numbers
[00:22:43] numbers at 800,000 and a boost to
[00:22:45] to Northern Ireland's economy at
[00:22:48] at more than £50 million. But it's it's thought those figures have now
[00:22:51] now been surpassed. And while the
[00:22:55] the Fleadh doesn't finish until tomorrow,
[00:22:58] tomorrow, thoughts are already turning turning to the event's legacy. There's
[00:23:01] There's so many places who take the the Fleadh on. It's a flash in the
[00:23:04] the pan. The music goes for about about 6 or 7 months or maybe a year
[00:23:07] year after it, and fizzles out again.
[00:23:10] again. Where are city was already
[00:23:13] already a huge area for traditional traditional music. Anything that
[00:23:17] that involves arch brings people
[00:23:18] people together. More of it. Please.
[00:23:25] Please. Issues around culture and
[00:23:27] and identity can be divisive in Northern Northern Ireland. Organisers of this
[00:23:31] this year's Fleadh have worked with with communities to make sure the
[00:23:34] the event welcomed all traditions. traditions. We caught up with a loyalist
[00:23:38] loyalist marching band rehearsing rehearsing for their showcase. Fleadh
[00:23:41] Fleadh performance. Wow, we are we
[00:23:43] we really going to do this? What's What's people going to think? You
[00:23:47] You know? And those are the questions questions that go through your head
[00:23:49] head and you're thinking as our community
[00:23:52] community going to be against. But But surprisingly, a lot of people
[00:23:56] people have said, fantastic, great great to see us out. You know, go go for it, you know, and that's what
[00:23:59] what we're doing. It's a journey. journey. It's new territory for Belfast
[00:24:03] Belfast and our aim is to try and and break down negative stereotypes stereotypes around the loyalist community
[00:24:06] community and what our culture and and traditions look like. And the the only way by doing that is by
[00:24:10] by participating in it. For many,
[00:24:14] many, the Fleadh has been a family
[00:24:17] family affair, especially when it it comes to busking. I think it's
[00:24:20] it's just a bit of fun. Like it's it's nice to have something to do
[00:24:23] do on the side like other than school school and all, and it's fun to have
[00:24:26] have friends and all and go play play music in pubs and all the people.
[00:24:29] people. I could hear all the music
[00:24:30] music when I go around and it sounds
[00:24:35] sounds very good. These students
[00:24:38] students have been studying music, music, Irish language and poetry
[00:24:41] poetry all week ahead of their performance. performance. Together, some pupils
[00:24:45] pupils travelled from America just
[00:24:47] just for the Fleadh. This is definitely definitely the biggest session I've
[00:24:50] I've been to. It was nice to play play with as much people. I have
[00:24:54] have been very lucky to make a career career out of it and to make a living
[00:24:57] living out of it and to be based based in America, teaching music
[00:25:00] music and playing music. It's. It's It's such an honour for me to be
[00:25:03] be able to share my culture so broadly, broadly, and it's such a thrill to
[00:25:06] to have so many of the kids over over with us. This week. I like traditional
[00:25:09] traditional Irish music because it
[00:25:11] it helps me like connect to Ireland
[00:25:14] Ireland and it connects to people people around me and it always just
[00:25:17] just makes me feel really nice and
[00:25:20] and fuzzy on the inside. And for for those who've enjoyed all the
[00:25:23] the fun of the Fleadh, well, they they don't have to wait too long
[00:25:26] long for the next one because it's
[00:25:28] it's back in Belfast next year. Sara
[00:25:31] Sara Girvan, BBC News. Now it's time
[00:25:35] time to take you live to Serbia's Serbia's capital Belgrade, where
[00:25:38] where the red carpet is out for Ukrainian
[00:25:41] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky. And it's a significant
[00:25:44] significant visit because this is is President Zelensky's first visit
[00:25:48] visit to Serbia, the country being
[00:25:50] being a Russian ally and Serbia has
[00:25:54] has opposed sanctions on Russia. Russia. But it has also provided
[00:25:58] provided aid to Ukraine. So there's
[00:26:00] there's a bit of a balancing act
[00:26:02] act there between its alliances with with the EU and with Russia. We'll
[00:26:06] We'll bring you
[00:27:37] some parts of Iraq.
[00:29:56] online at bbc.com/business to get get the latest news wherever you
[00:29:58] you are. Business on BBC News. Make
[00:30:02] Make the connection. MUSIC
[00:30:08] MUSIC
[00:30:16] This is BBC News. I'm Luxmy Gopal. Your headlines. More scrutiny
[00:30:20] scrutiny on Fifa president Gianni Gianni Infantino as allegations emerge
[00:30:23] emerge in the Daily Telegraph that that a woman he had an alleged relationship
[00:30:27] relationship with was given a six six figure severance payment while
[00:30:30] while he was general secretary of
[00:30:31] of Uefa. Fifa say the story is categorically
[00:30:34] categorically untrue. At least three three people, including a child,
[00:30:37] child, have been killed in overnight overnight Russian attacks near the
[00:30:40] the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. In an
[00:30:43] an exclusive interview with BBC Newsnight, Newsnight, Hunter Biden says his
[00:30:47] his pardon was not good for America
[00:30:50] America or his father's legacy. And And two Metropolitan Police officers
[00:30:54] officers are being investigated by by a watchdog over alleged failures
[00:30:57] failures in their handling of a serial serial sex offender who murdered
[00:31:00] murdered two women. Well, let's start
[00:31:06] start with the news that the son son of Joe Biden, former US President,
[00:31:10] President, has told the BBC he feels
[00:31:12] feels like the most privileged person person there could be after receiving
[00:31:16] receiving a presidential pardon from from his father towards the end of
[00:31:18] of his term in office. In an interview interview with BBC Newsnight, Hunter
[00:31:21] Hunter Biden defended the decision decision which covered his federal
[00:31:25] federal gun conviction a tax case
[00:31:26] case he pled guilty to and any federal
[00:31:29] federal offences committed between between 2014 and 2024. He was speaking
[00:31:33] speaking to Newsnight's Paddy O'Connell, O'Connell, who began by asking him
[00:31:35] him about his use of crack cocaine cocaine during his years of addiction
[00:31:39] addiction and how often he was using
[00:31:40] using it. At one point every 15 minutes
[00:31:43] minutes or so and I wouldn't sleep
[00:31:46] sleep for days, it was it was hell
[00:31:49] hell on earth and I. There's nothing
[00:31:52] nothing glamourous about it. And
[00:31:55] And it was the all consuming and
[00:31:58] and the truth of the matter is, is is that the thing that threatened
[00:32:01] threatened my health was more the
[00:32:04] the alcohol than the crack cocaine
[00:32:07] cocaine as well as smoking at that that the time that that kind of two
[00:32:10] two year period of time is I was
[00:32:13] was drinking what we call a handle handle of almost a gallon of vodka
[00:32:15] vodka a day. And that in and of itself,
[00:32:18] itself, the way in which that impacts
[00:32:21] impacts your body is just absolutely absolutely devastating. And it's
[00:32:24] it's the hardest thing to come off
[00:32:25] off of. You can it's the one drug
[00:32:29] drug other than benzodiazepams that that you can die from withdrawing
[00:32:32] withdrawing from. And so it took
[00:32:33] took a lot of care to get myself
[00:32:37] myself out of that loop. And the the thing is, the trauma in the Biden
[00:32:40] Biden family is really horrific to
[00:32:43] to read about the loss that's that's
[00:32:45] that's been surrounded in violent
[00:32:47] violent car crashes and so on. And
[00:32:50] And but I wonder if you agree you
[00:32:52] you created trauma and how has your
[00:32:56] your fall and rise impacted your your relationship with your family
[00:32:59] family and your father? Ultimately,
[00:33:01] Ultimately, it's a it's a community community disease. It's a family
[00:33:04] family disease. First, it impacts impacts everyone around you and really
[00:33:08] really significant ways. And the the biggest trauma was to my family,
[00:33:12] family, to my three older daughters
[00:33:14] daughters that are that were in their their late teens, early 20s at the
[00:33:17] the time that I went through the the worst of it. And, you know, I
[00:33:21] I was very present as a parent in
[00:33:23] in their lives from the time they they were born. And after my brother
[00:33:27] brother died, who were they? Very Very close to? My whole world fell
[00:33:29] fell apart. And I fell into this this addiction. And I did probably
[00:33:33] probably the worst thing that I could
[00:33:35] could do to them, which was not be be present, not be there for them,
[00:33:39] them, not be there for their grief, grief, not be there to guide them
[00:33:43] them through the trauma that they they were experiencing. That's the
[00:33:46] the greatest trauma. I just wonder wonder if I could be blunt and ask
[00:33:50] ask you if your own fall precipitated
[00:33:53] precipitated more decline in your your dad. He must have feared he
[00:33:55] he was going to lose another son. son. This is a very difficult thing
[00:33:59] thing to talk to you about. But do
[00:34:01] do you think you made life worse
[00:34:03] worse and the health worse for Joe
[00:34:07] Joe Biden? Of course I did. That's That's what addiction does. You know,
[00:34:11] know, I think that most people would
[00:34:13] would sit here and try to you know,
[00:34:16] know, run from that question or be be offended by it. But absolutely
[00:34:20] absolutely not just in my dad, but
[00:34:21] but in my mum and my aunts and uncles
[00:34:25] uncles to my children, to my relationships relationships down the line, but
[00:34:28] but in particular to my dad who never
[00:34:30] never let go. And even through that,
[00:34:34] that, even with the knowledge of
[00:34:37] of that, he never, ever, ever let
[00:34:40] let me go. He always left the door
[00:34:42] door open. And I always say to people
[00:34:45] people that unconditional love doesn't doesn't mean love without consequences.
[00:34:49] consequences. It doesn't mean love love without accountability. My dad
[00:34:52] dad never let me off the hook, but
[00:34:53] but what my dad did was always make
[00:34:56] make it clear that when I was ready
[00:34:59] ready to come back, the door was was open and that he loved me just
[00:35:02] just as much no matter what and what
[00:35:05] what my dad did when I fell down
[00:35:07] down this well of despair is he shined
[00:35:10] shined a light down and help guide
[00:35:13] guide me out. And that's a beautiful
[00:35:15] beautiful thing. But it's not without without its cost. And the cost is
[00:35:19] is that it never goes away. That
[00:35:21] That stress. This is why you are
[00:35:25] are a recovery advocate, Hunter Biden. Biden. But you are also from a very
[00:35:28] very public family. And I wonder
[00:35:31] wonder if your loyalty to your father father and the way he treated you
[00:35:35] you meant that you felt the need
[00:35:37] need to reward him with unconditional
[00:35:40] unconditional loyalty. And maybe
[00:35:42] maybe you allowed him to run for
[00:35:46] for president when he should not not in a normal family, you take
[00:35:48] take the keys to the car away from
[00:35:50] from dad after a difficult conversation conversation and in your family,
[00:35:53] family, maybe Hunter Biden, you allowed allowed yourself to allow your dad
[00:35:57] dad to run when he should not, which
[00:35:59] which is the widely held view in
[00:36:01] in the Democratic Party now. Patty,
[00:36:06] Patty, I love you, but you have to
[00:36:09] to let me tell you something. The The idea that I allow or disallow
[00:36:12] disallow my father to do anything
[00:36:14] anything to this very day is laughable
[00:36:16] laughable to me, but it's an appropriate appropriate question and I understand understand what you're trying to
[00:36:20] to say. But here's the truth is that
[00:36:23] that I support my dad in whatever whatever decision that he makes because
[00:36:26] because I know that my dad always
[00:36:29] always makes his decisions as first, first, what the impact on his family
[00:36:32] family would be. And second, and and just as important, equally as
[00:36:36] as important, the impact on the American
[00:36:38] American people. And that's why he
[00:36:41] he alone made every single decision
[00:36:44] decision about his politics, about about his future and about what he
[00:36:47] he would do on behalf of the American
[00:36:49] American people. Joe Biden made all
[00:36:52] all the decisions. There was no taking
[00:36:53] taking the keys away from a president
[00:36:56] president that had done more for for the American people in a in a
[00:36:59] a four year period of time than any any single one of his predecessors
[00:37:03] predecessors had since FDR. Watching
[00:37:06] Watching the 2024 presidential debate.
[00:37:09] debate. Where were you, Hunter, when when your father failed to complete
[00:37:13] complete a sentence on prime time
[00:37:17] time television during a presidential presidential election campaign? Where
[00:37:19] Where were you watching that. Total
[00:37:22] Total initiative relative to what
[00:37:23] what we can do with more Border Patrol
[00:37:26] Patrol and more asylum officers? officers? President Trump, I really really don't know what he said at
[00:37:30] at the end of that sentence. I don't don't think he knows what he said said either. Look. I wasn't alone.
[00:37:34] alone. I was at my house in here here in California and I was watching
[00:37:38] watching and I always like to if if I'm not with him, to be able to
[00:37:41] to watch alone. And so I was alone
[00:37:44] alone in a room with the TV and I
[00:37:46] I was watching it. And like everybody everybody else, I was shocked. I
[00:37:50] I could tell as soon as my father father came out that something was
[00:37:53] was wrong. I've never seen him with
[00:37:56] with a kind of the hundred yard stare
[00:38:00] stare that he had and you know, everybody
[00:38:03] everybody has their questions, you you know, of. But the reason that
[00:38:06] that we know about that is not because
[00:38:08] because Joe Biden wasn't on TV or
[00:38:11] or in public a million and a half
[00:38:14] half times before and after. The The reason that was so shocking is
[00:38:18] is because it had never happened happened before, and it hasn't happened
[00:38:20] happened since. And so I can't necessarily
[00:38:24] necessarily explain it. I have theories theories about it. I have theories
[00:38:27] theories about the fact that he had had travelled as much as he did.
[00:38:29] did. I also know that he obviously obviously had cancer, whether it
[00:38:33] it impacted him or not, he had by
[00:38:36] by nine months later he was diagnosed diagnosed with stage four prostate
[00:38:38] prostate cancer and stage four metastatic
[00:38:40] metastatic bone cancer, none of which
[00:38:43] which we knew. But my reaction to to it was that I was as shocked,
[00:38:46] shocked, I think, as anyone who knew knew Joe Biden was. What were the
[00:38:50] the discussions in your family leading leading to Joe Biden's decision to
[00:38:54] to withdraw in favour of Kamala Harris? Harris? The fact of the matter is,
[00:38:58] is, is that the Democratic Party Party or the no. One no one could
[00:39:02] could have taken the nomination away away from my dad. He could have gone
[00:39:05] gone on to the convention. But I
[00:39:07] I think that he saw that the American American people and particularly
[00:39:11] particularly the Democratic Party, Party, were ready to pass the torch.
[00:39:14] torch. And he passed the torch in in an enormous war chest to Kamala
[00:39:18] Kamala Harris, the only person that that obviously he would do that his
[00:39:21] his Vice President. And then she she had 107 days to make the case
[00:39:25] case that they had been making all all along against someone who had
[00:39:29] had been convicted of 34 felonies.
[00:39:32] felonies. And somehow we failed to to do that. Yeah. But in the book
[00:39:36] book Original Sin, this is called called a cover up. It has been said
[00:39:39] said that Democrats and family members. members. Who wrote that book. Well,
[00:39:43] Well, it's co-authored by two. Who Who wrote that book. Jake Tapper.
[00:39:47] Tapper. I don't. I yeah. Oh, that.
[00:39:49] that. Yeah. OK. That book. Yeah. Yeah. What are the sources? He's
[00:39:53] He's the CNN anchor who's spoken spoken to secretaries who were in
[00:39:56] in the cabinet who were in the White White House. That's how he sources
[00:39:59] sources the book. You can ask me me these questions, of course. And
[00:40:02] And but let's not use a unsourced
[00:40:06] unsourced book that was written to
[00:40:09] to in my opinion, as a cash grab
[00:40:11] grab by by someone who I think is
[00:40:14] is a very poor job. But all I know
[00:40:15] know is this even in that book, Patty,
[00:40:19] Patty, no one no one says that Joe
[00:40:22] Joe Biden didn't make every single single decision of his presidency
[00:40:24] presidency and that he was incredibly incredibly capable and that he did
[00:40:27] did an amazing job as President of
[00:40:30] of the United States. So here's another another of his own decisions, which
[00:40:34] which is attracting controversy as as well, which is a pardon for his
[00:40:37] his son. For you, Hunter. And it
[00:40:40] it does lead to critics saying that that this is a problem in the American
[00:40:44] American system. It looks like a a favour to the family, which is
[00:40:48] is another word that for critics, critics, for a corruption which you've
[00:40:51] you've criticised the Trump administration administration for, do you think
[00:40:54] think that he went too far as a dad
[00:40:57] dad in issuing a pardon to you? Well,
[00:41:02] Well, here's what all I know is that
[00:41:05] that I. I am a I'm a I am the most
[00:41:11] most privileged person as it relates relates to that that there could
[00:41:14] could possibly be. I was one of one.
[00:41:17] one. And I'm eternally grateful for for it. I am eternally grateful for
[00:41:21] for it because I think that Donald
[00:41:22] Donald Trump has proven to be exactly
[00:41:25] exactly who my dad thought he was was going to be. As it relates to
[00:41:29] to the revenge and retribution that that he would seek on his political
[00:41:33] political enemies, he spent in the the first 100 days alone. He mentioned
[00:41:36] mentioned or criticised my dad or
[00:41:38] or me six times a day. And if I was
[00:41:42] was in a in the Federal Bureau of
[00:41:46] of Probation or God forbid, in a
[00:41:50] a in a prison, then I think that that he would have had a hold on
[00:41:53] on my family that was that would
[00:41:55] would make it not just unbearable,
[00:41:58] unbearable, but incredibly unjust unjust and unfair. And that's the
[00:42:01] the decision that my dad made. Now
[00:42:03] Now here's the real answer to your your question, though. What you're
[00:42:06] you're saying. Was it good for our our Constitution? Was it good for
[00:42:10] for the American people? Was it good good for my dad's legacy? No. On
[00:42:12] On all counts. It was it was not
[00:42:16] not it was. It's something that is
[00:42:19] is easily criticised and for good
[00:42:21] good reason. And I can't pretend
[00:42:24] pretend otherwise. All I know is is that I'm grateful that he did
[00:42:27] did it for me. And all I can say say to anybody out there is that.
[00:42:31] that. What would you have thought thought of my dad if he did not do
[00:42:33] do that for me and left me to the
[00:42:37] the whims of Donald Trump? What would
[00:42:39] would you think of a dad that would
[00:42:42] would say, I'll put you in a prison prison controlled by a guy who's
[00:42:46] who's made it clear that he's willing willing to do just about anything
[00:42:50] anything to get his way for himself.
[00:42:53] himself. And so but no, you're right,
[00:42:55] right, Patty, it is a it's not fair.
[00:42:59] fair. I'm the only one in the world world that could have gotten what
[00:43:02] what I got from the only person in in the world who could give it my
[00:43:05] my father. Did you have that conversation
[00:43:08] conversation with him using similar similar words that you've shared
[00:43:11] shared with me just now? Yes. Yeah.
[00:43:17] Yeah. After we were very, very, very very clear and I want people to understand
[00:43:21] understand this is that when I say say that my dad and I did not talk
[00:43:24] talk about a pardon is because of of the fact that there is no way
[00:43:28] way that you can have those kinds kinds of discussions that would not
[00:43:31] not become public by virtue of somebody
[00:43:34] somebody that with the ability to to subpoena him, putting you under
[00:43:36] under oath asking that we did not not have that discussion until he
[00:43:39] he granted me the pardon. I know know why he made the decision now
[00:43:43] now because he's talked about it. it. He's talked about it publicly publicly and we've talked about it
[00:43:46] it as a family. And the for all the the reasons that I just told you
[00:43:50] you in. Your drive to share the recovery
[00:43:53] recovery story, it's a religious religious fervour you have. It's
[00:43:57] It's taking you into some very unusual unusual spaces with people that you
[00:44:01] you don't necessarily see eye to to eye with politically. For instance,
[00:44:05] instance, Nick Fuentes, who was saying
[00:44:07] saying once he loved Hitler, Candace Candace Owens we're ruled by satanic
[00:44:11] satanic paedophiles who work for
[00:44:12] for Israel. And you chosen to be
[00:44:16] be interviewed by those people because because of the powerful feeling you
[00:44:19] you have about getting your message message out. Do you think that that
[00:44:22] that was probably a bridge too far? far? Hunter Biden what I wanted to
[00:44:26] to do is I wanted to sit down with
[00:44:28] with each one of them to understand
[00:44:30] understand them, to understand what
[00:44:32] what it is that makes them so popular
[00:44:35] popular and to understand what it it is about them that is human, that
[00:44:38] that I could find common ground with.
[00:44:42] with. And you know, sometimes I may may get it wrong and sometimes I
[00:44:44] I may not push back as much as other other people would want me to. But
[00:44:48] But I don't think that we have to to stop being afraid to talk to each
[00:44:51] each other and live and just remain remain in our own silos and, you
[00:44:55] you know, shouting to the echo chamber,
[00:44:57] chamber, I think that we have to
[00:44:59] to have the guts to sit in front front of people and say the things
[00:45:03] things that we believe and see if if they hold any space for them in
[00:45:07] in their heart. And I found in each each one that there is. And so I'm
[00:45:10] I'm going to keep doing it. I asked asked you if I could end by talking
[00:45:14] talking about your father's health. health. Jill has given some public
[00:45:18] public comments that he has prostate
[00:45:21] prostate and bone cancer and will
[00:45:23] will forever live with cancer. How
[00:45:26] How has the family taken this diagnosis?
[00:45:29] diagnosis? It's really tough, Patty.
[00:45:30] Patty. That's the real answer. My
[00:45:36] My dad and our family excuse me.
[00:45:43] me. My dad is. And to this day and
[00:45:47] and remains the centre of our family,
[00:45:50] family, not just because he of who
[00:45:52] who he is as the public person, but
[00:45:56] but completely because of who he
[00:45:57] he is to each one of us down to his
[00:46:02] his grandchildren and his great grandchildren,
[00:46:05] grandchildren, his great grandchild
[00:46:07] grandchild he is. He is our rock.
[00:46:10] rock. He has been there for each
[00:46:12] each one of us and in, in a way that
[00:46:15] that is hard for me to even possibly possibly articulate and explain.
[00:46:19] explain. And whatever you think about about his politics or the decisions
[00:46:22] decisions that he made, I can tell tell you this he's the best father,
[00:46:25] father, the best husband, the best best grandfather of anyone that I've
[00:46:29] I've ever read about, heard about
[00:46:31] about or even seen in a movie. He
[00:46:33] He is. And so it's really hard, Patty
[00:46:36] Patty and it's really sad to watch
[00:46:39] watch and it's really the only thing thing that I say about my dad, about
[00:46:43] about his health right now is I wish
[00:46:45] wish he would complain more because
[00:46:47] because it's not good. The cancer
[00:46:49] cancer has spread. Metastasised into
[00:46:51] into his bones and further, it's
[00:46:54] it's very painful and it's very debilitating
[00:46:58] debilitating in many respects. But But he's still out there. He's still
[00:47:01] still doing his thing that he so
[00:47:04] so believes in this country. And And as long as he's alive, I promise
[00:47:07] promise you he's going to continue continue to fight. We have touched
[00:47:10] touched on the highs and lows of
[00:47:12] of the Biden family. Very soaring
[00:47:14] soaring highs and very deep lows.
[00:47:17] lows. Do you have any idea of what
[00:47:19] what Joe Biden is most proud of?
[00:47:24] of? His family. Hunter Biden, thank
[00:47:27] thank you for talking to Newsnight.
[00:47:30] Newsnight. Thanks, Patty. Appreciate
[00:47:33] Appreciate it. Hunter Biden, a son son of former President Joe Biden,
[00:47:36] Biden, of course, speaking to Paddy Paddy O'Connell from Newsnight. Some
[00:47:40] Some breaking news to bring you now now from the past few minutes in
[00:47:43] in the US, the Senate confirmed Todd
[00:47:46] Todd Blanche as Attorney General General following a weeks long struggle
[00:47:49] struggle with a handful of wary Republicans.
[00:47:52] Republicans. The Senate voted 50 50 to 49 to approve him. Blanche.
[00:47:56] Blanche. President Donald Trump's Trump's former personal attorney
[00:47:58] attorney has been serving as acting acting Attorney General since April.
[00:48:02] April. There has been controversy controversy around his nomination, nomination, though, with questions
[00:48:05] questions about potential conflicts conflicts of interest from representing
[00:48:08] representing President Trump as well
[00:48:10] well as his role in the creation
[00:48:12] creation of a $1.8 billion anti weaponization
[00:48:15] weaponization fund. Now, in the UK,
[00:48:19] UK, more victims of the serial sex sex offender Simon Levy are being
[00:48:23] being urged to come forward after after the Crown Prosecution Service
[00:48:26] Service and the Metropolitan Police Police admit they failed in their
[00:48:28] their handling of the case. The 40-year-old 40-year-old was on bail and being
[00:48:32] being monitored by officers when when he committed a violent rape,
[00:48:34] rape, and then went on to murder murder two other women in London
[00:48:38] London last year. Levy was already already known to police but was downgraded
[00:48:42] downgraded to a medium risk offender offender just before he carried out
[00:48:44] out the attacks. Our investigations investigations correspondent Daniel
[00:48:47] Daniel de Simone has this report. report. You're under arrest on suspicion
[00:48:50] suspicion of murder. OK. You do not not have to say anything. A convicted
[00:48:54] convicted sex offender being arrested arrested last year by the Met Police
[00:48:58] Police for a murder he had committed.
[00:49:01] committed. But he was released without
[00:49:02] without charge and went on to kill
[00:49:05] kill again. The two women he murdered
[00:49:09] murdered were Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins,
[00:49:13] Wilkins, the families stood behind
[00:49:14] behind the detective who successfully successfully investigated Levy. We
[00:49:18] We are appealing to anyone who has has yet to report offences relating
[00:49:22] relating to Levy to come forward
[00:49:25] forward reporting rape or sexual sexual assault is daunting. Many Many victims survivors will have
[00:49:29] have concerns about speaking to the
[00:49:30] the police, but we want to be clear
[00:49:33] clear that our priority is their
[00:49:36] their safety. Failures by police, police, prosecutors and the courts
[00:49:39] courts left levy free to kill, rape
[00:49:41] rape and sexual assault. Women in
[00:49:44] in London, Simon Levy was a registered registered sex offender under active
[00:49:48] active risk management by the Met Met Police, but he was downgraded
[00:49:51] downgraded as a risk to women before
[00:49:54] before the murders. There were key key moments to assess the harm that
[00:49:57] that this man posed to women by every every justice agency, yet critical
[00:50:01] critical opportunities to intervene intervene were missed despite him him being a known offender against
[00:50:05] against women. And now we need we
[00:50:07] we need answers. Levy sexually assaulted
[00:50:10] assaulted women at random on busy busy tubes and trains. This woman
[00:50:14] woman was among the last to be assaulted. assaulted. What was worse than even
[00:50:18] even the physical assault was finding finding out afterwards that there's there's loads more women and then
[00:50:22] then finding out he's actually on on bail whilst he's done these things
[00:50:25] things and that he's raped and murdered murdered women. While carrying out
[00:50:28] out the train assaults. Levy also
[00:50:31] also prowled London, targeting vulnerable
[00:50:32] vulnerable women. He murdered Carmenza
[00:50:36] Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, a beloved beloved grandmother from Colombia,
[00:50:39] Colombia, in March last year. He
[00:50:41] He did so in this derelict block
[00:50:43] block of flats. Levy's DNA was on
[00:50:47] on Carmenza. He was arrested but
[00:50:51] but released. You have been forensically forensically identified as a suspect suspect in the murder of Carmenza
[00:50:54] Carmenza Trujillo. Because the cause cause of death was unclear. The Met
[00:50:58] Met failed to actually class it as
[00:51:01] as a murder. There wasn't a full
[00:51:04] full investigation, Levy was left left free to kill Sheryl Wilkins
[00:51:08] Wilkins last summer, he found Sheryl Sheryl on the street, took her behind
[00:51:12] behind a wall in a car park emerging
[00:51:15] emerging after he'd murdered her.
[00:51:18] her. In the Met, finally understood understood the danger posed by Levy.
[00:51:21] Levy. You're under arrest on suspicion suspicion of murder. OK. What? He'd
[00:51:25] He'd killed two women and attacked attacked 12 others before the Met
[00:51:28] Met took him off the streets. So So there were opportunities here,
[00:51:32] here, I think, to save some of the the victims from their fate. But
[00:51:36] But Sheryl, I mean, Sheryl, who was was murdered second, she was the
[00:51:39] the last victim in time of all of of the victims whose cases come to
[00:51:42] to court, her life could have been
[00:51:44] been saved. I think so. Carmenza
[00:51:47] Carmenza and Sheryl were failed by
[00:51:49] by the system. Murdered by a man
[00:51:51] man who should never have been free
[00:51:53] free to harm them. Daniel de Simone,
[00:51:56] Simone, BBC News. And you can read read more about the conviction of
[00:51:59] of Simon Levy on the BBC News website.
[00:52:02] website. President Trump has given given a furious response to a US
[00:52:06] US appeals court ruling ordering ordering him to stop the construction
[00:52:10] construction of a $400 million ballroom ballroom at the White House. Mr Trump
[00:52:13] Trump said the ruling, taken by two two Democrat appointed judges on
[00:52:16] on the three member court, was politically politically biassed and a national
[00:52:20] national disgrace. He said he would would take the case to the Supreme Supreme Court. Last year Mr Trump
[00:52:24] Trump demolished the historic East East Wing of the White House to make make way for the planned ballroom.
[00:52:27] ballroom. The court said such a massive massive overhaul should have had
[00:52:30] had the explicit consent of Congress.
[00:52:32] Congress. Sarah Smith has more from
[00:52:35] from Washington. Donald Trump still still essentially thinks and behaves
[00:52:39] behaves like the property developer developer he used to be. One does does one thing. Three months ago,
[00:52:42] ago, he was proud to show off the the construction site where the East
[00:52:45] East Wing previously stood. Its sudden
[00:52:50] sudden demolition last year shocked shocked many and sparked a lawsuit
[00:52:53] lawsuit aimed at stopping him building building his massive new ballroom.
[00:52:56] ballroom. Today he's been told he he does not have the authority to
[00:52:59] to dramatically alter this historic historic landmark. The ballroom has
[00:53:03] has become something of an obsession obsession for President Trump. He
[00:53:06] He carries pictures of how he wants
[00:53:08] wants it to look on Air Force One. A lot of people are giving it
[00:53:11] it really good reviews. Some are are giving it reviews without even even seeing the building because
[00:53:14] because this just came out. After After a gunman caused them to be
[00:53:17] be evacuated from the White House House Correspondents Dinner in April.
[00:53:20] April. He argued that showed the the need for a secure ballroom. It's
[00:53:24] It's drone proof. It's bullet-proof bullet-proof glass. We need the ballroom. ballroom. That's why Secret Service.
[00:53:27] Service. That's why the military military are demanding. It today, today, he complained on social media,
[00:53:31] media, the military and Secret Service Service are viewing this horrendous,
[00:53:35] horrendous, politically motivated motivated and unlawful ruling as
[00:53:38] as a national security threat. There There is a state of the art military
[00:53:42] military bunker being built underneath underneath the ballroom. Work on
[00:53:44] on that is allowed to continue. You You can see building work is still
[00:53:48] still going on in the ballroom today today with these cranes that are
[00:53:51] are operating above the White House. House. And President Trump's got
[00:53:53] got two weeks in which he can carry carry on while he appeals to the
[00:53:57] the Supreme Court, hoping they will will rule that he can finish the
[00:54:00] the construction. If that fails, fails, though, he can go to Congress Congress and ask them to vote to
[00:54:04] to give him the authority to finish finish the ballroom. But it's far
[00:54:07] far from certain that he would actually actually win that vote. There is
[00:54:11] is some mystery about what's going going on behind the scenes with the
[00:54:15] the funding for this project. President President Trump has raised hundreds
[00:54:18] hundreds of millions of dollars from from private donors, but won't tell tell us how much they've given or
[00:54:22] or what he may have promised them
[00:54:23] them in return. Oh, that's so great.
[00:54:28] great. The disastrous refurbishment refurbishment of Washington's reflecting
[00:54:30] reflecting pool has become a deeply deeply embarrassing flop for Donald
[00:54:34] Donald Trump. Now he has to ask the the courts or Congress to let him
[00:54:38] him complete his renovation of the
[00:54:39] the most famous house in America,
[00:54:42] America, Sarah Smith, BBC News Washington. Washington. Now to the lengths that
[00:54:45] that marketing executives will go go to grab our attention. Have a
[00:54:49] a look at this stunt. A man has taken taken up temporary residence in a
[00:54:52] a living room built into a billboard billboard in Los Angeles. It's part
[00:54:56] part of a promo campaign for Netflix's
[00:54:58] Netflix's new sci-fi thriller The The Last House. The film follows
[00:55:01] follows a family of four who suddenly suddenly find themselves sealed inside
[00:55:05] inside their home with no way out
[00:55:09] out and an iconic piece of football. football. World Cup history is going
[00:55:13] going up for auction. The ball that that Diego Maradona used to score
[00:55:16] score his infamous Hand of God goal
[00:55:19] goal during Argentina's win over over England in the 1986 World Cup
[00:55:22] Cup has gone on display ahead of of the sale later this month. It's
[00:55:26] It's in good condition, isn't it?
[00:55:27] it? It's expected to sell for around
[00:55:31] around $10 million. If you've got.
[00:55:32] got. I think it's easily the most
[00:55:36] most historic ball in the realm of
[00:55:38] of soccer. The goal, the both of
[00:55:42] of the goals scored are just so iconic,
[00:55:45] iconic, so memorable. The ball was
[00:55:48] was kept by the head official from from that match and it stayed in
[00:55:52] in his possession for several decades.
[00:55:54] decades. And in recent years it was
[00:55:57] was sold to a private collector. collector. And we are representing
[00:56:01] representing that collector here here in this auction. Could be yours
[00:56:04] yours for a mere $10 million.
[00:56:06] Stay with us here
[00:59:57] MUSIC
[01:00:13] Live from London. This is BBC
[01:00:15] News. More scrutiny on Fifa president
[01:00:18] president Gianni Infantino as allegations allegations emerge in the Daily Telegraph
[01:00:21] Telegraph that a woman he had an an alleged relationship with was
[01:00:24] was given a six figure severance severance payment while he was general
[01:00:28] general secretary of Uefa. Fifa says says the story is categorically untrue.
[01:00:32] untrue. At least three people, including including a child, have been killed
[01:00:35] killed in overnight Russian attacks attacks near the Ukrainian capital
[01:00:38] capital Kyiv. The attacks come as
[01:00:40] as President Zelensky is visiting visiting Serbia, a traditional ally
[01:00:44] ally of Russia, as he seeks to bolster bolster support for Ukraine's war
[01:00:47] war effort. Counter-Terrorism police police looking into the death of
[01:00:51] of former MP Ann Widdecombe say they've they've reopened an investigation
[01:00:54] investigation into an attempted burglary
[01:00:56] burglary in London last year. Spain Spain imposes border