hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the united states address around the world. i'm bianca nobilo live from london. max foster has the day off. just ahead for you on "cnn newsroom" -- ♪ live from london, this is "cnn newsroom" with mox foster and bianca nobilo. >> and it is friday, december 8, 9:00 a.m. in london. first round of caucus voting in iowa is just a few week away. and there are legal headwinds as the election season heats up. president biden's son hunter is now facing multiple federal tax charges, a fact likely to dog the president. and former president trump has numerous federal and state court cases that will stretch well into next year and will almost certainly interfere with his campaign schedule. the justice department says hunter biden could face up to 17 years in prison if convicted of the tax charges. the investigation into the president's son was on the verge of being resolved in july when a plea deal fell apart. evan perez has the details on the new charges. >> reporter: federal grand jury returned a 9 count indictmtment against huntnter biden chargrgi the e son ofof the presisident failure e to file anand pay his tataxes and fililing falsese ta returns. the chcharges filed inin fedede court in los angeles include three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanors. special counselor david weiss accused hunter biden in engaging in a four year scheme during which he failed not to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes that he owed for the years 2016 through 2019. he also allegedly filed false tax returns. prosecutors claim that hunter biden used a company that he owned to claim false tax deductions. prosecutors say that he used the money instead to, quote, fund his extravagant lifestyle. this is a time that hunter biden made millions of dollars from business dealings in foreign countries, including ukraine and in china. hunter biden's attorney abbe lowell says that-w wthat weiss are not pressure and now after five years of investigating with no new evidence and two years after hunter paid his taxes in full, the u.s. attorney has filed nine new charges when he agreed just months ago to resolve this matter with a pair of misdemeanors. prosecutors use the 56 page indictment to detail some of the ways that they say hunter biden spent money instead of paying taxes on luxury clothing, on payments to escorts and dancers, and other personal expenses such as an apartment for his daughter. they say that he spent $188,960 in adult entertainment. hunter biden tried to seek tax deductions for a $10,000 membership to a texsex club accg to prosecutors and he claimed for payments to women including one who was pregnant with his child. none of these allegations in the indictment mention any reference to president biden. prosecutors say that the investigation into hunter biden is ongoing. evan perez, cnn, washington. >> david axelrod is senior fellow at the university of chicago's institute of politics and host of the ax files. and he weighed in on what hunter biden's charges could mean for the upcoming presidential campaign. >> house republicans have been trying for two years to link the president to his son's activities. and that hasn't really panned out. there have been no financial gain shown for biden and so in that sense this is about his son, not about him, but no doubt that supporters of president trump will try to conflate the two ane waters to try to take some of the pressure off of himself. this will be a log on the file, the fire may not actually reach the door of the white house, but the republicans will try to depict it as such. >> trump wants his supporters for believe that the many serious legal problems are politically motivated. here he is on thursday in o. a br break from the fraud trial. >> this is a political witch hunt, this is meant to influence an election. this is third world country stuff. this is banana republic stuff. i should be right now in iowa and new hampshire, south carolina. i shouldn't be sitting in a courthouse. >> the former president was in court on thursday to hear nyu accounting professor testify as an expert witness for trump's defense. the witness said he found no evidence of fraud in trump's business deals. brynn gingras has that. >> reporter: former president trump expected to take the stand on monday as the final witness for the defense in this civil fraud trial that is really nearing an end after about two months. but in the courtroom for the defense, the second to final witness is an accounting expert that really was the strongest witness for the defense that we have seen yet. and he will this witness basically said that the financial statements of condition that are at the heart of this case, which of course if you remember the new york attorney general has said had overinflated assets done by the trumps, and they did it intentionally, this witness countered that for the defense basically saying that they weren't out of the ordinary, that no accounting principles were violated and that he in his judgment hasn't even seen a case of fraud here. and even questioned the attorney general as to why they even brought this case forward. so really the strongest witness that the defense has put forward. the former president sitting at the defense table listening to this testimony. but again, the big final day will be trump when he finally does take the stand in this trial that has started really in october and we won't hear a final decision of course the judge making the final decision until january. back to you. republican presidential candidates were back on the campaign trail on thursday following their fourth and final debate of the year. florida governor ron desantis speaking to voters in iowa was asked whether he'd send u.s. troops to fight in ukraine. take a listen to what he said. >> i will not send u.s. troops to ukraine. i don't think that that is something that is in our interests. my goal is going to be to reconstitute our military, pursue a peace restraint strategy, but not to send our troops all over the world, not to engage in nation building, not to do some of these things that these d.c. elites have been doing for the last several decades. >> former new jersey governor chris christie took his campaign to new hampshire where he has been meeting with young voters. here is what he said when asked about hostages being held by hamas in gaza. >> you have to send a message to terrorists that you take an american, we're coming to get them. if it is possible for us to come and get them, we'll come and get them. second thing is you need to send a message to people in this country that we're not going to stand for americans being pawns in geopolitical terror games. and we have some of the greatest trained military the world's ever known. if they come with a plan where they say i think that this can work and we can get them out safely and it makes sense to me, you're damn right i'll do it and i'd send them. israel reports its military has struck about 450 hamas targets over the past day. one man in gaza city says 17 members of his family were killed in a series of air and missile strikes on their home. clashes are continuing in kahn yunis in the south where the israeli military is searching for hamas leaders. idf says it has arrested and interrogated hundreds of terror suspects and killed several hamas commanders in recent days. civilians in gaza say nowhere is safe. >> translator: they told people to leave gaza city and go to kahn yunis. we are in the city of kahn yunis. and we were supposed to be in unthreatened areas. the blocks that were not threatened. israel should have given a warning that they would strike this building. there were hundreds of residents in the building behind you and they left just one day before the strike. >> benjamin netanyahu was in northern israel on thursday meeting with troops. later in jerusalem, he said israel is fighting against the forces of evil. images posted on social media show a mass detention of men in gaza by the israeli military. in the pictures a large group stripped to their underwear are kneeling an sitting while blind folded. the exact dates and circumstances are not clear. to discuss, elliott gotkine is here with me. tell us the latest. >> there is intense fighting in kahn yunis and also still going on in the northern part of the gaza strip. kahn yunis the second biggest city in the enclave, israel says it has encircled kahn yunis and operating in the heart of kahn yunis. and as we were saying, 450 targets struck by the idf it says the previous day. this is the largest numbering of targets hit since the end of that truce between israel and hamas. it says it has been striking from the air, from the sea, from the ground as well. and interestingly it says that in one two hour series of precise strikes, it says that it killed numerous terrorists. at the same time we've heard from the health authorities in kahn yunis saying dozens of casualties came into hospitals there. and so the fighting there incredibly intense. we know it caused a death toll so far in the gaza strip according to the hamas-run health ministry more than 17,000. israel says that it has killed around 5,000 hamas militants. but even if the hamas run health ministry figures are precise and if the idf figures are precise, that is still around 12,000 civilians that would have been killed since the war began after that massacre by hamas on october 7. >> what do you know about president biden's phone call with prime minister benjamin netanyahu yesterday? >> so this is the 16th time that the two have spoken since october 7. president biden is very much invested and keeping an eye on what is going on. and again he reiterated the u.s. position that israel needs to do more to protect the lives of civilians. in president biden's words to make sure that they separate out the hamas militants from civilians to ensure that as few civilian casualties are added to that total as possible. secretary of state antony blinken was in an interview with cnn said that, you know, israel seemingly making efforts to do so, but still more needs to be done to protect the lives of civilians inside the gaza strip. >> and what have you discovered about those disturbing images that we referenced just before you and i started talking of men stripped down to their underwear blindfolded? >> quite striking images that started spreading on social media on thursday. now, we've geolocated some of those images to north of gaza city. we've seen those images of men kne kneeling, blindfolded, stripped to their underwear and being put on to a cargo truck. we've spoken with relatives of some of those that have been identified and an employer of one of those identified and they say, and according to them, at least some of those men we know for sure are not members or not known to be members of any m militant groups. the chief spokesman for the idf was asked about this and he didn't seem to specifically reference these image, but what he did say is once there is intense fighting such as we've seen in kahn yunis for example, once the dust has settled and they have finished engaging with the enemy, people emerge either from buildings or from tunnel shafts. and in his words, they say the idf he is have gv have investig who has ties and who does not to hamas and we arrest them all and question them. the committee for journalists says one journalist may be among those who were arrested or detained. and an ngo accuses israel of detaining and abusing dozens of palestinians. we've reached out to the idf to get more details on those. and in terms of the stripping down to the underwear, it is seemed that is to avoid the risk if there are militants among them would be wearing suicide vests. but we've reached out to spokespeople for the idf to get specifics. and as soon as get it, you'll be the first to know. >> thank you so much. a mere and her two toddlers have been discharged from a homts hospital in israel two weeks after being released as hostages. they went home monday of last week. and they were the last to leave the facilities returning captors department. the three have been receiving psychological and social care. israel believes 138 people are still being held hostage in gaza. to mark the holiday, 138 candles were lit on a special hostage menorah. the grandson of one of hostages spoke about the meaning behind lighting the candles. >> we are here, it is something symbolic, so we light the candles for the return of the hostages, for the release of the hostages, to make a deal for the hostages. and that is what we are here for and there is a holiday, so it is part of all the hanukkah holiday to call for that and call for all the world to press more, to do everything they can. maybe there is a deal, take it, do it, they are dying there. >> and benjamin netanyahu lit the first menorah candle at the western wall in jerusalem. he alluded to ancient hebrew scripture. >> translator: today we are fighting the maccabees of today against the forces of evil to wipe jewish people off the face of the earth. we show the same determination, the same heroism, the same sacrifice. we're watching a developing story out of baghdad where two rockets have hit the u.s. embassy. it leased a statement saying no reported casualties and damage assessments are ongoing. no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. but indications are that it was initiated by iran militias. and they are doing everything that they can to protect diplomatic facilities. again no casualties reported. future u.s. aid to ukraine hangs in the balance as a key bill is stalled in congress. you will hear about new pressure on lawmakers to act and what will happen if they don't. plus the presidents of some of america's top universities try to clarify their remarks about anti-semitism on their campuses but they are facing strong backlash. and what we're learning about the alleged gunman in the mass shooting of the unlv campus in vegas. all that still ahead. u.s. lawmakers are coming under new pressure to green light more military aid for ukraine. it is coming from top u.s. and british diplomats who met in washington on thursday. david cameron said letting russia win in ukraine would be, quote, the worst thing in the world. adding that president putin would always come back for more. u.s. secretary of state antony blinken echoed that sentiment. >> it is crucial that the united states and our partners continue to do our respective parts. and that is why the supplemental currently before congress is necessary and urgent. so there is a clear choice. are we going to ensure putin's aggression remains a failure or will putin prove that as he believes he can outlast us, he can divide us, and ten to threaten ukraine and take the aggression elsewhere including potentially to countries in nato. >> wednesday senate republicans blocked an aid bill for ukraine and israel demanding tougher border security. the white house says that the money for ukraine will run out by the end of the year and unless congress approves more funding. despite the congressional log jam, the white house still approved $175 million in new aid for ukraine this week and that was done under a separate presidential authority and a far cry from the more than $60 billion in the bill that the republicans blocked. nick paton walsh explains. >> reporter: the recent package we just heard of $175 million, that will provide himars, ammunition, longer more accurate range any missiles, javelin, ot things urgently needed by ukraine. but there are suggestions from u.s. officials that it will be air defenses urgently need by ukraine to fend off the attacks by russia on ukraine's infrastructure, the air defense may begin to suffer with ammunition, and possibility also too the badly needed 155 artillery shells, the kind of the key part of so much of ukraine's artillery attacks that they may begin to slow down in arrival here too. now, ukraine i think is perhaps being concerned this moment might begin to arrive, it might be the beginning as i said of broader doubts in western capitals as we head into the third year now of this war next year. possibly there may not be a decisive victory ahead for kyiv. but i think that there are many ukrainians here who feel certainly that russia is holding its ground, will use any pause to reequip, regroup and potentially push forwards ahead. and we're seeing even signs not far from where i'm standing in avdiivka, a key town russia is begin beginning to use a grinding slow and brutal offensive towards, that essentially moscow is looking to take one small town after another over the months ahead. and trying to increase its grip on ukraine. >> for the first time in about 80 days, russia has rained a barrage of crews missiles on ukraine. 19 were fired friday morning, but all of those headed toward kyiv was shot down. however? still hit the eastern city killing one person and wounding four others. russia has not used cruise missiles for a while but pummelling ukraine with other long range weapons. still ahead, southern gaza's health care system on the verge of collapse. we'll meet a woman struggling to care for her newborn baby. welcome back to "cnn newsroom." if you are just joining us, let me bring you up-to-date with our top stories. the son of u.s. president joe biden has been charged with nine criminal counts in a federal tax case. hunter biden is accused of engaging in a four year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in taxes. two rockets have hit the u.s. embassy in baghdad early friday morning. the embassy is located in a heavily fortified green zone. no casualties have been reported and no group has claimed responsibility. u.n. security council is set to vote in a few hours on a resolution calling for humanitarian ceasefire in gaza. the emergency meeting comes after u.n. secretary-general antonio guterres formerly referred the matter to the security council and uae submitted a draft resolution on wednesday. guterres says he invoked for the first time a rare but powerful measure called article 99. it allows him to bring any matter which in his opinion may threaten international peace and security. in his letter, he stressed the plight of gaza civilians who he says are facing grave danger on a daily basis justified this. listen now to the palestinian representative to the u.n.en about. >> the number of killed are now in excess of 17,000 palestinians. killed and injured around 65,000. a large number of them, 70% of them, are women and children. this is something that is so disgusting and disgraceful, to see this large number of children being killed, more than any other conflict, since the creation of the united nations. >> israel says that it will open another border crossing between israel an gaza for the inspection of aid trucks within the next few days. the ufrn u.n. called it a promising sign. ben wedeman reports. >> reporter: this baby born the day the truce went into effect. seemingly so long ago. she lives with her parents and brother in a makeshift shelter. it lacks the basics of life for the cold for the winter says her mother. this young family is part of the 1 1.9 million that has been displaced. displaced but still in danger. smoke rises over rafah where so many fled to. wednesday afternoon, this house in a refugee camp was bombed. inevitably in such a crowded pl place, children were among the dead. there is no safe place in gaza, this man says. anyplace can be hit. the palestinian health ministry says more than 20 people were killed in the strike. sq including 17 members from the same extended family. they say this was supposed to be the safe place and they were all killed. death now talks e now talks evef the land. in kahn yunis, the hospital is overwhelmed with the injured. and yet more come. the wo