this is bbc news. i'm lewis vaughan jones, with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. us president—electjoe biden addresses supporters for the first time since his election win. mr biden says he aims not to divide but to unify. for all those of you who voted for president trump, i understand the disappointment tonight. we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. they are not our enemies, they are americans. kamala harris, who will make history by becoming the first female vice president, says voters have sent america's children a clear mesasge to dream with ambition. says voters have sent america's children a clear message to dream with ambition. see yourselves in a way

that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before, but know that we will applaud you every step of the way. music and fireworks. the victory for mr biden and his running mate sparked nationwide celebrations among democratic supporters. earlier president trump returned to the white house after playing golf. he's claimed again, without evidence, that he won the election. his supporters say they haven't given up. hello and welcome. "i pledge to be a president who doesn't see red states and blue states, only the united states" — the unifying words ofjoe biden after taking to the stage in his first speech as america's new president—elect. addressing a huge crowd near his home in delaware, he declared a victory

for the american people and pledged to restore the country's soul. donald trump, the first us president for nearly 30 years not to win a second term, has yet to concede, but in a statement from the white house, an official said that the president will "accept the results of a free and fair election." here's some of what joe biden had to say. i will govern as an american president. i will work as hard for those who did not vote for me as those who did. let this grim air of demonisation in america begin to end, here and now. cheering and applause, car horns. refusal of democrats and republicans to co—operate with one another is not some mysterious force beyond our control, it's a decision,

a choice we make and if we can decide not to co—operate, then we can decide to co—operate and i believe that this is part of the mandate given to us from the american people. they want us to co—operate in their interest, and that's the choice i'll make, and i'll call on congress, democrats and republicans alike, to make that choice with me. the american story is about slow yet steadily widening opportunities in america and, make no mistake, too many dreams have been deferred for too long. we must make the promise of the country real for everybody, no matter their race, their ethnicity, theirfaith, their identity or their disability. folks, america has always been shaped by inflection points, by moments in time where we've made hard decisions

about who we are and what we want to be. lincoln in 1860, coming to save the union. fdr in 1932, promising a beleaguered country a new deal. jfk in 1960, pledging a new frontier and, 12 years ago, when barack 0bama made history, he told us, "yes, we can". .. cheering and applause. car horns. folks, we stand at an inflection point. we have an opportunity to defeat despair, to build a nation of prosperity and purpose. we can do it, i know we can. i have long talked about the battle for the soul of america. we must restore the soul of america. our nation is shaped by the constant battle between our better angels

and our darkest impulses. and what presidents say in this battle matters. it's time for our better angels to prevail. tonight, the whole world is watching america and i believe at our best, america's a beacon for the globe. we will lead not only by the example of our power, but by the power of our example! car horns and cheering. folks, our work begins with getting covid under control. we cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality or relish life's most precious moments, hugging our grandchildren, our children, our birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us, until we get it under control. on monday, i will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisors to help take the biden—harris covid plan and convert it

into a action blueprint that will start on january 20 2021. cheering. that plan will be built on bedrock science, it will be constructed out of compassion, empathy and concern. i will spare no effort, none, or any commitment to turn around this pandemic. it wasn't only all about joe biden because vice president—elect kamala harris also spoke to the crowds at the event in wilmington. let's hear some of her speech. to the woman most responsible for my presence here today, my mother, shyamala gopalan harris, who is always in our hearts... cheering and car horns. when she came here from india at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment, but she believed so deeply in an america

where a moment like this is possible, and so i am thinking about her and about the generations of women, black women... cheering and applause. asian, white, latina, native american women, who, throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight. women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality, and liberty and justice for all. including the black women who are often, too often, overlooked but so often proved they are the backbone of our democracy. cheering and applause, and car horns. all the women who have worked to secure and protect the right

to vote for over a century. 100 years ago with the 19th amendment, 55 years ago with the voting rights act, and now, in 2020, with a new generation of women in our country who cast their ballots and continued to fight for their fundamental right to vote and be heard. cheering and applause, car horns. tonight, i reflect on their struggle, their determination and the strength of their vision to see what can be unburdened by what has been, and i stand on their shoulders, and what a testament it is tojoe‘s character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice president. cheering and applause,

car horns. but while i may be the first woman in this office, i will not be the last. crowd roars, car horns. because, every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities and, to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message — dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they have never seen it before, but know that we will applaud you every step of the way.

joining me now from denver is sonia gipson rankin, she's a professor of law at the university of new mexico, school of law and also a former president of the new mexico black lawyers association. thank you so much for coming on the programme. what is your reaction to that speech? 0h, the programme. what is your reaction to that speech? oh, my goodness, it is just so powerful and i as many others in the united states feel so seen. i am first generation american, i am seen. i am first generation american, iam half seen. i am first generation american, i am half southern, and also my mother who was a migrant. the first woman to become vice president, the first black woman to become vice president, the daughter of immigrants, a lawyer. ijust really feel excited for what vice president—elect kamala

harris brings to the leadership of the united states. and the powerful images throughout the evening, she was wearing white, you are wearing white. then you tell us why? i was so moved at the purposeful recognition that vice president—elect kamala harris did of wearing white. in the early 1900s, women would wear white to represent the suffragette movement, the right to vote. this year marks the 100 anniversary of the 19th amendment in the united states constitution. so when she wore white, two activists — — two activists she used this moment to acknowledge so many who have come before her and to pay tribute to women of every cultural background and the generations of women voters to

come. what action would you like to see over the next four yea rs 7 like to see over the next four years? what practical difference can she make? this is where i think herjourney will matter in the work of governing. she has the experience of being a lawyer, a litigator, knowing how to work across the aisle to effect change, how laws are made and how we can use oui’ change, how laws are made and how we can use our three branches of government to effect change. i believe her journey as a daughter of immigrants is going to really bring advice and representation for so many that have been unseen and being the first person of south asian descent to be in the vice presidency is going to show the multiculturalism that is often absent in washington power spaces and her black identity

let's be able to connect with issues connected to systemic racism and police vitality. one presumes she will need cross— party presumes she will need cross—party support not only in that legislature but in the country. that will be difficult for both her and joe biden?” think that is absolutely right. now that we have done with campaigning, we moved to the role of governing and this is going to be, of course, where their skills and their work of having been in the united states senate, will be so important. they are not attempting to work in a vacuum but understanding this will need to bring the entire country along. we really appreciate you coming along. thank you. erol morkoc is spokesman for republicans 0verseas uk. he's in davis, california. thanks so much for coming on

the programme. thank you so much for having me. it's a historic day for the us, a new direction, a call for unity from joe biden. how much luck do you think he will have in that new call for unity?|j think the amount of unity you can get out of a speech is quite minimal. unfortunately the weather they treated president trump over the last four years is going to have some reciprocal quid pro quo elements to at. i will say it was a very nice speech, very polite. good objects, if anything the american people and joe biden supporters certainly enjoyed it. from our perspective, there is still a lot to go here, the selection has not been called in any of these states, keep in mind the media is not the one who decides who is elected and when you have recounts and some of these run—off elections, quite simply if those are going to occur, logic dictates that the election is not over yet but it

was a great night for the democrat party and the speech was very welcoming to all people who wanted to be open to joe biden but in us politics, i'm not sure how many trump supporters even watched it. let alone how many trump supporters even watched it, what about the next few years and coming together. it was soaring rhetoric about unity, there is no such thing as red states, blue states, there's the united states, is that something that at least some republicans will get on board with? well, he said that at the same time as he talked about a great blue wave that had the midwest, so i am not sure if he's delineating red and blue states in such an egalitarian manner. their ideas and his infrastructure that we could all be keen to work on together but for the most part he's going to have a lame as we have the senate, so all of those radical tax plans are not going to be possible and we will be able to check any... hang on, hang on, two minutes

ago you said the votes haven't been counted, we haven't called things, so you can't now claim that everything has been decided in the senate. it hasn't. but trending in a situation where we are assuming thatjoe biden has won the election, which is how you have presented this, and we have assumed that we have at least held the senate and should that be the case, i guess i should say, it will be a lame—duck presidency going into the midterms, as you saw the democrats were not able to pick up democrats were not able to pick up the house seats that they wanted. and that's going to happen, and when that happens we have the senate and the house, then perhaps the low bar that has been set for impeachment will turn back on the democrat party. elections have consequences, as we are finding out in the selection but they do have to be aware that there is another election coming up very soon.

threatening consequences doesn't sound like a message of unity, doesn't sound like anything joe biden was talking about. that is what barack 0bama said in the election in 2008, that is why that term is in our lexicon for political discourse. and over the next four years, the republicans, if they, if the maths and the houses change, what about across the country? can you see across the country? can you see a dialling down of the polarisation in the country at large? i think on the surface, definitely. 0ne large? i think on the surface, definitely. one thing to take away from tonight as there are 70 million angry trump supporters and none of the cities are on fire stopping nobody back them down because we are americans and we love oui’ we are americans and we love our country. we don't loot and burn our own communities, so that idea that there will be less violence and less polarisation, of course, because that's how our voters are. we are not a bunch of malco nte nts are. we are not a bunch of malcontents that spent four yea rs pressed malcontents that spent four years pressed a button election, we get up and go to

work every day regardless of who was rightfully elected resident. we don't have this childish, pedantic tantrums so by default the country will get along much better because we are not the party of resistance. however it will have a problem in terms of getting boats out. we have people who are willing to use the democratic process to rectify what has happened in the selection and the mid—term election is where we're going to be focusing everything, of course, these recounts and the critical senate race in georgia. great to have you on. we appreciate your time. suzanjohnson cook is a former us presidential advisor who served as the united states ambassador—at—large for international religious freedom. she explained what this result means for black american women. i'm dreaming with ambition and i am leading with conviction and we are applauding kamala harris to get all the way, they are now our president—elect and vice president elect,

and how proud we are. i was on president clinton's race initiative over 20 years ago and we were praying for a moment like this, i'm a black woman, and black women have been praying for a moment like this but now our dreams have been realised and we are so excited, jubilant actually. you mentioned there, we heard it and you quoted it again, one of the lines that will live on, talking to children saying dream with ambition, lead with conviction, she had some of the best lines on a night full of rhetoric and energy from both speakers, messages about the importance of this time in american history and bringing the country together, that was the overall theme of both the speeches, it's a tall order though, isn't it? it's a tall order but we cannot be the divided states of america, and we talked about how divided our country was before, and we talked about ridding ourselves of the demonisation of america, and i believe this is the team that spoke with their heart. yes it was a speech

that was written, but it came from the heart. i have no the passion and compassion of each of them, and i am so excited that they now lead our country, and are prepared to lead our country. i used to ride with then—senator biden on the amtrak when he would come home daily to take care of his children when i was working in the clinton administration, so what we will see is people working on both sides of the aisle because they know him, they know his heart and i think we will get some things done. 0n those things done, let's talk about kamala harris. you know what she represents, and what she represents, and let's talk about what you would like her to actually do. what difference will she make over the next four years? a woman sees life differently to a man so she will bring visions through the eyes

of a woman, and she will make sure that there is inclusivity, diversity, equity and inclusion, that is what america is always talking about, we will see that inaction energy will bring family, both of them are in love with their spouses, and their children, and their nieces, and the rest of their family, i think we will see a humanisation, a humanity that comes forth, that has not only about our families but also about yourfamily, and i think that's what everyone is hopeful about, excited about, because we see ourselves in kamala harris, we see a sister who was unashamedly and unapologetically black, but who is also open to every race, she is intermarried, she has children, a daughter of immigrants, so she brings the whole package, humanity, femininity, elegance, strength, and power, because she has evidence—based

leadership, and so we are looking for this team now to be the ones that we hope for that will lead america, not in division, but united together. what about the issue of race? we saw the explosion of the black lives matter movement throughout this year. this appointment as i mentioned before is hugely significant in terms of symbolism, but what about real change? what actually needs to be done? what was saw with black lives matter is what black americans have seen all of our lives, what has happened to us in terms of systemic racism, the rest of the world got to see, so president—elect biden is not ashamed to take that on, he will deal with institutional racism and sexism, and what we will see is some real systemic change, because unless you have someone who really deals with it, puts it on the table, then we will continue to ignore it, they are not afraid of putting it on the table and so we will see some changes, it will start

with his administration, but what we will see and who we will see in the white house and the vice president's office, and then systemically throughout the departments and agencies of the united states, government, so it is my honour and pleasure to really work with them. just lastly because i have to let you go, but briefly, 71 million or so voters voted for donald trump. what is your message to them right now? in an election there will be some who get the most votes and there will be others who do not. my message to all of those who voted for donald trump is now we will walk together, work together, the hand has been reached out, the branch is reached out to you and i hope you will take it and walk with us. when we work together, we win together in the united states of america. we are one and we would love to work with you, so come on over and let's be american, not blue or red, but americans.

many world leaders have been reacting to the news that joe biden will be the next us president and kamala harris his vice—president. 0ur reporter paul hawkins is here. what have leaders been saying? generally along the lines of congratulations, we look forward to working with you, particularly the leaders of germany, france, and canada who, of course, relations have been strained between those countries and the us under president trump. interestingly the indian prime minister tweeting:

likewise, her dad, from jamaica, hence a statement from the jamaican prime minister: and joe biden of course very proud of his irish heritage, the irish leader saying he looks forward to welcoming him back when the time is right, and called kamala harris becoming vice president elect a historic achievement. amazing how the world changes, isn't it? all these messages of course being sent via twitter and it's always a race to see who comes in and stepped in to congratulate first and it's a lwa ys congratulate first and it's always a bit of a political calculation from the various countries as well. any countries as well. any countries referencing donald trump at all? not many stopping

the australian parameters to scott morrison, he thanks president trump and vice president trump and vice president mike pence for working with them before going on to congratulatejoe biden and kamala harris. spain's deputy pm calling it good news for the planet, donald trump losing the election, as he put it, the global fat right loses its most powerful political asset. the bela rusian its most powerful political asset. the belarusian leader president lukashenko asset. the belarusian leader president lu kashenko criticised for not holding open and fair elections has called the us elections has called the us election a comedy, a mockery of democracy and in iran, ayatolla h democracy and in iran, ayatollah khamenei has tweeted: and interestingly, no reaction yet from israel, premised on it

has been very close to president trump, no reaction whatsoever and nothing official either from russia's vladimir putin. joe biden has said he wants to restore the soul of the country and work towards bipartisan cooperation. lets hear that speech again. my fellow americans, and the people who brought me to the dance, delawarians. isee my body senator tom carpenter down there and i think senator kearns is there and i think the governor is around. is that ruth and ? governor is around. is that ruth and? former governor ruth and? most importantly, my sisters in law, my sister valerie. anyway. folks, the people of this nation have

spoken. they have delivered us a clear victory. a convincing victory for we, the people. we've won with the most votes ever cast on a presidential ticket, 7a million. wadeye must admit has surprised me, tonight, we've seen all over this nation, all cities and all parts of the country, indeed across the world, an outpouring ofjoy, of hope, renewed faith in tomorrow to bring a better day. and i am a humbled by the trust and confidence you've placed in me. i pledged to be a president who seeks not to divide but unify. who doesn't

say red states and blue states, only sees the united states. and work with all my heart with the confidence of the whole people to win the confidence of all of you, and for that is what america, i believe, is about. it's about people, and that's what our administration will be all about. i thought this office to restore the soul of america. to rebuild the backbone of this nation. the middle—class, and to make america respected around the world again. and to unite us here at home, it is the honour of my lifetime that so many millions of americans have voted for that vision. and now, the work of making that vision is real. it is the task of our time. folks, as i've said many

times before, i'm jill's husband. and i would not be here without her love and tireless support ofjill and my son hunter and ashley my daughter and all our grandchildren, and their spouses, and all our family. they are my heart. jill is a mom, a military mum, and educator. she dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn't just what she does, it's who she is. you're going to have one of your own in the white house. jill is going to make a great first lady, i am so proud of her!

and i'll have the honour of serving