america is back, ready to lead the world, not retreat from it. once again at the head of the table. now thatjoe biden is about to take over the white house and donald trump's moving out, governments right around the world are heaving sighs of relief. i'm not actually walking into the real oval office! this is an exact replica this is bbc news with in a norfolk film the latest headlines studio much used for viewers in the uk by hollywood movies. and around the world. but when joe biden i'm rich preston. sits at that desk millions of americans lose their unemployment for the first time, he's benefits — after president going to be taking charge trump refuses to sign of a country whose standing the covid economic in the world hasn't been relief bill into law. as low as this in decades. south africa registers more than a million cases right around the world of coronavirus — hospital admissions rise steeply there are fences to be mended as a new faster spreading and alliances to be built up again. america is back. multilateralism is back. diplomacy is back. variant is detected. that means taking the lead in nato again, after four years of the vaccine rollout begins complaints about other in european union countries — members, plus threats to cut health workers and the elderly, america's contributions. and another major priority, rejoining the paris the first in the queue. climate accord, which donald trump said damaged dozens of syrian refugee families are forced to leave a makeshift camp in lebanon after it was burnt to american interests. the ground during a dispute with local residents. joe biden hopes to revive the nuclear agreement with iran, which trump tried to kill off. iran, the big european countries and britain are all enthusiastic. trump's one foreign policy

success was getting two gulf states plus sudan to recognise israel. unemployment benefits lapsed trump sided strongly overnight for millions with the israelis and cut of americans struggling to make aid to the palestinians. ends meet across the country, how easy will it be after president donald trump's refusal to approve forjoe biden to be able a $2.3 trillion financial to be able to change this? package. even more important for him is how he'll approach the package in question russia. was finally approved by congress after months of negotiations but had to be signed into law by the president by midnight on saturday. freya cole reports. the russians meddled in the 2016 us election and seems to have hacked into some of america's most fundamental secrets. this is america in 2020, there's a lot of unfinished long queues at food banks made business with russia. up of families in desperate need. thank you. i think together with the uk do you want me to put and europe we are going to have it in the back? to again sit down and decide oh, you got it? have a good day. what kind of serious according to the organisation signals we send feeding america, more to russia and its behaviour must indeed change. than 50 million people experienced food insecurity this year, including a potential 17 million children. we have a max of four years, probably two years, to really do things together with our allies. and there is the most complex problem of all, china. the food crisis is linked to what should joe biden's approach be? record levels of unemployment work with china. triggered by the

outbreak of covid—19. and now millions of americans have lost compete with them in their next welfare payment a persistent and forceful because president trump refused and effective way, to sign the covid relief bill into law. what the president is doing right now is be prepared in the unbelievably cruel. many millions of people event of conflict, but co—operate are losing their extended with china, and some unemployment benefits. critical issues that are before us like combating global climate change, dealing with the covid—19 pandemic. at 78, time isn't exactly onjoe biden's side. they're going to be evicted but for the outside from their apartments world, he has one huge because the eviction advantage. he isn't donald trump. moratorium is ending. john simpson, bbc news. the bill was flown to florida where mr trump is spending his christmas in the hope that he will change his mind. but he is demanding changes. a reminder of our top story. he wants the lump sum payments to americans to be bigger, from 600 to $2,000. we are hearing president trump has signed the covid—19 relief but even members bill. it came as unemployment benefits lapsed overnight as of his own party are urging him to sign, to avoid delays for families in need. millions of americans struggle to make ends meet across the look, if it were just the freestanding government country. the package was funding bill, iwould almost certainly be approved by congress after voting against that. months of negotiations and had but i think the covid relief to be signed into law by the measures are really, really important, and, president. he refused, arguing larger payments should be made. you know, in my state

democrats agreed with him but as in many other states, we have governors that are closing down businesses again. people are out of work, his own party expressed concern certainly through no fault over the stalemate. stick with of their own. i think we need the extended unemployment benefits, i think we need another us on bbc news. i'll have more on that in the coming hours. round of the ppp loans, you can find out more on the bbc news website, of course, which were really grants to small businesses to keep their workforce. you know, part and on our social media. of their business. and time is running out. the democrats also believe you can reach me on twitter — the one—off payments should be increased to $2000, i'm @richpreston. and they will vote on a stand—alone bill hello. on monday in the house of representatives. the weather is taking on a decidedly wintry complexion as we head through the final days of 2020. the satellite picture shows but they hope by then mr trump will come around to the covid this big stripe of cloud that brought very wet and windy stimulus package to provide weather through the early parts certainty for his country. of sunday courtesy of freya cole, bbc news. storm bella, but now we've got let's get more on this with daniel lippman. these speckled clouds working in from the north, he's the white house reporter for politico. some shower hejoins us clouds, those showers turning from washington, dc. wintry as well with some really cold air digging its way down. president from washington, dc. trump in the last and we stick with this northerly air flow right couple president trump in the last couple of hours has tweeted through the coming week. good news on covid relief bill, so, yes, it will be cold by day and by night. information to follow, and the there will be a mixture

trump administration official has indicated he may now sign this bill. what we know? we of rain, sleet and snow at times, amidst all of that, know that in the last 15 some spells of sunshine. minutes or so, know that in the last 15 minutes orso, trump know that in the last 15 minutes or so, trump has indeed certainly a very chilly start to monday morning with temperatures widely below assigned it, according to freezing, several degrees below sources telling my colleagues freezing in places. that could well give rise to some icy stretches, and me at politico and i think and also notice this area of rain, sleet and snow across parts of wales, reuters and other news agencies the midlands, down are flushing the news right 110w. are flushing the news right now. it is good news for into southern england. americans who are relying on the unemployment insurance and this is going to be moving very slowly through the day, another government must stay he could give some snow open as well so it won't be an certainly over high ground, but even to low levels don't be embarrassing government surprised if you get a brief shutdown right as the trump presidency is ending in the covering of snow. elsewhere, some wintry next few weeks. what is the showers continuing in eastern coastal counties. next few weeks. what is the next step for the bill? the next step for the bill? the next is that the irs and the northern ireland, western scotland keeping a lot of cloud. a mix of rain, treasury department will be sending out the $600 checks sleet and snow here. it will be windy in the west, which is less than trump not as windy further east, but even if you get wanted, although he really sunshine through the day it will feel chilly. blindsided congress and didn't indicate he wanted those $2000 checks until very late in the top temperatures process , checks until very late in the process, until it was basically between 2—7 degrees.

after until —— basically after now, as we had through monday night western areas it was too late. steven mnuchin particularly will see further cloud and epics of rain. had been telling congress that some sleet and snow. some wintry showers the trump administrator was for eastern coasts as well. elsewhere, we keep some clear fine with a $600 and spells, again a touch of frost republicans on capitol hill, and some icy stretches they weren't eager to increase with temperatures for many dipping well below freezing. so as we go on into tuesday, low pressure will be sitting just to the east it to $2000 per person. this of the british isles. high pressure a long way out to the west, will come back into session but that will be driving a feed tomorrow and try to pass the of northerly winds once again. $2000 ones, but that is kind of another fairly windy day across the west, where we will see showers of rain, guaranteed to fail because the sleet and snow. some wintry showers for northern and eastern coasts. senate is controlled by elsewhere, a lot of dry weather republicans. what have and some spells of sunshine individual and leading republicans set about mr trump's delay in signing this to come with those temperatures still struggling below average bill? they have not been happy, for the time of year. three, four, five, six celsius in most places. since they wanted, most of and we stick with that very cold weather throughout those senate and congressional the rest of the week. republicans voted for this a lot of dry weather bill. this was a hard—fought around, but some showers. some of which will compromise, given they had been still be wintry. working for months on this relief bill. this is the same deal that could have been agreed to back injuly or august, so a lot of people and

including republicans, were sick and tired of this process and just wanted to get it done. there was a lot of businesses who are hurting, for example, 2 million people in the restau ra nt million people in the restaurant industry have lost theirjobs. 25% or so of restau ra nts theirjobs. 25% or so of restaurants have just closed in america so there will be effort on the biden administration to help entrepreneurs and people looking to restart businesses 01’ looking to restart businesses or start new businesses, to try to grow the economy, because big tech companies like amazon are doing very well but a lot of mom and pop shops have closed. thank you very much for joining us. south africa has recorded more than 1 million coronavirus cases, since the first case was recorded in march. it comes days after the south african authorities confirmed that a new faster—spreading coronavirus variant had been detected. around 26,700 people have died from covid—19 related complications so far. mark lobel reports.

got it? let's see how short of earth you are. south africa's struggling to contain its battle with coronavirus. the average number of people dying has doubled in a fortnight. this is bbc news, the headlines: there are reports that president trump has signed hospitals and medical centres the pandemic aid are reporting rising emissions, and spending bill. millions of americans lost unemployment benefits straining resources and when he earlier failed to sign healthcare staff. becomes the the massive covid relief bill by the midnight deadline. the bill had been passed second wave, so, i don't know, overwhelmingly in congress. how the health organisation south africa has registered managed to deal with it but more than a million cases we're just managed to deal with it but we'rejust pinning our managed to deal with it but of covid—19 — just a few days after the south african authorities confirmed we're just pinning our that a new faster spreading coronavirus variant had been detected. some hospitals and medical maybe, i see a lot of people centres have reported a severe rise in admissions, placing dying. a million people have a heavy strain on resources. 110w dying. a million people have now tested positive here. european leaders have hailed the start of coronavirus vaccinations across the eu 100,000 new cases recorded in as a turning point in the fight less tha n 100,000 new cases recorded in less than ten days. with cases against the pandemic. the first in line to receive

the vaccine are the elderly doubling in over two weeks. and health workers, and the eu aims to vaccinate just over six—million people by some hospitals have had to the end of the year. cancel some of their staffs leave. i fear now is people, storm bella has brought winds of more than 100mph to many they are not trying to protect themselves. you can see that most of the people,... many people suspect a new coronavirus variant that is more easily transmitted, is believed to be driving this surge. the variant was identified in the country's eastern cape province and is reportedly gaining dominance in the south and south—east. several countries have banned flights from south africa as a result. after one of the world's earliest and strictest lockdowns back in march, including an alcohol ban, tougher measures are now being reconsidered by president cyril ramaphosa. vaccinations haven't yet reached these shores although this one developed in

the netherlands is being tested here. i'm really disappointed to see the world map of access so to see the world map of access so farand to see the world map of access so far and the whole of the african continent seems to have been left out. but right now the country is preparing for other measures as it finds itself on the back foot. hope 110w itself on the back foot. hope now dashed that it had skipped the worst of the pandemic. mark lobel the worst of the pandemic. mark lobel, bbc news. people across europe have started to receive the coronavirus vaccine after countries including france, spain and italy, began the rollout of their vaccination programmes. more than 1a million people have been infected and strict lockdown measures are currently in place in nearly all the eu member states. damien mcguinness reports now from berlin. the european vaccine rollout has begun. in berlin, mobile teams are taking the first vaccines from this distribution centre to those who need it most. the elderly in nursing homes.

this airport once provided a lifeline for west berlin at the height of the cold war. it was closed down in november to make way for a larger airport, and now it's been turned into a mass vaccination centre, providing yet again a lifeline for berliners, but this time in the fight against the pandemic. the first person in berlin to get the vaccine this morning was gertrude haase, 101 years old. translation: i told myself that i didn't have to be among the first. i wanted to see what it was like for the others. but a little later i thought, come on, i'll do it, too. in italy, where fatalities among healthcare workers have been particularly high, there was relief, as doctors and nurses were among the first to get the jab. in denmark, a moment of vaccine humour. "let's hope it works", says the doctor.

"if it doesn't, i'll come back to haunt you," replies a 79—year—old. in some countries there are worries that not enough people will want the vaccine, so to boost support some european leaders have also gone first, including the czech prime minister and, in greece, both the president and the prime minister. translation: i believe that every greek today is smiling underneath their mask. in getting vaccinated first, greece's political and state leaders want to send the message that the vaccine is safe and effective. across europe, elderly people have been isolated, afraid and vulnerable. now, they are the first to be protected. damien mcguinness, bbc news, berlin. the fbi says that dna recovered from the debris of the campervan that exploded in the city of nashville on christmas day matches samples taken from the main suspect‘s home. at a press conference, us attorney donald cochrane announced the name of the man who blew himself up deliberately outside a telecoms office —

knocking out communications across the state and injuring three people. based on the evidence that we have gathered at this point, we have gathered at this point, we have come to the conclusion that an individual named anthony warner is the bomber. he was present when the bomb went off and that he perished in the bombing. we based its conclusion under forensic evidence including dna evidence you will hear about as well as evidence that was gathered at the scene of the bombing. let's get some of the day's other news. the british government is launching a new campaign to remind businesses of the changes need to continue working following last weeks brexit trade deal with the uk. businesses have to be ready for the new terms by the end of the transition period this thursday. parliament will debate the new trade agreement this wednesday when it is recalled. afghan officials say the next round of peace talks with the taliban will resume in qatar on the fifth of january.

president ghani had previously insisted that the next round of negotiations should be held in afghanistan itself. the talks began in september, but were suspended earlier this month. the hugely popular american wrestler and actorjon huber has died. he was a1. better known to fans as brodie lee or luke harper, his wife says he passed away after a battle with a lung complaint, not related to covid—19. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: it's just over three weeks to the inauguration of us president—elect joe biden. our world affairs editor, john simpson, assesses the challenges the new president will face. the most ambitious financial and political change ever attempted has got under way with the introduction of the euro. tomorrow in holland we are going to use the money

we picked up in belgium today, and then we will be in france, and again it will be the same money. it's just got to be the way to go. george harrison, the former beatle, is recovering in hospital after being stabbed at his oxfordshire home. a 33—year—old man from liverpool is being interviewed by police on suspicion of attempted murder. i think it was good. just good? no, fantastic. that's better. bells toll this is bbc news. the latest headlines:

there are reports president trump has signed the pandemic aid and spending bill. millions of americans temporarily lost their benefits when he refused to sign the $2.3 trillion covid relief bill into law. south africa has registered more than 1 million cases of covid—19, just a few days after a new faster spreading coronavirus variant was detected. hospitals have reported a severe rise in cases. let's go back to our top story, president trump's refusal to approve a $2.3 trillion financial package which was approved by congress, and the impact that's had on millions of americans made jobless by the coronavirus pandemic. we can now speak to emily moffett. she's lost her unemployment benefits after president trump failed to sign the covid relief bill into law. although this might change now he seems he's signing the bill. emilyjoins us from annapolis, in maryland. this news just coming this newsjust coming in this news just coming in that president trump may have signed the bill. what is your initial

reaction? i mean, it's very exciting and i hope that it is true so a lot of families can get, you know, stimulus and relief and a lot of people still struggling with unemployment don't have to deal with problems in the holidays and new year. what is the situation likely yourself? you we re situation likely yourself? you were just holding down one situation likely yourself? you werejust holding down onejob, you were holding down two jobs, but it all changed in march. what happened ? but it all changed in march. what happened? i was a barrister and server living in seattle at the time, and i lost both of my jobs seattle at the time, and i lost both of myjobs when lockdown is hit -- both of myjobs when lockdown is hit —— barista, because when everything closes how can you keep staff? and being part—time at twojobs, i keep staff? and being part—time at two jobs, i was very quickly cut. so when that happened in march, i started trying to scrape together some sort of plan and unemployment was the first thing that i went to, so. what has been the direct financial implication? how do you struggle to pay bills, pay

rent, buy groceries? absolutely. if it wasn't for being married, i have no idea how i would have gotten through this year. without someone else helping me, support, because there have been so many bills that have gone past do, there have been like, moments where i've had to pick between bills and save we need the car insurance more than we need, you know, internet, or, you know, you kind of how to prioritise and pick and choose those things. when you doing that, it feels terrible, because five months ago, three months ago, you could pay for everything and you could show up everything and you could show up like you felt like you needed to, but then all of a sudden you are choosing what is important. in the last few weeks, you have been watching the news of congress wrangling over this bill and then it being held up at the white house. how did that feel for you, seeing this being styled, something out of your control? —— stalled. something out of your control?

-- stalled. it feels very helpless, because you are not... it just feels helpless, because you are not... itjust feels like you wa nt not... itjust feels like you want someone to help and someone to care, and to see all of these snags that things hit and see all these roadblocks just happen, almost what feels like for the sake of happening, is so just heartbreaking. we are is so just heartbreaking. we a re however is so just heartbreaking. we are however many months into this now and we have all struggled so far and we have all made it work for a year, to get this close to having another — a little bit more to get there and how that shutdown was devastating. emily, i hope things pick up for you in the very near future. thank you very near future. thank you very much for making the time to be with us tonight. thank you. now, to the middle east. dozens of syrian refugee families have had to leave a makeshift camp in lebanon after it was burnt to the ground on saturday night. aid officials say the tents were set alight after a dispute between refugees and local residents. at least three people were injured in the blaze. rhal ssan reports. imagine having so little

and waking up to this. this makeshift refugee camp for syrians in northern lebanon was set on fire late on saturday night. at least three people were injured in the blaze which left the entire camp burnt to the ground. more than 300 people live here. they've lost everything now. authorities say the fire broke out after a dispute between refugees and some local men turned violent. translation: the dispute started here. a lebanese man hit a syrian and his son fought back. and lebanese man called his relatives to help him. that's when they all ended up in the street and began fighting. lebanon's army said it has

arrested six syrian nationals and two local men from the alleged dispute. although tensions are high, some residents nearby offered their homes to the fleeing refugees. translation: it's shameful to burn tents with children inside. if it wasn't for locals from nearby villages taking the men they would be sleeping on the streets or in the wreck of the camp. tensions have been rising between locals and refugees fuelled by a deep economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. despite having estimated population of only 6.8 million, lebanon has almost 1 million syrian refugees registered with the un. most of them have fled the ongoing civil war in syria. it's unlikely that they will be able to return any time soon. rhal ssan, bbc news. in west africa, people in niger have voted to choose a successor to president mahamadou issoufou, who's stepping down after completing the permitted two terms in office. this contrasts with presidents

in ivory coast and guinea, who have won third terms earlier this year, despite violent protests and concerns about a slide in democratic gains. mr issoufou said the election marked a special day for the country. translation: a special day for an easier which will experience for the first time in its history a democratic change over “— history a democratic change over —— day for niger. i hope this date will be the first step towards other changes that will enable niger to solidify its reputation as a democratic country in africa. a bit of breaking sports news for you, and roger federer is withdrawing from the australian open while he continues preparing to return to action after two operations on his right knee, his agent has announced. the start of the australian 0pen's main draw — usually held injanuary — was delayed by three weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic and is now scheduled to begin on february 8 at melbourne park. now, president—elect

joe biden will become the 46th president of the united states injust three weeks' time. tackling the coronavirus pandemic will be his biggest challenge at home, but in foreign policy he says he wants to, in his words "restore america's leadership on the world stage." with his assessment of the challenges, here's our 00:22:17,672 --> 2147483051:47:53,551 world affairs editor, 2147483051:47:53,551 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 john simpson.