— as the handover to the new administration begins. buckingham palace announces queen camilla will not attend remembrance events this weekend while she recovers from a chest infection. another blow to prospects of a middle east peace deal — qatar is reported to have withdrawn as a key mediator between israel and hamas. and, sir mark cavendish, one of the most successful cyclists in history, announces his retirement. we start in spain, where a huge protest is taking place in valencia over the authorities�* emergency response to devastating flash floods, which killed at least 217 people.

these are live images from valencia. the protesters, who include members of various civil groups and unions, are demanding accountability, with some chanting "murderer". among their demands is the resignation of valencia's regional head — carlos mazon — who they hold responsible for the perceived mishandling of the disaster. visiting a military base in valencia earlier in the day, spain's defence minister, margarita robles, said the army was now present in every town affected by the flooding. she said the armed forces would stay there as long as it was needed. translation: we are aware of what people are suffering, there are no words on these occasions, there is no consolation. but i do want them to know they can count on our armed forces, the royal guard, and in valencia for as long as is necessary. for more on that, let's speak now to our correspondent, guy hedgecoe. do those words about having the armed forces in every region

affected do much to appease the anger of the people who are out there protesting?— there protesting? well, that is certainly a _ there protesting? well, that is certainly a great _ there protesting? well, that is certainly a great deal - there protesting? well, that is certainly a great deal of - there protesting? well, that is certainly a great deal of anger| certainly a great deal of anger here. the protests continuing right behind me in central valencia. although this was initially called as a silent protest in tribute to the many people who died, that has been a huge sense of anger in the air throughout the protests. people certainly at this protesters seem to blame carlos mazon, the regional president, for mismanaging this crisis, saying that he did not respond in time when the floodwaters were already rising. he didn't react quickly or decisively enough on the day itself. some people are also angry at the central government as well, about the lack of resources being rolled out. today at this protest in particular it is

carlos mazon who is really bearing the brunt of people's angen bearing the brunt of people's anger. d0 bearing the brunt of people's anuer. ~ ., ., ., anger. do we know how valid the protesters' _ anger. do we know how valid the protesters' claims _ anger. do we know how valid the protesters' claims are? - anger. do we know how valid the protesters' claims are? aware i protesters' claims are? aware that the authorities really lacking in not only the response to it but also helping with the recovery? but also how much notice the gay people ahead of those devastating floods? —— notice they gave people. in terms of the notice, the national weather agency did issue an alert at seven o'clock in the morning. fix, issue an alert at seven o'clock in the morning.— issue an alert at seven o'clock in the morning. a big criticism is that they — in the morning. a big criticism is that they did _ in the morning. a big criticism is that they did not _ in the morning. a big criticism is that they did not issue - is that they did not issue their own allowed in valencia and alarms to people is found them to stay off the streets, they did not do that for another 12 hours or so. also, it emerged that carlos mazon wasn't present at a crisis meeting in the afternoon. he

was having a long lunch with a female journalist. was having a long lunch with a femalejournalist. this was having a long lunch with a female journalist. this emerged yesterday. so there is a lot of anger about that. other people say the coordination between the central and regional governments is not what it should have been either. they say the central government could have been more decisive as well, so that has been a lot of criticism all around. we heard spain's _ of criticism all around. we heard spain's defence minister talking about the armed forces stay as long as was necessary to help the town is affected by the flooding. how much do we know about the scale of the recovery and the clean—up operation that is left? it recovery and the clean-up operation that is left? it is enormous _ operation that is left? it is enormous still. _ operation that is left? it is enormous still. the - operation that is left? it 3 enormous still. the around surrounding valencia, many or most of them have been cleared. many of the cars turned over by the flood water had been cleared up. but prime minister pedro sanchez presented a 10

billion rescue package last week as an initial package to help valencia. the feeling is that for recovery here, it is going to take months and months. , , going to take months and month-— going to take months and months. , , u, ., ~ months. guy hedgecoe, thank ou. the white house says joe biden will receive president—elect donald trump at the white house on wednesday. a white house spokesperson says that, at president biden�*s invitation, the pair will meet in the oval office at ”am local time, following the republican�*s decisive victory over vice president kamala harris in the presidential election. the news comes two days after mr biden delivered a speech, in which he urged americans to "bring down the temperature" following the bitterly partisan election. he said he accepted the results of the election and appealed for unity. the full extent of that victory has seen donald trump and his republican party inch closer to taking control of all the levers of us government. votes are still being counted in some races.

but having secured the white house and the senate, republicans are also close to reaching the 218 seats needed to control the house of representatives. for the defeated democrats, the recriminations have already started. one of the most powerful politicians in washington — the former speaker of the us house of representatives, nancy pelosi — has put part of the blame for kamala harris�*s loss on president biden, suggesting that the party would have performed better if he'd left the race earlier. ms pelosi played a key role in convincing mr biden to end his re—election bid. this is some of what she had to say in an interview with the new york times. there will be many reviews of timing and the who, what, when, why and where, as we go forward, and books will be written about it. the fact is, she did a greatjob with the time constraint that she had. had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race.

kamala, i think, would still have won, but she may have been stronger having taken her case to the public sooner. let's speak to our correspondent in washington, anna foster. the message from nancy pelosi there seems to at least suggest that it was not the democrats' message and appeal to the voters that wasn't the issue. is perhaps adjust, given the scale of the democrats' loss, that it might be about lacking in self inspection?— in self inspection? what was interesting _ in self inspection? what was interesting about _ in self inspection? what was interesting about that - in self inspection? what was interesting about that wider| interesting about that wider interview, she was repeatedly questioned by the journalist about what went wrong. as many senior democrats have been doing over the last few days, she wouldn't be drawn on much of it. you do sense that they want to go away and work out

what did go wrong, because a lot of things that go wrong. that was the closer she got to conceding on the point of the timing. what she was being pressed on with whether or not ifjoe biden had withdrawn from the race earlier, that would have been a different process for actually appointing kamala harris as the candidate. nancy pelosi had said before that if kamala harris had been selected through an open primary candidate with other candidates, an opportunity for everyone to put the points forward to the wider party, nancy pelosi considered that might have helped kamala harris, she said that might have made her stronger in that the race and given her the opportunity to lay out more about herself. but with the timing, and with the way that joe biden very quickly endorsed kamala harris after he said he was stepping aside, there wasn't time for that primary contest. i think the fuse that was a mistake. she spoke very warmly about kamala harris,

saying that she was a great candidate. just some of the key issues, not going hard enough on the economy, for example. they will look back and now that those are things to be considered. those are a range of things which have contributed to a conference of defeat. it is looking like it might well be a clean sweep for the republicans.— the republicans. speaking of which, the republicans. speaking of which. now _ the republicans. speaking of which, how does _ the republicans. speaking of which, how does donald - the republicans. speaking of- which, how does donald trump's approach to recruiting his top team, so far, looks like it compares to that of his previous presidency? i5 compares to that of his previous presidency? is really interesting — previous presidency? is really interesting because _ previous presidency? is really| interesting because everybody is desperate to know who he is a ponting, who he is having the conversations with, and so much is happening behind closed doors at his estate in mar—a—lago in florida. there are so much speculation in the

us media. when thing people seem to agree on is that many people that he worked with last time around will not be making a reappearance. you will remember he fell out with a lot of his top team, there were certainjobs that were of his top team, there were certain jobs that were replaced a lot of times over. i think people are expecting to see some fresh faces, they're talking about wild card places, elon musk has been talked about a lot, particularly as he took the phone from donald trump in a funk with president zelensky the other day. but donald trump is cloistered away in mar—a—lago. remarkably quiet, as well. remember, the last time we saw and heard from him in public was that the of victory in the early hours of wednesday morning. i'm sure he has got a lot to say and we will heed it in good course, but right now everybody is

desperate to hear those names, but with the exception of susie wiles, his chief of staff, nobody knows who she is going to pick. the european union's foreign policy chief has tried to reassure ukraine of europe's unwavering support, days after donald trump's election victory cast uncertainty over its war effort. josep borrell has been in kyiv meeting ukraine's foreign minister, the first top eu official to visit since the outcome of the us election became clear. support from western allies has been key to ukraine's ability to defend itself against russia's much larger and better—equipped forces. this is what he said at the joint press conference. the clear purpose of this visit is to stress european union support to ukraine. this support remains unwavering. this support is absolutely needed for you to continue defending yourself against russian aggression. his comments come after russian drones struck ukraine's black sea port of odesa, killing one person and injuring 13 others according to the regional governor. several residential and commercial buildings were damaged in what was the second day in a row of russian drone

attacks on the city. and across the border, russia's aleksinsky chemical plant was struck in an overnight ukrainian drone attack. the plant in the tula region produces gunpowder, ammunition and weapons. a source in the security service of ukraine told reuters that the attack was part of a broader strategy to target russia's munitions factories. joining me is former uk defence secretary, sir michael fallon. first of all, i want to get your thoughts on what we understand about donald trump's approach to ukraine, given that we have heard his allies say that the incoming administration will focus on achieving peace in ukraine, rather than enabling the

country to gain back territory occupied by russia. the country to gain back territory occupied by russia.- occupied by russia. the first important — occupied by russia. the first important thing _ occupied by russia. the first important thing to _ occupied by russia. the first important thing to say - occupied by russia. the first important thing to say is - occupied by russia. the first| important thing to say is that we have to work with donald trump, he is not the elected president, he is going to be there forfour years. we have had to work with him before. it is a much more dangerous world now. but we do have to work and cooperate with him, and i'm sure that will now happen. he wants to see the conflict in ukraine and, there is no one that doesn't want to see it end. it is a desperately difficult decision for ukraine. everybody is looking to see how this might possibly be ended. i'm quite sure now britain and other european countries that have been heavily involved in supporting ukraine will want to work with washington to see what donald trump's plans are and how he thinks a solution

can be found. but and how he thinks a solution can be found.— and how he thinks a solution can be found. but do you agree with the approach _ can be found. but do you agree with the approach that - can be found. but do you agree with the approach that has - can be found. but do you agree| with the approach that has been presented by his allies of focusing on, in their words, achieving peace, rather than looking at getting back territory lost? for example, they have said that crimea is gone. do you agree with their approach? i gone. do you agree with their approach?— gone. do you agree with their a- roach? ~' ., ., approach? i think there are two very important _ approach? i think there are two very important things _ approach? i think there are two very important things here. - very important things here. this is notjust about territory and bits and pieces and who should lay claim to what. it is really about sovereignty. there is a principle at stake here, you should not be able to invade other countries and simply claim other territories, that is against international law, and we need to be clear that as and we need to be clear that as a recognise. secondly, ithink we also should be clear that however a peace settlement is devised, it is in the end for ukraine. it is ukrainians who are losing their lives day in and day out defending their

frontiers. it is for ukraine to decide exactly what terms the war should end. if they want is to end, we do have to make sure that it really does end. —— if the war is to end. we have to make sure that whatever settlement that is, putin does not come back all over again and simply