the october 7th attacks. we'll be live injerusalem with the latest. the father of sara sharif tells a court he takes full responsibility for the death of the ten—year—old, found dead at her home near london last year. and the extraordinary story of the runaway beluga whale caught up in a russian spying row. we'll speak live to the director of a new bbc documentary about the mystery. welcome to bbc news. let's start in the us, where donald trump has arrived in washington to meetjoe biden, part of his plans for the transition of power in january. the president—elect is meeting republicans in washington, as he continues to put his

new administration together. the tesla boss, elon musk, is among those appointed to mr trump's team — he will oversee a new department of government efficiency, with the task of slashing public spending. after that, he heads to the white house, we think, in the next hour. joining me now are our correspondents gary o'donoghue and tom bateman in washington. tom bateman is at the hotel where republican lawmakers are meeting in central washington. but gary, firstly, set the scene, that will be quite a meeting?— scene, that will be quite a meeting? scene, that will be quite a meetin: ? , ., �* , ., meeting? yes, the world's media is here to witness _ meeting? yes, the world's media is here to witness that _ is here to witness that meeting, hundreds of crews inside and outside waiting for the reconnection between these men who last saw each other backin men who last saw each other back injune at that momentous debate in atlanta which really

sealed joe biden�*s fate as the democratic candidate when he stumbled his way through those answers. at that time he called donald trump summer with the morals of an alley cat. donald trump responded by calling joe biden a feeble old guy. i don't suspect there will be too much love lost when they meet today, this is a ritual of presidential handovers which donald trump did not observe in 2020 foot upon the current president believes is important for the sake of the norms of american democracy. we are expected he will go to the inauguration in the middle of january to pursue those norms of american democracy again. we will see how long it lasts. in 2016 when donald trump spoke to president obama they were meant to be in there for 30 minutes but they were there for an hour and a half, they spoke about north korea which became a priority of donald trump is my presidency, we will see how much advice is given and taken this time. it

much advice is given and taken this time. , this time. it will be interesting - this time. it will be interesting to - this time. it will be interesting to see i this time. it will be i interesting to see how this time. it will be _ interesting to see how donald trump approaches that meeting, but also joe trump approaches that meeting, but alsojoe biden because we saw the first public comments in the rose garden last week where he was desperate to focus on underpinning the central parts of american democracy, parts of american democracy, part of which is what we will see play out today? i part of which is what we will see play out today?- see play out today? i think that it's right _ see play out today? i think that it's right and - see play out today? i think that it's right and frankly l see play out today? i think that it's right and frankly i | that it's right and frankly i do not think there will be fireworks, i could be completely wrong. when trump was here in 2016 he was terribly polite about somebody he had been very impolite about in the past before that and i would not be surprised if he does the same again as if nothing has happened. worth noting that the future first lady melania trump is not coming, that is a tradition normally observed where the current first lady in the future first lady have a chat, thatis future first lady have a chat, that is not happening this time and it is difficult to know why, but donald trump it's coming on his own. after he has met those republicans up close

to capitol hill, where i think my colleague tom is. i to capitol hill, where i think my colleague tom is.- my colleague tom is. i will come to — my colleague tom is. i will come to that _ my colleague tom is. i will come to that in _ my colleague tom is. i will come to that in a - my colleague tom is. i willi come to that in a moment, my colleague tom is. i will - come to that in a moment, gary. donald trump is moving quickly to establish his white house in waiting, those latest names when he talks about elon musk and efficiency, what are the sorts of sums that are being talked about that the incoming president hopes to save? publicly the sums being talked about on the campaign trail were in the region of $2 trillion from the federal budget, money that the federal government spends in this country. some of that is discretionary, so it's pretty fixed, but the total federal budget is 6.7 5 trillion, so if you do the maths that is about 30%, a huge amount of money. elon musk himself said that would be short—term pain, which coming up to the next midterms might not be so grateful donald

trump's republican party. that is the promise that has been made, we will see how much they deliver. his role will be outside of government formally but he has until independence day injuly 2026, which is when this appointment runs too. thank you, gary. as you were concluding that thought we went to the live pictures from inside that hotel in central washington, donald trump it's on the stage because the republican lawmakers are gathering. he is taking out a sheet of paper so i think he is about to speak. if we had sound, let's put the microphones upon donald trump addressing republican lawmakers. it addressing republican lawmakers.— addressing republican lawmakers. . ., lawmakers. it is always nice to win. lawmakers. it is always nice to win- lots _ lawmakers. it is always nice to win- lots of— lawmakers. it is always nice to win. lots of good _ lawmakers. it is always nice to win. lots of good friends - lawmakers. it is always nice to win. lots of good friends in - win. lots of good friends in this room. you know we had, like, historic kinds of numbers, especially for the president, but we won't get into that. at the house did very well and i think we are

responsible for 31, very well and i think we are responsible for3i, meaning very well and i think we are responsible for 31, meaning we could have lost by quite a bit and i guess you will be five the earth, are you looking at 504, right? doesn't matter. we got used to warm for a little while. —— are you looking at five, 04? that you can get used to one, you can get used to anything. you helped me too, my numbers were, so they say, 129 years, the most important election in 129 years. that is pretty good. i said he was 129 years, who was that? i never looked. it started being 100, they update that it was a great compliment, we won the majority by 7.1 million, which is great, because republicans are not meant to be winning the majority, you know that? we won

that and we won that every way, all seven swing states, by a lodge. michigan was great, couldn't be better, i tell you. michigan was great. we had a couple of people almost automatic they say next time if we go up even a fraction you will be in new york, new jersey, places that were not winnable. california too! applause i think without campaigning at all in california, if you think, we lost by nine points. nine points in california. it is very doable. it would be really doable if the election process... really doable if the election process- - -_ really doable if the election rocess... ,, , ,, ,, , process... sound files. studio: apologies. _ process... sound files. studio: apologies. you — process... sound files. studio: apologies. you can _ process... sound files. studio: apologies, you can see _ process... sound files. studio: apologies, you can see a - apologies, you can see a problem with the incoming feed from washington, both the

pictures and the sound. in the meantime let me bring in tom bateman in that hotel, introductory remarks from donald trump, talking about the senate majority he now will have. he is hoping for a majority of five. that will be really important because he has said he intends to make heads spin in those early days in terms of what he wants to drive through? terms of what he wants to drive throu~h? ~ , ., through? absolutely, and i think particularly _ through? absolutely, and i think particularly if- through? absolutely, and i think particularly if the - think particularly if the republicans also get control of the house, according to the numbers it looks like they are on course to do that, it will give donald trump the presidency, the senate and house of representatives and extraordinary power to push through his agenda. remember, we have had a pretty much dysfunctional gridlocked congress for years now and so you will see both an opportunity for donald trump

here, one that has not been enjoyed byjoe biden, to push through legislation, and at the same time an agenda that they have portrayed themselves as radical. what he is doing during that speech which we were listening to foray few moments is what one republican lawmaker described as a locker room speech, they want to push their day one priorities, that will be about immigration and that plan for the mass deportation of undocumented migrants in the united states, many millions of them, and in terms of foreign policy he has talked about ending foreign wars but reinstating a projection of american power in order to deter what they see as the united states�* adversaries around the world. a big programme of change. what they will be celebrating and you heard as he was talking about the numbers, he says the most important election in 129

years, the ways they want to do that and the people here they will need to do that with. briefly, there will be this election for the new senate majority leader for the republicans. tell me about that. certainly within donald trump as my camp, he clearly wants one of the three candidates. —— donald trump�*s camp. jid candidates. -- donald trump's cam, , ., . , candidates. -- donald trump's cam. , . . , . camp. jd vance is vice president-elect, - camp. jd vance is vice president-elect, he i camp. jd vance is vice l president-elect, he has camp. jd vance is vice - president-elect, he has shown president—elect, he has shown up president—elect, he has shown up as well as the speeches and the votes which will continue throughout the day. what we have seen characterise all his appointments, his choices and pics he wanted these preferential positions, is the fundamental characteristic of loyalty. we have seen that for example in some of the appointments he has made over the last few days, really rewarding people like susie wiles and stephen miller who

were key parts of his campaign, he believes run basically a very well coordinated and disciplined campaign and i think we will probably see him attempt to push the candidates again and his allies to do the same. we have had elon musk getting involved, who they think should be the congressional leaders for the republicans in that process too. ., ., . ., too. tom bateman in central washington. _ too. tom bateman in central washington, thanks - too. tom bateman in central washington, thanks very - too. tom bateman in central. washington, thanks very much for now. let�*s speak to edward luce, the financial times�* us national editor. thanks for being on the programme. you wrote a piece in today�*s financial times with the headline trump and his mandate for retribution. that is what you expect in the currentjo coming months? to is what you expect in the current jo coming months? to a va in: current jo coming months? to a varying degree- _ current jo coming months? to a varying degree. he _ currentjo coming months? trr —. varying degree. he campaigned very explicitly the basest campaign was to say i will be

your retribution to personify those in america who feel persecuted for one reason or another. with trump�*s level of persecution from the prosecutions from 2020. the appointment that matters the 1529 00:12:1