Photos show Americans taking to the streets in celebration of Joe Biden's victory

On Saturday, all major news outlets in the USA the AP, including Fox News, concurred that Joe Biden is the President-elect of the United States of America.

Immediately following the news, people in cities around America — from Atlanta to New York City and DC — flooded the streets, cheered from their balconies, embraced loved ones, and sang patriotic songs.

The wait is finally over: After four days of anxiously waiting to hear who the next US President will be, the win was called in favour of Joe Biden and his running partner Kamala Harris. Here is a list of some of our top stories to read:

Biden turns the page on Trump's most divisive of presidencies

President-elect Joe Biden who has cast himself as healer-in-chief inherits a nation both traumatised and spellbound by his White House predecessor Donald Trump.

He has channeled personal tragedy into a heart-on-his-sleeve compassion for everyday Americans, but President-elect Joe Biden faces the challenge of a lifetime as he inherits a nation both traumatized and spellbound by his White House predecessor.https://t.co/AxhKNDE7wF

— News24 (@News24) November 7, 2020

Kamala Harris: America's first woman vice president

By winning the vice presidency, Kamala Harris will be a heartbeat away from leading the United States and poised on a stepping stone to the ultimate prize.

Kamala Harris crashed through one of the world's highest glass ceilings on Saturday to be elected America's first woman vice president, making history and helping bring to an end Donald Trump's turbulent rule.https://t.co/WN42iaRhOJ

— News24 (@News24) November 7, 2020

Jill Biden: A chance to transform the role of first lady

Jill Biden is no stranger to the glare of the political spotlight. Her husband has been a Washington insider since they wed in 1977, and she was America's second lady for eight years.

He will be a President for all of our families. pic.twitter.com/iGPKLMMIcK

— Dr. Jill Biden (@DrBiden) November 7, 2020

Donald Trump rose to power proposing a simple solution to the United States' deepest problems: himself.

https://t.co/By0KBr5HQV | Donald Trump: the wrecking ball who came to 'fix' America https://t.co/xG3Zk8Mypy

— News24 (@News24) November 7, 2020

Chinese state media laughed at Trump after he falsely claimed US election victory

Chinese state media on Saturday laughed at US President Donald Trump after he falsely claimed he had won the US presidential election. "HaHa," tweeted the People's Daily, the state-owned and largest newspaper in China, attaching two laughing emoji.

HaHa?? https://t.co/hQcTFrxaRn

— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) November 7, 2020

From Lizzo to Viola Davis and more, celebrities celebrate with Biden and Harris

A wave of celebrations from A-list stars as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win 2020 US election https://t.co/xmshNJghh4 pic.twitter.com/K7Vz7rwmBl

— Channel24 (@Channel24) November 7, 2020

'Overjoyed' - Biden family, supporters celebrate at election HQ

Hundreds of Joe Biden supporters cheered and sounded car horns as they and members of the president-elect's family gathered at his election headquarters in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday ahead of a victory party.

Scores of Democrats descended on the Chase Center, where the next president of the United States will lead celebrations later.

Inside the adjacent Westin Hotel, Biden's family and campaign team expressed their delight at Biden rendering Donald Trump a one-term president.

"I'm overjoyed," Biden's younger brother Jim Biden told AFP.

A great day for America

Campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon said she had been on a run when her mother called to tell her that CNN had called the election for Biden.

"Ecstatic - a great day for this county," she told reporters, after walking through the hotel's lobby in a white Biden t-shirt.

Shortly before the long-awaited announcement, Biden's sister Valerie Biden Owens described the result as "wonderful."

"It's a wonderful thing for us but it's a better thing for America," she told reporters.

Symone Sanders, a senior advisor to Biden, said his team were "elated and excited".

"This is a win, frankly, for America," she told reporters.

Balloons, American flags and Biden-Harris placards

Outside the venue's perimeter fence, Biden fans waved balloons, American flags and held up Biden-Harris placards. They shared food and drink as they waited in hopes of catching a glimpse of Biden later.

The president-elect is due to take to the stage in the center's parking lot around 03:00 South African time.

Several hundred cars full of supporters are expected to attend the drive-in rally for an election victory party that will be unlike any other due to social distancing restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Fireworks and music are expected. Biden will be joined by his wife Jill, America's next vice president Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff.

A little over a mile away, in downtown Wilmington, locals expressed an outpouring of joy at the sleepy city's favorite son ascending to the highest office in the country.

"I'm happy, I wanted Trump out," said 31-year-old Kristina Moncada.

World leaders congratulate Biden and Harris on election win

Democrat Joe Biden captured the US presidency on Saturday, several major television networks said, as voters narrowly rebuffed Republican incumbent Donald Trump's tumultuous leadership and embraced Biden's promise to fight the coronavirus pandemic and fix the economy in a divided nation.

As crowds poured onto the streets of Washington and other cities in exuberant celebration and former US president Barack Obama hailed Biden's win as "decisive" and "historic", here are some of the first reactions from political figures across the globe:

South Africa calls for deepening bonds of friendship and cooperation

We congratulate President-Elect @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris and the American people on your election. We look forward to working with you and deepening our bonds of friendship and cooperation. pic.twitter.com/aajOxmL8KI

— Cyril Ramaphosa ???? #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) November 7, 2020

UK congratulates Biden and Harris, vows climate action

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated Joe Biden "on his election" as US president and Biden's running mate Kamala Harris "on her historic achievement".

"The US is our most important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security," Johnson tweeted, after US networks called the race for Biden over President Donald Trump.

In a statement, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "President Trump fought hard in what proved a close contest."

He anticipated working with the Biden administration on issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic, as Britain prepares to take over the G7 presidency next year and to host the UN's next global climate policy gathering, COP 26.

Biden has vowed to rejoin the UN's Paris Agreement on climate change after Trump abandoned it.

France's Macron congratulates Biden, ready to 'work together'

"We have a lot to do to overcome today's challenges. Let's work together!," French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted after major US media networks announced Biden's victory over incumbent Donald Trump.

Germany's Merkel congratulates Biden, Harris

"I look forward to future cooperation with President Biden," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a statement posted on Twitter. "Our transatlantic friendship is irreplaceable if we are to master the great challenges of our time."

Merkel, the first female leader of Germany, stressed that Harris would be her country's first elected female Vice-President.

Canada PM Trudeau congratulates Joe Biden on White House win

"I look forward to working with President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect (Kamala) Harris, their administration, and the United States Congress as we tackle the world's greatest challenges together," Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.

Trudeau has had a frequently stormy relationship with Trump, who once tweeted the Canadian leader was "very dishonest & weak" over a dispute on US tariffs.

The United States is Canada's largest trading partner, with US$1.8 billion flowing across the border each day.

Spain's Prime Minister Sanchez congratulates Joe Biden on Twitter

"The American people have chosen the 46th President of the United States. Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. We wish you good luck and all the best. We are looking forward to cooperating with you to tackle the challenges ahead of us," Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin

"I offer warmest congratulations to Joe Biden on his election as the 46th President of the United States. Ireland takes pride in Joe Biden's election, just as we are proud of all the generations of Irish women and Irish men and their ancestors whose toil and genius have enriched the diversity that powers America."

"Joe Biden has always been a stalwart friend and supporter of Ireland, including of the prosperity, stability and opportunity made possible by the Good Friday Agreement, to which he has pledged his ongoing steadfast support."

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis

"Congratulations to US President-Elect @JoeBiden. Joe Biden has been a true friend of Greece and I'm certain that under his presidency the relationship between our countries will grow even stronger."

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo tweeted: "Congratulations @JoeBiden with your election as 46th President of the United States. A record number of people have cast their vote in this election. This illustrates the vibrancy of the American political life and its democracy."

EU chiefs congratulate Biden, urge closer US ties

European Union leaders Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen hailed Joe Biden's election as president of the United States and called for stronger trans-Atlantic ties.

"We take note of the latest development in the electoral process," said Michel, president of the European Council, which represents the leaders of EU member states.

"On this basis the EU congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on reaching enough Electoral Votes."

- AFP and Reuters

Former US president Barack Obama says he could not be prouder to congratulate Joe Biden and Kamila Harris on their victory.

"In this election, under circumstances never experienced, Americans turned out in numbers never seen. And once every vote is counted, President-elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris wukk have won a historic and decisive vitory," he said in a statement.

“We’re fortunate that Joe’s got what it takes to be President and already carries himself that way. Because when he walks into the White House in January, he’ll face a series of extraordinary challenges no incoming President ever has – a raging pandemic, an unequal economy and justice system, a democracy at risk, and a climate in peril,” he continued.

Congratulations to my friends, @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris — our next President and Vice President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/febgqxUi1y

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 7, 2020

Where is Trump?

US President Donald Trump was seen golfing at his golf club in Virginia, as major news outlets called the election for his opponent, the former Vice President Joe Biden.

Trump seen golfing as major US networks declare victory for Biden | @BISouthAfrica https://t.co/OtDjXCFx7t pic.twitter.com/zEGx4F8eQD

— News24 (@News24) November 7, 2020

Trump's campaign issued a statement vowing that its legal fight is not over, and insisting Biden had not won.

"The simple fact is this election is far from over," the statement read in part. "Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor."

President-elect Joe Biden will address the USA at 20:00 Eastern time (03:00 in South Africa) in Wilmington Delaware, reports CNN, according to a statement from the Biden-Harris campaign.

This is the moment Kamala Harris called Joe Biden after getting news of the election win. "We did it. We did it Joe. You are going to be the next president of the United States," she said in a video clip posted to her Twitter account.

We did it, @JoeBiden. pic.twitter.com/oCgeylsjB4

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 7, 2020

This election was "about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it", tweeted Kamala Harris, who will be the US's first Black and South Asian vice president, and first woman to hold that office. She posted the same video as Biden to her Twitter account.

This election is about so much more than @JoeBiden or me. It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started.pic.twitter.com/Bb9JZpggLN

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 7, 2020

Four days after a bitterly contested presidential election, former vice president Joe Biden enters the White House on January 20 as the oldest person to assume the office at the age of 78.

"I will be a President for all Americans". These were the words in US President-elect Joe Biden's first tweet following news of his victory.

America, I’m honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country.

The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not.

I will keep the faith that you have placed in me. pic.twitter.com/moA9qhmjn8

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 7, 2020

Democrat Joe Biden elected 46th US president, defeating Republican Donald Trump – CNN

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has been elected US President, after what was a nail-biting battle for the White House against Republican opponent Donald Trump, according to vote counts tallied by CNN.

Biden clinched victory after Pennsylvania - the state where he was born - put him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win.

The former senator from Delaware could be sworn in on January 20, 2021 as the 46th president of the United States. His running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris, 56, would be the first woman to become vice president and the first of South Asian descent.

Trump’s reelection defeat makes him the 11th sitting president in US history to lose the White House in a general election campaign. The last president to lose a reelection bid was George H.W. Bush in 1992.

Trump falsely claimed victory in the election multiple times this week, and baselessly suggested that the contest is being stolen from him. The US president has provided no evidence to support his allegations of fraud but has mounted legal challenges in battleground states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia, to halt ballot processing.

Biden's campaign on Friday said that the US government is "perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House" in response to reports that Trump will not concede.

States have historically taken time after Election Day to tally all votes, although in most presidential elections the gap between candidates is big enough that television networks like CNN project the winner and the losing candidate concedes before counting formally ends.

The last time Americans waited this long for winner to be named was in 2000

Americans have been waiting longer than in any presidential election since 2000 to learn who The First Citizen will be in a contest that has dragged on for days.

Counting has been slowed by a record number of mail-in ballots as the Covid-19 pandemic prompted many to avoid voting in person on Tuesday's Election Day.

Four days after a bitterly contested presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, America on Saturday still awaited definitive results, with the Democratic former vice president on the brink of winning the White House.

Biden maintained his advantage going into Saturday, but television networks held off from declaring a winner because the margins are still close in the four states that will determine the election winner and votes are still being counted.

"The numbers tell us ... it's a clear and convincing story: We're going to win this race," Biden said late on Friday from his home state of Delaware, adding that he and his running mate Kamala Harris were already meeting with experts as they prepared to start their administration on January 20.

Trump, 74, has been defiant as his chances fade for securing a second four-year term. He has made repeated and unfounded claims of electoral fraud, including from the White House briefing room on Thursday night, while his campaign pursues lawsuits that legal experts say are unlikely to alter the election outcome.

Former Vice President Biden, 77, has a 253-to-213 lead in the state-by-state Electoral College vote that determines the winner.

- Reuters

Trump repeats unfounded claims of electoral fraud

US President Donald Trump blasted off a series of tweets, continuing his unsubstantiated allegations on Saturday morning.

He decried what he called tens of thousands of "illegally received" votes at 20:00 on Election Day, "totally and easily changing the results in Pennsylvania and certain other razor thin states".

Those tweets were flagged and masked by the messaging platform as containing potentially misleading content.

Trump, whose bid for reelection looked increasingly unlikely, showed no signs of conceding, and had several times prematurely named himself the winner, refusing to accept the data showing Biden poised for victory.

Trump's campaign has filed lawsuits around the country alleging fraud but made little headway, with no evidence produced to back up supposed ballot tampering or other significant incidents.

With thousands of votes still to count, it was not clear when the contest would conclude, though further updates were expected on Saturday.

Americans waited apprehensively for the final result.

- AFP and Reuters

With all eyes on the US presidential vote to find out if Donald Trump or Joe Biden will be the winner, have a look at previous concession speeches after US elections. 

How 4 US presidential candidates accepted defeat: A look at previous concession speeches.https://t.co/ynbxqt8YTW

— News24 (@News24) November 7, 2020

Fox News host Laura Ingraham advises Trump to accept defeat with 'grace and composure'

Fox News host Laura Ingraham advised US President Donald Trump on Friday to "accept defeat" with "grace and composure" in an extraordinary shift in messaging. 

Following Joe Biden's speech on Friday night, Ingraham went on Fox News to seemingly prepare her viewers for the likelihood that Trump might soon have to accept his election loss.

In a video of the segment, Ingraham said: "If and when it's time to accept an unfavourable outcome in this election, and we hope it never comes, President Trump needs to do it with the same grace and composure that he demonstrated at that town hall with Savannah Guthrie."

Laura Ingraham prepares her audience for the likely possibility that the President will lose the election pic.twitter.com/tG50EIHj60

— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) November 7, 2020

Although the popular vote does not determine the outcome, Democrat Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by 4.18 million votes nationwide out of a record 147 million cast.

He said Americans had given him a mandate to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, the struggling economy, climate change and systemic racism.

"They made it clear they want the country to come together, not continue to pull apart," said Biden, making his third bid for the White House in a political career spanning five decades.

Biden, who said he hoped to address Americans again on Saturday, said Trump's demands to stop the count would not work.

"Your vote will be counted. I don't care how hard people try to stop it. I will not let it happen," Biden said.

Trump gave no indication he was ready to give up.

"Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!" he wrote on Twitter.

A Trump adviser described the campaign's litigation strategy as chaotic and disorganised. Another Republican official said it was doubtful the lawsuits would yield a Trump victory.

"This race is over, and the only person who doesn't see it is Donald Trump," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

- Reuters

Here's where the race to 270 stands

Former Vice President Biden has a 253-to-213 lead in the state-by-state Electoral College vote that determines the winner.

He edged closer to victory when he took the lead on Friday in Pennsylvania, whose 20 electoral votes would put him over the 270 needed for victory.

In the early hours of Saturday, Biden's slim lead widened in Georgia, a typically Republican-leaning state, to put him ahead by 7 248 votes with the count 99% complete.

In Pennsylvania, he led by 28 833 votes with 96% of the vote complete, while in Nevada he led by 22 657 votes with 93% of the count complete.

In Arizona, Biden's lead narrowed to 29 861 votes with 97% of the tally completed. Trump's campaign has been optimistic that Arizona will end up in the president's column.

With thousands of votes still to count, it was not clear when the contest would conclude, though further updates are expected on Saturday.

Why the US media is not yet declaring Joe Biden president-elect

The New York Times says 'Biden edges closer to victory'. CNN's main headline is 'Biden nears victory, but counts continue'. And while the Associated Press (and Fox News) have called Arizona for Democrat Joe Biden, AP is still not declaring Biden president-elect "because neither candidate has secured the 270 electoral college votes needed for victory".

In previous elections, the US media used a combination of exit polls and real results to predict, call or declare the outcomes of presidential votes in states. But the complexity of the 2020 election, with mail-in ballots coupled with "real life" voting, and different counting regimes in every state, has forced the major media houses to play it safe. 

Although all the cable networks and major news websites are strongly suggesting a Biden victory, none of the major news brands have called a defeat for President Donald Trump, who is aggressively disputing the results and launching legal battles. Biden himself hasn't stated outrightly that he has won the election.

CNN's political director David Chalian has explained that the channel has a dedicated team of statistical analysts who are continuously processing incoming votes from the battleground states; Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and North Carolina. 

"All they do is, every single time vote comes in from one of these states, they plug it into their models and their formulas, trying to ascertain a very high level of confidence," in the results so that whoever is the number two person in these contests doesn't have a real possibility to overtake the number one person, Chalian explained on CNN.

A no-fly zone is in place over Joe Biden's home, and it's completely normal

The American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has restricted the airspace over Joe Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware.

Temporary flight restrictions (TFR) first went info effect Wednesday afternoon and were expected to last until at least Saturday. The restrictions were extended until next Wednesday by a new notice to airmen (NOTAM) that went out early Friday morning.

ICYMI | Does Trump’s America offer a warning about populist leaders and how to manage elections? 

In this week’s edition of News24’s Friday Briefing, editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson argues that Trump’s America offers a warning about populist leaders and how to manage elections. Our opinions editor, Vanessa Banton, spoke to three experts about the US election and what how we should  interpret them. And assistant editor: in-depth news Pieter du Toit looked at South Africa’s MAGAs who shaped their own Trumpian fan-base here.

Trump activists are turning to alternative social networks after Facebook bans

Pro-Trump activists have found a new online home to protest vote-counting less than 24 hours after Facebook shut down an organising group of more than 365,000 members for breaking its policies around inciting violence.

Thousands have flocked to such groups on MeWe, a social platform emphasising users' rights and privacy that anti-lockdown protesters turned to earlier this year after they were kicked off Facebook. Nearly a dozen "Stop the Steal" groups have popped up since Thursday on MeWe, Business Insider has found, filled with posts claiming voter fraud and organising state-by-state protests of election results.

ANALYSIS | US 2020 presidential poll: An election of game changers 

The Covid-19 pandemic and the collapse of the economy were game changers in the US presidential election, writes Theo Venter. 

White House Chief of Staff tests positive for Covid-19 

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who has frequently appeared at public events without wearing a mask, has been diagnosed with Covid-19, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters on Friday.

It was not immediately clear when or how he was infected.

Meadows regularly accompanied US President Donald Trump on the final frenzied days of the campaign rallies leading up to the presidential election on Tuesday.

Meadows, who was at a White House election night party attended by dozens of Trump loyalists, is the latest official within Trump's close circle to have contracted Covid-19, which has killed more than 230,000 Americans.

Trump, his wife Melania and son Barron all previously fought off the coronavirus infection, as has Trump's national security adviser Robert O'Brien.

- Reuters

Washington’s dirty little secret: Trump’s power is draining away

Even if Donald Trump fails to accept that he has lost the election and remains in the White House, the inauguration will take place, writes John Matisonn.

Image: Getty Images

Biden lead widens in US election, but no victory call yet

Democrat Joe Biden moved closer to winning the White House on Friday as he expanded his lead over President Donald Trump in battleground states, but television networks held off from declaring him the victor as officials continued to count votes.

Trump remained defiant, vowing to press unfounded claims of fraud as a weary, anxious nation waited for clarity in an election that only intensified the country's deep polarization. Republicans sought to raise $60 million to fund lawsuits challenging the results.

On the fourth day of vote counting, former Vice President Biden had a 253 to 214 lead in the state-by-state Electoral College vote that determines the winner, according to Edison Research.

Securing Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes would put Biden over the 270 he needs to win the presidency after a political career stretching back nearly five decades. Biden would also win if he prevails in two of the three other key states where he was narrowly ahead on Friday: Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.

Like Pennsylvania, all three were still processing ballots on Friday.

Biden had planned a victory speech for Friday night, anticipating that the race would be called in his favour, according to staffers. But with the vote counting dragging on, staffers and allies said he would give a scaled-back speech.

"You will likely hear an update on the race in which he'll convey his confidence in the system, his optimism about the ultimate outcome and his determination to lead a responsible path forward rather than some pronouncement that might make all of us feel better and allow us to go to sleep sooner," said Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a Biden ally.

- Reuters

Supreme Court denies immediate halt of Pennsylvania count

A US Supreme Court justice on Friday denied a request by Pennsylvania's Republicans to immediately halt the counting of ballots arriving after Election Day -- referring the challenge to the full court for a ruling on Saturday.

Samuel Alito ordered Pennsylvania in the meantime to continue keeping the late-arriving ballots separate, affirming a decision already made by the state's top elections official.

The last-ditch petition for an emergency injunction -- filed as Democrat Joe Biden solidified his lead and was poised to defeat President Donald Trump -- targeted thousands of ballots. Most are believed to favour Biden, and Republicans say they should be disqualified under Pennsylvania state law.

Is Rupert Murdoch dumping Trump? 

Fox News and the New York Post, magnate Rupert Murdoch's main media outlets, have started distancing themselves from Donald Trump as the US election vote counting drama drags on -- a first since the president came to power and a potential turning point.

On Thursday night in Phoenix, Arizona, supporters of Trump bluntly shouted "Fox News Sucks" in reference to the news outfit considered fiercely loyal to the president for the past five years.

Fox News infuriated Trump and his people on election night by calling Arizona for Democrat Joe Biden.

US daily Covid-19 cases hit record for third day, topping 127,000: Johns Hopkins

As the elections dominate the United States, the country set a third straight daily record for new Covid-19 infections, notching more than 127,000 cases, John Hopkins University reported Friday.

Meanwhile, the death toll over the past 24 hours was 1,149, the Baltimore-based university said. This is far below the levels of spring when the pandemic first hit, but it is still the fourth day in a row with more than 1,000 deaths -- a rate not seen since August.

As of Friday evening, the US - the worst hit country in the world in terms of deaths and total cases - had more than 236,000 coronavirus-related fatalities and 9.7 million known infections.

- AFP

When will the states that could tip the US election be done counting?

Democratic candidate Joe Biden's margins over Republican President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania and Georgia grew on Friday, as the vote counts in five battleground states trickled in.

To capture the White House, a candidate must amass at least 270 votes in the Electoral College. CNN has given Biden a 253-214 lead over Trump.

Here is the state of play in the five states (vote counts supplied by CNN).

PENNSYLVANIA (20 electoral votes)

Biden has a narrow lead with 96% of the estimated vote counted. Under Pennsylvania law, a recount is automatic if the margin of victory is less than or equal to 0.5 percentage point of the total vote.

There are still ballots to be counted in Philadelphia, the state's largest city, and Allegheny county, home to Pittsburgh, which started to report votes on Friday evening. The majority of ballots left in Philadelphia are provisional and military ballots, Pennsylvania's election commissioner said, adding the final count could take several days.

Friday is the last day that Pennsylvania can accept mail-in ballots postmarked on or before Election Day.

GEORGIA (16 electoral votes)

Biden leads Trump, with 99% of the estimated vote counted.

Trump needs both Pennsylvania and Georgia to win a second term. Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's secretary of state, said he expects the margin to be just a few thousand votes, which will likely trigger a recount. A recount must wait until Georgia's results are certified, expected on or before November 20.

About 9,000 military and overseas ballots are still outstanding and could be accepted if they arrive on Friday as long as they were postmarked Tuesday or earlier.

ARIZONA (11 electoral votes)

Biden is also leading Trump in Arizona with 94% of the expected vote tallied.

The state has about 250,000 to 270,000 ballots left to count and will give an update at around 4am (SA time), Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs told CNN earlier on Friday.

NEVADA (6 electoral votes)

Biden leads Trump with about 93% of the vote counted.

More votes are expected out of Clark county, which includes Las Vegas. The majority of mail-in ballots are expected to be counted by Sunday, according to local officials.

NORTH CAROLINA (15 electoral votes)

Trump leads Biden with about 98% of the estimated vote counted.

State officials have said a full result will not be known until next week. The state allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Tuesday to be counted if they are received by November 12.

ALASKA (3 electoral votes)

With only 47% of the votes counted, Trump is in the lead with 62.9% of the vote and is expected to win this state easily.

Joe Biden wins new set of ballot results in Pennsylvania by 4134 votes to 1076, as he increases his lead in the state to almost 20,000.

President Donald Trump on Friday told challenger Joe Biden not to "wrongfully claim" the White House as incomplete returns from the presidential election showed the Democrat close to an insurmountable lead.

"Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!" Trump tweeted.

Trump himself has repeatedly claimed that he won Tuesday's election, despite vote counts pointing strongly to him being made a one-term president.

- AFP

Joe Biden expands lead in Pennsylvania to 16,784 votes.

Joe Biden now leads in Arizona by 38,455.

Joe Biden expands lead in Nevada to 22,657 votes. 

JUST IN: Biden has expanded his lead in Georgia to 4,263 votes

Twitter flags 'president-elect Biden' posts as premature

Twitter on Friday flagged as premature posts referring to Joe Biden as "president-elect," as the vote count continued in the knife-edge US election with the Democrat leading Donald Trump in several key states.

Tweets referring to the former vice president with the victor's title and his running mate Kamala Harris as "vice president-elect" were tagged with messages saying counts were not yet final.

"Official sources may not have called the race when this was tweeted," read a Twitter message below a post from Democratic Coalition co-founder and podcaster Scott Dworkin using the two titles for Biden and Harris.

The notice came with a link to information about the status of the election.Twitter told AFP that the move was in line with its Civic Integrity Policy and in keeping with the position it has taken since the polls closed late Tuesday.

"We will label Tweets claiming victory that meet our criteria as both Pennsylvania and the presidential race overall have only been called by one source," a Twitter spokesman said."

Per our rules, until a second source makes this determination, claims of victory must cite a source that has made the call."

Democrat Joe Biden was on the verge of winning the White House after taking the lead in the potentially decisive state of Pennsylvania, as President Donald Trump showed no sign of being about to concede the bitterly contested race.

Trump's Republican Party moved to escalate the fight before the Supreme Court and the president himself vowed to challenge the results citing "illegal ballots" - while stopping short of repeating his incendiary claim that Democrats were trying to "steal" the vote.

Pennsylvania, and its 20 electoral votes, would be enough to vault the 77-year-old Biden past the magic number of 270 votes in the Electoral College, which determines the White House race.

In a sign of the confidence in the Democratic camp, Biden was planning an address to the nation Friday evening from his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware where a large open-air stage had been set up in preparation.

With 96 percent of the vote counted in Pennsylvania, Biden had opened up a 14,500-vote lead over the Republican incumbent, according to state election results.

Biden currently has at least 253 electoral votes and is leading in three other states - Arizona, Georgia and Nevada - where ballots from Tuesday's bitterly contested election continue to be counted.

JUST IN | Republicans ask US Supreme Court to halt counting of ballots entered after 3 November

CNN reports that Pennsylvania Republicans are asking the US Supreme Court to order the state to not take any action on any mail-in ballots received after Election Day, 3 November.

The Pennsylvania secretary of state has already ordered any ballots that arrive between Wednesday, 4 November, and Friday, 6 November, be segregated from those that arrived by Election Day, pending ongoing litigation, and the state GOP’s request simply asks the court to enforce that action as well as order that “no action” is taken on the ballots.