People in a tiny Indian village surrounded by rice paddies have flocked to a Hindu temple, burst crackers and uttered prayers in celebration. Locals lit diyas at native village of Kamala Harris' mother in Thulasendrapuram on the day of her swearing-in ceremony for US Vice Presidential post. They watched on television as village descendant Kamala Harris took the oath to become US vice president. Harris' maternal grandfather was born in the village near the southern coastal city of Chennai. Harris, who is also Black, has often talked about her South Asian roots. Harris entered her new office bui

Kamala Harris has been sworn in as the nation's first female vice-president. The former U.S. senator from California is also the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency and becomes the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in government. She was sworn in Wednesday by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court. Vice-President Mike Pence, standing in for President Donald Trump, was sitting nearby as Lady Gaga sang the national anthem accompanied by the U.S. Marine Corps band. Multiple glass ceilings shattered in W

Joe Biden has officially become the 46th president of the United States. Biden took the oath of office just before noon Wednesday during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. The presidential oath was administered by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. President Joe Biden says ``democracy has prevailed'' in a country reeling amid a pandemic and a violent melee two weeks ago at the U.S. Capitol. In his first remarks as president, Biden said Wednesday that his swearing-in marks a day of ``history and hope.'' Biden said in his inaugural address that the country has ``learned again that dem

Before he boarded Air Force One this morning for Florida, Donald Trump claimed his administration laid the foundation for the incoming one.He did not mention Joe Biden by name, but told a small crowd of family members and supporters that he thinks the new administration has the foundation to do something really spectacular.He made brief farewell remarks at Maryland's Joint Base Andrews before he boarded Air Force One for a flight to his Florida home.Trump said he'll be watching from a distance and promised he will be back -- quote -- ``in some form.''He did follow one presidential tradition a

US president-elect Joe Biden says Delaware gave his family a chance. Before leaving for Washington, DC, Biden spoke at an event at the National Guard headquarters in Delaware named for his late son, Beau, who died of cancer. At one point Biden choked with emotion. Biden will spend the night at the president's official guest house, before moving into the White House after he is sworn in tomorrow. Trump has given one last recorded address before he leaves office tomorrow US President Donald Trump has given one last recorded address before he leaves office tomorrow, but still without actually c

A year after COVID-19 was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the global death toll has topped two-million. Johns Hopkins University says the count ticked over today. The US has the highest death toll at 390 thousand. Many health experts are predicting another year of loss and hardship in places like Iran, India, Mexico and Brazil. These four countries accounting for about a quarter of the world's deaths. Also Friday, the WHO's Emergencies Committee issued new recommendations that countries should not require proof of vaccination by incoming travellers amid the pandemic, saying decis

A majority of members of the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to impeach President Donald Trump on a single count of inciting an insurrection. The historic vote, which included 10 Republicans voting in favour with a handful of votes still outstanding, makes Trump the first president in American history to be impeached a second time. It may also be the swiftest such proceeding in the history of Congress, coming just one week after a horde of angry Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill. Several Republicans, including third-ranking House Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, voted with their Democr

The US has posted another record-breaking single-day death toll from COVID-19. More than 4,300 people died from the virus over the previous day, as the push continues to vaccinate Americans. Many large companies aren't going to mandate a shot. But Dollar General, which employs 157,000 people, is going to provide employees who get vaccinated with four hours of pay. Most of its workers are in small towns or rural areas, and the company's CEO says it's important to bring the vaccine to rural America.

US president-elect Joe Biden has received his second dose of the coronavirus vaccine. It comes three weeks after the 78 year old got his first dose with television cameras rolling in an attempt to reassure the American public. Biden got his first dose of vaccine in December last year. Speaking in Newark, Delaware, Biden says too many people are losing their lives to COVID-19. Biden says his top priority is "getting vaccines in people's arms" as quickly as possible.