LIVE: President-elect Biden brands US Capitol violence 'insurrection'

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Latest LIVE news updates: Police in the US Capitol on Wednesday responded with drawn guns and tear gas on Wednesday as swarms of protesters stormed in and sought to force Congress to undo President Donald Trump's election loss shortly after some of Trump's fellow Republicans launched a last-ditch effort to throw out the results.

Governments Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have reported cases on bird flu till now, Minister of State (MoS) for Agriculture and Food Processing, Sanjeev Balyan said on Wednesday. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Tuesday directed all states and Union Territories (UTs) to take all possible steps for containing the spread of the disease.

The Nikkei/IHS Markit Services Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 52.3 in December from November's 53.7 but held above the 50-mark separating growth from contraction for a third straight month.

Stay tuned for the latest news of the day.

4:55 AM

George Bush says US Capitol "insurrection" reminiscent of "banana republic"

4:54 AM

Insurrection, incited by the President of the United States, says Mitt Romney

4:53 AM

US Capitol: Woman who was shot inside the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon dies

4:46 AM

Trump continues to make election fraud claims, asks his supporters to go home

4:15 AM

Trump supporters clash with police

4:00 AM

Unprecedented images from US Capitol

3:44 AM

Explosive device found near Capitol amid protest

At least one explosive device has been found near the U.S. Capitol amid a violent occupation of the building by supporters of President Donald Trump.
 

Law enforcement officials said the device was no longer a threat Wednesday afternoon.
 

Thousands of supporters of the president occupied the Capitol complex as lawmakers were beginning to tally the electoral votes that will formalize President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
 

Vice President Mike Pence has called on protesters to leave the Capitol immediately, going further than Trump, who merely called for his supporters to “remain peaceful.” 

Photo tweeted by Issam Ahmed

3:40 AM

Twitter says it will limit reach of tweets stoking US Capitol unrest (AFP)

3:39 AM

Biden calls on mob to ''pull back,'' urges restoring decency

President-elect Joe Biden called Wednesday for the restoration of “just simple decency” as a mob incited by his predecessor stormed the US Capitol and delayed Congress from certifying the results of November's election in which Biden won the White House.
 

Biden had planned to deliver a speech focused on how to revive an economy and provide financial relief for small business owners reeling from the coronavirus pandemic from his native Delaware.
 

But shortly before he was to begin speaking, demonstrators broke into the capital, reaching as far as the House floor. The building was locked down and police with guns drawn moved in as Vice President Mike Pence and lawmakers were evacuated to secure locations. National Guard troops were deployed and a citywide curfew called for shortly after dusk, as rioters continued to occupy the capital for hours.
 

“At this hour our democracy is under unprecedented assault unlike anything we've seen in modern times,” Biden said, adding that what unfolded was, “an assault on the rule of law like few times we have ever seen it.” He said the uprising bordered on sedition, adding, "The scenes of chaos at the capitol do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are.” “I call on this mob to pull back and allow democracy to go forward,” Biden said. “At their best the words of a president can inspire, at their worst they can incite.” Biden also called on Trump to “go on national television now” to “demand an end to this siege."
 

3:39 AM

At least 1 explosive device found near US Capitol; law enforcement officials say it's no longer a threat. (AP)

At least 1 explosive device found near US Capitol; law enforcement officials say it's no longer a threat. (AP)

3:38 AM

Trump supporters storm US Capitol, clash with police: Biden says 'dark moment' in US history

In an unprecedented attack on democracy, thousands of angry supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol and clashed with police, resulting in multiple injuries and forcing a delay in the constitutional process to affirm Joe Biden's victory in the November presidential election.
 

The police, outnumbered by the protesters, had a tough time in managing the crowd, as hundreds of protesters made their way into the US Capitol, where members of the US Congress were going through the process of counting and certifying the Electoral College votes. Both the House and Senate and the entire Capitol were placed under a lockdown.
 

Members of the US Congress were asked to get hold of the gas masks under their seats as the police resorted to tear gas to disperse protestors.

Multiple officers have been injured with at least one transported to the hospital, CNN reported, citing multiple sources.
 

President Trump has called for his supporters to "remain peaceful".
 

"I am asking for everyone at the US Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!" Trump said in a tweet.
 

"Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!" Trump said in another tweet.

President-elect Biden said he was shocked and sad to see the US "come to such a dark moment".
 

"At this hour, our democracy's under unprecedented assault. Unlike anything we've seen in modern times. An assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol itself. An assault on the people's representatives and the Capitol Hill police, sworn to protect them. And the public servants who work at the heart of our Republic... ," Biden said in an address to the nation.
 

"Let me be very clear. The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America. Do not represent who we are. What we're seeing are a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It's disorder. It's chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now," Biden said.
 

3:37 AM

Ossoff wins Ga. Senate seat, gives Dems control

Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff has won his Senate runoff election. His victory gives Democrats control of the Senate for the opening of Democrat Joe Biden's presidency. Democrats needed to win both of Georgia's Senate runoff elections on Tuesday to claim the Senate majority.
 

The 33-year-old Ossoff defeated 71-year-old Republican David Perdue, who held the seat for the past six years and had the strong support of President Donald Trump.
 

Trump had called on Georgia Republicans to swarm to the polls for the Republican Senate candidates even as he warned, without evidence, of the prospect of widespread voter fraud.
 

Biden held his own rally Monday to urge his coalition to turn out for Ossoff, a former congressional aide and journalist.
 

In the other race, the Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler.
 

With the two Democratic victories, the Senate will have a 50-50 seat split between the parties. But the vice president casts tie-breaking votes, and that will be Democrat Kamala Harris.
 

Democrats already control the House, and adding the Senate will make it more difficult for Republicans to block Biden's agenda, along with his Cabinet picks and judicial nominations.
 

3:36 AM

Trump slams Vice President Pence for declining to illegally overturn election results

Outgoing US President Donald Trump has slammed his deputy Mike Pence for declining to illegally overthrow the results of the November 3 election won by Joe Biden, saying he lacks courage.
 

Trump's remarks came after Vice President Pence presided over a Joint Session of the Congress to count and certify the election results.
 

The session was interrupted when a violent pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol, forcing a lockdown and Pence's evacuation from the building. Trump said Pence “lacks courage”.
 

“Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!” Trump said.
 

Trump has refused to concede and has worked over the last two months to convince his supporters that widespread voter fraud prevented his victory. Pence on Wednesday publicly broke with President Donald Trump, the boss he's served obsequiously for four years, saying he cannot submit to Trump's demands.
 

Pence in a letter to lawmakers said he had no "unilateral authority to decide presidential contests" and could not change the results of the election.
 

"It is my considered judgement that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not," he wrote.
 

2:48 AM

Biden denounces "unprecedented assault" on US democracy

2:41 AM

US President-elect Joe Biden addresses nation

Biden demands Trump to appear on television and tell his supporters to stop rioting.