Senate Certifies Joe Biden as President - Live Updates

3:45 AM - Senate finally certifies Joe Biden as president.

Congress has just confirmed President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over President Trump.

The Senate and House rejected objections to erase Georgia and Pennsylvania's electoral votes for Biden.

11:00 - Senate and House vote down Arizona objection.

Legislators voted 93-6 against the effort to reject Arizona's electoral count in the senate, overcoming the first hurdle in ratifying the November 3 election. 

It was voted down in the House by a vote of 303 vs 121.

9:45 - Members of Trump staff resign in the aftermath of the Capitol takeover.

Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews and White House social secretary Rickie Niceta resigned tonight, as ABC and Fox reported. More departures are expected in the following days as the call for impeachment, promoted by democrat lawmaker Ilhan Omar, spreads among Congress members.

7:55 - Mike Pence returns to the Senate as lawmakers get ready to resume the certification process.

The Press Secretary for U.S. vice-president announced on Twitter that Mike Pence is back at the Senate and he never left the building. Twitter suspended Donald Trump's account for 12 hours and threatened to eliminate it if he continues to promote violence.

The Majority Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives, James E. Clyburn, assured via Twitter that the Congress would continue the electoral college votes' certification process tonight. This as the electoral college certificates confirming Biden's victory were transported to the Senate chamber.

6:25 EST - Trump justifies supporters' violence.

President Donald Trump has justified the violence carried out by his supporters in another tweet that was also flagged in the social media. Trump branded the demonstrators as "patriots."

As the curfew comes into effect, a woman who was shot at the storm has died in hospital, as reported by NBC. The Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared the State of Emergency as violence escalates.

5:55 EST - The National Guard clears demonstrators from the Capitol grounds.

Law enforcement officers have cleared the Capitol grounds by deploying tear gas and three flashbangs in the area as the demonstrators destroyed press equipment. The office of the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was vandalized. The authorities ordered a curfew after 6:00 pm EST.

5:35 EST - Venezuela condemns the violence and political polarization that led to the US Capitol storm.

The Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza shared a statement highlighting that the Venezuelan government "hopes that the American people can open a new path towards stability and social justice."

   

5:00 EST - Democrats take control of the senate, assuring a majority in both houses of Congress.

4:40 EST - The National Guard is deployed in Washington DC to tackle violence.

The DC National Guard has been mobilized as the Department of Justice confirmed it would lead the law enforcement response. Donald Trump sent a message via Twitter saying the election was stolen from him and asking his supporters "to go home." Twitter Inc. has flagged the message with the text: "This claim of election fraud is disputed, and this tweet can't be replied to, retweeted or liked because of a risk of violence."

4:30 EST - President-elect Biden addresses the nation and brands the attacks as unprecedented.

"I call on this mob to pull back and allow the work of democracy to move forward," Biden says. The president-elect urges people to work together to restore peace. "President Trump step up," Biden remarks. Biden also commented that he is not concerned about his safety on the inauguration day on January 20th.

4:15 EST - Nancy Pelosi demands Trump to ask protesters to leave the Capitol immediately.

The House Speaker issued a statement alongside New York's senator Chuck Summer demanding that demonstrators immediately leave the Capitol grounds.

3:35 EST - Fox reports one person shot in Capitol building

A woman covered in blood was wheeled out of the capitol in a stretcher. Lawmakers have been evacuated as demonstrators entered the House Chamber.