Representative Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat of California, secured 216 votes in a tight contest against Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the Republican leader, who received 209 votes.

Lawmakers of the 117th Congress met for the first time Sunday as they prepared to take the oath of office. In the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence led a ceremonial swearing in.

India's pharmaceutical regulator announced the approval for emergency use of two Covid-19 vaccines, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and another developed by Bharat Biotech in India.

At least 10 people were injured and 10 were missing after a landslide destroyed several homes in Gjerdrum, Norway, on Wednesday.

Countries across the European Union on Sunday began administering the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, signaling the official start of the bloc's campaign to inoculate more than 450 million people.

The authorities said Duke Webb, an active U.S. military member from Florida, was taken into custody and charged for the shooting that left three dead and three others wounded in Rockford, Ill.

Archaeologists working in the ruins of the former Roman city this month excavated a thermopolium, or snack bar, containing food that dates back to A.D. 79.

Representative Steny H. Hoyer, the Democratic majority leader, tried to get a stand-alone bill approved that would have provided $2,000 payments to Americans. Republicans rejected the move even though President Trump had proposed it.

Hundreds of dollars in direct payments may start going to American households as soon as next week after Congress overwhelmingly passed a $900 billion stimulus package.

Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, said on Sunday evening the stimulus package would include direct payments for Americans.