Biden officially secures enough electors to become US President

Joe Biden

California on Friday certified its presidential election on Friday and appointed 55 electors pledged to vote for Democrat Joe Biden, officially handing him the Electoral College majority needed to win the White House.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla's formal approval of Biden's win in the state brought his tally of pledged electors so far to 279, according to a tally by The Associated Press, crossing the threshold of 270 for victory.

These steps in the election are often ignored formalities. But the hidden mechanics of electing a US president have drawn new scrutiny this year as President Donald Trump continues to deny Biden's victory. Although Biden's presidential election victory has been evident, 270 electors is the first step toward the White House, said Edward B Foley, a law professor at Ohio State University.

Anthony Fauci accepts Biden's offer
Top US infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci said that he has accepted President-elect Joe Biden's offer to be his chief medical adviser. The confirmation came a day after Biden disclosed he has asked Fauci to be his chief medical adviser and part of his administration's COVID-19 response team. "I asked him to stay on the exact same role," Biden said.