Barack Obama has awarded Vice President Joe Biden with America's highest civilian honour in an emotional surprise ceremony at the White House.
Mr Biden was reduced to tears as the president surprised him by announcing he would be awarding the 74-year-old the Presidential Medal of Freedom in his last days in office.
In remarks billed as a joint farewell to family, friends and staff before they leave the White House next week, Mr Obama described Mr Biden as "the finest vice-president we have ever seen" and a "lion of American history."
"So, Joe, for your faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country, and for your lifetime of service that will endure through the generations, I'd like to ask the military aid to join us on stage. For the final time as president, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honor, the presidential medal of freedom."
Mr Biden's jaw dropped, he rolled his head back and turned his face away from the audience to wipe away the tears.
After composing himself and receiving the medal, Mr Biden stepped up to the dais and looked around the room in search of his chief of staff - and fired him, in jest, for not giving him early warning.
"I had no inkling," Mr Biden said.
"Mr President, I'm indebted to you. I'm indebted to your friendship. I'm indebted to your family," he said.
.@POTUS awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to @VP: https://t.co/XK7uEUOuhq
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 12, 2017
US to end Cuban residency policy
Meanwhile, the Obama administration is ending a policy that granted residency to Cubans who arrived in the United States without visas, several congressional sources have said.
The change in the policy, known as "wet foot, dry foot," is effective immediately.
The Department of Homeland Security is also ending a policy for Cuban medical professionals, known as the parole program.
The policy change, which had been in the works for months, was made abruptly because advance warning might have inspired thousands more Cubans to take to the seas between the island and Florida in order to beat a deadline.
"Otherwise you'd put lives at risk," one congressional aide said.
The end of the "wet foot, dry foot" policy was first reported by the Associated Press, citing a senior administration official.
The US and Cuba have spent several months negotiating the change, including an agreement from Cuba to allow those turned away from the US to return, theofficial said, according to AP.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Mr Obama has been working to normalise relations with Cuba since he and President Raul Castro announced a breakthrough in diplomatic relations in December 2014.
The move to end the residency policy comes just eight days before Mr Obama turns the White House over to Republican Donald Trump, who has said the US should get more concessions from the Cuban leadership in exchange for improved relations.
