INTEL CHIEF 1ST NOMINEE TO GET SENATE NOD

Washington, Jan. 21: The US Senate voted Wednesday to confirm former CIA official Avril Haines as director of national intelligence, making her the first member of newlyinaugurated President Joe Biden's Cabinet to gain approval.

Senate Democrats and Republicans gave strong support to Haines, voting 84-10 to make her the first woman ever to lead the 18 entities of the US intelligence community.

Biden and the Senate are moving quickly to get key members of his government in place, with votes expected in the coming days on the secretaries of defence, state and the Treasury.

Biden, sworn in Wednesday as successor to Donald Trump, has pledged to hit the ground running to deal with several major challenges.

But until the Senate approves his nominees, government departments will be led by acting secretaries and directors, keeping a brake on some of his administration's momentum.

Haines, 51, is a veteran of the intelligence world, having served as deputy CIA director and deputy national security advisor in the previous Obama-Biden administration.