US Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) is embraced by colleagues on the floor of the House of Representatives, moments after the House voted to raise the US borrowing limit, in this still image taken from video. Giffords returned to the House floor for the first time since she was shot in the head in January, receiving a thunderous ovation from Democrats and Republicans alike. Giffords, a Democrat who has not been to Washington since the shooting at a political event in her home state of Arizona, returned to vote in favour of a bill to raise the US debt ceiling and avoid default.

Credit : REUTERS