Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday. His deputy, Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, also took oath as the new Vice President, becoming the first woman, Black person, and first Asian-American to serve in the position.
In his first remarks, Biden said, “Here we stand days after a riotous mob thought they could silence the will of the people. It will not happen, not today, not tomorrow, not ever.” He pledged to be honest with the country as it continues to confront difficulties, saying leaders had an obligation to “defend the truth and defeat the lies”.
Saying there was “no time to waste”, Biden signed a slew of orders to “change the course” of the Covid-19 pandemic, combat climate change and advance racial equity. Undoing Donald Trump’s legacy, he lifted the travel ban on 13 Muslim-majority and African countries; halted construction of the US-Mexico border wall; and directed officials to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), among other things.
Meanwhile, Biden disclosed that Trump had written him a “generous” letter before departing from Washington. “The president wrote a very generous letter. Because it was private, I won’t talk about it until I talk to him. But it was generous,” he said.
In his final address before leaving the White House, Trump had told the nation, “We love the American people and again it has been something very special. And I just want to say goodbye, but hopefully it’s not a long term goodbye. We’ll see each other again.”
Final preparations are made ahead of the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. (AP Photo: Carolyn Kaster)
The Democraticcontrolled Congress is moving quickly to install retired Gen Lloyd Austin as President Joe Bidens secretary of defense brushing aside concerns about his retirement inside the sevenyear window that safeguards civilian leadership of the military The House is voting Thursday on a waiver that would exempt Austin from the sevenyear rule
All signs point to quick action in the Senate after that putting Austin on track to be confirmed as secretary by weeks end Austin a 41year veteran of the Army has promised to surround himself with qualified civilians and include them in policy decisions He said he has spent nearly his entire life committed to the principle of civilian control over the military. AP
The president's poet woke up a superstar on Thursday, after a powerful reading at the US inauguration catapulted 22-year-old Amanda Gorman to the top of Amazon's best-seller list. Hours after Gorman's electric performance at the swearing-in of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, her two books - neither out yet - topped Amazon.com's sales list. (Reuters)
Kamala Harris made history when she was sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the US. She is the first woman to hold the country’s second-highest office. In her inaugural address, Harris referred to “American aspiration” and called on people to “do what is good, to unite, to believe in ourselves, believe in our country, believe in what we can do together.”
The transition period is now over, which means that Harris and the 46th President of the US, Joe Biden can resume their responsibilities in what is being called the tensest moments in American history. Click here to read more.
President Joe Biden will sign 10 executive orders on Thursday to fight the coronavirus pandemic, including directing that disaster funds be used to help reopen schools and requiring that people wear masks on planes and buses, news agency Reuters reported citing officials.
Biden, a Democrat who took over from Republican President Donald Trump on Wednesday, has promised a fierce fight against the pandemic that killed 400,000 people in the United States under Trump's watch.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States on Wednesday in a ceremony that was unlike any the country has witnessed before. Under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic and the recent siege on Capitol Hill, the ceremony took place under the watchful eye of nearly 250,000 National Guard soldiers and without the usual cheering crowds gathered along the National Mall. Click here to see some standout moments from the ceremony.
"Your continued faith in me has brought me to this moment," Vice-President Kamala Harris said, paying tribute to her Indian mother.
"My story is the story of millions of Americans. My mother Shyamala Gopalan arrived in the United States from India. She raised my sister Maya and me to know that though we may be the first, we should not be the last," Harris said at the Presidential Inaugural Committee's official Asian American inaugural ball on Wednesday. Read more here
With the departure of Donald Trump, Joe Biden has redone parts of the Oval Office. Now, there's a bust of Cesar Chavez, the labor leader and civil rights activist, on the desk behind him. There are also sculptures of civil rights icons Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks. A portrait of Benjamin Franklin hangs from a nearby wall. Biden has rolled out a dark blue rug to replace a lighter colored one that Trump had chosen.
The one thing the two presidents have in common: They will both use the Resolute Desk, which was built from oak used in the British Arctic exploration ship HMS Resolute, the AP reports.
Joe Biden's first call with a foreign leader as President will be to Canada's Justin Trudeau, the White House says. Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the call will be made Friday, and the two leaders would discuss bilateral issues amd Biden's decision to formally revoke the permit needed to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, reports Reuters. Read about the Keystone oil project here
As Donald Trump left Washington, China announced sanctions against "lying and cheating" outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and 27 other top officials of the Trump administration for having "planned, promoted and executed" moves that had interfered in its internal affairs.
The new Biden administration has reacted, saying, "Imposing these sanctions on Inauguration Day is seemingly an attempt to play to partisan divides. Americans of both parties should criticise this unproductive and cynical move. President Biden looks forward to working with leaders in both parties to position America to out-compete China." Read more here
As Vice-President, Kamala Harris plays an important and decisive role in the US Senate, which is currently divided 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats. Harris' tiebreaking vote will help push Joe Biden's proposed legislations on the pandemic, the economy, climate change and other policy matters.
In her first role as Vice President, Harris will swear-in three newly elected Democratic senators, two who were elected in the recently-held Georgia special election. Read more here
US President Joe Biden has disclosed that Donald Trump wrote him a “generous” letter before departing from Washington. “The president wrote a very generous letter. Because it was private, I won’t talk about it until I talk to him. But it was generous,” he told reporters.
President Joe Biden unleashed a full-scale assault on his predecessor’s legacy Wednesday, acting hours after taking the oath of office to sweep aside former President Donald Trump’s pandemic response, reverse his environmental agenda, tear down his anti-immigration policies, bolster the sluggish economic recovery and restore federal efforts aimed at promoting diversity.
Read here
Watching Kamala’s big day from Delhi: ‘Just keep doing what your mother taught you’
Sitting at his Malviya Nagar home in Delhi, Gopalan Balachandran had his schedule clear for the night ahead: he would tune into CNN at 10:30 pm to watch his niece Kamala Harris being sworn in as the first woman Vice-President of the United States. Speaking to The Indian Express hours before the historic ceremony, he said: “I would have loved to be at the inaugural. But I did not want to risk it at this point. I will only go to the US after I have been vaccinated (against Covid). My daughter Sharada, who is very close to Kamala, is present at the ceremony.” Read Full Report
Promising to “repair our alliances and engage with the world once again,” Joseph Biden, sworn in as the 46th President of the United States Wednesday, signalled he was turning a troubled page on the Trump era. For the establishment in New Delhi, along with Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu — who was attending the inaugural — the task is cut out. Sandhu’s predecessors in Washington, External Affairs minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, all are banking on their significant experience of dealing with Washington DC’s Beltway politics – and its key interlocutors. Read Full Report
President Joe Biden has spent a few of the first moments of his term at Arlington National Cemetery, honoring fallen veterans, with three former presidents and their families. The president and first lady Jill Biden, and newly sworn-in Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, presided over a wreathlaying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider on Wednesday.
After cannon fire rumbled in the distance, Biden saluted as a military band played the national anthem. Biden and Harris later briefly touched the wreath before bowing their heads in prayer. AP
Pope Francis told US. President Joe Biden on Wednesday that he was praying that God would guide his efforts to bring reconciliation in the United States and among the nations of the world.In a message sent shortly after the second Catholic U.S. president was sworn in, Francis also said he hoped Biden would work towards a society marked by true justice, freedom and respect for the rights and dignity of every person, especially the poor, the vulnerable and those with no voice.
"Under your leadership, may the American people continue to draw strength from the lofty political, ethical and religious values that have inspired the nation since its founding," Francis said."I likewise ask God, the source of all wisdom and truth, to guide your efforts to foster understanding, reconciliation and peace within the United States and among the nations of the world in order to advance the universal common good," he said. Reuters
Joe Biden became the 46th US president on Wednesday in a barricaded city, guarded by more than 25,000 troops and emptied of the spectators who usually throng to the quadrennial ritual. The unprecedented precautions, which fenced off much of downtown Washington, ensured that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took their oaths of office at 11:48 a.m. EST free of incident. Some right-wing extremist groups had vowed to disrupt Biden's inauguration in the wake of a Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol that left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer. Reuters
Shortly after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the US, the White House tweeted a video, titled, 'Today, the work begins'. 'It may seem like we've never been more separate from each other, but we can change that, because we are united by the love for this country and the desire to make it better,' the video said.
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1351941074806337546?s=20
In his second tweet shared since taking over the official President of the United States (@POTUS) Twitter handle, President Joe Biden wrote, "There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face. That's why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families."
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined world leaders in congratulating Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th US President.
Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulates Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau congratulates Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States.
Poet Amanda Gorman recited a powerful poem at the Biden-Harris inauguration ceremony. But who is Gorman? The 22-year-old is the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration in US history. Gorman suffered from speech impediment since childhood but that did stop her from finding her own voice. She refuses to view it as a weakness as well. Read about her here.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulates Joe Biden on becoming the 46th President of the United States.
President Biden vowed to make aments after four years of Trump's 'America First' approach. “We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterday’s challenges but today’s and tomorrow’s challenge," Joe Biden said.
"We'll lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. We'll be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security," he added.
The reigns of the official Twitter accounts for the President of the United States and Vice President of the United States have been handed over to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris soon after they were officially sworn-in at today's inauguration ceremony.
Joe Biden's wife Jill Biden and Kamala Harris' husband Dough Emhoff have also been given official Twitter handles. A new account, @secondgentlemen, has gone live for Emhoff.
US President Joe Biden warned of a "winter of peril" as he delivered his inaugural speech on Wednesday. "We’ll press forward with speed and urgency," he said. "We have much to do in this winter of peril and significant opportunities."
Under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic and the siege on Capitol Hill, Biden said that the country was facing historic challenges and few Americans "have found a time more challenging than the time we are in now."
Joe Biden: "I thank my predecessors of both parties for their presence here today. I thank them from the bottom of my heart... And I know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength, the strength of our nation, as does President Carter, who I spoke with last night, who cannot be with us today, but whom we salute for his lifetime in service."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Joe Biden on assuming office as the President of the United States, adding that he looks forward to working with him to strengthen India-US strategic partnership.
In a series of tweets, PM Modi said, "My warmest congratulations to @JoeBiden on his assumption of office as President of the United States of America. I look forward to working with him to strengthen India-US strategic partnership.
"My best wishes for a successful term in leading USA as we stand united and resilient in addressing common challenges and advancing global peace and security."
"The India-US partnership is based on shared values. We have a substantial and multifaceted bilateral agenda, growing economic engagement and vibrant people to people linkages. Committed to working with President @JoeBiden to take the India-US partnership to even greater heights."
Joe Biden received a standing ovation as he took the podium for his inaugural address as the 46th President of the United States. "We’ve learned again that democracy is precious,” he said. "And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed."
Joe Biden takes oath as the 46th President of the United States at the Capitol on Wednesday.
Joe Biden takes oath as the 46th president of the United States.
Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as her husband Doug Emhoff holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)
Lady Gaga sang the American National Anthem, 'The Star Spangled Banner', accompanied by the President's own United States Marine band, as President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony kicked off.
US President-elect Joe Biden fist bumps former President Barack Obama at the inauguration ceremony at Capitol.
US President-elect Joe Biden has arrived at the US Capitol, where he will be sworn by Chief Justice John Roberts as President of the United States within the next one hour.
Biden was seen fist-bumping former President Obama before he took his seat.
Eugene Goodman, the Capitol Police officer who led rioters away from the Senate chamber during the Capitol assault two weeks ago, escorts Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at the inaugural ceremony.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has arrived at the US Capitol for her swearing-in ceremony. Harris and her husband Doug met with thunderous applause as they took their seats for the historic event.
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
Former President Bill Clinton and his wife former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
The European Union’s top officials breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday that Joe Biden will be taking over as president of the United States, but they warned that the world has changed after four years of Donald Trump and that trans-Atlantic ties will be different in the future.
“This new dawn in America is the moment we’ve been awaiting for so long,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, hailing Biden’s arrival as “resounding proof that, once again after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House.' (AP)
Moments before she is officially sworn in as the first female, black and Indian American Vice President, Kamala Harris tweeted: "A new chapter begins today."
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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives at the U.S. Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, right, and his wife, former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, arrive at the East Front of the U.S. Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool Photo via AP)
Former Secretary of State John Kerry arrives for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
Former Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Cindy McCain, right, arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
India's Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu is present at the US Capitol for the 59th Presidential Inauguration. The Indian Embassy earlier shared pictures of Sandhu at the event.
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President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have arrived at the US Captiol, where they will be sworn in later today. They were joined by future first lady and second gentlemen Dr Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff.
The US Supreme Court is being evacuated following a bomb threat, an official has told CNN. The presence of National Guard soldiers was increased in the last few moments, CNN reported.
The Supreme Court is merely across the street from the US Capitol, where President-elect Biden will be sworn in today.
Former US Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W Bush have arrived for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' swearing in ceremony. They were joined by former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, as well as Hillary Clinton, who unsuccesfully ran against President Donald Trump in 2016.
A worker vacuums as preparations are made ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Tasos Katopodis/Pool Photo via AP)
Chairs are socially distanced before the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street bringing major indexes to the cusp of more record highs. The SP 500 added 06 in the early going Wednesday.
Traders are hopeful that President-elect Joe Biden, who is getting sworn into office today noon, will follow through on his pledge to provide a massive dose of support for the economy which is still reeling from joblessness and business closures because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Netflix soared after reporting that it passed 200 million subscribers and would no longer need to borrow money to help finance its programming. (AP)
Ahead of the presidential inauguration ceremony, former President Barack Obama congratulated his former running mate and Vice President Joe Biden. 'Congratulations to my friend, President @JoeBiden! This is your time,' Obama tweeted.
Security is set up along Pennsylvania Avenue before the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, January 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President-elect Joe Biden's administration has asked US Surgeon General Dr Jerome Adams to step down from his post. Biden is expected to soon select an acting Surgeon General while his pick, Dr. Vivek Murthy, undergoes Senate confirmation proceedings, the Washington Post reported.
"I hope in 2021 and beyond, we can focus more on what unites us, and rise above what divides us. Because Americans working together can overcome any obstacle or adversary. I stand at the ready to help in our mutual quest for recovery, resilience, and health, and thank you from the bottom of my heart, for the opportunity to serve," Dr Adams wrote in a statement.
As seen from the West Front of the US Capitol, preparations are made before the 59th Presidential Inauguration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)
Ever since there came a surge in her popularity, people took notice of vice president-elect of the United States Kamala Harris’ fashion choices — of the subtleties and the statements she has made and continues to make with her ensembles. To celebrate her victory, thousands of her supporters will be sporting her signature pearls and Converse Shoes at the inauguration ceremony.
Besides planning to emulate her style, the group has formed a Facebook page ‘Chucks and Pearls Day, January 20th, 2021‘, which currently has over 85,335 members. Read the report here.
Moments after Donald Trump exited the White House for the last time as President and boarded the Florida-bound Airforce One, President-elect Joe Biden tweeted: 'It’s a new day in America.'
As Trump boarded the Airforce One at the Joint Base Andrews military facility for the final time as US President, Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' blared through the loudspeakers. The President is currently on his way to Florida, where he will settle into civilian life at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
While Donald Trump did not call Biden as has been the tradition, CNN reports that he may have left a letter for the incoming president on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. However, the content of the note is still not clear.
"The President left a note for President-elect Biden," Trump's Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere confirmed.
US President-elect Joe Biden arrived at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington D.C. along with a number of Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders ahead of the inauguration ceremony. President-elect Biden now at Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle with bipartisan leaders of House and Senate— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 20, 2021