Image source, Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is calling the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris a "step forward" for the United States which has "been through a bumpy period".

Congratulating the newly sworn in leaders, Johnson said it was a "big moment" for the UK and the US who have a "joint common agenda".

In the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference, he said the UK hopes to work with the US on climate change, among other issues.

In recent years, Mr Johnson was sometimes criticised in the UK for being too close to Mr Trump.

After Mr Trump's victory in the US election in 2016, then Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson said there was a "lot to be positive about".

And while running for the Conservative leadership in 2019, he said the president had "many good qualities".

Tara McKelvey
BBC News, Washington

The streets around the White House are almost entirely empty, except for secret service, National Guard and military trucks.

One Biden supporter, Cheryle Thornabar, 63, of Burlington, New Jersey, says she spent much of her life in the military but even she was taken aback.

She served 24 years in the Air Force, working in logistics, and still was surprised by the security presence: “This is probably the most military I’ve seen on American soil in my lifetime. It is a bit concerning. But I guess you never know.”

Her daughter, Tiffany, 34, says that it remains a day to celebrate, military vehicles and all. She is here, she says, ”to witness a change”.

Joshua Cheetham
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Inaugural speeches are a cornerstone of American political culture, and a way for incoming governments to set the tone for their terms.

But they don’t always go to plan, as Andrew Johnson discovered in 1865, the year he became Abraham Lincoln’s VP.

The night before his inauguration, Johnson had been drinking at a party held in his honour - and the drinks continued the next morning. Some historians say he’d been prescribed alcohol to treat a bout of typhoid. Others suggest his morning whiskey was an attempt at tackling a hangover.

Whatever the reason, “he probably drank more than he should have,” says historian Jim Bendat.

“When he got up there to give his speech, he was rip-roaring drunk,” adds Mr Bendat.

Johnson slurred his way through the ceremony - and had to be reminded about the name of one Cabinet member as he called them all out.

And it didn’t stop there: Johnson was so intoxicated he was unable to administer the oath of office to all the newly elected senators. That job fell to a Senate clerk instead.

“It was a very, in some ways, amusing time but in other ways not a really great look for the country,” says Mr Bendat.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Vice-President Mike Pence and current Vice-President Kamala Harris, and their spouses, stopped to speak for a moment on the Capitol steps.

As the Pences were about to depart, the couples were seen sharing a laugh.

Since former President Trump broke tradition by refusing to attend Biden's inauguration - a move historically done by outgoing presidents to signal a peaceful transfer of power - the Pences represented the outgoing administration.

This comes after a tense last few weeks, beginning with Pence refusing to overturn the electoral college results in favour of Trump and culminating in the attack on the US Capitol, where Pence was in attendance.

This picture - and this moment - will not be forgotten.

Angelica Casas
BBC News, Texas

It’s an historic day not only for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, but for Latinos in the US as well.

At the inauguration ceremony today, Harris took her oath of office from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina judge on the US Supreme Court.

“El Biden” or “Amigo Biden” is what Latino households in the US have nicknamed the new president.

His name has, of course, become more common now than during his vice presidency.

But this election was a wake up call - for Biden and the Democratic Party.

While he won the Latino vote, support for Trump increased from the 2016 election.

The Latinos who voted for Biden are ready to hold him accountable to his promises - especially on issues such as the economy and jobs, immigration and education.

Mark Savage
Music reporter, BBC News

Image source, Reuters

With the exception of Ronald Reagan, country star Garth Brooks has played for every US president since Jimmy Carter.

Today, he added Joseph Biden to that list.

His emotional, a-capella rendition of Amazing Grace earlier offered a moment of sombre reflection after Biden's inaugural speech.

The musician, a staunch Republican, had joked before the ceremony that he "might be the only Republican at this place... But it’s about reaching across and loving one another."

He provided a moment of unity at the end of his performance, asking everyone at the Capitol, but also at home and at work, to join him for the final verse.

Reality Check

In his inaugural address President Biden said that Covid-19 had "taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War Two”.

The US has recorded 402,400 Covid deaths so far, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University - the highest figure in the world.

Nobody knows exactly how many Americans died in World War Two, but it’s estimated there were around 407,000 US military deaths - a total which is likely to be surpassed by Covid deaths in the next week.

Covid-related deaths have hit record highs recently in the US - more than 3,000 have died a day on average over the last week.

Daily cases also hit record levels in early January. They have since dropped off, but have remained around 200,000 per day on average over the last week.

There are almost 124,000 people in hospital across the US - double the number in either of the two previous waves the country has experienced.

A lot has happened in the past few hours, so here's a quick recap.

• Trump, the first president to snub his successor's inauguration since 1869, departed from the White House for his Florida home hours before his term officially ended
• Harris was sworn in as the first ever female vice-president moments before Biden was sworn in as the 46th US president
• In his inaugural speech, Biden called for American "unity" and an end to the "uncivil war" between Democrats and Republicans
• Multiple speakers condemned the violence at the Capitol, exactly two weeks ago, that was waged by a pro-Trump mob

Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin: “Today a true friend of Ireland, Joe Biden, became the 46th president of the USA. As he said in his speech, it is a day of history and hope and I look forward to forging ever closer ties between our two great nations. Also, a historic day as Kamala Harris is sworn in as the first woman vice-president of the USA. I wish her and President Biden every success in meeting the challenges ahead.”

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte: “This is a great day for democracy, reaching far beyond the American borders."

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas: "Now it is time to seek common ground - the new US administration has already indicated a return to the WHO and Paris Agreement. We will not always agree with each other but we will never give up working on solutions."

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis: “It is with a sense of renewed optimism that we look forward to further strengthening the bonds and friendship between our two nations.”

President of the European People’s Party Donald Tusk: “We get to breathe fresh air again. Good luck Joe and Kamala!”

Laura Trevelyan
BBC World News America presenter

Kamala Harris is wearing a pearl necklace today - and so too are thousands of women across America, honoring the first woman ever to be elected to this position by celebrating her liking for pearls.

But there is a deeper significance too.

Kamala Harris was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Howard University, one of America’s most prominent historically black colleges. Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha are known as pearls, and pearls are the emblem of the sorority.

When Kamala Harris accepted the nomination for vice presidential candidate back in August she said that family is my beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha.

So the pearl necklace has a special symbolism to black sorority members, who are watching the ascent of Kamala Harris with pride.

Mark Savage
Music reporter, BBC News

Image source, Reuters

Jennifer Lopez also performed during the ceremony, just ahead of Biden's oath.

Lopez, who starred at last year's Super Bowl half-time show, is one of the best-known Latin-American stars in the US.

She sang a medley of This Land is Your Land and America the Beautiful - addressing the crowd in Spanish part way through her performance, declaring: "Una nación indivisible con libertad y justicia para todos" (one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all).

Somehow, she also managed to squeeze a line of her 1999 club smash, Let's Get Loud, into the performance - which was either a passionate demand for people to speak out against injustice or an exceptional piece of marketing, depending on your point of view.

Yesterday, the singer posted a video of herself , externalwith a few of the estimated 25,000 troops who are in Washington DC to secure the inauguration, together with the words: "Tomorrow I sing for you and all Americans."

Jon Sopel
BBC North America Editor

In that speech Joe Biden was walking a tightrope.

He wanted to repudiate Donald Trump and Donald Trumpism - but he didn’t mention his name once. He was instead reaching out to Trump’s supporters, telling them that he’ll be governing for all Americans.

He said he wants to end this "uncivil war".

But look at what President Biden has to deal with as he enters the White House.

And he has to deal with all these massive problems in a country that is bitterly divided and where even what’s true and what’s a lie is contested.

How does he bring the nation together?

He is, of course, accompanied by his wife Jill as he walks through the Capitol.

Close behind them are Vice-President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff.

Image source, Getty Images

"We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it," said poet Amanda Gorman earlier.

"Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.

"And this effort very nearly succeeded.

"But while democracy can be periodically delayed

"It can never be permanently defeated."

Joe Biden is now the 46th president of the United States.

Watch the moment earlier when he said his oath of office:

This moment has been a long time coming for America's 46th president.

The 78-year-old first walked into the Capitol as a senator from Delaware in 1972.

Joe Biden unsuccessfully ran for president twice - in 1987 and 2008 - before becoming Barack Obama's vice-president.

Even during this latest campaign, there were moments early on when it seemed he might not become the Democratic nominee.

Learn more about the new US president.

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America reporter

Joe Biden wrapped up his inaugural address warning that America must not “turn inward” - both as individuals retreating into their “competing factions” and as a nation on the world stage.

“We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again,” he said.

Biden pledged to give the effort to rebuild and repair the US his full attention.

He noted, rightfully, that he - and the rest of America - “will be judged by how we resolve these cascading crises of our era”.

Image source, Getty Images

The benediction is now being delivered by Rev Silvester Beaman, who is from Joe Biden's home state of Delaware.

Beaman, who has known the new president for 28 years and knew his late son Beau, told NBC News earlier this week that he was "honoured" to take part in the ceremony.

"I will be standing in front of a building that slaves built and I will be standing at a podium that a mob desecrated," he told the network, external. "The last word that day will be the voice of God."

Image source, Sellers

We checked in with A'Kayla before Kamala Harris took the oath of office to become vice president. Here's what she had to say about seeing her be sworn in:

"I'm not ordinarily an emotional person, but seeing her take the oath struck a nerve. It sent chills down my spine. Seeing her up there sets a new paradigm for the new normal and brings a new first Second Gentleman too. She's a symbol of hope for young women of colour like myself. She's opening doors and creating opportunities that many don't even understand yet. I'm feeling thankful and hopeful for the future!"

We're hearing now from Amanda Gorman, 22, who has become the youngest poet ever to perform at an inauguration.

Gorman, who was the country's first national youth poet laureate in 2017, followed in the footsteps of famous names such as Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.

Her poem, The Hill We Climb, referenced the Capitol riot earlier this month, but also underlined the theme of unity set out by the new president.

"I really wanted to use my words to be a point of unity and collaboration and togetherness," she told the BBC World Service programme before the ceremony.

"I think it's about a new chapter in the United States, about the future, and doing that through the elegance and beauty of words."

She previously told the New York Times, external that she would not "in any way gloss over what we’ve seen over the past few weeks and, dare I say, the past few years".

"But what I really aspire to do in the poem is to be able to use my words to envision a way in which our country can still come together and can still heal.”

Read more about Gorman here.

There's plenty of pomp and circumstance during an inauguration ceremony - but there's also the unexpected.

Here are some moments you might have missed.

Lady Gaga and her US Marine escort Captain Evan Campbell share a look before they walk out for her performance.

Image source, Getty Images

Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff share a moment with the crowd.

Image source, Getty Images

Due to security checkpoints, there was plenty of waiting around.

Image source, Getty Images

And a soldier pauses as Lady Gaga sings the Star Spangled Banner

Former President Barack Obama and his former vice-president stop for a chat.

Image source, Getty Images