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• Television: The BBC's Katty Kay in Washington is presenting live coverage of the key events around the inauguration on BBC One from 16:00-18:00 GMT and on BBC News Channel (UK only) and BBC World (Outside UK only) from 15:30-19:00 GMT

• Radio: The BBC World Service has special radio coverage on Outside Source from 16:00-18:00 GMT

Guests are beginning to arrive in advance of the inauguration ceremonies at the US Capitol.

The crowd is a thinner this year as the guest list has been limited due to Covid.

Among those seen making their way in are former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Georgia Senator-elect Jon Ossoff, who is expected to be sworn in later today.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

With less than an hour until he is sworn in as president, Joe Biden has arrived at the US Capitol ahead of his swearing in.

He walked up the steps hand-in-hand with his wife Jill.

It's all very serene and respectful now.

Quite a thought to recall that two weeks ago there was a riot here and the building was stormed.

Tara McKelvey
BBC News, Washington

About 25,000 National Guard members are here in Washington, helping to ensure a peaceful transition of power. They are from about a dozen states across the US, and their presence in Washington is a reminder of the extraordinary measures being taken for the inauguration.

People here are concerned about violence and extremist groups, and wonder what will happen. But right now everyone is just waiting.

One of the National Guard members, Darrell Kyle, who is a pastor in Duluth, Minnesota, in his non-National-Guard life, is taking advantage of the morning quiet.

“Higher up,” says his friend, hoping to get the view of Washington in a picture frame, while he takes photos. When asked for words of wisdom for this unusual day, Kyle says: “Keep the faith.”

In the meantime he’s planning to get a few more shots of the National Mall, at least while the light is still good

Image source, Reuters

The motorcade carrying the man who will be US president in about 90 minutes is now being seen driving towards the Capitol.

He won't fail to see the huge number of National Guard troops along the streets - a reminder of the task facing him as he takes over and tries to unify the nation.

Jim is a property manager and conservative Republican who no longer supports President Trump since his refusal to accept the results of the election.

He wants the incoming administration to find common ground rather than be too left wing.

What are your hopes for Biden?

I'm hopeful for some stability and less drama. America's standing in the world, particularly in the last couple of weeks, has really diminished and I would hope they would be able to return us to our traditional position in the world. I would like to see the bill he puts forward on Covid relief. If we're going to put money into people's hands, we need to make sure it actually makes a difference.

Nada Tawfik
BBC News, Michigan

Image source, Getty Images

Military vehicles and National Guard members have blocked off streets around the Michigan statehouse in Lansing, and local police are patrolling the grounds after FBI warnings of potential attacks.

The legislature cancelled sessions for the week, and the building was closed off to the public and surrounded by a 6ft (2m) fence.

Despite fears, it’s been quiet and calm. The only activity was a small protest of around a dozen people on Sunday.

We met Trump supporters, with and without their MAGA hats, and members of the fringe anti-government group the Boogaloo Bois wearing Hawaiian shirts, tactical gear and guns.

Image source, Getty Images

These young men in their 20s, while displaying military-style weapons, told us that their freedoms were being stripped away and that American democracy was at threat.

Then there was 66-year-old Wayne Koper who blamed the country’s division directly on Donald Trump. He carried a toy foam gun to make those around him look silly, he said.

But things have been quiet since Sunday.

Still, Michigan knows all too well the consequences of being unprepared. In April, shortly after President Trump tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN,” armed protesters against Covid restrictions tried to enter the floor of the legislature.

And in November, some of the same individuals were charged with plotting to kidnap the state’s Democratic governor.

Officials and security experts here believe what happened in Michigan emboldened other groups, including those at the US Capitol in DC exactly two weeks ago today.

Image source, Getty Images

Vice-President Mike Pence has just been seen arriving at the Capitol to attend the inauguration.

His presence is notable, after his boss decided to skip town for Florida instead of seeing Biden sworn in.

Just two weeks ago, rioters at the US Capitol chanted "hang Mike Pence" after he made clear that he would not stand in the way of the democratic process.

Watch the moment Joe Biden attends a Catholic Mass in Washington DC ahead of his inauguration.

"Through all the activity of this wonderful day, we quiet ourselves, and ground ourselves," the priest said.

Past presidents and first ladies are arriving at the US Capitol ahead of the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol.

As well as Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Barack and Michelle Obama, who have arrived, George and Laura Bush are due to attend.

Former President Barack Obama tweeted a message of support to Joe Biden ahead of the day.

Biden was Obama's vice-president and the pair were known for their close bond.

Mary Trump, Donald Trump's niece, has expressed relief at the end of his presidency.

She released a tell-all book on the president last year.

The author told the BBC News channel: “He is never going to be able to wrap his head around what has happened in the last couple of months. We’ve seen that in his defiance, in his continuing to perpetuate lies about the legitimacy of our elections and we’ve seen it in the fact that he has not yet conceded his loss and he never will.

“We still have almost three-and-a-half hours to go so I won’t be completely relaxed until President Biden is sworn in but I kind of feel like we dodged a bullet,” she said.

Looking back at his presidency, the president’s niece described him as “unfit for office” and lacking the “skills required to lead the country”.

“Because he has not conceded, he is going to continue to try to stoke division and I think when he says that his movement is just beginning, that’s a threat. So we still need to be on our guard because he’s not going anywhere unfortunately”.

With just over an hour to go, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris have a packed schedule ahead of them. Their day started with a church service at the Cathedral of St Matthew alongside congressional leaders. So what comes next?

• 10:30 (15:30 GMT): The pair will arrive at the US Capitol - the scene of a violent riot exactly two weeks ago
• 11:15 (16:15 GMT): The inauguration ceremony will then begin and both will be sworn in before Mr Biden addresses the nation

13:40 (18:40 GMT): The new president and vice-president will then review the readiness of military troops, as per tradition

14:45 (19:45 GMT): Both newly elected leaders - and their partners - will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Ceremony, alongside former presidents, before being escorted back to the White House.

17:15 (22:15 GMT): President Biden will then sign a raft of executive orders and other actions before swearing-in some presidential appointees

A huge 90-minute televised special, hosted by Tom Hanks, will air on US television at 20:30 (01:30 GMT Thursday) with performances expected from acts including the Foo Fighters and Jennifer Lopez.

Image source, Reuters

Here are some more images from the service at the Catholic cathedral in Washington which Joe Biden and his wife Jill have been attending this morning.

Also pictured at the service was Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, House of Representatives Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Tara McKelvey
BBC News, Washington

Democrats are celebrating in the nation’s capital on Wednesday, but many of the president’s supporters are avoiding the place. Protests against the new president, Joe Biden, have been cancelled.

One of the events, a rally organised by a group, Public Advocate, was called off “due to current emergency in place January 20”, according to its website. Leaders of other pro-Trump groups say they are not going to the city. No-one will be there, one of them tells me, “except members of Congress and Biden staff – and 60,000 National Guard!”

The number of National Guard members will be closer to 25,000, but his point was clear. Washington will be a chilly place for the ultraconservatives who admire Trump.

The city’s lockdown, a massive effort to prevent violence, means many of the president’s fans will stay home. Some will no doubt make their way here. But many others say they are instead focusing their efforts on future rallies, at times and places to be determined.

Angelica Casas
BBC News, Texas

It's been exactly one year since the first coronavirus case was detected on US soil.

And just as Joe Biden is taking office, the number of Covid-19 cases here is at an all-time high and deaths have now surpassed 400,000.

“Let us remember all that we have lost,” Biden said on Tuesday as he paid tribute to the victims of the pandemic.

I’ve spent the last year talking to families affected by the virus and its economic toll. While some blame the catastrophe here on the Trump administration’s pandemic response, others focus their attention on Biden and what he’ll do to end it.

The new president has a $1.9 trillion (£1.4tr) stimulus plan that would include a plan to ramp up vaccinations, escalate Covid-19 testing, add 100,000 new public health worker jobs and provide economic relief directly to American families.

With only a few hours to go until Biden delivers his inaugural speech, workers are busily doing final checks on the autocue (known as a teleprompter in the US) set up for him to use at the US Capitol.

BBC producer Ron Brown, who is at the Capitol on this chilly morning, sent us this photo of crews using the Gettysburg Address - delivered by Abraham Lincoln during the US Civil War in the 1860s - to test that everything is in working order.

Biden's speech is expected to be about 20 minutes long, according to the transition team. Lincoln's famous speech, delivered at the site of one of the bloodiest Civil War battlefields, was just three minutes long.

Image source, Reuters

President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill are attending Mass at the Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle in Washington DC.

Congressional leaders Sen Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are among those also attending the service.

Mr Biden is only the second Roman Catholic president in US history, following fellow Democrat John F Kennedy.

The cathedral was the venue for Kennedy's funeral Mass after his assassination in November 1963.

"Young man, there's no need to feel down..."

Clearly Donald Trump thought this line from the Village People classic YMCA was what his supporters needed to hear after his last speech as president. It's been a long-term favourite, which he played regularly at campaign rallies in 2020 - sometimes breaking out a dance move or two.

When the BBC spoke to Village People leader Victor Willis, though, he said he didn't support Trump and had asked him to stop playing the group's beloved hit.

After uncertainty given his decision to skip the inauguration, a White House spokesman has confirmed that the departing president has left his successor a letter.

Donald Trump had resisted conceding the election until very recently and even in his farewell remarks from the White House did not mention President-elect Joe Biden by name.

Watch the moment the helicopter carrying Donald Trump and his wife Melania takes off from the White House lawn.