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The world through its media

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Followers of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory are split and disillusioned after inauguration day predictions failed to come to pass.

For weeks, QAnon followers had been promoting 20 January as a day of reckoning, when prominent Democrats and other elite "Satanic paedophiles" would be arrested and executed on the orders of President Trump.

But, as Mr Biden took his oath and no arrests were made, some in the QAnon community had an uncomfortable meeting with reality.

Some have accepted it and are moving on, while others still believe Donald Trump might be in control behind the scenes.

Analysts meanwhile fear that people who believe such extremist theories will soon find another to follow.

Read our full article here

Quite a bit of action happened yesterday, as Biden was sworn into office and immediately began issuing executive actions.

One thing that you might have missed was the warning he issued to his newly hired staff while swearing in the group over Zoom.

"If you're ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise I will fire you on the spot. On the spot," Biden said. "No ifs, ands, or buts. Everybody, everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity."

"That's been missing, in a big way, the last four years," he added.

"You're fired," was Trump's famous catchphrase on The Apprentice, his reality TV programme. But he certainly doesn't hold a monopoly on the phrase.

Image source, Reuters

Now Biden has been sworn in as president, the honeymoon is over.

A busy schedule awaits Biden on the first full day of his presidency.

Here are some of the highlights:

• 10:00 EST (15:00 GMT): Biden and his Vice-President Kamala Harris will watch a virtual prayer service hosted by the Washington National Cathedral
• 12:45 EST (17:45 GMT): Biden and Harris will receive their first presidential briefing in the Oval Office of the White House
• 14:00 EST (19:00 GMT): Biden will deliver remarks on his administration’s Covid-19 response and sign executive orders
• 14:24 EST (19:24 GMT): Biden and Harris will be briefed by members of their Covid-19 team
• 16:00 EST (21:00 GMT): White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will hold a briefing with top infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci

Image source, Reuters

Forget the almost life-size Lady Gaga dove brooch and barnstorming tunes of Katy Perry et al, one guy has been drawing the awe of social media by just doing a normal job, diligently and repetitively.

The grey-haired, masked and scarfed destroyer of all things Covid made more appearances than the VIPs - dutifully wiping down the podium after each speaker.

Some have called for him to be put in charge of the vaccine rollout.

Remarkably, his name doesn't seem to be out there in the cyber ether yet either.

Our Americast podcast, presented by Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Anthony Zurcher, has been closely following the twists and turns of the presidential election.

In their latest episode, they look back at the Inauguration, discuss President Biden’s inbox tray and ask what Donald Trump achieved over the past four years.

And what was the rationale behind Trump’s "generous" letter to Biden?

You can listen now on the free BBC Sounds app here.

The Simpsons has a habit of seemingly predicting the future in some of its episodes.

A number of real-life events - from the Ebola crisis to Lady Gaga performing at the Superbowl - have been depicted in the show before they actually happened.

Now, eagle-eyed fans have credited the cartoon series with another prediction - Vice-President Kamala Harris’s inauguration outfit.

Some fans have pointed out that the purple outfit and necklace Harris was wearing at Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony was similar to that of Lisa Simpson’s in an episode broadcast in 2000.

In the episode, titled Bart to the Future, an adult Lisa becomes president of the US, taking over from an American businessman called (you guessed it) Donald Trump.

Coincidence? Probably.

Still, one fan joked that it was “a bit on the nose”, even for the Simpsons.

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We've got a piece running on the offbeat moments of the inauguration. If you haven't read it yet, or have just forgotten, have a go at these (you can find out the answers via the link below).

a) What song was playing when Donald Trump left on Air Force One for Florida?

b) Who was wearing Dior Air Jordan 1 sneakers to the inauguration?

c) Who threw some shade at Donald Trump by saying it was cold (-45) without the outgoing 45th US president at the ceremony?

d) Why did so many key women wear purple?

e) Who did Kamala Harris famously fist-bump?

Read more about Katy Perry's anthem and Bernie Sanders' mittens here

Image source, Reuters

In an important, but not unexpected move, the Biden administration is to revoke the policy that blocks US funding to NGOs and aid agencies that perform or promote abortions.

Anthony Fauci, who Joe Biden has chosen to head the US delegation to the World Health Organization, announced the move to a WHO board meeting earlier on Thursday.

The so-called Mexico City Policy, or “global gag rule", was brought in by Ronald Reagan in 1984. Reflecting the deep political divisions in the US over the issue of abortion, the policy has been repealed by each Democrat, and reinstated by each Republican, administration since then.

Dr Fauci said the US was committed to supporting women and girls' reproductive rights and sexual health in the US and around the world.

Kamala Harris broke barriers to become America's first female, first black and first Asian-American vice-president.

Students at her alma mater, Howard University, say they have been inspired to follow her lead. The BBC asked them to film themselves watching the moment she made history.

Image source, Reuters

The thorny issue of how to approach relations with China will be at the top of President Biden’s foreign policy agenda.

The Trump administration was hostile to China, especially on trade and culpability for the coronavirus pandemic.

But, a day after President Biden's inauguration, China has called for a reset in relations with the US.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said with co-operation from both sides, the “better angels” in China-US relations could beat what she described as “evil forces”.

However, on many fronts, significant differences remain, particularly on matters of trade and alleged human rights abuses.

On Wednesday, China announced a travel ban on more than two dozen members of the Trump administration, including the former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo.

His successor, Antony Blinken, has expressed interest in changing the tone of interactions with Beijing, although he supported Pompeo's declaration that China's treatment of Muslim Uighurs in its north-western Xinjiang region amounted to genocide.

Image source, EPA

Incoming presidents bring their own personal touch to the Oval Office and much is being read into the way Joe Biden has chosen to decorate his new place of work.

The room has been filled with portraits and busts of some of the most iconic and influential leaders of American history.

"It was important for President Biden to walk into an Oval that looked like America and started to show the landscape of who he is going to be as president," Ashley Williams, the deputy director of Oval Office operations, told The Washington Post during an exclusive tour.

Gone is the portrait of Andrew Jackson, the 7th president and a populist with whom President Trump frequently identified; and who also faced censure although he was never impeached.

His portrait, to the left of the seat of the Resolute Desk, has been replaced with one of Benjamin Franklin, a founding father who was also a leading writer, scientist and philosopher. The Post said Franklin's portrait was intended to represent President Biden's interest in following science as he attempts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, White House

Image source, Reuters

Biden is moving quickly to address one of his biggest priorities - the coronavirus pandemic.

On his first full day in office, the president is expected to sign 10 executive orders as part of his ambitious plan to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the US.

These executive orders will include authorising the use of disaster funds to help reopen schools, and mandating the wearing of protective masks on planes and buses.

He also plans to sign orders to ramp up testing, introduce new rules for international travellers, and direct resources to hard-hit minority communities.

Image source, Getty Images

Executive orders are written directives issued by the president to the federal government. They do not require approval by lawmakers.

Biden has already signed a flurry of executive orders, including one that halted the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization.

On vaccines, meanwhile, Biden has pledged to inoculate 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office.

“For almost a year now, Americans could not look to the federal government for any strategy, let alone a comprehensive approach to respond to Covid,” Jeff Zients, Biden's new Covid-19 task-force co-ordinator, said.

“As President Biden steps into office today, that all changes.”

Read more on the upcoming executive ordershere

The 45th president left Washington DC for Palm Beach, Florida, before Joe Biden took office on Wednesday.

Donald Trump was the first president in over 150 years to skip his successor's inauguration.

Take a look at how he spent his last day.

The Biden administration has confirmed it will undo another of President Trump’s most controversial decisions - the withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The top infectious diseases expert in the US, Dr Anthony Fauci, announced the reversal in a brief speech earlier today.

Praising the WHO for its role leading the global response to Covid-19, Dr Fauci said the US would remain a member, would honour its financial commitments, and maintain its staff.

Trump drew criticism for pulling the US out of the WHO in the middle of a pandemic. One of Biden’s top priorities is tackling the pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 people in the US, by far the highest death toll in the world.

Dr Fauci also confirmed that under Biden, the US would join multilateral efforts to get coronavirus vaccines and treatments to poorer countries.

This is a long way from Trump’s “America First” agenda.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed Dr Fauci’s announcement, saying: "This is a good day for WHO and a good day for global health."

Image source, Getty Images

Bruce Springsteen kicked off the star-studded concert on Wednesday night on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

Hosted by actor Tom Hanks, the show also saw performances from Foo Fighters, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato and Bon Jovi.

The theme of the concert was not celebration but unity, with tributes paid to the frontline workers who have borne the brunt of the Covid pandemic.

"This day is about witnessing the permanence of our American ideal," said Hanks.

Read more here

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As Biden entered the White House, heads of government across the world offered their reflections on his presidency.

Some expressed relief that Biden had taken office after four turbulent years under Donald Trump, who often spurned international co-operation and tested longstanding alliances.

Others appeared hopeful that Biden would help them address some of the biggest challenges facing the international community, from climate change to the coronavirus pandemic.

Here is what some of them said:

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "When you look at the issues which unite me and Joe Biden, the UK and the US right now, there is a fantastic joint common agenda. For us and America, it is a big moment."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "The United States is back. And Europe stands ready. To reconnect with an old and trusted partner, to breathe new life into our cherished alliance. I look forward to working together with Joe Biden."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "There is a much broader scope of political accord with President Biden. That is clear just looking at the executive orders he signed yesterday.”

Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said: "I would like to believe that a new chapter in the development of the United States of America begins today and, of course, that a new chapter in the development of Russian-American relations begins as well.

You can read more statements from world leaders here.

One inauguration performance that enthralled attendees and continues to captivate many across the world on social media was that of 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman.

She was the youngest poet to ever perform at a presidential inauguration, calling for "unity and togetherness" in her self-penned poem.

"When day comes, we ask ourselves where can we find light in this never-ending shade?" the 22-year-old began, going on to reference the storming of the Capitol earlier this month.

You can read more about America's first National Youth Poet Laureate here.

Image source, Getty Images

As earlier mentioned, the new US president has already started to dismantle his predeccessor's legacy by signing 15 executive orders. Let's take a closer look at some of the key reversals:

• Coronavirus pandemic - boosts federal response and sets up new office to co-ordinate response to crisis, issues mandate to wear masks and practise social distancing on all federal property and halts process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization
• Environment - starts process of rejoining the 2015 Paris climate agreement from which Trump withdrew, revokes permit allowing construction of controversial Keystone XL pipeline, instructs all executive agencies to review executive actions "damaging to the environment"
• Immigration - ends travel ban on people entering US from some Muslim-majority countries, halts construction of Trump's border wall with Mexico, and preserves Daca programme shielding undocumented immigrants who entered the US as children from being deported

Read more about the executive orders here

Image source, EPA

Kamala Harris made history on Wednesday. Sworn in as President Joe Biden’s number two, Harris became the first female, first black and first Asian-American US vice-president.

Prior to taking the oath at the US Capitol, Harris paid tribute to the women who she says came before her.

"I stand on their shoulders," she said in a video.

So, who is Harris?

Harris, 56, was born in Oakland, California, to two immigrant parents: an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father.

Harris studied law at the University of California, Hastings, before starting her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. She became the district attorney - the top prosecutor - for San Francisco in 2003, before being elected the first female and the first African American to serve as California's attorney general.

In 2019, Harris ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out when Biden emerged as the frontrunner.

Watch the video below to find out more about the new US vice-president.

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Joe Biden and his presidential team have had nearly three months to plan his first actions upon taking the oath of office. Donald Trump had used his executive authority broadly, to advance large swaths of his political agenda, so how - and when - Biden would begin undoing those actions would have particular importance.

It didn't take long for the newly inaugurated president to show his hand. He targeted, in particular, some of the most controversial parts of Trump's agenda. The Biden administration also will freeze all of Trump's last-minute regulations pending further review.

Executive action is the (relatively) easy part, however. For Biden to make lasting change - policies that can't be undone by future presidents - he will have to work with Congress to pass legislation on issues like pandemic relief, citizenship for undocumented migrants, healthcare reform and voting-rights protections.

He also declined, for now, to take other executive actions, like cancelling student loan debt, lifting Mr Trump's trade restrictions or enacting new criminal justice measures.

With Democrats in control in the House of Representatives and Senate, Biden has a window for accomplishments, although it will require surmounting Republican procedural obstacles and keeping his party in line. The president's decades of experience as a legislator could come in useful.

Read more from Anthony here