Joe Biden inauguration LIVE: Biden signs 17 orders to undo Trump's legacy

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris take oath: Trump departs White House, leaves a letter for Joe Biden. Stay tuned for US President inauguration live updates

11:52 AM

US: NASA administrator departs, Joe Biden may pick a woman to lead

11:34 AM

Taiwan invited to US inauguration for the first time since 1979

Hsiao Bi-khim, Taipei's envoy, posted a video of herself at the inauguration saying she was "honoured to represent the people and government of Taiwan here at the inauguration..."

10:37 AM

US: Immigrants cheered by possible citizenship path under Joe Biden

Immigrants cheered President Joe Biden's plan to provide a path to US citizenship for about 11 million people without legal status, mixing hope with guarded optimism amid a seismic shift in how the American government views and treats them.

 

The newly inaugurated president moved to reverse four years of harsh restrictions and mass deportation with a plan for sweeping legislation on citizenship.

 

Biden also issued executive orders reversing some of former President Donald Trump's immigration policies, such as halting work on a US-Mexico border wall and lifting a travel ban on people from several predominantly Muslim countries. Read on...

10:35 AM

US: Joe Biden plans temporary halt of oil activity in Arctic refuge

President Joe Biden's administration announced plans Wednesday for a temporary moratorium on oil and gas leasing in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge after the Trump administration issued leases in a part of the refuge considered sacred by the Indigenous Gwich'in.

 

The plans, along with other executive actions, were announced by press secretary Jen Psaki.

 

Issuing leases had been a priority of the Trump administration following a 2017 law calling for lease sales, said Lesli Ellis-Wouters, a spokesperson for the US Bureau of Land Management in Alaska. Read on...

9:53 AM

Springsteen, Katy Perry lead a star-studded night of socially distanced music celebrating USA's new President

Springsteen, Katy Perry lead a star-studded night of socially distanced music celebrating America's new President Joe Biden

9:51 AM

Hours after taking charge, Joe Biden reverses US withdrawal from WHO

US President Joe Biden has reversed the US process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

Hours after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order ceasing a withdrawal process that his predecessor Donald Trump initiated last year, Xinhua news agency reported.

 

"Americans are safer when America is engaged in strengthening global health. On my first day as President, I will rejoin the @WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage," Biden tweeted in July when the former administration notified the United Nations of withdrawal from the WHO. Read on...

9:18 AM

Amazon offers to help US with vaccine efforts in letter to President Biden

Amazon.com Inc on Wednesday offered to help with the United States' efforts involving the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a letter addressed to President Joe Biden, seen by Reuters.

 

The world's largest online retailer has an agreement with a healthcare provider to administer vaccines at its facilities and will move forward once doses are available, Dave Clark, chief executive of Amazon's worldwide consumer business, said in the letter.

 

Beyond offering the vaccine to Amazon employees, Clark added, "We are prepared to leverage our operations, information technology, and communications capabilities and expertise to assist your administration's vaccination efforts." Read on...

9:01 AM

Mexico welcomes Biden order to halt border wall construction

Mexico welcomes Biden order to halt border wall construction

8:54 AM

UN chief Antonio Guterres welcomes US re-entry into Paris Agreement

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the announcement of the new US administration to re-enter the Paris Agreement on climate change.

 

"I warmly welcome President (Joe) Biden's steps to re-enter the Paris Agreement on climate change and join the growing coalition of governments, cities, states, businesses and people taking ambitious action to confront the climate crisis," said Guterres in a statement on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported. Read on...

8:19 AM

People around the world, from Mexico to India, tune in to watch US President Joe Biden's inauguration

6:34 AM

LIVE: Joe Biden halts US withdrawal from WHO; rejoins Paris Climate deal

Joe Biden halts US withdrawal from WHO; rejoins Paris Climate deal

 

6:23 AM

‘Bruised, but whole’: Amanda Gorman recited her work at the swearing-in of President Joe Biden

6:12 AM

In pictures: Joe Biden's inauguration

The inaugural parade is seen as U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris head to the White House, in Washington

The inaugural parade is seen as U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris head to the White House, in Washington

The inaugural parade is seen as U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris head to the White House, in Washington

The inaugural parade is seen as U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris head to the White House, in Washington

Members of the military march on 15th Street towards the White House during a Presidential Escort to the White House, in Washington

Kamala Harris is sworn in as U.S. Vice President as her spouse Doug Emhoff holds a pair of bibles, including one which had belonged to the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall

A military vehicle blocks a road near the secured zone set up for the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States, near Black Lives Matter Plaza, in Washington

U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wave at the crowd as they head to the White House after the 2021 inauguration, in Washington

 

5:47 AM

Asian stocks set for strong start after day of gains on Wall Street

Asian markets were set to rise on Thursday after US stocks closed at record highs on hopes that newly inaugurated US President Joe Biden would put in place further economic stimulus to offset damage wreaked by the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

"Asian stocks are primed to follow their US peers higher on optimism that US federal spending will revive growth and corporate earnings," said Ryan Felsman, a senior economist at CommSec in Sydney. "That's all pointing to a positive day in Asia."

 

The Biden administration is expected to push through a nearly $2 trillion US fiscal stimulus plan.

 

Felsman said tech stocks in Asia may also rise in response to positive news from Netflix Inc, whose shares surged 16.85% after the company said it would no longer need to borrow billions of dollars to finance its TV shows and movies.

 

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe gained 0.07%.

 

Australia's ASX 200 jumped more than 0.80% in early trade Thursday.

 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures rose 0.23%.

 

The Nikkei 225 index closed down 0.38% on Wednesday, and the futures contract is up 0.74% from that close.

 

Along with Netflix, the rest of the FAANG group, scheduled to report results in the coming weeks, jumped. Google parent Alphabet Inc rose 5.36%.

 

The dollar fell against most currencies on Wednesday, as investors' risk appetite held up.

 

Oil prices rose on the hopes that Biden delivers on the economic stimulus, a move that will increase demand for oil.

 

US Treasuries did not move much on Wednesday, with the market looking past the inauguration at this point.

5:44 AM

We applaud quick action on Covid relief, Paris Climate Accord, and immigration reform: Pichai