‘The world is watching’: Biden’s militarised inauguration tests America

Latest updates and essential advice from The Independent [View in browser]( [Alternate text] Daily briefing January 20, 2021 Today’s essential news from the source you trust This morning’s headlines Joe Biden will swear the oath of office at noon local time in Washington, DC, on Wednesday to [become the 46th president of the United States](, taking the helm of a deeply divided nation and inheriting a confluence of crises arguably greater than any faced by his predecessors. The very ceremony in which presidential power is transferred, a hallowed US democratic tradition, will serve as a jarring reminder of the challenges he faces. The inauguration unfolds at a US Capitol battered by an insurrectionist siege just two weeks ago, encircled by security forces and devoid of crowds because of the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed 400,000 American lives. Mr Biden will not be applauded, or probably even acknowledged, by his predecessor. Flouting tradition, Donald Trump plans to depart Washington on Wednesday morning ahead of the inauguration rather than accompany his successor to the Capitol, holding his own “farewell” reception as the world turns the page on four years of chaos and division under his leadership. You can follow the very latest on the inauguration [in our dedicated liveblog](. In one of his final acts as president, Mr Trump granted a slew of last-minute pardons and commutations to allies of himself and his family, [most notably to his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon](. Mr Trump has also pardoned Elliott Broidy, a former Republican fundraiser who pleaded guilty in October to a charge that he illegally lobbied the president to drop an investigation into a Malaysian embezzlement scandal and former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was serving a 28-year prison term on corruption charges. Rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, who were prosecuted on federal weapons offences, were also granted clemency. For more on Donald Trump’s final morning at the White House, [follow our liveblog](. UK deaths from coronavirus [hit a grim record on Tuesday](, with daily fatalities reaching a high of 1,610 as a government scientific adviser warned that it could be weeks before significant reductions are seen. The highest daily toll of the pandemic brought the total official figure for deaths above 90,000. But a separate measure of death certificates that mentioned Covid-19 put the total at 108,000. Antibody data suggested that one in eight people in England had been infected with coronavirus at some point in the pandemic up to December, in what one expert described as “one of the worst coronavirus problems in the world”. Boris Johnson told his cabinet that while infection rates were declining, the UK remains in a “very serious” situation, with the swift rollout of vaccines the key to reducing pressure on the NHS and reopening society. . We need your support The Independent employs over 100 journalists around the world to bring you news you can trust. Please consider showing your support with a contribution. [Contribute]( . Top stories [New ‘iron lung’ to help NHS patients breathe could be ready this year]( [May accuses Johnson of abandoning British ‘global moral leadership’]( [PM narrowly avoids Commons defeat as Tories rebel on genocide vote]( . New Year. New perspective Save 40% when you subscribe to The Independent this January for unrivalled clarity on the issues that matter most. [Subscribe now]( . More news - [Read Trump’s inauguration speech from 2017 in full]( - [Israel pushes settlement construction as Trump leaves office]( - [Vice President Harris: A new chapter opens in US politics]( - [Why has Rishi Sunak let Labour accuse him of being heartless? | John Rentoul]( - [Read Donald Trump’s inauguration speech from 2017 in full]( . News you can trust The Independent has a 100% NewsGuard trust rating [NewsGuard] [Find out more]( . If you can spare two minutes we’d love to hear your [feedback]( on our newsletters [Alternate text] Join the conversation or follow us [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's News email. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent News email and Breaking News alerts, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.