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“This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward.”

— President Biden

BIDEN TAKES OFFICE

Harris makes history as first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president

46th president faces pandemic, economic crisis, national division

Joe Biden promised to undo much of his predecessor’s legacy and restore what he refers to as “the soul of America” by proving that the past four years represented an aberration rather than an enduring rift in the national fabric.

By Toluse Olorunnipa and Annie Linskey1 hour ago

Harris sworn in as vice president, shattering gender and racial barriers

By Chelsea Janes and Cleve R. Wootson Jr.1 hour ago

Relief, optimism, foreboding: Black Americans feel mixed emotions

Biden signs several directives, including mask mandate on federal property and rejoining Paris accord

By Seung Min Kim1 hour ago

Biden orders a ‘pause’ on border wall construction, bringing crews to halt

Harris swears in Sens. Warnock, Ossoff, Padilla as Democrats cement party power in Washington

The Senate stands at 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, with Vice President Harris the tie-breaking vote. Democrats will control both the White House and Congress for the first time since 2011, albeit narrowly.

By Mike DeBonis

The TakeAnalysis

Biden pledges to defeat extremism and culture of lies as he confronts Trump’s legacy

Taking the oath in no ordinary time, the president appeals for unity and takes action on the coronavirus, economy, climate and racial injustice

By Dan Balz

The CritiquePerspective

Democracy survived, barely

We have been at war with our own democracy. But we haven’t yet managed to topple our own moral code.

By Robin Givhan

Tom Hanks hosts "Celebrating America," a TV special featuring several celebrities commemorating the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris. (Video: The Post; photo: Melina Mara/The Post)

Perspective

On the third Wednesday in January, Joe Biden sought to put things back in sync with the nation’s history

By David Maraniss

A Bible, a ‘unity’ mask, a photo: Biden’s first hours

In the first hours of a job he pursued for decades, the president shifted dizzyingly between informality and grandeur.

By Matt Viser

President Trump leaves the White House on Marine One early Wednesday. (John McDonnell/The Post)

At the White House, an impersonal ‘transfer of families’ as the Trumps leave town

By David Nakamura, Anne Gearan and Annie Linskey

As Biden is sworn in, Americans watch with a sense of relief, disbelief

Wednesday’s inauguration was unlike any before, coming at one of the most tumultuous moments in U.S. history.

By Jenna Johnson, Claire Gibson, Kathleen McLaughlin and Andrea Eger1 hour ago

Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet, reads ‘The Hill We Climb’

The Los Angeles poet became the youngest inaugural poet and nearly stole the show, drawing immediate praise on social media for her poise and lyricism.

By Amy B Wang and Stephanie Merry

Gorman’s first political memory was her mom reading her Miranda rights

Senate confirms Avril Haines as director of national intelligence

By Shane Harris

The FixAnalysis

4 takeaways from Joe Biden’s inaugural address

By Aaron Blake

Critic's Notebook

America yearns for an era of good feeling. The inaugural ceremony launched one.

By Peter Marks

NSA was forced to make him its top lawyer. Now he’s on leave.

The director of the National Security Agency, who was ordered over the weekend to install former GOP political operative Michael Ellis as NSA general counsel, has placed him on administrative leave, pending an inquiry by the Pentagon inspector general into the circumstances of his selection.

By Ellen Nakashima1 hour ago

Lt. Gen. Charles A. Flynn. (Defense Department)

After Michael Flynn floated idea of martial law, Army falsely denied his brother’s key role in military response to Capitol attack

The Army’s initial denial of Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn’s participation in a critical Jan. 6 riot-response meeting, despite multiple inquiries on the matter, comes as lawmakers demand transparency from the Defense Department in the aftermath of one of Washington’s gravest national security failures.

By Dan Lamothe, Paul Sonne, Carol D. Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis1 hour ago

In one of his final acts as president, Trump showered clemency on people with connections to him and his allies

A Washington Post analysis of the 144 people who received clemency this week found that at least 45 — or nearly a third — had a link to the president or people in his close orbit.

By Rosalind S. Helderman, David A. Fahrenthold, Beth Reinhard and Josh Dawsey1 hour ago

Inside the stretch limo where ‘Tiger King’ star Joe Exotic’s team waited for a pardon that never came

So confident was Team Tiger of Exotic’s imminent release that it hired a “super-stretch turbo diesel” limousine to pick him up from prison, along with a hairdresser waiting in the vehicle to coif his signature platinum-blonde mullet.

By Maura Judkis

PodcastPost Reports

The 46th president

An inauguration like no other. And how the White House residence staff say goodbye to one first family and hello to another.

By Martine Powers

Coronavirus

Biden expected to have U.S. work with World Health Organization again, join global vaccine effort

By Emily Rauhala1 hour ago

Spring term delays: New wave of virus uncertainty slams higher education

By Nick Anderson

Guide to the PandemicFull Coverage

Vaccinations

Your questions about the coronavirus vaccines, answered

Eight facts to combat common covid-19 misinformation

By Marisa Iati

The covid-19 symptoms to watch out for

U.S. deaths reported per day

Your Life At Home

Why good manners are more important than ever during pandemic travel

You probably didn’t expect to move back in with your parents. Here’s how to make the best of it.

Road to Recovery

Dollar General will pay workers to get the coronavirus vaccine

The pandemic crashed the party for caterers, who are struggling even more than restaurants to pivot

Don’t Miss

Five frantic hours in the White House: How to move a new president in and the old one out

By Bonnie Berkowitz

Great Works, In FocusCritic’s Notebook

Gustave Caillebotte brought Paris to life in this 19th-century masterpiece

By Sebastian Smee

The hand-warming story of how Sen. Bernie Sanders got his inauguration mittens

By Travis M. Andrews1 hour ago

Find out why Anthony Bourdain’s boeuf bourguignon is one of our most popular recipes ever

By Becky Krystal

Trending

Allie Caren/The Washington Post

Amanda Gorman and poetry's short history at presidential inaugurations

President Joe Biden on Jan. 20 became the fourth president ever to have a poet recite their work at a presidential inauguration.

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Politics

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. leads fellow Supreme Court justices at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. (AFP/Getty Images)

An incomplete Supreme Court witnessed Biden’s oath

Only six of the nine showed up for the ceremony. Justices Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer and Samuel Alito skipped it. It was the first time in more than 20 years that not all of the justices witnessed the ceremony.

By Robert Barnes

Man charged with assaulting officer pinned in Capitol breach; Fla. man wanted on charges related to siege detained on way to D.C., officials say

By Spencer S. Hsu and Justin Jouvenal

The last day of Donald

Over 24 hours, the country went through its own peaceful transition — of emotion, of memory, of pain and hope.

By Dan Zak

Biden became president at noon despite taking oath early, experts say

The 46th president held his hand on a Bible at 11:48 a.m., but it is not the taking of the oath that determines when the previous term ends.

By Paulina Firozi and Kim Bellware

Senate impeachment whip count: Where Democrats and Republicans stand

By Ashlyn Still and JM Rieger

Who Joe Biden has picked to fill his Cabinet

By Washington Post Staff

Nation’s second Catholic president attends Mass at St. Matthew the Apostle, a key symbol of Catholicism in American political life

By Michael S. Rosenwald

World

People walk in Tehran on Jan. 9, after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered a ban on the import of U.S. and British coronavirus vaccines, claiming they are not to be trusted. (EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

In Iran, hopes for Biden era are tempered by years of hardship and broken U.S. promises

“If they return to their commitments, we will also fulfill our commitments,” President Hassan Rouhani said on the day of Biden’s inauguration.

By Kareem Fahim and Erin Cunningham

In one of its last acts, Trump administration tried to deport man to Haiti who has never been there

By Arelis R. Hernández

The U.S. is requiring covid-19 tests for international entry. Experts say the approach is flawed.

By Shannon McMahon

Europe’s new mask ask: Ditch the cloth ones for medical-grade coverings

By Loveday Morris and Rick Noack

The world watches as Biden assumes office, Trump era ends

As President Biden took his oath of office Wednesday, world leaders and top officials, along with ordinary people across the globe, looked on with rapt attention — and in many cases optimism.

By Adam Taylor

Even in jail, Navalny knows how to enrage Putin. This time it’s with a viral video.

The video shows a Black Sea palace with an ice rink and “aquadisco.” It was built for Putin, the Russian opposition leader claimed. The Kremlin denies it.

By Robyn Dixon

China turbocharges bid to discredit Western vaccines

With a WHO team probing the pandemic’s origins, officials are propagating the fringe view that the virus came from elsewhere.

By Gerry Shih

National

(Michael S. Williamson/The Post)

More than 16,000 vaccine doses potentially spoiled in Maine and Michigan

The vaccine doses were damaged because of improper temperature storage.

By Andrea Salcedo

Controversial head of Voice of America resigns hours after Biden sworn in

Michael Pack, a Trump appointee, who left a trail of criticism during his short term as head of agency that supervises government-funded news networks, said his resignation had been requested by President Biden.

By Paul Farhi

Powerful Santa Ana wind event kindles January wildfires in California

By Matthew Cappucci

Biden to extend eviction moratorium through March

By Jeff Stein and Tony Romm

D.C., Md. & Va.

Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman escorted Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris at the inauguration on Jan. 20. (The Post)

Capitol Police officer who faced down pro-Trump mob escorts Harris

Eugene Goodman accompanied the incoming vice president in his role as the new acting deputy sergeant-at-arms.

By Derek Hawkins and Paulina Firozi

Perspective

Finally, a president America’s children can watch

For many parents, the change in power brings relief that they no longer have to reach for the remote or close their browser every time the president speaks.

By Theresa Vargas

Gov. Larry Hogan presents a $49.35 billion budget for fiscal 2022

Democratic legislative leaders say they want more coronavirus help in the spending plan.

By Ovetta Wiggins

Perspective

For D.C.’s street vendors, this Inauguration Day was barren of customers — but also a relief

Sales were down, but at least “the big bad wolf is gone,” one vendor said.

By Petula Dvorak

Capital Weather Gang

PM Update: Winds wane tonight, and it’s warmer on a sun-filled Thursday

By Ian Livingston

Known coronavirus deaths and cases per 100 thousand

FAQ: What to know about restrictions and safety

Going Out Guide

These fried chicken sandwiches are for everyone, stereotypes be damned

Black chefs and diners are publicly embracing a dish that racists have long tried to belittle.

By Tim Carman

How Alexa Paulay-Simmons of ‘Deaf U’ would spend a perfect day in D.C.

She appeared on the Netflix docuseries about students at Gallaudet University.

By Angela Haupt

We lost Johnny’s Half Shell to the pandemic. After 20 years, it deserves a farewell toast.

Remembering Johnny’s Half Shell for Ann Cashion’s food, John Fulchino’s service — and a singular experience.

By Tom Sietsema

Real Estate

In Great Falls, Va., a close-knit community surrounded by nature

2021 will be another good year for home sellers — not so much, though, for buyers

Luxury apartment building to rise in Rosslyn-Ballston corridor

Business & Technology

(Patrick Semansky/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

Perspective

Biden links prosperity to civic virtues in inauguration speech

Unlike his predecessor, who inherited a booming economy and a world at peace but could only see “carnage,” President Biden looked out from a ransacked Capitol to a country reeling from pandemic and riven with injustice and saw the possibility for renewal and rebuilding.

By Steven Pearlstein

Biden takes over POTUS Twitter account, inheriting a blank slate from Trump

President Biden’s administration takes over the official White House social media accounts Wednesday. But Twitter won’t transfer followers, unlike with the previous administration.

By Rachel Lerman

Trump administration’s last-minute move would make religious-affiliated businesses eligible for taxpayer-backed loans

The rule forces the Biden administration into a politically sensitive debate that raises questions about separation of church and state.

By Aaron Gregg

Some Trump backers are getting hit with one-star online reviews — including MyPillow and real estate agent Jenna Ryan

By Travis M. Andrews

Kroger unknowingly funneled donations to a militant group. The company has cut them off.

By Teo Armus

Market Watch

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Health & Science

Biden rejoins Paris climate accord, works to overturn Trump’s climate policies

By Juliet Eilperin, Steven Mufson and Brady Dennis

Inaugural ‘field of flags’ on the Mall seen from space

By Jason Samenow

Fleas have been mysterious insects. But scientists just found their living ‘sisters.’

By Lela Nargi

Covid-19 destroyed a young man’s lungs. Can his foster mom let him go?

By Steve Thompson

Sports

Alex Ovechkin one of four Capitals placed on NHL covid-19 protocol absences-related list

Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov and Ilya Samsonov were placed on the list. What’s more, the NHL fined the Capitals $100,000 for player violations related to the health protocols.

By Samantha Pell

Patrick Mahomes is helped off the field during the Chiefs' victory Sunday over the Browns in an AFC divisional-round playoff game. (Jeff Roberson/AP)

Under NFL’s concussion protocols, decision on Patrick Mahomes’s playing status is out of Chiefs’ hands

By Mark Maske

Washington working to hire 49ers executive Martin Mayhew to a front-office role

It's unclear the exact role Mayhew, a former cornerback who played for Washington and has many years of front-office experience, would take on in Washington.

By Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske