Hello and welcome. Joe biden has begun his time in office by reversing key trump era policies just hours after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. Mr biden said there was no time to waste. He has signed Executive Orders tackling coronavirus, Climate Change and racial injustice. The us is to rejoin the World Health Organization and paris climate accord, and the Keystone Oil Pipeline is being scrapped. The bbc� s nomia iqbal is in washington. Welcome to you. A busy first few hours in the oval office for President Biden. He is doing his best to try and dismantle President Trump � s legacy full up at a faster rate than probably any president has done. Certainly mr trump did the same when he took office in 2016 from barack obama. As you mentioned there there were some key Executive Orders, about 15 and all he needs to do is sign them with a pen and they will be reversed. The Climate Change, he will return america to the paris climate deal. There is also returning to the World Health Organization. He stopped funding for the Us Mexico Border wall and the ban on Muslim Majority countries being lifted. He is cracking on with getting the job done and today will be his first full day in office and we expect him to focus on coronavirus because that has always been a centrepiece of his campaigning, that he will tackle the pandemic in a way that he says his predecessor had not done. I should also add that the city of Breathing A Sigh of relief because there is huge security here following the deadly riots on capitol hill two weeks ago and it went off without a hitch. There were some Security Concerns but the inauguration went to plan and President Biden is now safely in the white house. Biden is now safely in the white house. ~. ,. ,. , white house. We also heard from resident white house. We also heard from president brydens white house. We also heard from president brydens press president bryden� s Press Secretary giving a briefing administration will run which does sound different to his predecessor. If does sound different to his predecessor. Does sound different to his redecessor. ,. , predecessor. If you remember back to 2016, predecessor. If you remember back to 2016, the predecessor. If you remember back to 2016, the first predecessor. If you remember back to 2016, the first thing i back to 2016, the first thing the then press said Terry Sean Spicer did was pick a fight with the press over the size of donald trump � s inauguration crowd saying it was the biggest crowd saying it was the biggest crowd ever and comparing it to Barack Obamas no need for that because there was not much of a crowd for the inauguration for joe biden because of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the consider any concerns. There was none of that. The Press Secretary, jen psaki, said we are not always going to agree. The press and the government will not always agree on things but it would be respectful. There was a difference in tone from what we have seen before and that has been President Biden� s whole thing. He wants to show that he will be different from the Previous Administration and it starts on day one. Administration and it starts on da one. �. , ~. , day one. And what kind of reaction day one. And what kind of reaction has day one. And what kind of reaction has there day one. And what kind of reaction has there been i day one. And what kind of i reaction has there been from those who did not vote for President Biden . Those who did not vote for President Biden . Those who did vote for president President Biden . Those who did vote for President Biden, President Biden . Those who did vote for President Biden, there | vote for President Biden, there are two sorts of people. There are two sorts of people. There are those who do not recognise his victory to those who did not vote for President Biden, there are two sorts of people. They support donald trump � s claims of a stolen election. And then then are those who may support his policies but they are proud of the american tradition of peaceful transition of power and they accept that President Biden is the president and i think mr biden still has much on his plate to try and unify the country. In fact, the word unity is what he keeps emphasising. There was no traditional inauguration ball last night, instead there was a Virtual Television concert featuring the biggest stars in the industry. Foo fighters, Bruce Springsteen and hosted by tom hanks. President biden gave a few words during the concert and he spoke about unity and turning a new leaf and people working together and we heard that in his inaugural speech. He knows that this is still a divided country and he is going to do his best over the next four years to try and bring people together. Spokeswoman, jen psaki, was asked how the new administration would tackle disinformation during the pandemic. Well, ithink, peter, there are a number of ways one of them is Accurate Information and truth and data, and sharing information even when it is hard to hear. And even when it is not meeting the expectations of people at home who are desperate for this crisis to be over. Well have more to share with you in the next few days, hopefully before the weekend, but what we plan to do is not just return these daily briefings monday through friday, not saturdays and sundays, im not a monster but also to return briefings with our Health Officials and public Health Officials. We want to do those regularly, in a dependable way, with data shared with all of you and with the public so they can also track progress were making on getting the pandemic under control. Jen psaki there, a face that will become increasingly familiar to us. Lets speak to robin swanson, whos a democratic strategist. Thank you for being with us. What did you make of the inauguration and President Bidens speech . It inauguration and President Bidens speech . Bidens speech . It was a spectacular day. Bidens speech . It was a spectacular day. An bidens speech . It was a spectacular day. An amazing American Commendation Of Hollywood and hard work from start to finish. You saw amazing detailfrom a amazing detail from a firefighter who amazing detailfrom a firefighter who did Sign Language for the pledge of allegiance to amanda gorman, the young poet, tojoe bidens speech which was, it did ring in the theme of unity and he spoke to people who did not vote for him and he said, hey, give me a chance, give me a minute and if you dont like it we can disagree. That he really was reaching out and then you heard darth talks do a stunning arrangement of Amazing Grace and so i think you saw the spectrum of america and i was proud today. I think there is some excitement, a little bit of cautious optimism as i think many of us are in a little bit of post Traumatic Stress disorder. We want to be optimistic but we do not want tojinx anything. Optimistic but we do not want to jinx anything. Optimistic but we do not want to jinx anything. Words of hope and unity trying to jinx anything. Words of hope and unity trying to to jinx anything. Words of hope and unity trying to reach to jinx anything. Words of hope and unity trying to reach out. And unity trying to reach out to the 75 million americans who did not vote for him. What will he be able to do in practice, do you think, to try and unite the country . Do you think, to try and unite the country . Starting from day one, the country . Starting from day one. Showing the country . Starting from day one, showing the the country . Starting from day one, showing the hard the country . Starting from day one, showing the hard work i the country . Starting from day i one, showing the hard work that he is willing to do and i think reaching across the aisle and finding compromise, that is something he is accustomed to doing during his 38 years in the United States senate. So this is not his first rodeo. He has done this before and i think. It isjust night day from the inaugural speech is of donald trump and his carnage in america speech. This was an optimistic speech and a hopeful speech and conciliatory to all americans. And i think, looking forward, the best thing he can do to unite america is to address the pandemic, to have a real Vaccine Rollout so that our mothers, our grandparents, people are dying and i think we noticed yesterday the 400,000 people who were honoured. So i think that will help bring the country back together, saving lives. , ,. , lives. Both houses have been bitterly divided over the i lives. Both houses have been bitterly divided over the past| bitterly divided over the past four years with partisan politics really hitting an all time low, some would say. Democrats do have a slim majority in both houses at the moment which will be an advantage for President Biden that it will take more than that it will take more than that slim majority to really bring the two together, wont it . ~ , , bring the two together, wont it . ~ , ~ ~ it . Absolutely. And i think that slim it . Absolutely. And i think that slim majority it . Absolutely. And i think that slim majority speaksl it . Absolutely. And i think. That slim majority speaks to him going to have to compromise with republicans as well. He will have to find the policies that work for both democrats and republicans, find that sweet spot and i have every confidence that he will do so. Thank you very much forjoining us with your thoughts. Around the world, leaders have been sending their messages of congratulations. Thereve also been celebrations in ireland and india, as paul hawkins reports. I, joseph f robinette, jr, do swear. The Momentjoe Biden became president of the United States. A moment of pride back in ireland. This is ballina, the home of joe bidens great great great grandfather edward blewett, Who Emigrated to the us in 1850, his descendents watching one of their own become leader of the free world. It seems crazy, just waiting to see the results in november and now he has actually become the president , so hopefully he will get to the white house soon. There were similar celebrations in india. This village the home of Vice President s kamala harris� s maternal grandfather. Translation very happy right| now she becomes vicepresident of the United States of america. It brings hope to us we can achieve whatever we want, being a woman. She is a role model for villagers and girls here. The indian Prime Minister also tweeted his congratulations, calling it an historic occasion. Around europe, the change of American Leadership was also headline news, with eu leaders broadly keen to rebuild their relationship with the us following the strained years of the trump administration. I very much and looking forward to seeing joe biden as president in the white house and have a friend there. But for the british Prime Minister, borisjohnson, who courted President Trump, some awkward questions. Joe biden is now the president of the United States. He did once say you were a physical and emotional clone of donald trump. As he assumes office, do you think still, perhaps as theresa may does, you need to convince him otherwise . Honestly its the job of all uk Prime Ministers to have a very close relationship, a close working relationship and a good working relationship with the president of the United States. Do you think, as some senior politicians in the us seem to think, that President Biden is woke . I cant comment on that. What i know is that he is a fervent believer in the transatlantic alliance. But Withjoe Biden an outspoken critic of brexit, how special that relationship will still be remains to be seen. In other news, at least three people have died following an explosion that caused the partial collapse of a building in centre of the spanish capital, madrid. A fourth person is missing and several others were hurt. Four floors of the building were destroyed in the blast, which could be heard in many areas of the city. Guy hedgecoe reports. Several floors of the seven Story Building have been all but destroyed by this explosion which ripped through this building here in the latina district, a residential area right in the centre of madrid. This building belongs to the Catholic Church and provides accommodation for a number of local priests. One of the main concerns when this explosion happened was the fate of residents have a care home next door to the building but we are told that all 60 also have those residents were safely evacuated to a nearby hotel. We do not know for sure what the cause was of this explosion but the mayor of madrid has said that the authorities are working with a theory that it may have been a gas leak. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come pedal power. The inspirational story of one mans battle against cancer and how he reacted to his diagnosis. Donald trump is now the 45th president of the United States. He was sworn in before several hundred thousand people on the steps of capitol hill in washington. Its going to be only america first. America first. Demonstrators waiting for mike gatting and his Rebel Cricket Team were attacked with tear gas and set upon by police dogs. Anti apartheid campaigners say they will carry on the protests throughout the tour. They called him i the butcher of lyon. Klaus altman is being held. On a fraud charge in bolivia. The west germans want i to extradite him for crimes committed in wartime france. There, he was the gestapo chief klaus barbie. Millions came to bathe as close as possible to this spot, a tide of humanity thats believed by officials to have broken all records. This is bbc news. The latest headlines no time to waste. President biden gets down to workjust hours after being sworn into office. He signs a series of Executive Orders aimed at reversing key policies of his predecessor, donald trump. During his inauguration speech, President Biden called for an end to the uncivil war pitting conservatives against liberals across america. Aleem maqbool has travelled to texas to examine the nations ongoing political divisions and to meet some of those for whom the new president s message of unity means very little. The inauguration here is marked by an upturned flag, so convinced is eric braden that donald trump somehow had the election stolen from him. Copy that, guys, i appreciate yall very much. Southern patriot council. Erics been so angry, hes been leading his right wing militia onto the streets. Today, were coming here to the capitol in austin, for many reasons. None of them good. Back in his trailer home, he tells me hell never accept joe biden as president and that, for him, the inauguration is a signal that his country is dying before his very eyes. The Stars Stripes outside is upside down. In distress. Yes, sir. Yeah. It is. We are. America is deeply in distress and we are on the moment and the brink of complete division, and. Which looks like what . Division . What it looks like is states like texas, that actually have the legal right to leave the union, will do that. Thats fanciful, but it is an indication of the strength of feeling there is. The assault on the us capitol has illustrated to Many Americans the extent to which the right is prepared to go to lodge its protest. Its continuing to do so at State Capitals across the country. But the events of the last year have shown that the left in america is also prepared to disrupt and make its presence felt. Last summer, they were roused into action not by misinformation from a president but the killing of george floyd. Protest leader Jay Gutierrez fears hell be arrested many more times fighting White Supremacy in america, especially now, as he sees it, the white has been emboldened. Well, theres going to be, you know, chaos in some way. Theres going to be uprisings from their end, theres going to continue to be uprisings from our end, of wanting to see change and wanting to see justice prevail. So, i just think that youre going to see that intensify. I dont think in any way, shape orform, biden winning, i dont see, you know, there to be peace from this point. Others on the left say the issues of inequality and poverty are ones that will keep them fighting, too. Eric and his militia mate tim wanted to show off their preparedness for the battles theyre expecting. Explosion yee ha he chuckles oh, yeah, weve got a problem. It was a bit of a game, but one that ended up starting a fire that quickly spread. What the coming months bring. May not be as comical or as easy to contain. Aleem maqbool, bbc news, in texas. A full lockdown and 24 hour curfew is in place in lebanon in a bid to slow a surge in coronavirus cases. Its a small country, but its seen one of the worst outbreaks in the arab world. The bbc� s Carine Torbey reports from beirut. One year old hammered fell sick. Forthree one year old hammered fell sick. For three years his family tried to get him to an intensive care unit, but all were occupied by coronavirus patients hamad. Translation patients hamad. Translation . ,. , , translation what really hurts me is how hamads translation what really hurts me is how hamads parents i translation what really hurts| me is how hamads parents were sitting next to their boy, helplessly as he died. Hamad will now find the care he needed, and that is in heaven. Hospitals in lebanon are overwhelmed and operating on full capacity. Many have had to reject patients. The staggering increase in the number of coronavirus cases is bringing the whole Health System to its knees. With their beds filling up, many hospitals in the country are forced to improvise. Untila country are forced to improvise. Until a few days ago, this was a hospitals cafeteria. Now it has been converted into a makeshift ward. In other hospitals, Emergency Rooms have been turned to receive patients and almost everywhere several wards have been shut in order to redirect all resources towards the overstretched covid teams. Translation 5 the overstretched covid teams. Translation translation as infection is medical teams translation as infection is medical teams were translation as infection is medical teams were phoning | translation as infection is| medical teams were phoning in sync with covid as well. And because of the worsening economic situation, many doctors and nurses had to leave lebanon in order to make ends meet. , meet. The pandemic has hit lebanon meet. The pandemic has hit lebanon as meet. The pandemic has hit lebanon as it meet. The pandemic has hit lebanon as it has meet. The pandemic has hit lebanon as it has been i meet. The pandemic has hit| lebanon as it has been going through the worst financial and economic crisis of its history. This is a country where the local currency has lost more than 70 of its value in a year and where more than half the population lives in poverty. Now lebanon has entered its third and most strict lot down. Previous lockdowns have forced businesses to close. Its an Economic Disaster on top of all the pandemic misery. But the authorities here say that as painful as it is the measures are necessary. Lebanon is still hoping to receive the first batch of Covid Vaccine next month, but achieving protection against the virus will take a whole year. Time that lebanon can hardly afford. The whole year. Time that lebanon can hardly afford. Can hardly afford. The Health Reaponse can hardly afford. The Health Response as can hardly afford. The Health Response as part can hardly afford. The Health Response as part of can hardly afford. The Health Response as part of the i response as part of the response as part of the response to this pandemic, but you have other set is involved which, unfortunately, the leaders of the country failed to do so. Lebanon cannot probably wait for a year. We have to rely on people complying with recommendations, which seems to be very difficult. Which seems to be very difficult. , difficult. Until immunisation is achieved, difficult. Until immunisation is achieved, posts difficult. Until immunisation is achieved, posts like i difficult. Until immunisation is achieved, posts like this i is achieved, posts like this are still expected to fill social media pages. Lebanon is a country of multiple chronic crises, now this pandemic might be sending it gasping for air. Carine torbey, bbc news. A british man who was diagnosed with a terminal form of cancer two years ago has completed the first stage of a bicycle ride that he is hoping will take him all the way to china. Luke grenfell shaw set off on a tandem injanuary. Our Correspondentjonah Fisher caught up with him as he made it to ukraine. Iam cycling with the knowledge that my cancer could come back at any time. In that my cancer could come back at any time at any time. In 2018, luke grenfellshaw at any time. In 2018, luke grenfellshaw was at any time. In 2018, luke grenfellshaw was told i at any time. In 2018, luke grenfellshaw was told he at any time. In 2018, luke i grenfellshaw was told he had grenfell shaw was told he had an advanced form of cancer that very few people survive. Tue primary tumour that was very few people survive. Tta primary tumour that was beneath my Left Shoulder blade which was the size of an aubergine, it was enormous, that had spread to my lungs. The 24yearold spread to my lungs. The 24yearold underwentl 24 year old underwent chemotherapy and then surgery, keeping his spirits up by running and riding long distances and dreaming of adventure. Distances and dreaming of adventure. Distances and dreaming of adventure. The day that i was diagnosed adventure. The day that i was diagnosed a adventure. The day that i was diagnosed a realised adventure. The day that i was diagnosed a realised that i adventure. The day that i was diagnosed a realised that if i l diagnosed a realised that if i could only do one more thing with my life then i want to cycle around the world. T cycle around the world. I venture ahead. A year ago, the cancer in remission, luke set off from bristol, hoping to reach china. Off from bristol, hoping to reach china. Good roads. Its reach china. Good roads. Its pretty nice reach china. Good roads. Its pretty nice. Thats reach china. Good roads. Its pretty nice. Thats cold i pretty nice. Thats cold behind me is the netherlands. In front of me as germany. I think it is fair to say that this tent is no longer waterproof. This tent is no longer waterproof. Then the coronavirus waterproof. Then the | Coronavirus Pandemic waterproof. Then the Coronavirus Pandemic struck, Closing Borders and blocking the lukes way east. T Closing Borders and blocking the lukes way east. Closing borders and blocking the lukes way east. I have no idea what the lukes way east. I have no idea what were the lukes way east. I have no idea what were going the lukes way east. I have no idea what were going do. I the lukes way east. I have no idea what were going do. But| idea what were going do. But each passing minute, heading back to the uk just seems like a more sensible option. And that is what he did. But five months later luke was back on the road again. Irate months later luke was back on the road again. The road again. We have no wheel. The road again. We have no wheel so the road again. We have no wheel. So weve the road again. We have no wheel. So weve got the road again. We have no wheel. So weve got a i the road again. We have no wheel. So weve got a bit i the road again. We have no| wheel. So weve got a bit of the road again. We have no i wheel. So weve got a bit of a problem right now. We arejust crossing the danube right now. Luke caught and recovered from the coronavirus in romania. And has he made his way across ukraine i ask in The Big Question why . Tt ukraine i ask in The Big Question why . Ukraine i ask in The Big Question why . Ukraine i ask in the Big Auestion Wh . , ~ question why . If you can take aood question why . If you can take good care question why . If you can take good care of question why . If you can take good care of your question why . If you can take good care of your body, question why . If you can take good care of your body, if i question why . If you can take good care of your body, if you l good care of your body, if you can look after yourself, it doesnt give you any guarantees, but it puts you in a better position and, i guess, mentally you also know that you are doing the things that you can do to improve your situation, even when there is so much uncertainty and there is so much that you cant control. Is so much that you cant control is so much that you cant control. , ,. , ,. , control. How is your russian doinu . Control. How is your russian doing . After control. How is your russian doing . After a control. How is your russian doing . After a two control. How is your russian doing . After a two week control. How is your russian | doing . After a two week slog across ukraine doing . After a two week slog across ukraine completed i doing . After a two week slog across ukraine completed his european journey, across ukraine completed his europeanjourney, luke called european journey, luke called his europeanjourney, luke called his mum back home. T european journey, luke called his mum back home. European journey, luke called his mum back home. I have felt view with his mum back home. I have felt view with those his mum back home. I have felt view with those icy his mum back home. I have felt view with those icy cold view with those icy Cold Headwinds on your own with that tandem headwinds on your own with that tandem and the trailer and all the weight of it. A massive achievement. Im so proud of you. Achievement. Im so proud of you, really, really an inspiration that you have just had the inspiration that you have just had the great to keep going against had the great to keep going against a many odds. Missing you you music your music plays. Your music plays. So far, lukes epicjourney has raised £43,000 for cancer related charities. All being well, he will ride across asia before arriving in china in about a years time. Jonah fisher, bbc news. Luke grenfell shaw and his Epic Cycle Ride across the world. Do stay with us. They will be back shortly with the top Business Stories as us Stock Markets hit a record high as President Joe Biden is inaugurated. You can reach me on twitter im samanthatvnews. Hello. We yet have more Severe Weather in our forecast for thursday. We start the day still with the met Office Amber Warning in force for heavy rain across Northern England. That will lapse through the morning but, obviously, the flooding situation lags somewhat behind the falling rain, so i dont anticipate the Flood Warnings going up once again across england. And then for scotland, we have an Amber Warning for the risk of disruption across the borders where heavy snow is set to fall accompanied by strong winds. The reason for all of these problems is storm christoph, this deep area of low pressure. Its now pulling off into the north sea but behind it, weve dragged down some cold air all the way south from the arctic right the way across the uk, and that gives us a cold start to thursday. It means ice is possible, well, just about anywhere a lot of Surface Water lying around aside from where we see showers falling first thing. But wintry weather for scotland the Biggest Issue through the course of the day. The rain, improving across Northern England. Still some showers around here, though. Still some wintry, even as far south as the southern pennines, perhaps the odd one getting into the peaks. To the far south of the uk, perhaps some rain grazing the south coast. Much of england and wales seeing a dry and sunny day but feeling chillier certainly. Northern ireland largely fine. Scotland keeps on packing in those wintry showers even overnight thursday into friday as christoph pulls off towards scandinavia. There will be some, as well, for northern ireland, a few more for Northern England but scotland with the greatest risk of piling up some more snowfall. A widespread frost, though, takes us into friday. So, again with that Surface Water sitting around across many parts of the uk, could be icejust about anywhere as the day gets under way. Friday, quite a bit of sunshine for england and wales. A few showers of rain running into the south. Some more wintry showers though for Northern England grazing the north of northern ireland, and across scotland. But friday, in contrast to the last few days, a much quieter day. As for the weekend, low pressure still to the north west. We feed in some Weather Systems around it through the course of the weekend. Dont put too much stake on the exact detail of where these are pushing through but you can see white there. Those Weather Systems are set to interact with the very cold air. Hard to put the detail on them because they are quite small, but the upshot is we will all be sitting in the colder air this weekend. And if those features do run in where you are, you could see some snow. This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. Joe biden becomes the 46th president of the United States of america. America has been tested and we have come out stronger for it. We will repair row alliances and engage with the world once again. Not to meet yesterdays challenges but todays and tomorrows challenges. And President Biden gets straight to work, signing no less than 17 executive actions. Many reversing President Trumps policies. And remember when we could shop in person for cosmetics . The pandemic has totally changed the beauty industry. We find out how