After an acrimonious and violent presidential race, unseen in American electoral history, and watched by a deeply apprehensive world like never before, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris as the first female, first Black and first South Asian Vice-President on Wednesday at the 59th inaugural ceremony at the West Front of the Capitol, the parliament house. While Biden's prayers were granted by his Lord, Harris got her reward. And, marking an auspicious beginning to the new presidential term, it snowed like a shower of petals from the heavens even as the participants were getting set to start under the shadow of an all-pervading fear struck by an unpredictable Donald Trump, who boycotted the function and left the city early in the morning.

WASHINGTON, Jan 20: President-elect Joe Biden and Vice- President-elect Kamala Harris were sworn in at the US Capitol on Wednesday according to the convention and without any adverse events that was feared in the background of the January 6 violence inspired by the then President Donald Trump who had lost the November 3 presidential election.

Harris made history as the first female, first Black and first South Asian by descent to become the Vice-President.

Soon after reaching the White House after the elaborate ceremonies and other traditional formalities, the 46th President signed quite a few executive orders, revoking several of Trump's policies. Wearing of face mask has been made mandatory on federal property. Trump's earlier order withdrawing from the Paris accord has been revoked. So also a presidential permit for the Keystone XL oil and gas pipeline is being revoked. Trump's travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries is also lifted. The national emergency for building Mexican border is also over. He will also order to rework on Obama's pet Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, which Trump halted. There are 700,000 people enrolled as DACA. All student loans repayments are halted. There will be a bar on evictions until at least March 31. People could stay in their homes.

In the next ten days, Biden is expected to roll back many more of Trump's policies and orders. The coronavirus pandemic, job crisis, immigration and climate change are the issues top on Biden's agenda. A new Bill on regularising illegal immigrants is ready. There are 11 million immigrants who have no legal status, including documented and undocumented, who will now get a 5-year green card and later two-year citizenship. Scrapping the per country cap on H-1B visas that will help mostly Indians is also under way.

Talking to reporters after signing the executive orders, the new President said Trump had left a letter for him - the only tradition the outgoing President followed even as he boycotted the inaugural function - "a very generous letter." He did not disclose the contents.

The President swore in about 1,000 federal political appointees through video conferencing. He reminded them, “we work for the people”, and called upon them to be “decent, honourable and smart.” He stressed on one American value: "humility and trust." "If you ever work with me and I hear you another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I will fire you on the spot. No ifs, ands or buts."

Kamala Harris talked about the power of “American aspiration” in her first speech to the nation as Vice-President. She ceremoniously entered the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which houses the Vice-President’s office, near the White House. The Vice-President’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C, is under repair. However, she has a house of her own in the city.

Meanwhile, the Senate has fast-tracked and voted by 84-10 confirmation of Avril Haines as the new Director of National Intelligence. He is the first member of Biden Cabinet.

Three new Democratic Senators were sworn in by Vice- President Kamala Harris. The Democrats (50:50) now have control of the White House and Congress for the first time in a decade.