Home News Antarctic penguins' breeding grounds could be safeguarded from over-fishing by a proposed network of 'marine protected areas' in the Southern Ocean

Antarctic penguins' breeding grounds could be safeguarded from over-fishing by a proposed network of 'marine protected areas' in the Southern Ocean

January 20, 2021

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Network of marine protected areas (MPAs) could protect four penguin species
MPAs are the marine equivalent of nature reserves and national parks on land
Research finds they would boost permanent conservation of areas for penguinsAntarctic penguin numbers could be boosted by a proposed network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean, according to new research.
MPAs set up around Antarctica would help protect four species of penguins – the Adelie, Chinstrap, Gentoo and Emperor, researchers say.
Like nature reserves and national parks on land, MPAs are places at sea where environmentally-damaging activities – like certain types of fishing – are restricted in order to protect particular seascapes, habitats and species. The military ceremony had the atmosphere of a Trump rally: Gloria was played as Air Force One taxied, and then the YMCA as Trump hugged and kissed his children and finally My Way as the plan rose into the air.
‘We love you. We will be back in some form,’ he told the crowd of cheering supporters before signing off: 'Have a good life, we will see you soon.'
The farewell resembled one of Trump’s infamous campaign rallies, ending with ‘YMCA’ – the song Trump would depart to – as supporters cheered ‘USA, USA, USA.’
My Way, which Trump and Melania danced to at his 2017 inaugural ball, played as Air Force One took off.
The president paused at times in his remarks. While he did not show tears, he appeared to feel the weight of the occasion while taking time to enjoy the final moments of his time in office. He notably did not mention the name of incoming President Joe Biden.
‘Hail to Chief’ played as Trump and Melania - who was wearing a Chanel jacket, sunglasses and carrying a $70,000 black crocodile Hermes Birkin bag - walked from Marine One to the platform where the president addressed the crowd.
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Trump gives his farewell speech at Andrews Air Force Base in the last hours of his Presidency. He said it had been an 'honor and a privilege'
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Melania Trump and Donald Trump wave to their supporters as they board Air Force One for the last time on Wednesday
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base after giving speeches
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Donald Trump flies to Florida from Joint Base Andrews after a turbulent end to his presidency
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US First Lady Melania Trump speaks before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on January 20, 2021
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet the crowd before boarding Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday morning. The pair held hands as they made their way to a stage to deliver their final remarks as President and First Lady
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With Air Force One in the background, Donald and Melania Trump smile and wave to their family and supporters while music plays in the background. 'My Way', which is what played at Trump's inaugural ball in 2017, played as the plane took off
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First lady Melania Trump watches as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., January 20, 2021
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So long! Trump and Melania wave goodbye as they board Air Force One on Wednesday for the last time
Read Donald Trump's full farewell speech at Andrews Air Force Base
DONALD TRUMP: Thank you, thank you very much. Thank you very much, and we love you and I can tell you that from the bottom of my heart.
This has been an incredible four years, we’ve accomplished so much together. I want to thank all of my family and my friends and my staff and so many other people for being here. I want to thank you for your effort, your hard work. People have no idea how hard this family worked, and they worked for you. They could have had a much easier life. But they just – they did a fantastic job. I just want to thank all of you – every one. I want to thank Mark Meadows who’s here someplace, right there, I want to thank Mark. But it’s been something very special.
We’ve accomplished a lot. Our first lady has been a woman of great grace and beauty and dignity. And so popular with the people, so popular with the people. In fact, honey, would you like to say a few words, please?
FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP: Being first lady was my greatest honor. Thank you for your love and your support. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you all, God bless the family and God bless this beautiful nation. Thank you.
DONALD TRUMP: What else has to be said, right? But what we’ve done – iit’s true, honey, great job – what we’ve done has been amazing by any standard. We rebuilt the United States military. We created a new force called Space Force – that in itself would be a major achievement for a regular administration. We were not a regular administration. We took care of the vets, 91 per cent approval rating, they’ve never had that before. The vets have given us – the VA – the vets have given us an approval rating like has never been before. We took care of our vets, and our beautiful vets, they were very badly treated before we came along. And, as you know, we get them great service and we pick up the bill and they could go out and see a doctor if they have to wait long period of time. We got it so that we can, sadly, get rid of people that don't treat our vets properly. We didn't have any of those rights before when I came on. So our vets are happy, our people are happy, our military is thrilled.
We also got tax cuts, the largest tax cut and reform in the history of our country, by far. I hope they don't raise your taxes. But, if they do, I told you so.
And if you look at the regulations, which I consider the regulation cuts to be maybe even more important, that’s why we have such good and have had such good job numbers. The job numbers have been absolutely incredible. When we started, had we not been hit by the pandemic, we would have had numbers that would have never been seen – already, our numbers are the best ever. If you look at what happened until February a year ago. Our numbers were at a level nobody had seen before. And even now, we really built it twice. We got hit, nobody blames us for us, the whole world got hit and then we built it again. And now the stock market is actually substantially higher than it was at its higher point prior to the pandemic. So it’s really, you can say we built it twice.
You’re going to see incredible numbers start coming in if everything is sort of left alone. Be careful, very complex, be careful. But you’re going to see some incredible things happening and remember us when you see these things happening, if you would. Remember us because I’m looking at elements of our economy that are set to be a rocketship up– it’s a rocketship up.
We have the greatest country in the world, we have the greatest economy in the world. And as bad as the pandemic was, we were hit so hard, just like the entire world was hit so hard, places that thought they got away with it, didn't get away with it – they’re suffering right now. We did something that is really considered a medical miracle, they are calling it a miracle, and that was the vaccine. We got the vaccine developed in nine months instead of nine years or five years or 10 years or a long time. It was supposed to take a long time, many, many years to develop a vaccine. We have two out, we have another one coming almost immediately. And it really is a great achievement. So you should start to see really good numbers over the next few months. I think you’re going to see those numbers really skyrocket downward.
I can only say this: we have worked hard. We’ve left it all – as the athletes would say – ‘we’ve left it in the field.’ We don’t have to come and say – we’ll never say in a month when we’re sitting in Florida, we're not going to be looking at each other and saying, ‘You know if we only worked a little but harder.’ You can’t work harder. And we had a lot of obstacles, and we went through the obstacles. And we just got 75 million votes and that’s a record in the history of sitting presidents. It’s an all-time record by a lot – by many millions in the history of sitting president, it’s been, really, just an honor.
One of the things we’re very, very proud of is the selection of almost 300 federal judges and three great Supreme Court justices. That’s a very big number, that’s a record setting number. And so, we’ve done a lot, and there’s still things to do.
The first thing we have to do is pay our respects and our love to the incredible people and families who suffered so gravely from the China virus. It’s a horrible thing that was put onto the world. We all know where it came from, but it is a horrible, horrible thing. So be very careful, be very, very careful. But, we want to pay great love, great love to all the people that are suffering – including families who have suffered so gravely.
So with that I just want to say you are amazing people, this is a great, great country. It is my greatest honor and privilege to have been your president.
I will always fight for you. I will be watching, I will be listening and I will tell you that the future of this country has never been better. I wish the new administration great luck and great success. I think they’ll have great success. They have the foundation to do something really spectacular. And again, we put it in a position like it’s never been before despite the worst plague to hit since, I guess you would say 1917, over 100 years ago. And despite that – despite that, the things that we’ve done have been just incredible. And I couldn't have done it without you.
So just a goodbye, we love you, we will be back in some form.
And again, I want to just, in leaving, thank our Vice President Mike pence and Karen. I want to thank Congress because we really worked well with Congress - at least certain elements of Congress. But we really did, we’ve gotten so much done that nobody thought would be possible – but I do want to thank Congress. And I want to thank all of the great people of Washington, D.C., all of the people that we worked with to put this miracle together.
So, have a good life, we will see you soon. Thank you, thank you very much. ‘We love you,’ the supporters yelled as Trump took the stage after arriving while his children watched proudly.
‘We accomplished a lot,’ Trump said. ‘We worked hard. We left it all - as the athletes would say - we left it in the field.’
He left behind a last-minute flurry of pardons, including to Steve Bannon, the indicted one-time White House Svengali, Trump-backing rapper Lil’ Wayne and a convicted stalker friend of his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Also left on the field was a shattered Republican Party, whose top ranks are torn apart by his second impeachment. In the dying days of his presidency, Trump floated starting his own ‘Patriot Party’ from his Mar-a-Lago home.
He told his supporters, who he hopes to harness as a power force in future elections, that he will be there for them.
‘I will always fight for you. I will be watching, I will be listening and I will tell you the future of the country has never been better. I wish the new administration great luck and great success. They have the foundation to do something really spectacular and in a position like it has never been,’ he said.
He has reportedly discussed forming another party, known as the Patriot Party, to continue his political career.
Melania Trump, wearing black, briefly addressed the crowd. She wore a Chanel, military-style jacket and had her hair pinned up for her final appearance as first lady.
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‘Being first lady was my greatest honor. Thank you for your support. You will be my thoughts and prayers, god bless you all, god bless the family and god bless this beautiful nation,’ she said.
In free-styling remarks, Trump did not use a teleprompter, he listed some of his accomplishments.
‘Our people are happy, military is thrilled. We got tax cuts, the largest tax cut and reform in the history of the country by far. Hope they don't raise your taxes. If they do I told you so,’ he said.
He mentioned the number of votes he received in the election but, notably, did not say he was the winner – an argument he made repeatedly after Joe Biden’s win was certified.
‘A lot of obstacles, we went to the obstacles and you get 75 million votes in the history of sitting presidents. It is an all-time record by a lot by many millions, really just an honor,’ he said.
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Ivanka fought tears as she listened to her father give his final speech as President on Wednesday
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Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S.
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Jared Kushner kisses Ivanka Trump on the cheek while they wait to board Air Force One on Wednesday
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All of Trump's children were present with their spouses and partners, including newly-engaged Tiffany Trump. While the adults weren't wearing masks, Jared and Ivanka's two sons were
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Ivanka Trump attends the departure ceremony of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., January 20, 2021
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Theodore Kushner, the four-year-old grandson U.S. President Donald Trump, holds his ears as Marine One lands prior to a farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
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Ivanka Trump beams as she prepares to take her seat at Joint Base Andrews. She wore a $2994 Altuzarra coat
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Ivanka Trump hugs White House adviser Stephen Miller as Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump and their children wait for President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base. None of them were wearing masks
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Newly engaged Tiffany Trump with her fiance Michael Boulus waiting for her father at Joint Base Andrews. She flashed her $1.2million, 13-carat engagement ring
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Michael Boulus, Tiffany Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Donald Trump Jr waiting for President Trump on Wednesday
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Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle waves next to him at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., January 20, 2021
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Eric Trump and his wife Lara arrive for outgoing US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump's departure at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on January 20, 2021
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U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, walks at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., January 20, 2021
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Trump received a 21-gun salute at Andrews before he boarded Air Force One. He was denied a farewell parade in Washington
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J President Donald Trump speaks to his supporters prior to boarding Air Force One to head to Florida on January 20, 2021 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
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Supporters of US President Donald Trump receive US flags at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, as they gather for Trump's departure on January 20, 2021
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People hold their cell phones as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to supporters on Inauguration Day for Joe Biden at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
And he paid a short tribute to those who died from the coronavirus, which dominated his last year in office. More than 400,000 Americans died from the disease.
‘We have to do is pay our respects and our love to the incredible people and families who suffered so gravely from the China virus. It is a horrible thing, we all know where it came from but it is a horrible horrible thing so be very careful, be very very careful. We want to pay great love, great love to all the people that have suffered including families who have suffered so greatly,’ he said.
After the ceremony, Trump hugged his children and grand children, who stood the side of stage. He waved to the crowd, walking through an honor guard hand in hand with Melania, taking it all in.
The first couple climbed the stairs of Air Force One and waved goodbye. The Trump children followed them up the stairs.
It’s unclear what’s next for the outgoing president, who timed his departure so he could land in Florida while the plane carried the call sign ‘Air Force One’ – which can only be sued when the current president is on board.
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While the Trumps left Washington, President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden attended mass at the Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle
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Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (R) and her husband Doug Emhoff (L) attend services at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle with Congressional leaders prior the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao attend services at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle with Congressional leaders
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US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi attend services at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle with Congressional leaders prior the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC
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US singer Lady Gaga arrives for the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden at the US Capitol on January 20, 2021
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Former New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez arrives at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2021
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As seen from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, preparations are made before the 59th Presidential Inauguration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington
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Former President Bill Clinton and his wife former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrive at the U.S. Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021
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Former President Barack Obama, and former First lady Michele Obama arrive at the U.S. Capitol ahead of the inauguration
Trump faces a second impeachment trial in the Senate, which could result in him never being able to run for office again if he’s found guilty.
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Barack Obama tweeted on Wednesday morning to congratulate Biden, who served as his Vice President
But he’s likely to use his supporters to be a force in the party, particularly primary elections where he has vowed vengeance against those Republicans he felt did not support him.
In a glaring split-screen moment defining the end of the Trump years, Joe Biden was about to leave Blair House, the White House’s official guest house, to go to mass with his wife Jill and Congressional leaders.
Trump was flying to Joint Base Andrews to speak in front of Air Force One to a small crowd of supporters. His adult children waited for him there.
Trump's early departure for Florida has caused a logistical and security nightmare since he is taking with him the nuclear codes. They will then be flown back to DC to be handed over to Biden this afternoon.
On Tuesday night, Trump made one of his final acts in office granting pardons to dozens of rappers, millionaires and strategists, including his old friend Steve Bannon.
This year, due to the ongoing pandemic and fears of a security threat, the mall - where thousands normally line up to greet the new President and First Lady - will be closed to the public.
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Treasury Secretary-nominee Janet Yellen sits in a chair before the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday
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Rep. Eric Swalwell (L) (D-CA) and Biden's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra arrive to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden
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Donald and Melania Trump leave the White House on Wednesday morning for the last time to be taken to Air Force One. He thanked the reporters there, saying it had been the 'honor of a lifetime' to serve as President
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The pair spoke briefly to the media before they boarded Marine One. Trump will give a lengthier speech at Joint Base Andrews
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Outgoing US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump speak to the media depart the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2021
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President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington
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Over and out: Trump waved to the press before he boarded Marine One at the White House on Wednesday morning
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Marine One lands at the White House to collect President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for the last time to take them to Joint Base Andrews where they will board Air Force Once to fly to Mar-a-Lago ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration
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Marine One flies by the Washington Monument on its way to the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2021, for the departure of US President Donald Trump
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A moving truck drives away from the West Wing of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington, on Wednesday January 20
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Aids carry boxes to Marine One before President Donald Trump leaves the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021
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White House staff members carry boxes to Marine One before President Donald Trump leaves the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021
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The White House was plunged mostly in darkness on Wednesday morning as the Trumps moved out ahead of Biden's inauguration
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The only lights on were in the Residence and parts of the West Wing, where movers were seen loading up trucks
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Some staffers were seen working at the White House before the sun rose on Wednesday morning
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The empty office of the White House press secretary is empty in the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington
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In the Lower Press Office, staffers left behind magazines with Trump on the cover
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A keyboard and mouse are wrapped in plastic waiting for the new Press Secretary on Wednesday morning
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A newspaper addressed to White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany lies on a table in an empty Upper Press Office area prior to U.S. President Donald Trump's departure ahead of the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Joe Biden
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The office of the White House press secretary sits empty prior to U.S. President Donald Trump's departure ahead of the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Joe Biden, in Washington, U.S. January 20, 2021
A smaller-than-usual crowd of guests including former Presidents and lawmakers will attend the inauguration ceremony in a socially-distanced manner instead.
The inaugural theme for this year's ceremony, 'America United', aims to restore the 'soul of America', bring the nation together and create a 'path to a brighter future', according to the incoming administration.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) has announced a series of events to be broadcast throughout Inauguration Day that Americans can watch live from home as people have been ordered to refrain from attending in person.
In lieu of the usual crowds, approximately 191,500 flags will cover the National Mall in honor of those unable to travel to Washington due to the pandemic.
Three hours before Biden will be sworn in as the 46th U.S. President, he will be attending mass at St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral with members of the House and Senate at 8:45am.
Guests will then begin arriving on the steps of the Capitol at around 11am.
Because of the ongoing pandemic, organizers have slashed attendance from 200,000 down to just 1,000 people.
Most members of Congress are expected to be in attendance (and have all been permitted plus-ones), as are three of the four living former presidents: Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton, will also be present.
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Roll out the red carpet one more time: Air Force members get ready for the last time the president will walk up the steps of Air Force One
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Last flight: Donald Trump can never again fly on Air Force One - the call sign is only used when the president is on board
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In place: The red carpet is laid down at the steps to Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews for the flight to Mar-a-Lago
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Honor guard ready: A military escort including soldiers and sailors waits beside the red carpet at Joint Base Andrews
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All this will be Joe's: The next time Air Force One flies it will have the new president on board. The Air Force 747 will fly back from Mar-a-Lago after Biden is sworn in and be ready for him at Joint Base Andrews
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A Trump aide with a suitcase walks past the red carpet at Air Force One to head for the back steps
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BIDEN-HARRIS INAUGURATION TIMELINE
8:45am: Attend mass at St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral with members of Congress
10:30am: Biden, Harris and roughly 1,000 guests arrive at the East Front of the US Capitol
11:00am:  Ceremony will begin with an invocation by the Rev. Leo J. O'Donovan, a Jesuit priest who is a close friend of the Biden family.
Andrea Hall, the first African American female firefighter to become captain of the Fire Rescue Department in South Fulton, Georgia, will recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem.
Amanda Gorman, who became the country's first Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, will read a poem she has written for the occasion called 'The Hill We Climb.'
Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks also will perform.
12:00pm: Joe Biden is sworn in as president by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Kamala Harris is sworn in as Vice President by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the Supreme Court.
1:40pm: Biden and Harris review the readiness of military troops in a pass in review.
2:25pm: Biden, Harris and their spouses go to Arlington Cemetery to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
3:15pm: President Biden and VP Harris receive a Presidential Escort to the White House.
5:15pm: President Biden signs executive orders and other presidential actions.
5:45pm: Biden swears in Day One Presidential Appointees in a virtual ceremony.
Harris will also swear in three Democratic senators.
8:00pm: Biden and Harris attend the Celebrating America special, hosted by Tom Hanks, Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington.
Performers include Bruce Springsteen and Justin Timberlake.
9:55pm: President Biden and Vice President Harris appear on the Blue Room Balcony.
President Trump will not be attending.
He confirmed his absence in a tweet earlier this month shortly before he was permanently suspended from the social media platform.
Instead, Trump will leave DC on Air Force One at around 8am, with his destination set for his Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida.
He is set to become the first president in more than a century to not attend his successor's inauguration. Only three presidents have previously abstained, with the last, Andrew Johnson, coming in 1869.
Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, has confirmed he will be attending, along with his wife, Karen.
President Trump will not be attending. He confirmed his absence in a tweet earlier this month shortly before he was permanently suspended from the social media platform.
Instead, Trump will leave DC on Air Force One at around 8am, with his destination set for his Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida.
He is set to become the first president in more than a century to not attend his successor's inauguration. Only three presidents have previously abstained, with the last, Andrew Johnson, coming in 1869.
Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, has confirmed he will be attending, along with his wife, Karen.
The inauguration ceremony will commence with remarks from Father Leo J. O'Donovan, a longtime friend of the Biden family and former president of Georgetown University.
Andrea Hall, the first African American female firefighter to become captain of the Fire Rescue Department in South Fulton, Georgia, will then recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
A number of live performances are also scheduled to take place throughout the ceremony.
The first on the bill is Lady Gaga, who will sing the national anthem. The singer previously teamed with Biden on domestic violence issues during his two terms as Vice President and also campaigned for him in the 2020 election.
Amanda Gorman, who became the U.S.'s first Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, will then recite a poem she has written for the occasion, titled: 'The Hill We Climb.'
Much like the incoming president, Gorman also once had a speech impediment that she has worked hard to overcome.
She has also recently announced plans to run for president in 2036 – the first year in which she will be eligible.
Jennifer Lopez will then follow Gorman's reading with a song, as will singer-songwriter Garth Brooks.
The performances with then conclude with a benediction from longtime Biden family friend, Rev. Silvester Beaman, of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware.
Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath of office to Biden shortly after the clock strikes noon.
Biden will take the oath with his hand on top of his 127-year-old, five-inch-thick family Bible, which will be held by his wife, Dr. Jill Biden.
Kamala Harris, the first woman, the first black and the first South Asian American vice president, will then take the oath immediately after.
Harris is due to be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the bench of the Supreme Court.
Like Harris, Sotomayor is a former prosecutor. She previously administered the oath to Biden when he was sworn in for his second term as Vice President in 2013.
Harris will be sworn in on two Bibles — one that belonged to a close family friend named Regina Shelton and another that belonged to Thurgood Marshall, the country's first African American Supreme Court Justice.
Trump on Tuesday night granted sweeping pardons to his friends, rapper and millionaires, who have been charged for an array of crimes.
Trump PARDONS Steve Bannon: President grants clemency to 143 people including White House strategist who 'defrauded MAGA fans out of $25M', Lil Wayne, Kodak Black and convicted politicians
Donald Trump has granted clemency to Steve Bannon as part of a wave of 143 pardons and commutations announced early Wednesday morning during the president's final hours in office.
Bannon, 67, helped Trump win the election in 2016 and was a senior White House adviser. In August last year he pleaded not guilty to charges that he defrauded MAGA donors to 'We Build the Wall,' an online campaign that raised $25 million.
Pardoning Bannon in a list that dropped shortly after midnight the White House said: 'President Trump granted a full pardon to Stephen Bannon. Prosecutors pursued Mr. Bannon with charges related to fraud stemming from his involvement in a political project.
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Donald Trump has pardoned Steve Bannon. The former White House Chief Strategist, center, exits the Manhattan Federal Court on August 20 last year after he was accused of defrauding donors in a $25 million border wall fundraising campaign
'Mr. Bannon has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen.'
The top names on Trump's pardon list
STEVE BANNON - Former Trump strategist who was charged with swindling the president's supporters in a fundraising bid for the infamous Mexico border wall
LIL WAYNE - Rapper who had voiced support for Trump and faced up to 10 years in prison for illegally possessing a .45 caliber handgun
KODAK BLACK - Rapper who was serving a nearly four-year prison term for making a false statement to buy a firearm. Received a commutation rather than a pardon
KWAME KILPATRICK - Detroit mayor from 2002-08 who had his 28-year prison sentence on corruption charges commuted by Trump
KENNETH KURSON - Friend of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner who was charged with cyberstalking during a heated divorce
ANTHONY LEVANDOWSKI - Google self-driving car engineer who faced prison for stealing 14,000 files of trade secrets before moving to Uber
ELLIOTT BROIDY - GOP fundraiser who pleaded guilty in a scheme to lobby the Trump administration to drop an investigation into the looting of a Malaysian wealth fund
MICHAEL 'HARRY O' HARRIS - Founder of Death Row Records who had served 30 years for conspiracy to commit murder. Had his sentence commuted
RICK RENZI - GOP congressman from Arizona 2003-09, served three years in prison for corruption, money laundering and other charges
DUKE CUNNINGHAM - California GOP congressman 1991-2005, served prison time for accepting $2.4million in bribes from defense contractors
ROBIN HAYES - GOP congressman from North Carolina 1999-2009, convicted of lying to FBI agents during a bribery investigation
And some of those not on the list...
JULIAN ASSANGE - Wikileaks founder facing 18 charges over release of military and diplomatic secrets
RUDY GIULIANI - Trump's personal lawyer who had spearheaded efforts to defy the election result
JOE EXOTIC - Zookeeper and subject of Netflix series 'Tiger King' who hired a hitman to try to kill a rival
DONALD TRUMP - The president had boasted he could pardon himself, but legal scholars thought it doubtful. There were also no pardons for Trump relatives
Scroll down for the full list  Trump has also pardoned rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black who were prosecuted on federal weapons offenses, as well as former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was serving a 28-year prison term on corruption charges.
He will also pardon Elliott Broidy, a former top fundraiser for Trump who pleaded guilty last year to violating foreign lobbying laws, Ken Kurson, a friend of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner who was charged last October with cyberstalking during a heated divorce and Anthony Levandowski, a former Google engineer was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing the internet giant's self-driving car files ahead of joining Uber.
But notable names not on the list were Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Tiger King's Joe Exotic, Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani or any members of the Trump family, all of whom were rumored to be under consideration.
It also ended years of speculation that Trump would try to immunize himself, an unprecedented and legally questionable step which he had previously claimed he had the power to take.
The list was issued just hours before Trump leaves the White House for the last time and the pardon power, nuclear codes and other trappings of the presidency are transferred to Joe Biden, who will take the oath of office at noon Eastern time.
Leaving under the cloud of a second impeachment and the riot he provoked at the Capitol two weeks ago, Trump wished luck to the new administration in a 'farewell address' last night but did not mention Biden by name and still has not accepted in public that he legitimately lost the election.
Bannon had fallen out with Trump after he was quoted calling the president's son Don Jr. 'treasonous' and his daughter Ivanka 'dumb as a brick'. Trump said then: 'Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency.'
But the two men have since rekindled their relationship as Trump sought support for his unproven claims of voter fraud, an official familiar with the situation said. White House officials are said to have advised Trump against pardoning Bannon.
Bannon can still be charged in state court in New York, where a pardon would not help him, said Daniel R. Alonso, a former prosecutor now at the Buckley law firm. Fraud prosecutions are frequently brought by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, Alonso said.
'Steve Bannon is getting a pardon from Trump after defrauding Trump's own supporters into paying for a wall that Trump promised Mexico would pay for,' Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said on Twitter. 'And if that all sounds crazy, that's because it is. Thank God we have only 12 more hours of this den of thieves.'
Bannon was in August last year pulled from a luxury yacht and arrested on allegations that he and three associates ripped off donors trying to fund a southern border wall.
The organizers of the 'We Build The Wall' group portrayed themselves as eager to help the president build a 'big beautiful' barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border, as he promised during the 2016 campaign.
They raised more than $25million from thousands of donors and pledged that 100% of the money would be used for the project.
But according to the criminal charges, much of the money never made it to the wall. Instead, it was used to line the pockets of group members, including Bannon, who served in Trump's White House and worked for his campaign.
He allegedly took over $1 million, using some to secretly pay co-defendant Brian Kolfage, an Air Force veteran who lost both legs in a mortar attack in Iraq and the founder of the project, and to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal expenses.

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