State Dept. condemns arrests, repression in Russia

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has given his senior leaders two weeks to send him reports on sexual assault prevention programs in the military in his first directive since taking office, according to the Associated Press.

Austin's directive calls for his senior leaders to submit sexual assault and harassment measures they have taken in the past year and to detail which initiatives worked and which did not, as well as including data over the past decade about efforts they have taken to support sexual assault and harassment victims.

“Include in your report the consideration of novel approaches to any of these areas,” he said, adding that “we must not be afraid to get creative.”

Austin’s directive is the first step in a commitment that he made during his confirmation hearing in front of U.S. senators last week when we promised to address the issue of sexual assault and harassment in the military head on.

“This is a leadership issue,” Austin said in his two-page memo. “We will lead.”

In his confirmation hearing, senators pointedly asked what Austin planned to do about the issue.  Senator after senator demanded to know what Austin planned to do about the problem, which defense and military leaders have grappled with for years as reports of sexual assaults, according to the Associated Press, have steadily gone up since 2006, including a 13% jump in 2018 and a 3% increase in 2019.

Said Austin: “This starts with me and you can count on me getting after this on Day One.”

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson shared details of the phone call he had with Biden Saturday, as the president continues to reach out to U.S. allies and partners in the days after his inauguration.

In a post on social media, Johnson said it was "great to speak" with Biden. "I look forward to deepening the longstanding alliance between our two countries as we drive a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19," he added, along with a photo of himself smiling on the phone. 

During the call, Johnson "warmly welcomed" Biden's decision to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization, a Downing Street spokesperson said.  

"They also discussed the benefits of a potential free trade deal between our two countries, and the Prime Minister reiterated his intention to resolve existing trade issues as soon as possible," the spokesperson said.

President Biden has been making his first calls to foreign leaders as president. On Friday, he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

In previewing the president's early calls to foreign heads of state, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had said the president would first prioritize close "partners and allies," because the president "feels it's important to rebuild those relationships and to address the challenges and threats we're facing in the world." 

-ABC News' Rashid Haddou, Jordyn Phelps and Molly Nagle

While Wednesday's Inauguration Day was steeped in tradition, it held many firsts too.

During the actual ceremony, Harris was sworn in as both the first female and person of color vice president, Amanda Gorman was the youngest inaugural poet in history, and Andrea Hall recited the Pledge of Allegiance in sign language.

But even as the official ceremony ended, the day of firsts didn't. Hours after the inaugural ceremony, Harris administered the oath of office to Rev. Raphael Warnock, the first Black senator from Georgia, and Jon Ossoff, the first Jewish senator from the South since the 1880s. Also, the White House website revised its contact form by adding gender-inclusive pronoun and prefix options including "they/them" and the gender-neutral prefix of "Mx."

-ABC News' Kiara Brantley-Jones and Robert Zepeda

Inauguration Day was historic, with Kamala Harris becoming the first woman and person of color to become vice president. But if all of Biden's cabinet nominations are confirmed, Harris wouldn't be the only one making history.

Twelve of Biden's nominations for Cabinet and Cabinet-level positions are women, including eight women of color. If they're all confirmed, it would shatter former President Bill Clinton's record of nine women serving concurrently, which happened during his second term.

Janet Yellen, who was approved unanimously in the Senate Finance Committee on Friday, is nominated to be the first female secretary of the U.S. Treasury. Her confirmation vote is expected to take place early next week.

-ABC News' Deena Zaru