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Biden, Harris to be sworn in amid high security, coronavirus concerns
President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris are scheduled to be sworn in Wednesday in an extremely pared-down inaugural event, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and intensified concerns about security.

The inaugural committee was "strongly encouraging" people not to attend the event in person – and to instead tune in to the virtual livestream.

In addition, viewing stands will not be made available, while dinners and balls have also been canceled.

Official tickets to inauguration events are typically distributed by congressional offices, free of charge. During a typical year, members usually receive about 200,000 to give out to constituents, as reported by USA Today. The publication said this year members were limited to tickets for themselves and one guest, which means no tickets will be available for constituencies.

Overall, The Washington Post estimated that around 2,000 people will attend the event, including 200 "VIPs" – or families of the president-elect and vice president-elect, congressional leadership and several diplomats. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
- Biden inauguration: Everything you need to know
- Biden to sign 17 executive actions, orders to reverse Trump policies, restore Obama-era programs on first day
- Some schools won't show inauguration in classrooms over concerns of potential violence
- How to watch Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' inauguration
- Dem Rep. Cohen's smearing of National Guard was 'pretty outrageous': Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp
- 'No tolerance' for Inauguration Day violence: acting attorney general
- National Guardsmen removed from U.S. Capitol ahead of inauguration

Trump pardons Steve Bannon, Lil Wayne, dozens of others; also commutes sentences
President Trump issued a long list of pardons and sentence commutations early Wednesday as he prepared to leave office.

The recipients including former White House adviser Steve Bannon and rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black -- with a total of 73 people pardoned by the president.

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick had his 30-year sentence was commuted -- one of 70 people to receive commutations just hours before President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office.

Trump was not expected to attempt to issue himself or family members a preemptive pardon, sources told Fox News. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Alice Marie Johnson calls for Trump to pardon nonviolent drug offenders, praises 'unsung hero' Ivanka
- Karl Rove on pardons: ‘Presidents should be very careful of exercising unlimited power’
- Pamela Anderson pleads with Trump to pardon 'free speech hero' Assange: 'Do the right thing'

Pelosi brushes off concerns that her laptop may have been stolen
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said this week that she wasn’t worried about the contents of a laptop that was reportedly stolen from her office when rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

"I’m not concerned about that particular laptop," Pelosi told MSNBC reporter Joy Reid in an interview that aired Tuesday. "But that doesn’t matter. It could be any laptop and anytime … a constituent writes to a member of Congress it’s confidential … and for them to take that is a violation not only of my office but of my connection to my constituents."

A Pennsylvania woman, Riley June Williams, 22, has been arrested for allegedly taking the speaker’s laptop, which she allegedly planned to sell to Russian intelligence.

Pelosi said that laptop was used mainly for Zoom meetings, but she wasn’t sure "what other information could be on there." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Pelosi urges Pentagon to block 'Trump loyalist' from national security role before Biden's inauguration
- Clinton, Pelosi blasted by left for continuing to push 'Russiagate': 'They're never going to give up'
- Man accused of hanging from Senate balcony appears in court
- Capitol photos, videos lead to California doctor's arrest

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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- VP Mike Pence expected to skip Trump send-off to Florida
- Loeffler rips cancel culture and 'dangerous narratives' in farewell address
- MSNBC contributor compares Biden to God, suggests Trump voters should be blamed for COVID deaths
- California boy, 12, missing after being swept into the Pacific Ocean, search suspended: report
- Mega Millions numbers drawn for massive $865M jackpot

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- Trump pardons former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski
- Alibaba's Jack Ma makes first live appearance in three months in online meet
- Over $5B in US small business relief loans approved in first week – SBA
- Feds reject Ford and Mazda request on recalls
- Customs seizes $8 million in counterfeit Cartier bracelets, rings
- Netflix subscribers cross 200M as viewers escape world's woes

#The Flashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History."

SOME PARTING WORDS

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., appeared on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on Tuesday night to discuss the Democrats' response to their election victory.

"The Democrats are being very sore winners," Cotton told Carlson. "The Democrats have narrow majorities in the Congress, yet they seem so angry and aggressive towards the 74 million people who voted for [President Trump]. … They know their agenda is massively unpopular. The American people don’t want to open our borders or defund our police and they know politics and government is the one place where those 74 million people have something like an equal voice."

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Fox News First was compiled by Fox News' Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday.