With the celebration behind him, the new US prez began his first day in office with changes and challenges. Here's what he did...
With the celebration behind him, the new US prez began his first day in office with changes and challenges. Here's what he did...
New website
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www.whitehouse.gov
Apart from a prominent photo gallery, candid bios of past presidents, the new design includes more interactive features e-mail updates and the option of e-mailing Obama, a White House blog, a weekly video address, among others.
Guantanamo
The first move of the Obama administration was to order a 120-day halt to prosecutions of suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to review the military commissions used to try them.
Papers filed at the US prison camp said the request is made "in the interest of justice and at the direction of the president of the US".
The judge in the September 11 war crimes case at Guantanamo has agreed to Obama's request to suspend the case pending the 120-day review.
Early start
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel briefs Obama in the Oval Office. Obama arrived there for the first time as president around 8.35 am (local time). He spent 10 minutes alone, reading a note from George W Bush, which was in an envelope saying: 'To: # 44, From: # 43'
Plunging stocks and war
Obama met with his top economic advisers, even as global stock markets took a plunge and market experts said "the O factor failed to bring the expected lift to depressed global markets".
He also met top military officials. According to an adviser, Obama would tell them to plan to have combat forces out of Iraq in 16 months, as he promised during his election campaign.
Obama also made calls to Middle East leaders.
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