World headlines today

Barack Obama was sworn into office for a second time on Wednesday amid legal concerns raised after he and US Chief Justice John Roberts erred on one word during Tuesday’s inaugural ceremony.

Washington Post: Obama’s Agenda: the Middle East, Economy and Ethics

President Obama launched immediately into the grim reality of his new job today, placing calls to the leaders of Middle Eastern countries and conducting his first presidential meetings on the economy and Iraq this afternoon.

Times of India: President Obama retakes oath of office

Barack Obama was sworn into office for a second time on Wednesday, amid legal concerns raised after he and US Chief Justice John Roberts erred on one word during Tuesday’s inaugural ceremony. Some constitutional scholars raised questions about whether Obama was technically the president after Roberts misplaced the word "faithfully" while administering the oath to Obama.

AUDIO: Listen to Obama take the oath of office

New York Times: Kennedy Is Said to Withdraw Senate Bid

Caroline Kennedy has withdrawn from consideration for the vacant Senate seat in New York. Ms. Kennedy on Wednesday called Governor David A. Paterson to inform him that she was no longer interested in the post due to concerns about the health of her uncle, Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

USA Today: Senate confirms Clinton as secretary of State

The Senate confirmed Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of State on Wednesday as President Obama moved to make his imprint on US foreign policy, mobilising a fresh team of veteran advisers and reaching out to world leaders.

Telegraph: Barack Obama vows to clean up US politics

President Obama calls a halt to officials profiteering from government and freezes the pay of his top staff with a view to "reinvigorating our democracy and remaking our country".

Guardian: Whirlwind hits Washington as President Obama starts work

President Barack Obama yesterday devoted his first full day in office to ditching one discredited Bush administration policy after another - proposing the closure of the Guantánamo Bay prison and offering a new relationship to Iran.

Times, London: Obama hits the phone in Middle East peace push

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office yesterday as he sought to make good on his promise of “ushering in a new era of peace”. In a flurry of telephone calls from the Oval Office, he reached out to leaders in the region and vowed to engage immediately in pursuit of a permanent Arab-Israeli settlement.

Herald Sun: Rudd condemns ’rape’ cleric

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has demanded an apology from an Islamic cleric who declared marital rape "impossible". A Melbourne Islamic cleric has told his male followers they can force their wives to have sex and hit them if they are disobedient.

Straits Times: New year home rush for Chinese New Year

The world’s biggest annual human migration this year has started earlier than usual, brought forward by the financial crisis which has hit China’s southern manufacturing and export hub of Guangdong especially hard. Just once a year, before the Chinese New Year, China’s 130 million migrant labourers get a chance to rejoin their families in their hometowns.

South China Morning Post: Army admits funding round-up of refugees

A colonel in the Thai army has confirmed its involvement in a programme to round up boatpeople from Myanmar and Bangladesh and send them back out to sea, saying it was done to "protect Thailand from harm" - and to help the refugees.

Japan Times: Congratulatory Aso requests early meeting

The government congratulated new US President Barack Obama on Wednesday and was quick to request an early meeting with him. Japan is eager to become one of the first nations, or at least the first Asian country, to meet with the new US administration as a sign that Washington prioritises bilateral ties with Tokyo.

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