Washington, Jan. 15 : US President-elect Barack Obama has said that he will allow gays to serve openly in the military by overturning the controversial "don''t ask, don''t tell" policy.

According to incoming White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the Obama transition team declined to elaborate on that one-word answer when asked by FOX News on Wednesday about a timetable for repealing the policy, which was enacted by former president Bill Clinton after a protracted public debate.

Washington - Barack Obama's plan to jump start the US economy probably doesn't involve T-shirts.

But T-shirts and other wares emblazoned with the incoming president's face are in hot demand and might just provide a needed retail boost in the nation's capital.

Street vendors who typically hawk wares with images of landmarks and the words Washington DC have also expanded to include items such as baseball caps proclaiming "Obama is my homeboy."

With the aim to get an application that will let the users to view President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration on 20th January while interacting with other members, CNN. com is partnering with social networking site Facebook.

This integration will allow the users of Facebook to click onto a special CNN. com Live page to see the inauguration and other activities and they will also be able to stay on the page and still be linked to Facebook.

San Francisco  - Poet and playwright Elizabeth Alexander will be only the fourth poet to be featured at a presidential inauguration on Tuesday.

Alexander, an African-American professor at Yale University, said that she started writing the inaugural poem about a month ago and that Obama's decision to include a poet in the ceremony reflected his recognition of the power of words.

Washington, January 14 : U. S. President-elect Barack Obama has written a letter to his daughters Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, revealing what he wants for them and every child in the country.

Obama, who will be sworn in as 44th U. S. President on January 20, has written that he wants every child in the country to go to school.

He has even expressed his desire for college admissions of those whose parents currently do not have enough means to buy them higher education.

New York, Jan 14 : US President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural ceremony will be a Lincoln-themed affair, according to reports.

The Democrat will not only swear keeping his hand on the bible used by the 16th president, but will also eat like him.

The Congressional Inaugural Committee announced yesterday that following the swearing-in ceremony on January 20, it would hold a luncheon that''s modelled after foods Lincoln enjoyed.