Washington, Jan 29 : President Barack Obama, who has acknowledged his admiration for former President Abraham Lincoln and was sworn in using the Lincoln Bible, could return to Illinois to celebrate famous Abe's 200th birthday.

Officials have declined to comment on Obama's February schedule, but one source said Obama could return during President's Day weekend, when daughters Sasha and Malia have a three-day break from school, The Chicago Tribune reported.

The trip could mark Obama's first trip aboard Air Force One, which usually lands at O'Hare Airport.

Chicago, Jan 29 : Sam Kass, who was one of the cooks at the chic Avec restaurant in Chicago two years ago, has now become a part of US President Barack Obama's kitchen cabinet.

The 28-year-old cook was the Obama family's personal chef in Chicago.

And on January 28, spokeswoman for first lady Michelle Obama announced Kass as an assistant White House chef.

He will work under executive chef Cristeta Comerford, a holdover from the Bush White House.

Kass grew up in Chicago, trained in Europe and graduated from the University of Chicago.

Washington, Jan. 29 : Compared to President Bush, his successor Barack Obama has a style of his own, one that is relaxed and warm, and not at all stiff.

As a first step, Obama, who hates the cold, cranked up the thermostat in the Oval Office, and preferred to take off his coat and work.

"He's from Hawaii, O. K.?" said Obama's senior adviser, David Axelrod, adding: "He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there."

Washington, Jan. 29 : President Barack Obama seems pretty annoyed over the fact that his two daughters are not going to school in Washington because it is snowing.

At a Roosevelt Room meeting on Wednesday with business leaders to press his economic stimulus plan, Obama suggested that "some flinty Chicago toughness" might be in order to deal with the Capital''''s first ice storm of the winter.

"My children''''s school was canceled today, because of what? Some ice," Obama said, as the room erupted in laughter.

Washington, Jan. 29 : Failing to get a single Republican in the House of Representatives to vote in favour of his 819 billion dollar economic rescue plan, President Barack Obama still managed to get a 244-188 thumbs up vote. The bill now moves to the US Senate before it returns to the White House for Obama''s signature.

"The plan now moves to the Senate, and I hope that we can continue to strengthen this plan before it gets to my desk," Obama said.

Washington, January 29 : The Obamas have shown the sign of a departure from the George W. Bush era by organising an after-sunset, midweek cocktail party.

The First Family's party is also being seen as a clear signal that they will have a more youthful and energetic approach to life in the White House than what Washington has seen during the over the past eight years.

Such an event-where the president hosts roughly two dozen Republicans and Democrats for drinks and economic stimulus chit-chat-was a rare-to-never happening when non-drinker Bush was the country's president.