Post Inauguration wrap

The man behind Obama's great words
Behind the scenes of the inauguration today lies some extraordinarily gifted youth, writes Alan Jones, in the form of 27-year-old speechwriter John Favreau.
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Rudd, Australians welcome Obama with open arms
While Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offered to stand shoulder to shoulder with new President Barack Obama, Australian-based Americans have celebrated the "new, new deal" of the incoming leader.
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Tycoon freed with $196m ransom
Kidnappers released Greek shipping magnate Pericles Panagopoulos on Tuesday for a record ransom which reports said could be as high as 100 million euro ($195.56 million).
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'No regrets' as Bush leaves the White House
George W Bush took the podium for the first time as a former president on Tuesday, arriving in Texas after passing the US helm on to President Barack Obama and saying he had no regrets about his eight years in office.
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PM warns crisis will hit Australian jobs
Economic growth will slow and unemployment will rise but the government will be "up front" with Australians about how they will be affected, Kevin Rudd says.
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BHP Billiton job cuts 'sober reminder' of crisis: Swan
Mining giant BHP Billiton's decision to axe 6,000 global jobs is a "sober reminder" of the impact of the global recession, Treasurer Wayne Swan says.
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'We have chosen hope': Barack Obama becomes US President
Barack Obama took the oath of office to become the first African-American president in US history today, proclaiming America had chosen "hope over fear" and must unite in a "new era of responsibility" to triumph over its multiple crises.
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Whitlam now our longest living ex-PM
Motorists urged not toss butts
Freeze pay? Rudd gives staff bonuses
Terror threat at Obama inauguration: report