Obama lauds King
Published:Monday | January 19, 2009 | 5:27 PM
Americans today marked the annual public holiday in memory of black civil rights leader Martin Luther King on the eve of Barack Obama\'s inauguration as the next United States president.
In observing the day the United States president-elect helped to decorate a community project in Washington in memory of Dr King, who was assassinated in 1968.
He also paid a private visit to wounded US troops at a medical centre in north Washington.
Obama then visited a shelter for homeless and runaway young people in the city, where he also helped to paint a wall.
Meanwhile the US President-elect is scheduled to convene a meeting of his top economic advisers on Wednesday, his first full day in office following the inauguration.
According to Obama’s senior aides the incoming president wants to address the financial crisis.
They said Obama is planning an ambitious first week that will include a meeting with top military officials to map out a change to the mission in Iraq and the appointment of at least one envoy to deal quickly with the Mideast crisis.
He’s also expected to issue executive orders on issues ranging from the environment to the detainment of terror suspects.