White House raises curtain on new site

President George W. Bush has launched a new Web site at Whitehouse.gov to update the Bush administration's presence online. The new site, in development since late January when Bush took office, touts easier navigation, Spanish-translated content, a children's section and a softer, public-friendly design. In addition, the site offers better access for disabled visitors, including close-captioned Web casts for the hearing impaired. The Web site, with a new search service powered by Inktomi, also lets visitors search for news, biographies and White House policies.

President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush plan to celebrate the long-awaited redesign at a White House event Friday afternoon.