Baghdad  - A luxury yacht that belonged to Saddam Hussein failed to tempt a buyer from Europe owing to the credit crunch, an Iraqi government spokesman said on Wednesday.

"The Ocean Breeze yacht will return to the southern port of Basra from the Greek port of Piraeus," Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement.

Al-Dabbagh added that the global crisis had discouraged buyers and sharply reduced the price which the Iraqi government considered the vessel's true value.

Amman - The new US President Barak Obama on Wednesday called Jordan's King Abdullah II to discuss latest Middle East developments and bilateral relations, the royal court said.

"King Abdullah congratulated President Obama on the takeover of his responsibilities, telling him that he looked forward to working with him in addressing the region's issues," a court statement said.

Washington  - After dancing at inaugural balls well into the night, President Barack Obama and wife Michelle were up early Wednesday morning for a broad interfaith prayer service that included leaders from four different faiths.

The pallette of ethnic and religious identities went beyond the 220-year-old tradition of the post-inaugural service, with remarks from Uma Mysorekar of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America, two Jewish Rabbis and several Christian pastors.

Amman - King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday issued instructions for authorities to take "urgent and immediate steps" to facilitate entry of Iraqis to the country and grant them residence permits, the royal court said.

He made the remarks as he presided over a meeting of top officials to discuss moves for easing measures which have been adopted by the Jordanian border authorities over the past months to limit the influx of Iraqis to the Hashemite Kingdom.

Washington  - The US media on Wednesday praised President Barack Obama's inaugural address for its clarity and truthfulness, but some editorials reflected on its lack of poetry and fire, a style which had echoed throughout his two-year election campaign.

The New York Times said the speech gave Americans the "clarity and respect" for which they "have hungered."

Washington  - Timothy Geithner, chosen to be Treasury secretary by the newly inaugurated President Barack Obama, warned Wednesday that an already weak economy could suffer even greater damage and pledged swift action to address the ongoing financial crisis if he is confirmed.

Geithner's comments came in a critical confirmation hearing in the US Senate, where legislators weighed his close involvement in the financial crisis against a damaging tax scandal that emerged last week.