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.

Jerusalem  - Caretaker Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert commended US President Barack Obama on his inauguration, wishing him success and calling the ceremony "very moving."

Olmert briefed Obama on the situation in Gaza, where a fragile truce has ended a 22-day deadly and destructive Israeli offensive aimed at curbing rocket attacks, and said he oped that US efforts, along with those of Egypt, Europe and Israel itself to prevent weapons smuggling into the strip would help stabilize the ceasefire.

Jerusalem  - Israel's Supreme Court overturned Wednesday a decision by the country's Central Elections Committee (CEC) banning two Arab-Israeli parties from competing in next months Knesset elections.

The nine-judge panel accepted the appeal filed on behalf of the United Arab List (UAL) and by the Balad party against the CEC ruling earlier this month, which had claimed that since the two parties did not recognise Israel as a Jewish homeland, they could not run in the February 10 elections.

London  - Manc