Washington - Even in bitter defeat, Republicans joined Democrats in celebrating Barack Obama's historic achievement of becoming the first African American to become president of the United States.

President George W Bush, whose vast unpopularity coupled with the falling economy prompted the voter backlash against Republicans that likely cost John McCain the election, couldn't help but praise Obama on Wednesday for breaking the racial barrier and overcoming more than two centuries of discrimination.

New York - Wall Street delivered its worst-ever post- election session Wednesday as major stock indices lost more than 5 per cent, one day after the US market's biggest-ever election day gains.

Tuesday trading saw gains of more than 3 per cent on Wall Street, even as voters were choosing Democrat Barack Obama over Republican John McCain for a four-year presidential term starting in January.

Brussels - Europe's leaders have already said that they want the world's greatest powers to create a new brand of capitalism.

When they meet in Brussels on Friday ahead of a major world summit in Washington on November 15, they have to agree on the much more

difficult question of how far they should try to go right now.

Washington - Americans formed long lines Wednesday to buy souvenir newspapers after Barack Obama's ground-breaking election as the nation's first black president.

But many went disappointed after the Washington Post, the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and other papers failed to raise their press runs enough to meet the demand.

New York/Los Angeles - She was one of his earliest and most prominent supporters.

So when Barack Obama's final moment of victory came, it was no real surprise that Oprah Winfrey, the hugely influential cultural arbiter and queen of daytime television, let the tears stream down her face.