London, Nov 8: Khaled Meshaal, the leader of Hamas, has picked up on Barack Obama’s offer to talk to America’s enemies, and said he is ready to talk to the US President elect.

Speaking in his refuge in the Syrian capital Damascus, Meshaal gave his reaction to Sky News on Obama’s election as the 44th president of the United States.

“There is no doubt that the recent American election is a big change when you get an American president with African roots. It’s a big change - political and psychological - and it is noteworthy and I congratulate President Obama,” he said.

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US president-elect Barack Obama agreed in a telephone call to work together to help solve global challenges, a Berlin government spokesman said Friday.

The stabilization of Afghanistan, the global financial crisis, climate change and Iran's controversial nuclear programme require closer cooperation, the spokesman said in a statement following Thursday evening's telephone call.

Merkel also congratulated Obama on his "historic" election victory, the statement said.

London, November 7: Gaffe-prone Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has given rise to a fresh controversy by praising U. S. President-elect Barack Obama’s suntan.

The entrepreneur, while on a Moscow visit, said last night that Obama was “young, handsome and tanned”.

His comment drew a lot of criticism.

“What’s the problem? It was a compliment. If these people don’t have a sense of humour why don’t they just...” British tabloid The Sun quoted him as responding to his criticisms.

Seoul - US president-elect Barack Obama vowed to closely cooperate with South Korea on achieving the nuclear disarmament of communist North Korea, the presidential office in Seoul said Friday.

Obama promised South Korean President Lee Myung Bak in a telephone conversation to further strengthen the alliance between their two countries. The incoming US president referred to the Seoul-Washington relationship as a "cornerstone of peace and stability in Asia," Lee's office said.

The two leaders also agreed to closely cooperate in dealing with the global financial crisis.

Tel Aviv - Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni warned US president-elect Barack Obama Thursday against holding a dialogue with Iran, saying Tehran could interpret such overtures as "weakness."

But she added she was not concerned that a US administration under Obama would greatly chance its attitude toward Israel.

Baghdad, Nov 6: Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has said that US President-elect Barack Obama won’t stick to his stance of withdrawing US troops within 16 months of taking over the White House, as promised during the election campaign.

“There won''t be quick disengagement here. A great deal is at stake,” the Daily Times quoted Zebari as telling a foreign news agency.

He said that Baghdad would respect the will of the American voters and that it was looking for a successful partnership with Obama.