World leaders hail Obama triumph

World leaders have hailed the election of Senator Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called Tuesday's poll historic and said he and Mr Obama "share many values".

Outgoing US President George W Bush said Mr Obama could count on "complete co-operation" during the transition.

The president-elect will take over the presidency in January.

Democratic officials quoted by the Associated Press news agency say Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel has been offered the job of Mr Obama's White House chief-of-staff.

It is not known whether Mr Emanuel - a former aide in President Bill Clinton's administration - has accepted.

Besides winning the presidency, the Democrats tightened their grip on Congress. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hailed both Mr Obama's victory and her party's gains, saying the

American people had spoken out "loudly and clearly" for change.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was looking forwards "to an era of renewed partnership and a new multilateralism".

In Kenya - the birthplace of Mr Obama's father - President Mwai Kibaki declared a national holiday on Thursday.

Pope Benedict XVI asked for "God's blessings on the American people".

The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says Americans have made two fundamental statements about themselves - that they are profoundly unhappy with the status quo, and that they are slamming the door on the country's racial past.

At the White House, Mr Bush told reporters: "History was made yesterday."

He congratulated the president-elect on an "impressive victory" and said it represented strides "toward a more perfect union".

-BBC