WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama captured the White House on Tuesday after an extraordinary two-year campaign, defeating Republican John McCain to make history as the first black U.S. president.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Barack Obama's convincing win in the U.S. presidential election ends a source of uncertainty for global investors but does not change the grim realities facing the world economy.

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Republican John McCain congratulated Democrat Barack Obama for winning the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, saying 'the American people have spoken' and promising to help his former rival address the country's many challenges.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush on Tuesday called Democrat Barack Obama to congratulate him on winning the presidential election, the White House said, adding that Bush invited him and his family to visit to the White House soon.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Democrats captured a governor's seat from Republicans in Missouri on Tuesday but most of the 11 U.S. gubernatorial contests ended with no change in party control.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Newly-elected U.S. president Barack Obama will face a daunting array of foreign policy challenges, from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the global financial crisis to the need to shore up the country's frayed international image.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - In churches and bars, on the street and in private homes, African Americans celebrated the historic victory of Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race with cheers and tears on Tuesday.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama told cheering supporters on Tuesday 'change has come to America' and called on Americans to back a spirit of unity to attack the country's pressing challenges.

AP - Barack Obama swept to victory as the nation's first black president Tuesday night in an electoral college landslide that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself. 'Change has come,' he told a jubilant hometown Chicago crowd estimated at nearly a quarter-million people.

AP - Democrats fattened their majority control of the Senate on Tuesday, ousting Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John Sununu of New Hampshire and capturing seats held by retiring GOP senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado.

AP - Democrats expanded their control of the House and pushed for historic gains in their majority Tuesday by solidifying their dominance in the Northeast and making inroads in the South and West.

AP - Jubilant Democrats celebrated wins in two open gubernatorial races Tuesday — in North Carolina, which elected its first woman governor, and in Missouri where a Democrat replaced a Republican.

AP - Israeli rescue services Wednesday reported a 'massive' cross-border rocket barrage by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip — hours after an Israeli air strike in the first major exchange of fire since a truce took effect in June.

AP - Looking ahead to an Obama administration, some baseball agents already are thinking about trying to beat a possible tax increase for their well-paid clients.

Reuters - Barack Obama's convincing win in the U.S. presidential election ends a source of uncertainty for global investors but does not change the grim realities facing the world economy.

Reuters - Republican John McCain congratulated Democrat Barack Obama for winning the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, saying 'the American people have spoken' and promising to help his former rival address the country's many challenges.

Reuters - Democrats captured a governor's seat from Republicans in Missouri on Tuesday but most of the 11 U.S. gubernatorial contests ended with no change in party control.

Reuters - Newly-elected U.S. president Barack Obama will face a daunting array of foreign policy challenges, from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the global financial crisis to the need to shore up the country's frayed international image.

Reuters - In churches and bars, on the street and in private homes, African Americans celebrated the historic victory of Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race with cheers and tears on Tuesday.

AFP - From the bars of London to the small Japanese town of Obama, it seemed like the whole world tuned in Wednesday to see Barack Obama win one of the most anticipated US presidential races for decades.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian shares hit a three-week high and the dollar extended gains as Barack Obama became the next U.S. president, ending uncertainty about who will lead the world's largest economy in the midst of great financial peril.

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Republican John McCain congratulated Democrat Barack Obama for winning the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, saying 'the American people have spoken' and promising to help his former rival address the country's many challenges.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Watching election results that showed Barack Obama would be their new commander-in-chief, U.S. soldiers in Iraq said they hoped he would fulfill his promise to bring them home quickly and responsibly.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama has no time to waste.

AP - His name etched in history as America's first black president, Barack Obama turned from the jubilation of victory to the sober challenge of leading a nation worried about economic crisis, two unfinished wars and global uncertainty.

AP - Democrats fattened their majority control of the Senate on Tuesday, ousting Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John Sununu of New Hampshire and capturing seats held by retiring GOP senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado.

AP - Democrats expanded their control of the House and were headed for historic gains in their majority Tuesday by solidifying their dominance in the Northeast and making inroads in the South and West.

AP - Audacity won.

AP - With a gracious nod to Barack Obama, John McCain acknowledged defeat and urged his supporters to move beyond partisan differences to put country first — an echo of his campaign theme.

AP - They danced in the streets, wept, lifted their voices in prayer and brought traffic to a standstill. From the nation's capital to Los Angeles, Americans celebrated Barack Obama's victory and marveled that they lived to see the day that a black man was elected president.

AP - Asian stock markets rose Wednesday, tracking solid overnight gains on Wall Street, as uncertainty about the next leader of the world's largest economy was lifted with Democrat Barack Obama's elevation to the U.S. presidency.

AP - Boston's Big 3 outplayed Houston's trio of stars Tuesday night. Ray Allen scored 29 points, Kevin Garnett added 14 points and 11 rebounds and the Celtics shut down Ron Artest and Yao Ming in a 103-99 victory over the Rockets.

Reuters - Democrat Barack Obama captured the White House on Tuesday after an extraordinary two-year election campaign, defeating Republican John McCain to make history as the first black U.S. president.

Reuters - Asian shares hit a three-week high and the dollar extended gains as Barack Obama became the next U.S. president, ending uncertainty about who will lead the world's largest economy in the midst of great financial peril.

Reuters - Republican John McCain congratulated Democrat Barack Obama for winning the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, saying 'the American people have spoken' and promising to help his former rival address the country's many challenges.

Reuters - Watching election results that showed Barack Obama would be their new commander-in-chief, U.S. soldiers in Iraq said they hoped he would fulfill his promise to bring them home quickly and responsibly.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama has no time to waste.

AFP - World leaders on Wednesday quickly hailed the triumph of Barack Obama in the US presidential election as the start of a new era but there were also calls for a new deal with the global superpower.

LONDON (Reuters) - Political leaders urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday to help forge a new economic order and lead the world out of its worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. voters firmly rejected two state proposals to limit abortion rights on Tuesday, undermining an attempt to force the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court.

AP - The Democratic congressional majority grew broader and more muscular in Tuesday's historic elections, with new members ousting Republicans in the House and Senate and a team of their own heading to the White House.

AP - After eight years of Republican rule, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to the task of building a Democratic administration to lead the country out of war and into the financial recovery that he promised.

AP - Democrats celebrated the re-election of Washington state's Gov. Chris Gregoire and wins in two open gubernatorial contests, including the election of the first woman governor of North Carolina.

AP - Looking ahead to an Obama administration, some baseball agents already are thinking about trying to beat a possible tax increase for their well-paid clients.

Reuters - Political leaders urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday to help forge a new economic order and lead the world out of its worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks retreated on Wednesday, arresting six straight days of global equity gains and offsetting Asia's early rally, as investors refocused on the economic problems facing new U.S. president-elect Barack Obama.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pledged on Wednesday to station new missiles near Poland's border in response to U.S. plans for an anti-missile system and proposed extending the presidential term to six years from four.

AP - His name etched in history as America's first black president, Barack Obama turned from the jubilation of victory to the sobering challenge of leading a nation worried about economic crisis, two unfinished wars and global uncertainty.

AP - A proposed ban on same-sex marriage in California — widely seen as the most momentous of the 153 ballot measures at stake nationwide — remained undecided early Wednesday.

AP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday demanded that President-elect Barack Obama put an end to civilian casualties as villagers said U.S. warplanes bombed a wedding party, killing 37 people, including 23 children and 10 women.

AP - European stock markets opened lower Wednesday despite gains in Asia, as investors booked some profits after Senator Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential election and the Democrats took a firmer grip on Congress.

Reuters - Barack Obama rode a wave of voter discontent to a historic White House victory, promising change as the first black U.S. president but facing enormous challenges from a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars.

Reuters - European stocks retreated on Wednesday, arresting six straight days of global equity gains and offsetting Asia's early rally, as investors refocused on the economic problems facing new U.S. president-elect Barack Obama.

AFP - Barack Obama swept to an historic election victory that made him America's first black president but pleaded for time to heal and transform the global superpower.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama rode a wave of voter discontent to an historic White House victory, promising change as the first black U.S. president but facing enormous challenges from a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars.

LONDON (Reuters) - Global stock markets, which have surged more than 20 percent in just over a week, clung to those gains on Wednesday as investors assessed the economic problems facing U.S. president-elect Barack Obama and the international fallout of a new administration.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Two U.S. states rejected proposals to limit abortion rights while others said no to gay marriage, in a mixed message over contentious social issues as Americans elected their first black president.

AP - His name etched in history as America's first black president-elect, Barack Obama turned Wednesday from the jubilation of victory to the sobering challenge of leading a nation worried about economic crisis, two unfinished wars and global uncertainty.

AP - Democrats broadened their control of Congress in Tuesday's elections, though in the Senate they fell short of the 60 votes needed for a filibuster-proof majority that would have given them almost unbridled power over legislation.

AP - Republican Norm Coleman outlasted Democrat Al Franken in one of Minnesota's tightest Senate elections ever, squeaking past the former comedian early Wednesday by a margin that appeared certain to trigger a recount.

AP - Crowds danced in the streets, wept, lifted their voices in prayer and brought traffic to a standstill. From the nation's capital to Atlanta to Los Angeles, Americans celebrated Barack Obama's victory and marveled that they lived to see the day that a black man was elected president.

AP - Stocks are down in early trading, as Wall Street focuses on the troubled economy following Barack Obama's election to the White House. The Dow is down about 152 points, or 1.59 percent, to the 9,472 level. Broader market indexes are also down more than 1.5 percent.

Reuters - Global stock markets, which have surged more than 20 percent in just over a week, clung to those gains on Wednesday as investors assessed the economic problems facing U.S. president-elect Barack Obama and the international fallout of a new administration.

Reuters - Two U.S. states rejected proposals to limit abortion rights while others said no to gay marriage, in a mixed message over contentious social issues as Americans elected their first black president.

AFP - Barack Obama swept to an historic victory as America's first black president, but pleaded for time to heal and transform the superpower as he faced up Wednesday to the task of forging his promised change.

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Political leaders urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday to help forge a new economic order to lead the world out of its worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Democrats won some big prizes in U.S. state legislative elections, gaining control of chambers in New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, Delaware and Nevada, a bipartisan group said on Wednesday.

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Americans woke with joy, cautious optimism and frank worry on Wednesday after the historic win by Democrat Barack Obama, who went from long shot to president-elect on the promise of change.

AP - Barack Obama will begin receiving highly classified briefings from top intelligence officials Thursday, as the rush of his campaign gives way to intensive preparations to take over as commander in chief and build a Democratic administration.

AP - With his political future uncertain, a weary Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, looking at bit deflated, left a gathering of supporters to go home and get some sleep. With 96 percent of precincts reporting, Stevens — the longest serving Republican in the history of the Senate — led Tuesday with 48 percent of the vote compared to 47 percent for two-term Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, a Democrat.

AP - Google Inc. has scrapped its Internet advertising partnership with struggling rival Yahoo Inc., abandoning attempts to overcome the objections of antitrust regulators and customers who believed the alliance would give Google too much power over online commerce.

Reuters - Barack Obama pivoted on Wednesday from the glow of a historic White House victory to the daunting challenge of leading a country mired in a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars.

Reuters - Political leaders urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday to help forge a new economic order to lead the world out of its worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

Reuters - Democrats won some big prizes in U.S. state legislative elections, gaining control of chambers in New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, Delaware and Nevada, a bipartisan group said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Americans woke with joy, cautious optimism and frank worry on Wednesday after the historic win by Democrat Barack Obama, who went from long shot to president-elect on the promise of change.

AFP - World leaders hailed Barack Obama's triumph Wednesday in the US presidential election as the dawn of a new era and called for the global superpower to change the way it does business.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama pivoted on Wednesday from the glow of a historic White House victory to the daunting challenge of leading a country mired in a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama stepped into his new role on Wednesday facing calls for urgent action to stem the global financial crisis as he was hit with gloomy news about U.S. jobs.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday urged passage of at least $61 billion in new economic stimulus funding this month, but said the future of the legislation requires the cooperation of Republicans in the Senate and President George W. Bush.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Wednesday he has instructed the finance commissioner not to send out $400 property tax rebates to homeowners because the crisis on Wall Street has cost the city dearly in lost tax revenue.

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Wednesday an air strike by coalition forces earlier this week killed some 40 civilians and wounded about 28 in Kandahar province.

AP - His storied election behind him and weighty problems in his face, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to the task of building an administration in times of crisis as Americans and the world absorbed his history-shattering achievement as the first black leader ascending to the presidency.

AP - In an election otherwise full of liberal triumphs, the gay rights movement suffered a stunning defeat as California voters approved a ban on same-sex marriages that overrides a recent court decision legalizing them.

AP - The family of Michael Crichton, the million-selling author of such historic and prehistoric science fantasies as 'Jurassic Park,' 'Timeline' and 'The Andromeda Strain,' says the author has died in Los Angeles.

AP - A case of post-election nerves sent stocks lower Wednesday as investors began questioning what impact a Barack Obama presidency will have on business and the overall economy. The Dow Jones industrials fell more than 300 points and the major indexes all fell more than 3 percent.

AP - Quarterback Daunte Culpepper took a step toward making his Detroit Lions debut in haste.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama stepped into his new role on Wednesday facing calls for urgent action to stem the global financial crisis as he was hit with gloomy news about U.S. jobs.

Reuters - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday urged passage of at least $61 billion in new economic stimulus funding this month, but said the future of the legislation requires the cooperation of Republicans in the Senate and President George W. Bush.

Reuters - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Wednesday he has instructed the finance commissioner not to send out $400 property tax rebates to homeowners because the crisis on Wall Street has cost the city dearly in lost tax revenue.

AFP - Barack Obama was Wednesday set to begin shaping his White House team, facing a barrage of daunting global and domestic challenges after sweeping to victory as America's first black president.

AFP - Afghanistan's president said on Wednesday that around 40 villagers died this week in international air strikes targeting militants, as he urged Barack Obama to end civilian casualties in the 'war on terror'.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Wednesday as worries about the weakening global economy returned to center stage just a day after the historic U.S. presidential election.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With four razor-close U.S. Senate races yet to be decided, Democrats hoped on Wednesday to further expand their majority in the new Congress and act quickly with President-elect Barack Obama on an ambitious agenda.

PHOENIX (Reuters) - U.S. Hispanics turned out in force to vote for Democrat Barack Obama on Tuesday, contributing to his wins in key battleground states in the Southwest and Florida, exit polls showed.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Best-selling author Michael Crichton, who wrote such novels as 'The Andromeda Strain' and 'Jurassic Park' and created the popular TV drama 'ER,' has died unexpectedly at age 66, his family said on Wednesday.

KIWANJA, Congo (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians fled fighting in eastern Congo on Wednesday that shook a week-old ceasefire while plans were announced for a summit of Great Lakes leaders on Friday to try to end the conflict.

AP - Democrats broadened their control of Congress in Tuesday's elections, though in the Senate they fell short of the 60 votes needed for a filibuster-proof majority that would have given them almost unbridled power over legislation.

AP - Barack Obama will begin receiving highly classified briefings from top intelligence officials Thursday, as the rush of his campaign gives way to intensive preparations to take over as commander in chief and build a Democratic administration. The briefings typically last 45 minutes to an hour, but Obama's initial one is expected to be longer.

AP - Michael Crichton, the million-selling author who made scientific research terrifying and irresistible in such thrillers as 'Jurassic Park,' 'Timeline' and 'The Andromeda Strain,' has died of cancer, his family said. Crichton died Tuesday in Los Angeles at age 66 after privately battling cancer.

AP - Google Inc. has scrapped its Internet advertising partnership with struggling rival Yahoo Inc., abandoning attempts to overcome the objections of antitrust regulators and customers who believed the alliance would give Google too much power over online commerce.

Reuters - Stocks fell on Wednesday in a rapidly accelerating sell-off late in the session as worries about the weakening global economy returned to center stage just a day after the historic U.S. presidential election.

Reuters - With four razor-close U.S. Senate races yet to be decided, Democrats hoped on Wednesday to further expand their majority in the new Congress and act quickly with President-elect Barack Obama on an ambitious agenda.

Reuters - U.S. Hispanics turned out in force to vote for Democrat Barack Obama on Tuesday, contributing to his wins in key battleground states in the Southwest and Florida, exit polls showed.

Reuters - Best-selling author Michael Crichton, who wrote such novels as 'The Andromeda Strain' and 'Jurassic Park' and created the popular TV drama 'ER,' has died unexpectedly of cancer at age 66, his family said on Wednesday.

AFP - US president-elect Barack Obama Wednesday confronted the economic and military enormity of what lies ahead as the planet rejoiced in America's election of its first black commander-in-chief.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama put aside the victory celebrations on Wednesday and began crafting a White House team to help him lead a country mired in a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama stepped into his new role on Wednesday facing calls for urgent action to stem the global financial crisis as he was hit with gloomy news about U.S. jobs and the service sector.

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Stocks plummeted on Wednesday, a day after Barack Obama's historic victory in the U.S. presidential election, as a fresh batch of dismal economic data underscored the massive challenges awaiting his administration.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Best-selling U.S. author Michael Crichton, who wrote such novels as 'The Andromeda Strain' and 'Jurassic Park' and created the popular TV drama 'ER,' has died unexpectedly of cancer at age 66, his family said on Wednesday.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - The election of Barack Obama as the first black U.S. president should help revive America's image abroad as a land of opportunity for all.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has asked Illinois congressman Rahm Emanuel to head his White House staff as he moves quickly to fill government jobs in his incoming administration.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Wednesday he has instructed the finance commissioner not to send out $400 property tax rebates to homeowners because the crisis on Wall Street has cost the city dearly in lost tax revenue.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama pivoted quickly to begin filling out his new administration on Wednesday, selecting hard-charging Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel as White House chief of staff while aides stepped up the pace of transition work that had been cloaked in pre-election secrecy.

AP - Over and over, Barack Obama told voters if they stuck with him 'we will change this country and change the world.' They did, and now their expectations for him to deliver are firmly planted on his shoulders. Many supporters greeted his victory with euphoria.

AP - A case of postelection nerves sent Wall Street plunging Wednesday as investors absorbed a stream of bad economic news and wondered how a Barack Obama presidency will help the country weather a possibly severe recession. Volatility returned to the market, with the Dow Jones industrials falling nearly 500 points and all the major indexes tumbling more than 5 percent.

AP - Russia will deploy short-range missiles near Poland to counter U.S. military plans in Eastern Europe, President Dmitry Medvedev warned Wednesday, setting a combative tone that clashed with global goodwill over Barack Obama's election.

AP - A slugfest for nearly two years, Minnesota's U.S. Senate race headed into a new round Wednesday as the campaigns girded for an automatic statewide recount to determine whether Republican Sen. Norm Coleman's bare lead over Democratic challenger Al Franken would stand.

AP - Authorities in Arizona say a jogger attacked by a rabid fox ran a mile with the animal's jaws clamped on her arm and then drove herself to a hospital. The Yavapai County sheriff's office said the woman told deputies she was on a trail near Prescott on Monday when the fox attacked and bit her foot.

AP - Age is no issue for Greg Maddux when it comes to fielding his position. The 42-year-old pitcher won his record 18th Gold Glove on Wednesday while outfielder Shane Victorino of the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies was among five first-time winners in the National League.

Reuters - Democrat Barack Obama put aside the victory celebrations on Wednesday and began crafting a White House team to help him lead a country mired in a deep economic crisis and two lingering wars.

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama stepped into his new role on Wednesday facing calls for urgent action to stem the global financial crisis as he was hit with gloomy news about U.S. jobs and the service sector.

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) -Stocks plummeted on Wednesday, a day after Barack Obama's historic victory in the U.S. presidential election, as a fresh batch of dismal economic data underscored the massive challenges awaiting his administration.

Reuters - Best-selling U.S. author Michael Crichton, who wrote such novels as 'The Andromeda Strain' and 'Jurassic Park' and created the popular TV drama 'ER,' has died unexpectedly of cancer at age 66, his family said on Wednesday.

Reuters - The election of Barack Obama as the first black U.S. president should help revive America's image abroad as a land of opportunity for all.

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Stocks plummeted on Wednesday, a day after Barack Obama's historic victory in the U.S. presidential election, as a fresh batch of dismal economic data underscored the massive challenges awaiting his administration.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Vanishing jobs and slumping markets confronted Barack Obama on the first day after his historic election as U.S. president, escalating pressure for urgent action to curb the world's relentless financial crisis.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Some 71.4 million Americans watched prime-time television coverage of U.S. election night on Tuesday, a 21 percent increase from the presidential election in 2004, according to ratings released on Wednesday.

AP - Before resting from the grueling presidential race, John McCain began discussing with senior aides what role he will play in the Senate now that he has promised to work with the man who defeated him for president.

AP - In a heartbreaking defeat for the gay-rights movement, California voters put a stop to gay marriage, creating uncertainty about the legal status of 18,000 same-sex couples who tied the knot during a four-month window of opportunity opened by the state's highest court.

AP - At age 106, Ann Nixon Cooper doesn't usually stay awake past midnight. But on Election Night she had special reason to do so: She was waiting for Barack Obama to mention her name. Cooper, one of the oldest voters for the nation's first black president, had been tipped off by the Obama campaign that she would be mentioned in his acceptance speech. Toward the end, she got her moment.

AP - A Los Angeles judge has signed off on the amicable end to Danny Bonaduce's nearly 18-year marriage. Bonaduce will pay $16,000 a month to his ex-wife, Gretchen, for spousal and child support. The former couple will retain joint custody of their children, who are 14 and 7 years old.

AP - Age is no issue for Greg Maddux when it comes to fielding his position. The 42-year-old pitcher won his record 18th Gold Glove on Wednesday while outfielder Shane Victorino of the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies was among five first-time winners in the National League.

Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) -Stocks plummeted on Wednesday, a day after Barack Obama's historic victory in the U.S. presidential election, as a fresh batch of dismal economic data underscored the massive challenges awaiting his administration.

Reuters - Vanishing jobs and slumping markets confronted Barack Obama on the first day after his historic election as U.S. president, escalating pressure for urgent action to curb the world's relentless financial crisis.

Reuters - The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday approved a $16.5 billion loan program for Ukraine to restore confidence and bolster the country's economy shaken by the global financial crisis.

Reuters - Some 71.4 million Americans watched prime-time television coverage of U.S. election night on Tuesday, a 21 percent increase from the presidential election in 2004, according to ratings released on Wednesday.

AFP - Barack Obama on Wednesday put the first building blocks in place for his administration as rejoicing reverberated around the world after his election as the first black US president.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday approved a $16.5 billion loan program for Ukraine that includes monetary and exchange rate policy shifts to ease strains from the global financial crisis.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will ask lawmakers to back legislation imposing 90-day stays on home foreclosures as part of an economic stimulus package, state officials said on Wednesday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - More than 71 million Americans tuned in to see Tuesday's climax to the historic U.S. presidential campaign on television, far more than watched prime-time returns from the last two White House races, figures released on Wednesday showed.

AP - Susan Lucci's story line on 'Dancing with the Star' has come to an end.

Reuters - The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday approved a $16.5 billion loan program for Ukraine that includes monetary and exchange rate policy shifts to ease strains from the global financial crisis.

Reuters - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will ask lawmakers to back legislation imposing 90-day stays on home foreclosures as part of an economic stimulus package, state officials said on Wednesday.

Reuters - More than 71 million Americans tuned in to see Tuesday's climax to the historic U.S. presidential campaign on television, far more than watched prime-time returns from the last two White House races, figures released on Wednesday showed.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Jeff Merkley defeated Republican Sen. Gordon Smith in Oregon, the Portland Oregonian projected on Wednesday, to further expand Democrats' majority in the new Congress that convenes in January.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - After nearly a year spent seeking alternatives to Microsoft Corp's buyout offer, Yahoo Inc's Chief Executive Jerry Yang said he believes a deal between the two is still the best option for the beleaguered Internet company.

Reuters - Democrat Jeff Merkley defeated Republican Sen. Gordon Smith in Oregon, the Portland Oregonian projected on Wednesday, to further expand Democrats' majority in the new Congress that convenes in January.

Reuters - After nearly a year spent seeking alternatives to Microsoft Corp's buyout offer, Yahoo Inc's Chief Executive Jerry Yang said he believes a deal between the two is still the best option for the beleaguered Internet company.