Putin congratulates Trump and hopes to build dialog

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is ready to try to restore good relations with the United States in the wake of the election of Donald Trump.

Putin said Wednesday at a ceremony accepting the credentials of new ambassadors that "we aware that it is a difficult path, in view of the unfortunate degradation of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States."

Putin says "it is not our fault that Russian-American relations are in such a state."

Earlier, the Kremlin said Putin sent Trump a telegram of congratulation, expressing "his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state.

3:50 p.m.

Donald Trump's victory has given moral support to anti-establishment movements in Italy riding a wave of discontent over the migrant crisis and the stodgy economic recovery.

The head of Italy's anti-migrant anti-EU Northern League, Matteo Salvini, said Trump's victory "signaled epochal changes," and he set his sights immediately on leader Matteo Renzi, who faces a critical test in a referendum on constitutional reforms next month.

The Northern League has been keen to form alliances with far-right parties across Europe. Salvini, who is meeting with Russian lawmakers next week in Moscow, says Trump "has taught us that who has courage wins."

The head of the anti-establishment 5-Star movement, Beppe Grillo, says "Trump represents the point of no return of a world that is changing."

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3:35 p.m.

European Union foreign ministers will hold a special meeting on Sunday to assess the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president and what it means for trans-Atlantic relations.

The 28 EU foreign ministers are set to meet with foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini for a dinner in Brussels on the eve of a previously scheduled meeting.

European leaders have been fearful that Trump would lead an isolationist and protectionist course, undermining the cornerstones of trans-Atlantic cooperation.

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3:20 p.m.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on his victory and the American people for their democracy.

Lagos-based SBM Intelligence risk analysts say the uncertainty generated by Trump's win should be good for Nigeria, the African oil giant, since it will weaken the U.S. dollar.

Not everyone in Nigeria embraced Trump. At an election watch party organized by the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, Nigerian artist Nike Davies-Okundaye called Hillary Clinton "my hero." Oby Ezekwesili, a founder of the Bring Back Our Girls movement for schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram, also praised Clinton and said "I can't wait for my friend to be in the White House."

As Clinton's loss became apparent, people pulled down the red, blue and white balloons and began popping them in disappointment

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2:55 p.m.

The residents of Melania Trump's home town in Slovenia are hoping the future U.S. First Lady will come to visit together with her husband.

U.S. flags could be seen in the industrial town of Sevnica on Wednesday as the news came in of Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidency.

Sevnica mayor Srecko Ocvirk says he doesn't expect Melania Trump to come any time soon but "I expect her to visit Sevnica later."

Melania Trump's childhood neighbor, Mirjana Jelancic, says she is happy for her friend. She says "it was part of her dreams and we are happy if she succeeds."

Melania Trump, 46, was born Melanija Knavs in Sevnica. She left Slovenia in her 20s' to pursue an international modelling career.

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2:45 p.m.

Bosnia is divided over Donald Trump's presidential victory in the U.S., with the country's Serbs welcoming it while Muslim Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats are disappointed with Hillary Clinton's defeat.

The division is mainly based on the role former U.S. President Bill Clinton's administration had in ending Bosnia's devastating 1992-95 war, which took over 100,000 lives and included a four-year siege of Sarajevo.

U.S.-led NATO airstrikes against the Serb artillery pounded the capital and a peace agreement brokered by American negotiators finally ended the war.

Vitomir Blagojevic, a Bosnian Serb from Pale, said "I am really glad that he won."

But in Sarajevo, Kemal Hadzibegic, a Muslim Bosniak, described Trump as "raw."

"We were in favor of Clinton," he said. "We trusted her more. This is a real surprise for us, but also for everyone else."

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2:30 p.m.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders says, in a reaction to Donald Trump's U.S. presidential win, "we will judge him on his actions."

Koenders, of the center-left Labor Party, says during the U.S. campaign "Trump made statements that were at odds with how we like to see our society and world order." He cited examples including Trump's comments about U.S. relationships with NATO, Russia and the European Union.

But the Dutch minister says it's important for the Netherlands' close relationship with the United States to continue since "we are facing global challenges such as climate change and the fight against terrorism."

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2:20 p.m.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is congratulating the U.S. on its election - though not directly winner Donald Trump, who alarmed many by describing Mexican migrants as murderers and rapists.

Pena Nieto has sent a series of tweets repeating his readiness to work with Trump "in favor of the bilateral relationship." He says Mexico and the U.S. "are friends, partners and allies who should continue collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America."

The value of Mexico's peso currency plunged sharply after the election of Trump, who has denounced the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Mexican Treasury Secretary Jose Antonio Meade held a news conference Wednesday morning, urging against "premature reactions." He said the election result won't immediately affect trade and said Mexico "is in a position of strength" to face whatever may come. ___

2:15 p.m.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev says the election of Republican Donald Trump as U.S. president offers an opportunity to repair ties between Moscow and Washington.

The Interfax news agency reported Gorbachev "under a new president of the U.S. the Russian-American relationship could get significantly better. I am convinced it is essential now to go straight into a two-way dialogue on the highest level."

The 85-year-old Gorbachev was admitted to a hospital Wednesday for what Russian media reported was a planned pacemaker.

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2:05 p.m.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has congratulated businessman Donald Trump on being elected U.S. president, calling his win "historic."

Sharif, a businessman himself, praised Trump's commitment to free enterprise.

The Pakistani leader says Wednesday that Trump's election "is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise."

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2 p.m.

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka says Americans have voted for a change in a democratic ballot and says in a tweet that "we respect that and take it pragmatically."

Sobotka noted one thing about President-elect Donald Trump's election, saying "unlike some of his predecessors, Trump at least knows where the Czech Republic is located."

Trump's first wife, Ivana, is of Czech origin.

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1:50 p.m.

Despite being worried about an increased Russian military presence, the Baltic nations are still congratulating America's new leader, Donald Trump.

Tensions grew during the U.S. presidential election campaign when Trump floated the idea that NATO members' defense spending targets would be a prerequisite for the U.S. to defend a NATO ally.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite says "the people of the U.S. have made a decision, we will respect their choice... we trust the United States, as it is our strongest and closest ally."

In Latvia, President Raimonds Vejonis's office says he is looking forward "to close relations with the new U.S. administration" while the new Estonian president, Kersti Kaljulaid, said the United States "has been, and will also continue to be one of Estonia's most important allies."

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1:40 p.m.

The leaders of the nationalist Alternative for Germany party, which campaigns against Chancellor Angela Merkel's refugee policy, have welcomed Donald Trump's presidential victory.

Party co-leader Frauke Petry says "it was high time that people disenfranchised by the political establishment get their voice back in the United States of America too."

Petry said Trump's victory offered the chance to "readjust the trans-Atlantic relationship and end the big conflicts in Ukraine and Syria jointly with Russia" and "replace America's hegemonic claims in Europe with co-operation among equals."

Fellow party leader Joerg Meuthen says "the establishment now has to recognize that you can't rule past the population for long ... Trump has rightly been rewarded for his bravery in standing up against the system and speaking uncomfortable truths."

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1:30 p.m.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach is offering his congratulations to Donald Trump after his victory in the U.S. presidential election and wishes him "all the best" for his term in office.

Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton comes as Los Angeles is bidding to host the 2024 Olympics.  Trump's statements during the campaign about Mexicans, Muslims and building a wall along the Mexican border may not help the California city's Olympic case with some IOC members, who come from all over the world.

Los Angeles is competing against Paris and Budapest, Hungary. The IOC will select the host city in September 2017.

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1:20 p.m.

Italy's premier has offered his congratulations to Donald Trump, brushing aside political differences, following his repeated public endorsements of Hillary Clinton.

Premier Matteo Renzi says Wednesday "in the name of Italy, I congratulate the president of the United States and wish him well in his work, convinced that the Italian-American friendship remains strong and solid."

Renzi faces his own political reckoning next month with a constitutional referendum that has mobilized opposition as well as party dissidents against him. A no vote is likely to force at least a government shuffling, if not a new election.

Renzi was in Washington last month for a state dinner.

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1:10 p.m.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he hopes Donald Trump's election as president marks a new era in the United States that he hopes will lead to "beneficial" steps for fundamental rights, liberties and democracy in the world.

Addressing a business group in Istanbul on Wednesday, Erdogan also said he hopes the election result would also a 'positive sign' for the American people.

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1:05 p.m.

A spokesman for the Polish president says Poland cares a lot whether U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will implement NATO decisions to deploy military deterrence forces in Poland and the Baltic states.

Marek Magierowski tells state Radio 1 Wednesday that Poland wants NATO to base battalions in the region, including a U.S. armored brigade in Poland, and to build a U.S. missile defense base. The region is concerned for its security amid Russia's rising military assertiveness.

Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz says he expects ties to be even better under Trump as president.

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12:50 p.m.

Environmentalists and climate scientists are alarmed over the election of a U.S. president who has called global warming a "hoax."

Donald Trump's win has raised questions about whether America, once again, would pull out of an international climate deal. Many said it's now up to the rest of the world to lead efforts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions, while others held out hope that Trump would change his stance on climate change and honor U.S. commitments under last year's landmark Paris Agreement.

Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine says Wednesday that as " I expect he will realize that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the U.S."

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12:45 p.m.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says his country will work "as closely as ever" with the United States under Donald Trump's new administration.

He says "politicians and governments, congressmen, senators, prime ministers, presidents come and go according to the will of the people of Australia and the United States, but the bond between our two nations, our shared common interests, our shared national interests are so strong, are so committed."

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12:40 p.m.

French President Francois Hollande says the election of Donald Trump "opens a period of uncertainty. It must be faced with lucidity and clarity."

In brief remarks after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Hollande congratulated Trump "as is natural between two heads of state," but showed little enthusiasm. Hollande had openly endorsed Hillary Clinton and said Wednesday he was thinking of her.

Hollande said "certain positions taken by Donald Trump during the American campaign must be confronted." He says "what is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East. It is economic relations and the preservation of the planet."

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12:30 p.m.

The Taliban have called on Donald Trump to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan once he takes office as president.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Wednesday that a Trump administration "should allow Afghans to become a free nation and have relationships with other countries based on non-interference in each other's affairs."

The Afghan conflict is in its 16th year. The Taliban have spread their footprint across Afghanistan in the two years since most international combat troops withdrew.

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12:25 p.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has conveyed his congratulations to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, saying he looked forward to working with Trump on promoting ties in a "constructive" way that avoids conflict and confrontation.

During his campaign, Trump accused China of illegally subsidizing exports, manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property.

State broadcaster CCTV reported Wednesday that Xi said the two biggest economies in the world shouldered a "special and important responsibility in upholding world peace."

Xi says: "I highly value China-U.S. relations and am looking forward to working with you to expand cooperation in all fields." He says he expects they would "manage differences in a constructive way, in the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, cooperation and win-win."

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12:15 p.m.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of congratulations to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, saying "the American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."

Kenyatta says Wednesday that "the ties that bind Kenya and the United States of America are close and strong. They are old, and based in the values that we hold dear: in democracy, in the rule of law, and in the equality of peoples."

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12:05 p.m.

The president of Slovenia - small Alpine nation that is the home country of future U.S. First Lady Melania Trump - says he hopes relations with the U.S. will further improve during Donald Trump's presidency.

President Boris Pahor says Wednesday "we are allied as part of NATO and I will strive for the friendship and the alliance to deepen further."

Prime Minister Miro Cerar has also congratulated the Trumps in a Twitter message.

Melania Trump was born as Melanija Knavs in the industrial Slovenian town of Sevnica before working internationally as a model.

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12:01 p.m.

The Vatican's first reaction to the election of Donald Trump has focused on its wish for global peace.

Pope Francis pope did not mention the U.S. elections during his Wednesday audience, but secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, offered Trump congratulations in a statement to Vatican Radio that "his government can be truly fruitful."

He added the Vatican offered its prayers "that the Lord illuminates and sustains him in service of his country, naturally, but also in service of the well-being and peace of the world."

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11:45 a.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated Donald Trump, calling him a "true friend of the State of Israel."

Netanyahu said Wednesday he believes the two leaders "will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

Earlier, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, said Tump's victory means that "the era of a Palestinian state is over." The Palestinians want a state in lands Israel captured in 1967.

Netanyahu has said he is willing to negotiate a border deal, but has retracted offers made by his predecessors while pressing ahead with Jewish settlement expansion on war-won land.

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11:40 a.m.

Without commenting directly on Donald Trump's election, China's government says Beijing hopes to work with the new U.S. administration to build sustainable ties and expressed confidence the two countries can handle trade disputes maturely.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday that China is "looking forward to making concerted efforts with the new U.S. government to ensure the sustainable, steady and sound development of bilateral relations" to benefit both countries' people and the world.

Asked about U.S. voters' anger about economic losses blamed on Chinese exports, Lu said only that the two countries had established ways to deal with trade disputes.

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11:35 a.m.

Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim has quoted the country's foreign minister as saying that the United States needs to implement its part of multilateral international commitments under last year's historic nuclear deal.

The comments Wednesday by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif came after businessman Donald Trump's election as U.S. president.

During the campaign, Trump has criticized the deal and suggested he would try to renegotiate it.  Zarif was quoted as saying that any U.S. president "should have a correct understanding of realities of the world and our region and face them realistically."

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11:30 a.m.

The Iraqi government says relations with the United States have a "solid base" and this is not expected to change after Donald Trump's election as president.

Government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Iraq is keen to develop its relations with the U.S. and "boost cooperation in the fight against terrorism."

He noted the leading U.S. role in the current battle to push back Islamic State extremists in Iraq's north. Last month, a U.S.-led military coalition launched an operation to retake Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, from Islamic State extremists.

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11:20 a.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered President-elect Donald Trump "close cooperation" on the basis of shared trans-Atlantic values that she says include respect for human dignity regardless of people's origin, gender or religion.

Merkel told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that the campaign which ended in Trump's victory featured "confrontations that were difficult to bear."

Merkel stressed Germany's close historical connection with the United States. She said: "Germany and America are connected by values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for the dignity of human beings, independently of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views."

She added: "On the basis of these values, I am offering the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, close cooperation."

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11:15 a.m.

A top official in South Sudan has welcomed the election victory of Donald Trump.

South Sudan's Minister of Information and government spokesman Michael Makuei says Trump "will be better after all" for his nation.

Makeui says "I really doubt President Obama had any clear policy to South Sudan other than to destroy it. So we will definitely expect better relations with Trump ... and the U.S.A. after the election."

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11:10 a.m.

Cambodia's long-serving authoritarian prime minister Hun Sen has congratulated Donald Trump on his U.S. presidential election victory.

Hun Sen has kept a tight grip on Cambodian politics for three decades by silencing critics with lawsuits, intimidation and other tactics.

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11:05 a.m.

European Union leaders have invited U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to come visit the 28-nation bloc as possible to assess trans-Atlantic ties.

With "sincere congratulations," EU Council President Donald Tusk and his Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker said that, despite Trump's campaign talk of protectionism and isolationism, both sides "should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic."

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10:50 a.m.

Indonesia's president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo says the world's most populous Muslim nation will work with Donald Trump's new U.S. administration.

He says "we will keep good relations, especially in trade and investment as we know the U.S. is one of Indonesia's major investors.

But, Komaruddin Hidayat, a noted Indonesian Islamic scholar, saysTrump's election as U.S. president is "shocking" for many people in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.  Hidayat says Trump has signaled backing for ultra-nationalist, isolationist and protectionist policies that could be harmful.

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4:45 a.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent his "heartfelt congratulations" to Donald Trump for his election as the next U.S. president.

Abe says that "as a very successful businessman with extraordinary talents, not only you made a great contribution to the growth of the U.S. economy, but now as a strong leader, you have demonstrated your determination to lead the United States."

Abe reminded Trump of the importance of the Asia-Pacific region, saying its peace and stability is "a driving force of the global economy" that also brings peace and prosperity to the U.S.

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4:35 a.m.

Donald Trump's surprise triumph dealt a blow to online betting sites, some of which had paid out winnings prematurely to gamblers backing Hillary Clinton.

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power says it lost about 5 million euros ($5.5 million) in what the Dublin-based business called its "biggest political payout ever."

Company spokesman Feilim Mac An Iomaire said Wednesday: "we decided to put our neck on the line by paying out early on Hillary Clinton, but boy did we get it wrong. We've been well and truly thumped by Trump."

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4:30 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, saying the two countries will remain "strong and close partners on trade, security and defense."

In a statement, May said Trump had won after "a hard-fought campaign."

May, who took office after British voters delivered a shock to the establishment by deciding to leave the European Union, declined to comment on rival candidates Trump and Hillary Clinton while the U.S. race was on.

On Wednesday, she stressed the enduring trans-Atlantic "special relationship, based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise."

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4:25 a.m.

Egypt's president has congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election, saying Cairo wants to see more "cooperation and coordination" between the two nations to bolster stability and peace in the Middle East.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi telephoned Trump to offer his congratulations. He also invited the next U.S. president to visit Egypt.

Cairo receives more than $1 billion dollars annually in U.S. military and economic aid.

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4:20 a.m.

Germany's foreign minister says the outcome of the U.S. presidential election is "different than most people in Germany would have wanted, but of course we have to respect it."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier says that Donald Trump's victory means "nothing is going to get easier. A lot will get harder."

But he told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that it was important to maintain good trans-Atlantic relations which he likened to "the foundations of the West."

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4:15 a.m.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he's looking forward to working with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and that U.S. leadership is vital to the world's biggest military alliance.

Stoltenberg said Wednesday that "it is important that the Trans-Atlantic bond remains strong" and that "U.S. leadership is as important as ever."

Trump has criticized many allies for not paying their fair share of the NATO budget.

Stoltenberg said he looks forward to welcoming Trump at next Spring's NATO summit, to be held in the alliance's sprawling new premises in Brussels.

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4:05 a.m.

Malaysia's prime minister has congratulated Donald Trump on his "extraordinary victory," saying his success showed that politicians should never take voters for granted.

Najib Razak is a possible beneficiary of what could be an inward-looking U.S. under a Trump presidency. He is embroiled in a scandal over the alleged theft by his associates of several billion dollars from a state investment fund. A U.S. Justice Department probe has linked Najib to the embezzlement.

Najib said opinion polls and established political figures all underestimated the strength of Trump's support.

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4 a.m.

Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election is being viewed with shock and revulsion in Ireland.

The country is close to the Clintons and fearful of Trump's campaign pledge to confront U.S. companies using Ireland as a tax shelter.

The Irish Times branded the New York businessman a "misogynistic racist liar" who would fan instability overseas and intolerance at home.

Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole wrote Wednesday: "The republic of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt is now the United Hates of America."

"President Trump is the creation of the same demographic that gave Europe its far-right authoritarian movements with such disastrous consequences for the world," he wrote.

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3:50 a.m.

Turkey's prime minister has called on Donald Trump to extradite a U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen - blamed by Ankara for the failed coup in July - as soon as he is sworn in.

Binali Yildirim also said Wednesday that he hoped that the new leadership in the United States would take into consideration Turkey's "sensitivities concerning the fight against terrorism," give priority to policies that would bring peace and stability to the region and advance traditional friendship between the two countries.

Ties between the two allies have been strained over perceptions in Turkey that the United States is reluctant to arrest and extradite Gulen.

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3:40 a.m.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Donald Trump in a message posted on Twitter.  Modi tweeted that "we appreciate the friendship you have articulated toward India during your campaign.

Trump had reached out to Indian-American voters at a rally in New Jersey in mid-October, praising Modi and vowing to defeat terrorism.

In the Indian capital Wednesday, some from right-wing Hindu nationalist group Hindu Sena celebrated Trump's victory at a central protest ground.

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3:30 a.m.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has lashed out at Barack Obama for criticizing his deadly anti-drug crackdown, has congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

Duterte says he looks forward to working with the new American leader to further enhance the treaty allies' relations.

Duterte, who took office in June, has had an uneasy relation with the U.S. The 71-year-old leader has announced his desire to scale back joint combat drills with the U.S. military and end the presence of foreign troops.

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3:20 a.m.

Hungary's prime minister says Donald Trump's victory is "great news" and shows "democracy is still alive."

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been often criticized by the United States, including by Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state, for weakening the democratic system of checks and balances. Orban offered his congratulations to Trump on his Facebook page.

Orban last year built fences on Hungary's southern borders to stop the flow of migrants heading toward Western Europe.

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3:15 a.m.

The European Union's foreign policy chief says that the trans-Atlantic ties with the United States go beyond the election of Donald Trump.

Federica Mogherini said Wednesday in a Twitter message that "EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe."

EU Parliament President Martin Schulz said the result "must be respected" as he said that Trump "managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans."

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3 a.m.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says in a statement that he "congratulates the elected American president, Donald Trump, and hopes that peace will be achieved during his term."

An Abbas aide, Saeb Erekat, said Wednesday he doesn't expect U.S. positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to change under Trump.  Erekat said the Republican and Democratic parties are both committed to a two-state solution of the conflict and "I think this will not change with the coming administration."

The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967.

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2:35 a.m.

Russia's lower house of parliament is applauding the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president.

State news agency RIA-Novosti says Vyacheslav Novikov, a member of the foreign affairs committee from the governing United Russia party, told the State Duma the news on Wednesday morning. The chamber then broke into applause.

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2:15 a.m.

Dutch anti-Islam populist lawmaker Geert Wilders has tweeted his congratulations to Donald Trump.

Wilders, whose Freedom Party is riding high in opinion polls ahead of Dutch elections due in March, calls Trump's win in the presidential election "A historic victory! A revolution." Looking ahead to the Dutch vote, Wilders finished his tweet: "We also will give our country back to the people of the Netherlands."

Wilders is known for his strident anti-Islam rhetoric and opposition to the Netherlands' European Union membership.

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1:30 a.m.

Canada said the prospect of Americans moving there appears to have drawn so much online interest that it has knocked out the country's immigration website.

Searches for "move to Canada" and "immigrate to Canada" spiked Tuesday night as election returns favored Republican nominee Donald Trump. "Canada" was a leading U.S. trend on Twitter, with more than 1 million tweets.

While much of the chatter was clearly tongue-in-cheek, the website for Citizenship and Immigration Canada was down at the same time.

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1:10 a.m.

The first French presidential candidate to comment on the U.S. election was populist, anti-immigrant politician Marine Le Pen, congratulating Trump even before the final results were known.

Le Pen, hoping to ride anti-establishment sentiment to victory in April-May French presidential elections, tweeted her support to the "American people, free!"

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said France would continue to work with the new president whoever wins but warned "We don't want a world where egoism triumphs." France's Socialist government had openly endorsed Clinton.

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12:45 a.m.

News of Trump's widening lead hit hard in Cuba, which has spent the last two years negotiating normalization with the United States after more than 50 years of Cold War hostility.

Normalization has set off a tourism boom in Cuba and visits by hundreds of executives from the U.S. and dozens of other nations newly interested in doing business on the island. Trump has promised to reverse Obama's opening with Cuba unless President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedom on the island, a concession considered a virtual impossibility.