LIVE TEXT: World celebrates President-elect Obama

US President-elect Senator Barack Obama gives his victory speech during his election night rally in Chicago on election night. Photo/REUTERS.

What you need to know:

  • Nation Online tracks stories on the US Presidential election as America decides whether Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain should be the next President. All time references is Nairobi time (GMT +3).

8.03am: US President-elect Barack Obama makes his acceptance speech in Chicago, Illinois, tells Democrats that the victory is theirs.

7.20am: Republican John McCain concedes defeat in a concession speech in his home state of Arizona. He tells supporters to rally behind the new president- elect Obama.

7.06am: CNN declares Barack Obama the US President-elect after he takes Virginia and California bringing tally to 297-139. Celebrations break in Obama's Kenya ancestral home, Kogelo, Kisumu and Nairobi.

6.57am: Some media begins building confidence to talk of a McCain defeat. BBC reporter goes on air describing the podium McCain will use to make his concession speech.

6.10am: Daily Nation's Jami Makan reports excitement at the US Ambassador's residence in Nairobi where scores of people kept vigil overnight following the US election as Ohio and Pennsylvania is called for Obama. CNN calls Iowa for Obama - new tally: Obama 206 McCain 90.

5.49am: Obama is projected to take Ohio boosting his numbers to 194 to McCain's 69. The Ohio win is seen to be a big deal because it makes it easier for Obama to get to the magical 270 electoral college votes while at the same time making it harder for McCain.

5.09am: CNN calls Pennsylvania for Obama - the state was hard-fought for in the last days of the campaigns. Key networks NBC and ABC give Obama a 70-vote lead on McCain. Obama leads in 3 of 5 battleground states. One-million crowd expected in Chicago for Obama address.

4.51am: CNN calls Pennsylvania for Obama. Key networks NBC and ABC give Obama a 70-vote lead on McCain. Obama leads in 3 of 5 battleground states. One-million crowd expected in Chicago for Obama address.

4.14am: Obama opens a strong early lead as a number of key US media outlets project him winning states amounting to between 77 and 82 electoral college votes and while McCain gets between 28 and 34 electoral college votes with polls closed in 15 states.

3.08am: The Associated Press and CNN project Obama will take Vermont (3 electoral college votes) and that McCain will take Kentucky (8 electoral college votes).

3.00am: More polls close in Georgia and Virginia, both are battleground states, and South Carolina and Vermont. Results expected anytime now from the six states in total where polls have closed.

2.00am: Polls close in Indiana and first results expected any minute. Some counties in Kentucky have also closed polls.

1.19am: CNN reports that first exit polls show that voters were more concerned with the Economy (62%). Relatively fewer voters mention Iraq (10%), Terrorism (9%) and Health (9%). New voters seem to "overwhelmingly" back Barack Obama.