Former US president Barack Obama has congratulated Republican Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election. “This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues,” Obama said in a joint statement with wife Michelle. “But living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power.” The United States had been “through a lot” over recent years, “from a historic pandemic and price hikes resulting from the pandemi…