theSun | THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6 2008  13

news without borders

World leaders: It
marks a new era
SINGAPORE: World
leaders yesterday 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.
“With the world in
turmoil and doubt, the
American people, faithful
to the values that have
always defined America’s
identity, have expressed
with force their faith in
progress and the future. At
a time when we must face
huge challenges together,
your election has
raised enormous
hope in France,
in Europe and
beyond. France
and Europe ...
will find a new
energy to work
with America
to persevere
peace and world
prosperity.”
– NICOLAS SARKOZY,
FRENCH PRESIDENT
“I would like to offer my
sincere congratulations to
Barack Obama on winning
the presidency of the United
States. The relationship
between the United States
and the United Kingdom
is vital to our prosperity
and security ... Barack
Obama ran an inspirational
campaign, energising
politics with his progressive
values and his vision for the
future.”
– GORDON BROWN,
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER
“Forty-five years ago
Martin Luther King had a
dream of an America where
men and women would be
judged not on the colour of
their skin but on the content
of their character. Today
what America has done
is turn that dream into a
reality.”
– KEVIN RUDD,
AUSTRALIAN PRIME
MINISTER
“I would like to extend are proud of your Kenyan
my heartfelt congratulations roots. Your victory is not
to Senator Obama on his only an inspiration to
election as President millions of people
of United States of all over the world,
America. but it has special
“As the resonance
world confronts with us here in
a multitude Kenya.”
of serious – MWAI
challenges, I KIBAKI, KENYAN
believe that the PRESIDENT
US will continue
to make significant “Your victory has
advancements under the demonstrated that no
able leadership of President- person anywhere in the
elect Obama, in cooperation world should not dare to
with the international dream of wanting to change
community. the world for a better place.
– TARO ASO, We wish you strength and
JAPANESE PRIME fortitude in the challenging
MINISTER days and years that lie
ahead. We are sure you
“In a new will ultimately achieve
historical era, your dream (of) making the
I look forward United States a full partner
to taking in a community of nations
our bilateral committed to peace and
relationship prosperity for all.”
of constructive – NELSON MANDELA,
cooperation to a new FORMER SOUTH AFRICA
level.” PRESIDENT
HU JINTAO, CHINA’S
PRESIDENT “I count on constructive
dialogue with you on
“I applaud the basis of trust and
the American taking into account
people for their each other’s
great decision interests. Russia
and I hope is convinced
that this new of the need for
administration the gradual
in the United development
States of America, of cooperation
and the fact of between our
the massive show of countries, not just on a
concern for human beings broad circle of questions on
and lack of interest in race the global agenda, but also in
and colour while electing real forward movement in all
the president, will go a areas of bilateral relations.”
long way in bringing the – DMITRY MEDVEDEV,
same values to the rest of RUSSIA PRESIDENT
world sooner or later. I
hope that this election and “President (Asif Ali)
President Obama’s coming Zardari expressed the
into office will bring peace hope that Pakistan-US
to Afghanistan, life to relations will be enhanced
Afghanistan and prosperity
to the Afghan people and to
under the new American
leadership that received
+ =
the rest of the world.” a popular mandate in
– HAMID KARZAI, Tuesday’s poll.”
AFGHAN PRESIDENT – PAKISTAN’S EMBASSY
IN WASHINGTON
“We the Kenyan people – Agencies

I’m told that’s what transmits my entire body im-

briefs
CNN ‘beams up’ virtual
correspondent
NEW YORK: CNN viewers saw double on Tuesday
when the cable news giant used a hologram to
“beam up” a reporter from Chicago to New York
for election analysis.
Like a character out of the science fiction
movie “Star Wars,” veteran political anchor Wolf
Blitzer used a 3D hologram system to transport
correspondent Jessica Yellin into his studio.
Yellin, a little fuzzy and appearing to glow,
conducted a brief discussion with Blitzer before
vanishing again.
“You’re a terrific hologram,” Blitzer told the
image.
Yellin explained to viewers that her body was
actually still in Chicago, with 35 cameras filming
her inside a special tent.
“They shoot my body at different angles and
age back to New York,” she said. – AFP
McCain has plane scare in
final hours of campaign
ALBUQUERQUE (New Mexico): John McCain
had a hair-raising moment aboard his plane
on Tuesday in the final hours of campaigning
when his pilot had to abort a landing in New
Mexico at the last minute.
As the “Straight Talk Air” campaign plane
came into land at a hilltop airport in Albu-
querque on a final campaign stop, the Boeing
737 suddenly pulled up sharply and acceler-
ated around 90m from the ground.
It then circled the airport before coming
back into land safely a second time, an on-
board reporter said.
The pilot explained afterwards that the first
landing attempt had been aborted because of
traffic on the runway. Passengers travelling on
the plane made light of the incident, laughing
and joking as the jet veered upwards to halt
its landing. – AFP