Eyes of the world turn to US

PEOPLE outside the US could only watch, wait and fume as Americans lined up to vote yesterday in an election that provoked an extraordinary degree of emotional involvement beyond US borders.

Ordinary people are convinced that a world feeling the effects of the US-led occupation of Iraq, cultural and religious conflict and the war on terrorism has a huge stake in the outcome.

Saif-ur Rahman, a 36-year-old lawyer in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, planned to tune in early this morning when results were due to start coming in, hoping to see change in US policy. "Muslims have suffered under Bush whether they are in America or elsewhere," he said. "I hope Kerry will change that."