Obama 'is elected US president'

Democratic Senator Barack Obama has been elected the first black president of the United States, according to projected results. He is projected to have won enough states to guarantee that he has beaten Republican rival John McCain. He has so far held most of the states that voted Democrat in 2004, as well as seizing at least four from the Republicans. Several other key swing states are hanging in the balance. In Indiana and North Carolina, with most of the vote counted, there was less than 0.5% between the two candidates. However, the popular vote remains close. At 0345 GMT it stood at 50.7% for the Democratic Senator from Illinois, against 48.2% for Arizona Senator McCain. Mr Obama captured the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, before passing the essential figure of 270 electoral college votes at 0400 GMT, when projections showed he had also taken California and a slew of other states. The main developments include: Mr Obama is projected to have seized Ohio, New Mexico, Iowa and Virginia - all Republican wins in 2004. He is also projected to have won: Vermont, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Delaware, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Maryland, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Rhode Island. Mr McCain is projected to have won: Kentucky, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, North Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, Louisiana, West Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, Utah. Turnout was reported to be extremely high - in some places "unprecedented". The Democrats made early gains in the Senate race, seizing seats from the Republicans in Virginia, North Carolina, New Hampshire and New Mexico. Exit polls suggest the economy was the major deciding factor for six out of 10 voters. Nine out of 10 said the candidates' race was not important to their vote, the Associated Press reported. Almost as many said age did not matter. Several states reported a high turnout. It was predicted 130 million Americans, or more, would vote - more than for any election since 1960. Many Americans said they felt they were voting in a historic election, not least because of the possibility of choosing the first African-American president. Faton Fall, 40, a black voter queuing at a Baptist church in Chicago, said: "It means a lot to me. I'm overwhelmed. I can't say more." Congressional race There are also elections to renew the entire US House of Representatives and a third of US Senate seats. Democrats are expected to expand majorities in both chambers. They need to gain nine Senate seats to reach a 60-seat majority that would give them extra legislative power. In the presidential vote, under the US Electoral College system, states are allocated votes based on their representation in Congress. In almost every state, the winner gets all these college votes. To become president, a candidate needs to win a majority across the country - 270 college votes out of a possible 538. The presidential election has been the most expensive in US history - costing $2.4bn, according to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics.

'Grotesque' NZ pizza ads dropped. Auckland, New Zealand

A New Zealand pizza chain has withdrawn a Halloween promotion that showed skeleton animations of three deceased celebrities dancing on graves.

Hell Pizza's advert showed animations of Sir Edmund Hillary, actor Heath Ledger and the Queen Mother dancing to Michael Jackson's song Thriller.

The family of Mount Everest conqueror Sir Edmund, who died in January, said the ad was in "extremely poor taste".

Hell's Pizza apologised and said it did not mean to cause offence.

I think it's disturbing

Peter Hillary

"Clearly he's revered in New Zealand and we all love him," spokesman Glenn Corbett said.

"The idea of Sir Ed being there was intended to be a light-hearted remembrance."

The firm is no stranger to controversy. Last year, it showed Hitler in a Nazi salute with a pizza in his hand. Previously, it has distributed condoms alongside its "Lust" pizza.

The firm's marketing director Rachael Allison told New Zealand media that the latest animation was part of an e-mail campaign targeting existing customers.

'Not funny'

Around 5,000 people saw the advert before it fell into the hands of the media.

She said Hell Pizza was known for its controversial advertising and customers loved it. But she accepted it is not to everyone's taste.

"Interpretation of this is always up to individuals and we are always mindful of that and always keep an eye on our tone of voice and try to keep on top of that," she said.

Peter Hillary said the death of his father, who became the first person to reach the summit of Everest in 1953, was still "pretty raw" and the advert was not funny.

"I think it's disturbing... a little grotesque", he told New Zealand's Dominion Post.

There has been no reaction from the family of Australian actor Heath Ledger, who also died in January, or Britain's Royal family, who buried the Queen Mother in 2002.

I hope Obama wins the US Presidential Election 2008.

The outcome will be known soon for the 2008 US Presidential Election 2008 and I hope that Obama will prevail!

Next week, we will see the result of the 2008 New Zealand Election.