Murtaza Ali Shah, who writes for the Daily Jang, a newspaper that is published in English and Urdu and serves Pakistani communities throughout Europe.

“Almost on all accounts, ranging from the prospect of a first African-American president, to the possible election of the first female vice president, to the mobilization of millions of disaffected voters and the unprecedented and spirited involvement of the youth in the democratic process, this has been an exceptional election race, with huge repercussions for the American people and for the rest of the world.”

Shah, assistant editor of the Daily Jang, spent 10 days at the Cincinnati Enquirer in hotly contested Ohio, which eventually went for Barack Obama and helped propelled him to victory. He interviewed a wide range of sources, including leading political experts and ordinary people, such as “Joe the Plumber,” who became a fixture at campaign events of Republican candidate John McCain.