France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States announced that they would not send the usual letters of congratulation.

But if insecurity is a major undercurrent of today s record low interest rates, then G 8 leaders should be more cautious in their self congratulation.

But Singh certainly did not fool any of the terrorists, some of whom may have read his self congratulation as a challenge for them to act.

Just hours after the release of Yara Shams, daughter of Syrian activist and lawyer Michel Shammas, from prison, many congratulation messages were posted on his Facebook wall.

In that spirit, we extend our warmest congratulation to the International Atomic Energy Agency and its Director General, my friend and colleague Mohamed ElBaradei, on the Nobel Peace Prize they so magnificently received last Friday.