World News

All 67 of Florida’s counties showed George W. Bush ahead of Al Gore by 300 votes-2,910,492 to 2,910,192-Secretary of State Katherine Harris said yesterday. Counties that wish to continue recounting must present Harris with written arguments by 2 p.m. today since a Florida judge refused to extend Tuesday’s 5 p.m. count deadline. Palm Beach County certified its vote, but has continued counting. Miami-Dade has begun a hand recount while a Broward county judge refused to require a manual recount. The judge who ruled not to extend the certification deadline said Harris should use “her best discretion” in determining whether to allow a recount in those three counties-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward. Meanwhile, the Bush campaign is appealing a ruling by a federal judge who refused to block manual recounts. Absentee ballots expected to favor Bush will come in Friday.

Flames Engulf Austrian Cable Car

Flames broke out on the single carriage of an Austrian ski resort’s cable-train as it traveled uphill to the Kitzesteinhorn Glacier, a popular ski and snowboarding site on Saturday-the opening day of the region’s ski season. Eighteen of the passengers survived the accident, but authorities have recovered 66 bodies so far. Austrian officials are requesting that relatives of the deceased provide the officials with items that can be used to identify the victims by DNA testing.

Two Egyptians Killed In Poll Violence

Two Egyptians were killed and five wounded in election day violence yesterday. The violence erupted when security forces prevented voters, who were supporters of an independent candidate, from entering polling stations. The voters threw stones at the security forces who responded with tear gas and open fire. Yesterday marked the end of Egypt’s three-stage parliamentary election. Thus far, election-related violence has left a total of eight people dead and 65 people wounded.

Ohio Inmate Found Strangled In Cell

Jason E. Wagner, a convicted kidnapper, was found strangled in his Ohio prison cell Monday. Convicted in February, Wagner, 25, kidnapped three-year-old Ashley Taggart from her Lancaster, Ohio, front yard in April 1999. Wagner, who lived only 100 yards from the Taggart home, kept the little girl captive for four days. Police found her in Wagner’s attic, bound to a board with duct tape. When officers found her, Taggart was close to death, weakened by dehydration and starvation. Wagner was convicted for kidnapping, assault, attempted murder, rape and child endangering. Wagner, who already had two previous convictions for sex offenses against minors, was found mentally ill and mildly retarded. Though a suspect is being questioned, authorities will not confirm if that suspect is Wagner’s cellmate. Wagner was locked in his cell at the time of his death.