"Bush was true winner" - paper

A newspaper in the United States has concluded that George W.

Bush would have beaten his Democratic rival, Al Gore, in last year's disputed presidential election, even if the federal Supreme Court had allowed a recount of votes in the state of Florida.

The Miami Herald, which has carried out its own review of uncounted ballots in one key county Miami Dade, says Mr Gore would only have picked up an extra forty-nine votes -- not enough to overtake Mr Bush.

A research firm hired by several American news organisations is still carrying out a larger-scale review of uncounted Florida ballots.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service