Briefly

Washington, D.C.

Coral reef damage rising worldwide

Only about 30 percent of the world’s coral reefs are healthy, down from 41 percent two years ago, according to a study released Monday that lists global warming as the top threat.

The study found as many as one-fifth of the world’s coral reefs have been destroyed. Another half are damaged but could be saved, it said.

Coral reefs are among the oldest and most diverse forms of life. They provide food and shelter to fish and protect shores from erosion. While covering less than 1 percent of the earth’s surface, they help drive the food chains and economies of many on the planet, with $375 billion in economic benefits globally, according to the study by 240 scientists in 96 countries.

After global warming — blamed for higher water temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations — threats to the reefs include coral disease, overfishing, coastal development and pollution runoff from land-based sources.

Ohio

Bush certified winner by nearly 119,000 votes

This battleground state on Monday certified President Bush’s 119,000-vote victory over John Kerry, even as the Kerry campaign and third-party candidates prepared to demand a statewide recount.

The president won Ohio with 2.86 million votes, or 51 percent, to Kerry’s 2.74 million votes, or 49 percent.

The 118,775-vote lead was closer than the unofficial election night margin of 136,000, but not enough to trigger a mandatory recount. Absentee ballots and provisional votes counted after election night made most of the difference.

The presidential election hung on Ohio, prized for its 20 electoral votes. Not until the morning after the election did Kerry finally concede — realizing there were not enough provisional ballots to erase Bush’s lead.

The Kerry campaign last week joined the presidential candidates for the Green and Libertarian parties who are asking for a recount. They planned to file their requests Monday and today. The Kerry camp is not disputing the outcome of the race, but wants to ensure that every vote is counted.

Washington

Third recount ordered in gubernatorial race

The secretary of state ordered an unprecedented statewide hand recount Monday in the closest gubernatorial race in state history.

The action by Secretary of State Sam Reed was a mere formality: Under Washington law, anyone can get a recount as long as they pay for it. The Democratic party is putting up more than $700,000 to fund the recount.

The race between Republican Dino Rossi and Democrat Christine Gregoire ended in a virtual dead heat in the first two counts. Rossi led by more than 200 votes after the initial count, triggering a machine recount.

Rossi then emerged with a 42-vote lead out of 2.9 million ballots cast following the recount.

Democrats then ordered the manual recount and also went to the state Supreme Court to demand some previously disqualified ballots be counted this time. The court is expected to take up the case Thursday.

New Jersey

Authorities seize smuggled flu vaccine

A convenience store owner has been charged with smuggling flu vaccine into the United States and offering it for sale to a hospital, apparently to cash in on the national shortage.

Mahmoud A. Abuarqoub, 37, was arrested over the weekend, accused of offering to sell 5,000 doses of vaccine for $55 each to a hospital near his Camden home.

“We have not seen anything like this where someone was so brazen to approach a hospital,” said Kyle Hutchins, agent in charge of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s Newark office.

Hospital officials notified authorities of the unusual offer and agreed to take part in a sting. Police later seized the vaccine.

Abuarqoub was released Monday on $250,000 bail. He could get up to five years in prison.