Washington, D.C.

Bush, Kerry even in cash

President Bush and John Kerry began October neck and neck in campaign cash, each with just under half of the $75 million in government money they received to cover campaign costs.

Bush has one financial advantage: The Republican National Committee has millions more left than its Democratic rival does to spend in the presidential race.

As of Oct. 1, the Republican National Committee had spent only $346,000 of the roughly $16 million it can use in coordination with Bush’s campaign, according to a monthly finance report the party committee filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission.

Missouri

Two found dead in Christian book store

A man and a woman were found dead Wednesday inside a Christian book store in Raytown, authorities said.

The door to Caylor’s Bible Store was locked when a customer stopped by around 4:30 p.m., peered inside and saw two bodies. The victims had suffered obvious wounds, police said without elaboration.

No further information was immediately available.

Beijing

Explosion in coal mine kills at least 56

A gas explosion in a coal mine killed at least 56 miners and chances were low that another 92 missing people would survive, in China’s deadliest mining accident this year, officials said early today.

The explosion occurred late Wednesday in the city of Xinmi in Henan province, southwest of Beijing, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing local officials.

Some 446 people were at work in the Daping Mine at the time of the explosion, and 298 escaped alive, said Sun Huashan, deputy administrator of the State Administration of Work Safety.

Xinhua said 56 miners were confirmed dead and rescuers were looking for 92 others.