November 24, 2000

OPTIONS NARROWING The Florida Supreme Court decision not to compel a recount in Miami-Dade County left Vice President Al Gore with only two choices, both of which he has taken pains to avoid: concede the election, or contest it. PAGE A42 UNDONE BY PENMANSHIP The absentee ballots of thousands of Floridians were tossed out because election officials found flaws in their submissions; it appears that many of these people were legitimate voters with bad handwriting. PAGE A39

Cellular phone sales are booming in China, spurring fierce competition among both foreign makers and local brands; phones are both status symbol for younger generation and way to sidestep nation's cumbersome phone network; China is expected to surpass United States as largest wireless market by 2002; foreign brands woo affluent buyers with cutting edge features while local firms scrap for mass market; graphs of cell phone usage; photos (M)

Guy Negre, engineer who heads Motor Development International, owns several patents on compressed-air technology and plans to start building two-cylinder pneumatically-powered vehicles next year; some experts on alternative fuels are skeptical about the technology; photos (M)

Ben Brantley reviews Rattlestick Theater's world premiere of play Saved or Destroyed, written by Harry Kondoleon, directed by Craig Lucas and starring David Greenspan; play is centerpiece of Rattlestick's three-week celebration of Kondoleon, who died six years ago; photo (M)

Mobile billboards are issue in cities, such as New York and San Francisco, with excessive traffic congestion; costing much less than fixed billboards, dot-com companies, looking for cheaper advertising, adopted mobile billboards as new and offbeat; Citystreets, pro-pedestrian group, opposes advertising trucks for adding to traffic and pollution; litigation on summons issued to Target Advertising for operating during morning rush in New York is pending; lawyers for Target argue that government, by issuing summons, is limiting commercial organization's free speech; photo (M)

Ira Berkow Sports of The Times column discusses top moments in women's sports in recently published poll; says he does not agree on several of selections; photo (M)

New York Knickerbockers ailing center Luc Longley will return to active duty shortly; photo (M)

Florida Supreme Court rules unanimously against compelling Miami-Dade County to resume manual recount of nearly 700,000 paper ballots in serious setback to Vice Pres Al Gore; aides say he will formally contest state's certified election results; he hopes at least to recover 157 votes, net gain before Miami-Dade recount was abruptly halted, and, more ambitiously, to gain many more through complete recount that could be conducted under state judge who would preside over contest action; David Boies, leading Gore lawyer, acknowledges public relations problems implicit in challenging certified election results through contest action, seldom used provision of elections law; Gov George W Bush declines comment on court ruling; complicated legal and political questions raised by decision and Gore's plans to contest results discussed (M)

Minnesota Vikings defeat Dallas Cowboys, 27-15; photo (M)

Israel Shuts Liaison Offices The Israeli Army ordered Palestinian police officers to leave liaison offices the two sides shared after an Israeli officer died in a blast at one of the offices -- the last security link between the parties. PAGE A20

Floyd Norris column on Ronald O Perelman's plan for M & F Worldwide, company in which he has 35 percent stake, to buy his controlling stake in Panavision at his cost, which far exceeds current market value, plus premium; notes deal will not benefit Panavision's minority public shareholders, caused M & F shares to plunge and is likely to spur further plunge; photo (M)

Profile of William Cohen, court reporter who retired in October 2000 after 51 years working in both New York State and Federal District Courts; photo (M)