Texas Governor George W. Bush fought Al Gore in an agonizingly close presidential election that came down to one state and a few thousand votes.

Know an expat from Florida? Then you know one of the most powerful people in the world. With a recount under way Wednesday, the presidential race hung on Florida, where George W. Bush led by just 1,800 votes. Meanwhile, there may be another 2,000 votes yet to arrive from overseas. Absentee ballots from voters abroad can be counted up to 10 days after the election, and in the 1996 presidential election, Florida counted 2,300 overseas ballots. Many U.S. expatriates forego voting because applying for an absentee ballot can be a hassle and because they feel it is a futile exercise. After all, their votes often don’t arrive until well after the polls have closed and the votes have been tallied. But Tuesday’s amazingly close race proved that every vote counts. Mark Gould, of Clearwater, Florida, said he was happy he went to the trouble of getting an absentee ballot and casting it for Bush. ""I like Bush, I like Gore. … But I can’t stand Tipper.

Tax evasion is practically a national sport, but it's still disturbing when the tax minister has a go.

President Putin woos the West with words of democracy and reform. At home, things can seem different.

Official statistics have brought us yet another puzzle. Despite the economy doing pretty well, capital flight out of the country is about the same as it was in 1998.

President Putin woos the West with words of democracy and reform. At home, things can seem different.