Mes: septiembre 2019

Updated 11:36 PM ET (AP) VERACRUZ, Mexico – Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall Thursday near the oil port city of Coatzacoalcos, killing two people as it moved inland and began weakening after drenching Mexico’s flood-prone southern Gulf region. Ernesto came ashore after spinning across the far southern Gulf of Mexico in waters dotted with oil rigs operated by the state oil company. The government closed its largest Gulf coast port, Veracruz, and the smaller ports of Alvarado and Coatzacoalcos. In neighboring Tabasco state, two fishermen drowned when the stormed passed through the area, Gov. Andres Granier told reporters. Granier said the storm’s strong winds ripped rooftops from several homes but residents refused to evacuate, fearing their possessions might be stolen. “People have chosen to stay in their homes and we are helping them,” he said. Coatzacoalcos, a major oil port, got seven inches (177 millimeters) of rain in the 24 hours before Ernesto’s center passed just a few miles (kilometers) away, according to Mexico’s weather service. San Pedro in the neighboring state of Tabasco had seen more than 10 inches (273 millimeters). “It’s raining intermittently. It rains, its stops, and then it rains again,” said Juventino Martinez, the civil defense chief in Coatzacoalcos. “We have some flooding, some water building up” on streets in lower-lying sections of the city. He said 40 shelters were ready but hadn’t been used...

(CBS/AP) QUITO, Ecuador – Ecuador’s foreign minister is alleging that Britain threatened to storm his country’s London embassy to arrest WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Ricardo Patino told a news conference that Ecuador received a written threat Wednesday from Britain that “it could assault our embassy” if Assange was not handed over. He said the threat was delivered to Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry and ambassador in London. The Press Association reports Patino released details of the letter it got from the British Foreign office. The letter stated: “You need to be aware that there is a legal base in the UK, the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, that would allow us to take actions in order to arrest Mr Assange in the current premises of the Embassy. We sincerely hope that we do not reach that point, but if you are not capable of resolving this matter of Mr Assange’s presence in your premises, this is an open option for us.” The Australian has been holed up in the embassy since June 19, taking refuge to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces questioning for alleged sexual misconduct. Assange’s supports say the charges are trumped up and believe the U.S. has secretly indicted him and would extradite him from Sweden. Ecuadorian officials have said they will announce Wednesday whether or not Assange will be given asylum. British authorities have said...