MEXICO

Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana made major contributions toward increasing the national average. Each of these states recorded their hottest summers ever, with the average summer temperature in Texas being 86.8 degrees. In Oklahoma, the average was 86.5 degrees.

New Mexico governor Susana Martinez admits her grandparents came to U.S. illegally.

Tropical Storm Maria is on a slightly altered path that takes it closer to the U.S. East Coast.

Decades-old flood walls were no match for the swelling waters of the Susquehanna River, which forced 20,000 locals to seek higher ground as heavy rain from the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee pushes already swollen rivers higher.

In fact, Texas has just finished the hottest summer (June-August) on record, The National Weather Service reports Thursday.

When politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn arrived in France last week, cleared of a New York sex scandal, he returned home smiling despite facing a frosty reception. Maybe he should have gone to Mexico, instead.

The search is on for new investment safe havens following Switzerland's blocking off of its franc, diverting flows into less traditional assets that may already be too expensive.

Tropical Storm Maria is following a path toward the Leeward Islands as Tropical Storm Lee takes aim at Mexico.

Texas Governor Rick Perry came out swinging in his national debut on Wednesday, all but calling President Barack Obama a liar, describing Social Security as a fraud and attacking his main Republican rival in the presidential race.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry came out swinging in his national debut on Wednesday, all but calling President Barack Obama a liar, describing Social Security as a fraud and attacking his main Republican rival in the presidential race.

Two studies released over the last week report that up to half of Americans and 40 percent of Europeans will suffer from a mental health disorder during their lifetime.

Two tropical storms, one hurricane going through Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee are bringing about new flood worries for East Coast residents who are still recovering from a the effects of Hurricane Irene. Flood warnings have been issued for Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and a flood watch is in effect for Eastern New York.

As Hurricane Katia's path moves away from the U.S.,Tropical Storm Maria is cranking up with good odds of becoming a hurricane and eventually striking the U.S., forecasters say. Already, the storm's short-term forecast path takes Maria much father south than Katia, meaning an eventual northern turn lands close to or on the U.S. East Coast.

Tropical Storm Maria developed in the central Atlantic on Wednesday as Hurricane Katia churned up the sea along the East Coast.

Tropical Storm Maria has formed in the Atlantic, becoming the 13th named system of the 2011 season. The storm isn't likely to increase to explosive strength, but it could possibly threaten the U.S. East Coast, forecasters say.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on Wednesday that the government would strictly control new petrochemical projects around northern China's Bohai Bay, as energy giant ConocoPhillips apologized for an oil spill there.

HSBC <0005.HK> , Europe's biggest bank, is to cut 3,000 jobs in Hong Kong over the next three years as it targets its first wave of an aggressive cost-cutting plan on five countries.

The U.S. has likely escaped Hurricane Katia's path but in this busy Atlantic Hurricane Season 2011 current models show the East Coast is at much higher risk from at least two more developing systems through mid-September.The next two names on the list of tropical cyclones are Maria and Nate, and each is potentially developing already and models show each has a shot at impacting the U.S.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Air Force One, carrying President George W. Bush, got warning of a mysterious jet flying too close to it, the pilot says.

Chevron Corp has made a deepwater discovery in the Gulf of Mexico at the Moccasin prospect, the site of the first exploratory well permit after the end of last year's deepwater moratorium.