Reuters - Tropical Storm Ernesto hit North Carolina near hurricane strength on Thursday, dumping heavy rain on both Carolina states and forecasters warned it could trigger life-threatening floods and tornadoes.

AP - Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall on the southern North Carolina coast late Thursday, coming ashore with heavy rains but sustained winds that fell just short of hurricane levels.

AP - Tourists fled hotels and desperately sought flights home, while at least 15,000 residents were ordered to higher ground Thursday as a slightly weakened Hurricane John bore down on the resort of Cabo San Lucas.

Reuters - Hundreds of foreign tourists raced to escape this luxury beach resort on Thursday as Hurricane John took aim at Mexico's Baja California peninsula and rescuers rushed residents into shelters.

AFP - Tropical Storm Ernesto lashed the Carolinas coast as it hit the southeastern US for the second time in two days, packing winds just below hurricane strength.

AP - Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall on the southern North Carolina coast late Thursday, coming ashore with heavy rains but sustained winds that fell just short of hurricane levels.

Reuters - Hurricane John roared toward one of Mexico's most exclusive beach resorts on Friday, forcing hundreds of foreign tourists to flee ahead of howling winds, angry seas and lashing rain.

Reuters - Tropical Storm Ernesto hit North Carolina near hurricane strength on Thursday, flooding some coastal areas in both Carolina states though there were no immediate reports of casualties.

AP - Hurricane John strengthened early Friday as it took aim at Mexico's Baja California peninsula, where authorities threatened to forcibly evacuate people from their homes and thousands of tourists sheltered in hotel ballrooms.

AP - Tropical Storm Ernesto slogged into North Carolina, capping a day of heavy rain in the eastern part of the state and promising more of the same as it moved north early Friday.

Reuters - A more powerful Hurricane John roared toward one of Mexico's most exclusive beach resorts on Friday, forcing hundreds of foreign tourists to flee ahead of howling winds, angry seas and lashing rain.

AFP - Tropical Storm Ernesto lashed the Carolinas coast as it hit the southeastern US for the second time in two days, packing winds just below hurricane strength.

AP - Weakening Tropical Storm Ernesto poured torrential rain across North Carolina and Virginia on Friday, flooding highways, forcing evacuations and knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses.

AP - The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team Friday called for a slightly below-average hurricane season with only five hurricanes instead of the seven earlier forecast. It is second time they had revised downward their forecast in a month.

AFP - Hurricane John neared the tourist-packed Baja California peninsula with dangerous winds of more than 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour, US forecasters said.

AP - Hurricane John strengthened Friday as it took aim at Mexico's Baja California peninsula, where authorities threatened to forcibly evacuate people from their homes and thousands of tourists sheltered in hotel ballrooms.

Reuters - Tropical Storm Ernesto hit North Carolina near hurricane strength on Thursday, flooding some coastal areas in both Carolina states though there were no immediate reports of casualties.

AP - Hurricane forecaster William Gray downgraded his expectations for the 2006 Atlantic storm season Friday, calling for a slightly below-average year, with only five hurricanes instead of the seven previously forecast.

Reuters - The number of hurricanes churning through the Caribbean toward the United States this year is likely to be less than once feared and may even be less than normal, a noted U.S. hurricane research team said on Friday.

AP - Hurricane John strengthened Friday as it took aim at Mexico's Baja California peninsula, where authorities threatened to forcibly evacuate people from their homes and thousands of tourists sheltered in hotel ballrooms.

AFP - Hurricane John neared Mexico's tourist-packed Baja California peninsula, which it was expected to slam with winds of at least 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour, US forecasters said.

AFP - Tropical Storm Ernesto caused at least one death, flooded roads and left tens of thousands of people without power as it traveled across North Carolina, state Governor Michael Easley said.

AFP - Hurricane forecasting experts said the number of named Atlantic storms this year will be lower than initially predicted, following a slow start of the season in which only one hurricane formed so far.

Reuters - Powerful Hurricane John roared toward one of Mexico's most exclusive beach resorts on Friday, forcing hundreds of foreign tourists to flee ahead of howling winds, angry seas and lashing rain.

AP - Ernesto weakened to a tropical depression Friday morning as its torrential rain swept through North Carolina and Virginia, flooding highways, forcing evacuations and knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses.

AP - Hurricane John bore down on the southern tip of Baja California on Friday, forcing tourists to shelter in luxury hotel ballrooms and poor Mexicans to huddle in vacant schoolhouses.

Reuters - New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin vowed never again to call the World Trade Center site a "hole in the ground" during a visit to New York on Friday to let investors know his hurricane-devastated city is reopen for business.

AP - A woman fatally shot in an upscale suburb and a teenager gunned down on a New Orleans street are the latest people killed in a metropolitan area that has seen violent crime rebound much faster than its population since Hurricane Katrina.

Reuters - Dangerous Hurricane John roared toward one of Mexico's most exclusive beach resorts on Friday, forcing hundreds of foreign tourists to flee ahead of howling winds, angry seas and lashing rain.

AFP - Residents and thousands of tourists in Mexico's Baja California braced for the fury of Hurricane John, which barreled toward the exclusive resort of Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of the peninsula.

AFP - Hurricane forecasting experts have said that the number of named Atlatinc storms this year will be lower than initially predicted, following a slow start of the season in which only one hurricane formed so far.

AFP - Tropical Storm Ernesto caused at least one death, flooded roads and left tens of thousands of people without power as it traveled across North Carolina, state Governor Michael Easley said.

Reuters - The number of hurricanes churning through the Caribbean toward the United States this year is likely to be less than once feared and may even be less than normal, a noted U.S. hurricane research team said on Friday.

AP - Ernesto weakened to a tropical depression as it plowed northward over land Friday, but it still had the punch to lash Virginia with 6 inches of rain, flooding highways, forcing evacuations and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people.

Reuters - Hurricane John lumbered toward a luxurious Mexican beach resort on Friday, forcing thousands of tourists and residents into shelters to escape high winds, angry seas and lashing rain.

AP - Hurricane John bore down on the southern tip of Baja California on Friday, forcing tourists to shelter in luxury hotel ballrooms and local residents to huddle in vacant schoolhouses.

Reuters - While Mexican residents and foreign tourists rushed to take shelter from Hurricane John roaring toward this beach resort on Friday, two American extreme weather enthusiasts were loving it.

AP - A team of top hurricane researchers lowered its 2006 forecast for Atlantic hurricanes for the second time in a month Friday, predicting a slightly below-average season with five hurricanes instead of seven.

AP - A woman fatally shot in an upscale suburb and a teenager gunned down on a New Orleans street are the latest people killed in a metropolitan area that has seen violent crime rebound much faster than its population since Hurricane Katrina.

Reuters - The number of hurricanes churning through the Caribbean toward the United States this year is likely to be less than once feared and may even be less than normal, a noted U.S. hurricane research team said on Friday.

AP - Ernesto weakened to a tropical depression Friday, but the storm still packed enough punch to dump more than half a foot of rain, knock out power to more than 300,000 customers and force hundreds of people from their homes.

AFP - The remnants of Hurricane Ernesto brought an early end to proceedings at the US Open but not before Hurricane Roger had swept into the third round.

AP - Hurricane-force winds slammed into the southern tip of Baja California on Friday night, as a powerful Pacific storm forced tourists to take shelter in luxury hotel ballrooms and local residents in vacant schoolhouses.

Reuters - Hurricane John lumbered toward a luxurious Mexican beach resort on Friday, forcing thousands of tourists and residents into shelters to escape high winds, angry seas and lashing rain.

AP - Tropical Storm Ernesto didn't do much damage in South Florida, but it still ran up a tab.

AP - A team of top hurricane researchers lowered its 2006 forecast for Atlantic hurricanes for the second time in a month Friday, predicting a slightly below-average season with five hurricanes instead of seven.

Reuters - New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin vowed never again to call the World Trade Center site a "hole in the ground" during a visit to New York on Friday to let investors know his hurricane-devastated city is reopen for business.