General NewsMexico swears in first woman president; hurricane death toll may rise
Mexico swears in first woman president; hurricane death toll may rise
It happened while you were sleeping. Here's what global agencies reported during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.
- Claudia Sheinbaum was officially sworn in as President of Mexico, becoming the first woman in the republic's over 200-year history to hold the position. She announced plans to strengthen women's rights and assured that Mexico would remain a safe place for foreign investments. The 62-year-old Sheinbaum, from the left-wing Morena party, is an ally of outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who ended his six-year term with a high public approval rating of 68%, partly due to the expansion of social programs.
- According to Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, the death toll from Hurricane Helena could reach up to 600. As of the latest media reports on Tuesday, authorities confirmed the deaths of 160 people. "It looks like there could be as many as 600 lost lives. We know there are 600 who are either lost or unaccounted for," Sherwood-Randall declared. Entire communities are underwater in the western part of North Carolina, and at least 57 people have died in Buncombe County.
- In Latgale, near the border with Belarus and Russia, combat air force units equipped with anti-aircraft missiles have been deployed. A unique radar for detecting drones has also been installed, reported Defense Minister Andris Spruds on Tuesday evening. Authorities have strengthened the air defense of the eastern border after an incident with an armed Russian drone that flew into Latvian airspace from Belarus and crashed several miles from the border in early September.
