State of emergency declared in Texas as hurricane Alex moves in

US President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency in Texas as Hurricane Alex threatens the coast with winds of over 100mph (155km/h). Alex, now a category two hurricane, made landfall in north-eastern Mexico near the border with Texas. Heavy seas caused by the first Atlantic hurricane of the season have already disrupted BP's oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico. Boats skimming the slick have been sent back to port by the US Coast Guard. High waves and strong winds generated by Alex have also pushed more oil from the spill on to beaches in Louisiana.