BUXTON, N.C. (AP) — The last ferries pulled away from North Carolina's vulnerable barrier islands Thursday as Hurricane Earl spun closer with winds near 125 mph, putting the East Coast all the way to Canada on alert for what could be a blustery Labor Day weekend.

NEW ORLEANS, La. (AP) — An offshore petroleum rig exploded and was burning Friday in the Gulf of Mexico about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people requesting unemployment benefits declined for the second straight week, suggesting that the slowing economy isn't prompting widespread job cuts.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A condemned inmate wants a fellow death row prisoner kept alive at least long enough to testify on his behalf that he is mentally disabled and should not be executed, according to court filings.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — About 330 Ohioans with pre-existing health conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, are getting coverage under a new high-risk insurance pool that began Wednesday, part of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, authorities said.

BETHEL, Ohio (AP) — For a second time, an Ohio woman has given birth to a baby who couldn't wait and arrived on the drive to the hospital.