NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- An oil platform exploded and burned off the Louisiana coast Thursday, the second such disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in less than five months. This time, the Coast Guard said there was no leak, and no one was killed....

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Engineers removed a temporary cap Thursday that stopped oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from BP's blown-out well in mid-July. No more oil was expected to leak into the sea, but crews were standing by with collection vessels just in case....

MIAMI (AP) -- Forecasters say Hurricane Earl has weakened to a Category 2 storm though they warn it is still powerful as it heads toward North Carolina and the Eastern Seaboard....