Earl passing just east of NC’s Outer Banks; new tropical storm warnings out for New England

Earl weaker, still powerful, winds hit Outer Banks

Earl weakens to Category 2, but winds and rain become more pronounced in NC as storm nears

Earl’s winds and rains blow into NC coast

BUXTON, N.C. — Rain squalls and gusting winds from Hurricane Earl are becoming more pronounced along the North Carolina Outer Banks.

Earl weakens to Category 2, winds at 110 mph; still large, powerful hurricane headed for NC

Earl weakens, still powerful, headed to NC

Hurricane Earl’s rain bands smack NC’s Outer Banks; Nantucket and Cape Cod could get the brunt

Earl weakens but still powerful as it passes NC

Hurricane Earl’s rain bands begin to strike NC’s Outer Banks as storm nears coastline

Earl rains begin to hit NC’s Outer Banks

BUXTON, N.C. — The first bands of rain from Hurricane Earl are starting to hit North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

East Coast braces for a pounding from Earl; Nantucket and Cape Cod could get the brunt

Earl threatens East Coast with a pounding

BUXTON, N.C. — The last ferry left for the mainland and coastal residents hunkered down at home as Hurricane Earl closed in with 115 mph winds Thursday on North Carolina’s dangerously exposed Outer Banks, the first and potentially most destructive stop on the storm’s projected journey up the Eastern Seaboard.

Hurricane warning issued for Mass. as East Coast braces for weekend pounding by Earl

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President declares emergency in NC; OKs federal agencies to help respond to Earl

Hurricane Earl strengthens some as it bears down on East Coast, bringing island evacuations

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NC’s Dare County orders evacuation of 30,000 residents, visitors as Hurricane Earl approaches

Hatteras Island evac ordered for 30,000 residents

7th tropical storm of season forms in Atlantic; Gaston follows on heels of powerful Earl

Tropical Storm Gaston forms in the Atlantic

Hurricane Earl bears down on East Coast, bringing island evacuations and rough holiday weather

Hurricane warning issued for NC coast; hurricane watch extended to Delaware as Earl approaches

Hurricane warning for NC coast as Earl approaches

Hurricane Earl bears down on East Coast, bringing evacuations and canceled holiday plans

Tourists quit NC islands as Earl nears East Coast

NC officials to order evacuation of Ocracoke Island as Hurricane Earl heads toward East Coast

NC orders barrier island evacuation ahead of Earl

Fun in the sun may be shelved as Hurricane Earl heads toward East Coast vacation spots

Earl could force US evacuations ahead of Labor Day

Rough waters continue on Mid-Atlantic beaches; more expected though week as Earl approaches

Rough waters for shore resorts between storms

Father Red: Community mourns priest, among many still unaccounted for 5 years after Katrina

Priest among missing 5 years after Katrina

Egyptians protest daily power cuts during scorching summer, block major highway

Egyptians protest power outages, block key highway

Poland, a land of crucifixes, finds itself bitterly divided by a simple cross

Poland’s new president takes command of military in pomp-filled Army Day ceremony

Poland’s new president takes command of army

Cholera surfaces in flood-ravaged Pakistan as new water surges hit the south

Pakistan tones down Independence Day celebrations in light of flooding tragedy

Ramadan or not, Pakistani flood victims say they’re already going without food

Mideast Muslims start holy month of Ramadan, fasting from sunrise to sunset in sweltering heat

In Mideast, Ramadan fast begins in sweltering heat

BP touts $324M in spill payouts with no claim denied, but 39,000 await answer as feds step in

As 39,000 spill claims dangle, BP defers to feds

Ousted Thai leader Thaksin marks birthday with tweets from exile amid new political tensions

Divisive ex-Thai leader marks birthday on Twitter

Art vs. Oil Spill: Poets, painters, musicians find ways to protest, raise awareness and funds

Artists find ways to protest Gulf spill

NEW ORLEANS — Musician Shamarr Allen was flying back into Louis Armstrong International Airport when he got his first real glimpse of the BP oil spill. The words of CEO Tony Hayward’s TV spot — “To those affected and your families, I’m deeply sorry” — were ringing in his ears.

Elite Afghan police manning new checkpoints in Kandahar are visible sign of ramped up security

Elite cadre of Afghan police set up in Kandahar

Post-holiday temps soaring in the East; utilities bracing for possible record usage

Heat blankets US as workers return after holiday

11 injured at borough fireworks accident in central Pa.; adult, child remain hospitalized

11 injured at fireworks accident in central Pa.

Warm air mass in place over Eastern seaboard, bringing humidity and soaring temperatures

Hot enough for ya? Temps soar to near 100 in East

Firework explodes into crowd at central Pa. Independence Day event, sending 11 to hospital

Firework explodes into crowd in Pa., injuring 11

Around the Gulf Coast, oil spill makes Independence Day a time for American introspection