Business News (AP)

• Oil platform explodes off La. coast; crew rescued
  By ALAN SAYRE 2010-09-03T00:15:26Z

  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....
  
  
• Temporary cap that stopped oil gusher removed
  By HARRY R. WEBER 2010-09-02T21:55:11Z

  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....
  
  
• Earl weakens but still powerful as it smacks NC
  By MIKE BAKER 2010-09-03T00:24:40Z

  BUXTON, N.C. (AP) -- The last ferry left for the mainland and coastal residents hunkered down at home as Hurricane Earl closed in with 110 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....