AP - 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.

AP - Five-time champion Roger Federer has breezed into the third round at the U.S. Open, serving 15 aces in beating 104th-ranked Andreas Beck of Germany 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

AP - The Coast Guard is saying there are no immediate signs of a spill from an oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast.

AP - Goodbye, Melanie Oudin. Hello, Beatrice Capra.

AP - Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed Thursday to keep talking and produce a framework for a permanent peace deal, modest achievements reached amid deep skepticism about success at their first such session in two years.

AP - With nothing to play for, the United States looked as if it didn't want to play.

AP - This year's back-to-school season isn't as big a bust for retailers as they feared — or as last year's — but it's not great either.

AFP - Ireland are taking a long trip into unknown territory when they start their Euro 2012 campaign against Armenia in their opening Group B fixture here on Friday.

AP - Congress seems increasingly reluctant to let taxes go up, even on wealthier Americans.

AP - Ben Roethlisberger's first big gain of the season may occur weeks before he returns to the field.