Gulf Oil Rig Explodes Off La. Coast

With the projected path of Hurricane Earl moving closer to Nantucket, island officials are recommending that people stay off the beaches, move their boats and close shutters.

• Interactive Graphic: Track the storm
• Issued storm watches and warnings in Mass.
• National Weather Service: Hurricane Earl three-day forecast
• Mass.gov: Hurricane preparedness tips

Leaders of Israel and the Palestinians acknowledge difficulties ahead but hint at compromise.

• Settlement-building may disrupt peace talks

Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke told an investigation panel that regulators must be ready to shutter the largest institutions if they threaten to bring down the financial system.

On average, women in the U.S. who work full time earn about 20 percent less than men. But one demographic of women out-earns men.

As the combat mission ends in Iraq, 30,000 additional troops are heading to Afghanistan. Gen. David Petraeus, who commanded U.S. forces in Iraq, brings to Afghanistan many familiar military faces and the strategy of creating local forces to take control of security at the grass-roots level.