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Top Stories


Deadly Ike rakes Cuba, could hit Havana head-on (AP)

AP - Deadly Hurricane Ike roared across Cuba on Monday, blowing buildings to rubble and sending waves surging over homes. Some 900,000 Cubans evacuated from its path, which forecasters said could take it to Louisiana or Texas later this week.

Powerful Hurricane Ike may swipe Florida Keys (AP)

AP - Most storm-hardened residents of the Florida Keys stayed put Monday despite day-old instructions to evacuate as a ferocious Hurricane Ike ripped across Cuba and stayed on track to swipe the low-lying island chain.

Stocks surge on plan for mortgage giants (AP)

AP - Stocks surged Monday as investors rushed to lay bets on a broad economic recovery following the weekend announcement that the U.S. government will bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The major indexes jumped, with the Dow Jones industrials gaining more than 250 points.

US government takes on big role in mortgage market (AP)

AP - Uncle Sam has just become the 800 pound gorilla in the U.S. mortgage market.

Jury selection to begin in OJ Simpson robbery case (AP)

AP - Nearly a year after O.J. Simpson walked into a casino hotel room intent on reclaiming some sports memorabilia, he and his lawyers walked into a courthouse Monday to pick jurors for his robbery-kidnapping trial.

Colon cancer patients not getting follow-up care (AP)
AP - Many colon cancer patients aren't getting the screenings recommended after surgery to make sure the disease hasn't returned, new research shows.

MTV VMAs find few surprises as Britney steals show (AP)

AP - LOS ANGELES — No Madonna kiss. No Michael Jackson cameo. No flying Howard Stern. Not even a Kanye tantrum. MTV has set a high standard for the unexpected at its Video Music Awards, but on the show's 25th anniversary, the network instead settled for throwing its full support behind Britney Spears' comeback. Spears won a leading three awards, including video of the year for "Piece of Me."

Stephen Colbert to have his DNA sent into space (AP)

AP - Should this world ever cease to exist, Stephen Colbert will live on. The comedian's DNA will be digitized and sent to the International Space Station, Comedy Central was to announce Monday. In October, video game designer Richard Garriott will travel to the station and deposit Colbert's genes for an "Immortality Drive."

Algae-dyed polar bears puzzle Japan zoo visitors (AP)

AP - Green polar bears are drawing questions from puzzled visitors at a Japanese zoo. Three normally white polar bears at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in central Japan changed their color in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae.

Pats' quarterback to get MRI on injured knee today (AP)

AP - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the NFL's reigning MVP and one of the most consistent starters in league history, is scheduled for an MRI on Monday amid reports that he sustained a season-ending injury to his left knee.

Fannie and Freddie shares dive, debt rallies (Reuters)

Reuters - Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's stocks took a dive while their debt soared Monday, as investors bet the U.S. government's takeover of the mortgage finance firms would wipe out shareholders but fully guarantee their bonds.

Hurricane Ike weakens to Category 2 over Cuba (Reuters)

Reuters - Hurricane Ike weakened on Monday as it raged through Cuba, where it blew off roofs, toppled trees and flattened sugar cane fields like a giant lawn mower on a path toward the U.S. oil hub in the Gulf of Mexico.

Russia ready for Georgia buffer pullout: Medvedev (Reuters)

Reuters - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday Russia would pull out from buffer zones around South Ossetia if an international force is in place and there is a guarantee Georgia refrains from using force again.

U.S. drones kill 16 in missile attack in Pakistan (Reuters)

Reuters - Missiles fired by U.S. drones killed 16 people, including Pakistani and Afghan Taliban fighters, on Monday in a strike targeting a religious school founded by an old friend of Osama bin Laden, intelligence officials and Pakistani villagers said.

McCain takes 4-point lead over Obama in poll (Reuters)

Reuters - Republican John McCain heads into the final stretch of the U.S. presidential campaign with a 4-point lead over Democrat Barack Obama, a USA Today/Gallup poll released on Sunday showed.