Deadly Ike rakes Cuba, could hit Havana head-on (AP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:28:01 GMT AP - Hurricane Ike roared across Cuba on Monday, tearing off roofs and sending waves crashing into buildings, as 900,000 Cubans fled to shelters or higher ground and Havana residents in decaying historic buildings prepared for a direct hit.

Fla. Keys residents weigh evacuation ahead of Ike (AP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:13:05 GMT AP - As a ferocious Hurricane Ike ripped across Cuba, a tropical storm warning was issued for the Florida Keys early Monday.

US stock futures surge on plan for mortgage giants (AP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:12:15 GMT AP - U.S. stock futures pointed to a huge rally Monday as investors rushed to lay bets on a broad economic recovery following the weekend announcement that the U.S. government plans to bail out mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Stock futures jumped more than 1 percent.

US government takes on big role in mortgage market (AP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:12:44 GMT AP - Uncle Sam has just become the 800 pound gorilla in the U.S. mortgage market. The Bush administration announced Sunday it was seizing troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a bid to help reverse a prolonged housing and credit crisis.

Jury selection to begin in OJ Simpson robbery case (AP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:31:34 GMT AP - Nearly a year after O.J. Simpson walked into a casino hotel room intent on reclaiming some sports memorobilia, lawyers in his robbery-kidnapping trial are finally set to begin picking a jury.

Colon cancer patients not getting follow-up care (AP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:31:08 GMT 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) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:30:48 GMT 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) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:29:51 GMT 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) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:29:09 GMT 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.

Tom Brady injures knee in Patriots' win (AP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:27:04 GMT AP - Tom Brady limped off the field in pain, and the New England Patriots can only hope their Super Bowl hopes didn't go with him. The NFL's reigning MVP left Sunday's 17-10 victory over Kansas City midway through the first quarter with an injured left knee after being hit on a throw. There was no immediate word on the extent of Brady's injury — "I am not sure what we are dealing with," coach Bill Belichick said — or how long he would be out.

China and Japan hail U.S. mortgage rescue as doubts linger (Reuters) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:08:21 GMT Reuters - China and Japan, the biggest buyers of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae bonds, on Monday praised Washington for rescuing the ailing mortgage giants, but investors said the bailout had not ended global credit market misery.

Hurricane Ike weakens to Category 2 over Cuba (Reuters) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:12:35 GMT Reuters - Hurricane Ike weakened into a Category 2 storm on Monday after roaring ashore in northeastern Cuba, but forecasters say it could regain intensity as it spins toward the U.S. oil hub in the Gulf of Mexico and possibly New Orleans.

U.S. drones kill 16 in missile attack in Pakistan (Reuters) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:15:28 GMT 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) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:26:30 GMT 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.

Boeing strike impact to be felt globally (Reuters) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:13:26 GMT Reuters - Aerospace groups dusted off contingency plans on Monday for a potentially lengthy strike at Boeing, whose workers halted production for a third day, while shares in the parent of European rival Airbus got a sharp boost.

Russia says to send battleship to Caribbean Sea (Reuters) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:56:46 GMT Reuters - Russia will send a nuclear-powered battleship to the Caribbean for a joint naval exercise with Venezuela, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

South Asia flood victims plead for food, safe water (Reuters) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:49:05 GMT Reuters - Hungry villagers pleaded with authorities to rescue them from flooded homes in eastern India on Monday, as devastating floods continued to haunt millions in South Asia.

Freddie, Fannie plan protects taxpayers: Paulson (Reuters) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:38:15 GMT Reuters - Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in an interview with U.S. radio broadast on Monday that a plan to take control of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae had been structured in a way to protect U.S. taxpayers.

World stocks soar on US mortgage bailout (AFP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:05:30 GMT AFP - European and Asian stock markets surged Monday after the US government grabbed control of ailing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, easing fears of a world financial crisis, dealers said.

Hurricane Ike slams Cuba, Haiti death toll passes 600 (AFP) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:17:02 GMT AFP - Hurricane Ike raged across Cuba on Monday with torrential rain and winds as Haiti struggled with a growing humanitarian crisis after four hurricanes in four weeks.