Officials announce takeover of mortgage giants
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration, acting to avert the potential for major financial turmoil, announced Sunday that the federal government was taking control of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Officials announced that the executives of both institutions had been replaced. Herb Allison, a former vice chairman of Merrill Lynch, was selected to head Fannie Mae, and David Moffett, a former vice chairman of US Bancorp, was picked to head Freddie Mac.

Ike blasts Turks and Caicos, floods Haiti again
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos (AP) - Ike ripped off roofs, sank boats and blocked the road for aid to reach a flooded Haitian city on Sunday as it roared over the southern Bahamas as a ferocious Category 4 hurricane. The Florida Keys evacuated and Cuba prepared for a direct hit. Turks and Caicos premier Michael Misick said Ike damaged more than 80 percent of the homes on Grand Turk and South Caicos islands. Hundreds lost their roofs and fishermen lost boats as the hurricane's eye passed just south of the small, low-lying islands.

Powerful Hurricane Ike looms as trouble for Gulf
KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Powerful Hurricane Ike rolled down an uncertain path Sunday that may lead to the U.S. Gulf Coast late this week, forcing emergency officials to pay attention and leaving millions of people from Florida to Mexico to wonder where it will eventually strike. Officials in the Florida Keys started a phased evacuation for residents Sunday morning after telling visitors a day earlier to get out. Ike, a dangerous Category 4 storm with winds early Sunday of near 135 mph, was forecast to affect the Keys starting Monday night on a potential track for the central Gulf.

Biden says he looks forward to debate with Palin
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Joe Biden says he's debated "an awful lot of tough, smart women" throughout his career and that next month's vice presidential debate with Republican Sarah Palin will be no exception. But he'd like to know where she stands on issues. "She's a smart, tough politician, so I think she's going to be very formidable," Biden told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

Returning lawmakers make Capitol a campaign stage
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House and Senate reconvene Monday after back-to-back political conventions, both parties eager to use the three-week session to show voters why their candidates are the ones to fix the economy and lower energy prices. The only matter of business that must be accomplished is passing a bill to keep the government running from Oct. 1 through the Nov. 4 election and until Congress returns. Even that might not be easy. Republicans are threatening to block the spending bill if Democrats do not give them a vote on ending a quarter-century freeze on new offshore drilling.

Auto industry to press Congress for $50B in loans
WASHINGTON (AP) - Auto industry allies hope to secure up to $50 billion in government loans this month that would pay to modernize plants and help struggling car makers build more fuel-efficient vehicles. With Congress returning this coming week from its summer break, the industry plans an aggressive lobbying campaign for the low-interest loans. The situation is growing dire after months of tumbling sales, high gasoline prices and consumers' abandoning profitable trucks and sport utility vehicles.

Iraqi police: Roadside bombs wound 14 in Baghdad
BAGHDAD (AP) - A series of roadside bombs wounded at least 14 people Sunday in eastern Baghdad, police said, in a sign of the ongoing security threats despite a sharp reduction of violence in the Iraqi capital. The first blast occurred at 9:10 a.m. Sunday along Palestine Street near Beirut Square, injuring five people, including three policemen, officials said.

Police: Bombs explode at Afghan police HQ, 6 dead
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - Two suicide attackers detonated bombs inside the police headquarters in Afghanistan's second-largest city Sunday, killing six policemen, officials said. The bombers attacked Gen. Abdul Raziq, a border police commander, two police officers at the scene in Kandahar said.

One More Time: Britney returns to MTV VMAs
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Another year, another attempted comeback for Britney Spears at the MTV Video Music Awards. The rebounding pop queen is hoping to complete a do-ever of sorts as she kicks off Sunday's awards ceremony, not with a performance, but with an appearance MTV Networks Music Group President Van Toffler has described as "fun and unexpected."

Gators snap 6-game losing streak to Miami, 26-3
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow was good early and even better late, enough to help No. 5 Florida snap a six-game losing streak against rival Miami. Tebow threw two touchdown passes, speedster Percy Harvin ran for a score and the Gators used a swarming defensive effort to beat the Hurricanes 26-3 Saturday night at The Swamp. It was Florida's first victory since 1985 in the on-again, off-again series that used to be one of the best and most heated in the nation.