Grim outlook for Democrats puts House up for grabs (AP)

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2009 file photo, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., speaks in Silver Spring, Md. Their control of the House in peril, Democrats are playing defense all across the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

AP - Their control of the House in peril, Democrats are playing defense all across the country. Disgruntled voters, a sluggish economy and vanishing enthusiasm for President Barack Obama have put 75 seats or more - the vast majority held by Democrats - at risk of changing hands.

US church to go ahead with Sept. 11 Quran burning (AP)

Rev. Terry Jones at the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. Jones plans to burn copies of the Quran on church grounds to mark the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States that provoked the Afghan war. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

AP - A Christian minister said Tuesday that he will go ahead with plans to burn copies of the Quran to protest the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks despite warnings from the top U.S. general in Afghanistan and the White House that doing so would endanger U.S. troops.

Mexico's Pemex reports blast at major refinery (AP)

AP - State-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos says an explosion has occurred at its Cadereyta refinery outside the northern city of Monterrey.

US smoking rate still stuck at 1 in 5 adults (AP)

AP - Frustrated health officials say that U.S. smoking rates continue to hold steady, at about one in five adults lighting up regularly.

CO firefighters to step up attack on Boulder blaze (AP)

Kurt Rieder, in white hat, with his 9 year old daughter Lily watch the smoke plume from a wildland fire burning in the Four Mile Canyon area just west of Boulder Colo. on Monday, Sept. 6, 2010. High winds pushed the smoke and ash eastward over the Colorado plains. (AP Photo/Peter M. Fredin)

AP - Firefighters ramped up their battle Tuesday against a wildfire that forced about 3,000 people to flee their homes as the wind-whipped blaze filled the surrounding canyon with heavy smoke and spit flames.

Hermine gives south Texas another tropical lashing (AP)

A worker cleans up a pile of debris from a collapsed metal building, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010 in Raymondville, Texas, after tropical storm Hermine swept through the area. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

AP - Tropical Storm Hermine gave a wet and windy punch to Texas on Tuesday but left only minor scrapes in the storm-weary Rio Grande Valley, which is proving resilient this hurricane season after taking a third tropical system on the chin.

Abbas asks US to step into settlement dispute (AP)

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton looks on as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, and Israel

AP - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he has asked the U.S. to settle a dispute with Israel over settlement expansion that is threatening to derail Mideast peace talks.

Walters, Letterman compare notes on heart surgery (AP)

In this publicity image released by ABC, talk show host David letterman, third left, joins from Left, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd and Elizabeth Hasselbeck, co-hosts of the daytime talk show,

AP - Barbara Walters is feeling wonderful after heart surgery in May — and has practically no scar, she added proudly Tuesday as she returned to active duty on 'The View' after taking the summer off for recovery.

A class to die for: Zombies 101 at U. Baltimore (AP)

AP - Call it Zombies 101.

Youzhny slows Spain's US Open reign, beats Robredo (AP)

Mikhail Youzhny of Russia returns the ball to Tommy Robredo of Spain in the fourth round of play during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)

AP - Mikhail Youzhny briefly slowed Spain's march through the U.S. Open bracket.