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Colombia says it rescued three Americans and a French-Colombian politician from leftist FARC rebels who held them for years. John Otis, South America bureau chief for the Houston Chronicle, says all the former hostages are in reasonably good health.

Some of Major League Baseball's prominent active and former players will be linked to the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs. They will be named in a 300-page report based on former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's investigation on doping in baseball.

The political landscape has been remade ahead of the New Hampshire primaries next week. The win for Barack Obama redefines the Democratic contest, as he was backed by a variety of constituents. Mike Huckabee's boost comes from conservative voters and a strong turnout.

The U.S. and Iran are talking for the second time in as many months after nearly three decades of silence. Ryan Crocker, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, and his Iranian counterpart are due to meet in Baghdad to discuss the worsening security situation there.

Amazon's annual two-day sale for Prime members is here. Not all deals are as good as they seem, however. It pays to do some research to ensure you're getting the best price.

The ultimate clean fuel, at least at first glance, is vegetable oil. Plants make it from sunlight, water, and a greenhouse gas — and they remove carbon dioxide from the air as they grow. The oil is easily converted into fuel for diesel engines. Around the globe there's now a rush toward so-called "biodiesel."

Recovery efforts in Dujiangyan, China are also focused on hydropower dams around the ancient city. The epicenter of last week's massive earthquake was near the huge Zipingpu dam, cracking its walls. Officials say Zipingpu is structurally safe and are releasing water to decrease pressure. Scientists warn that if the dam fails, the destruction would be even greater than the quake. NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with NPR's Melissa Block.

Democratic candidate Barack Obama announced Thursday he won't take part in the public-finance system for the presidential campaign. Obama becomes the first candidate in a general election to opt out of the primary system.

President Obama and the Democrats scored another major legislative victory Thursday. The Senate passed a broad bill to overhaul financial regulations. The measure rewrites the rules for Wall Street to try to avoid crises like the 2008 economic meltdown. This time the Democrats got a little help from Republicans.

Superhero movies, thrillers and the return of some of our favorite TV shows — the 2025 summer season offers something for everyone.