Top headlines:
Answers to your tough debt, 401 questions: Ingrid Betancourt said Wednesday in an interview with NBC News that it was vital that the worlds attention not turn away from hundreds of other hostages left in the Colombian jungles now that she is free. ›20:38, 9.07
Rome 1960': Politics at play in Olympic Games: Nicole Kidman has given birth to a 6-pound baby girl named Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, according to a publicist for Kidman's country music star husband, Keith Urban. ›15:36, 7.07
Parties for last book in 'Twilight' series: In these hard times, wedding experts are increasingly dealing with what they call budget brides. Left behind is an army of caterers, dress makers and photographers whose livelihoods depend on the bigger-is-better attitude. ›12:54, 10.07
Kay Ryan named next U.S. poet laureate: TODAY wine columnist Edward Deitch reviews the memoir of American wine merchant Neal Rosenthal, in which he details his experiences in the vineyards and cellars of France and Italy. ›22:32, 16.07
Witness: Bin Laden 'happy' with 9/11 toll: Osama bin Laden's driver overheard the al-Qaida leader saying he was happy about the death toll in the September 11 attacks, according to one of the driver's interrogators. ›11:48
Green cars in line for better batteries: The lithium-ion battery, already a fixture in personal electronic devices, soon will become the answer to high oil prices, panelists predicted Monday. ›20:06, 22.07
Do you take this credit card?: On the first Saturday in August, at midnight, Wordsmiths Books in Decatur, Ga., will be decorated in black and red and packed with teens dressed like vampires and werewolves. What is this festive feast for? To celebrate the release of best-selling author Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final book of her Twilight series. ›22:14, 9.07
Uncovering the best barbecue in the U.S.: At 37, Cathy Alters life was a disaster. So she turned to a source of consolation: the magazine rack. In "Up for Renewal," she writes about how that decision changed her. An excerpt. ›17:10, 9.07
XM, Sirius settle with FCC, pave way for merger: Approval of a merger of the nations only two satellite radio companies was imminent after the pair agreed to pay $19.7 million to settle charges they violated federal rules. ›19:54
Once a migrant worker, now a brain surgeon: Austin Scarlett, who was a contestant on season one's "Project Runway," talks with Brides.com about keeping his collection fresh, adding a bride's personal touch and being recognized in New York. ›16:11, 23.07
Ex-FBI agent helps decode body language: After hard luck in love and a battle with cancer, singer Olivia Newton-John has found happiness at 59 with her new husband, fellow environmentalist John Easterling. Im so happy and so fortunate to have met a wonderful man, she said. ›01:12, 18.07
East meets West with Martha's un-burger: British designer Katharine Hamnett, whoseT-shirts with slogans like "Choose Life" and "Use a Condom" were popular in the 1980s, is relishing a comeback, now that the fashion world has finally caught up with her social and environmental notions. ›16:16, 8.07
Do carbs really make you fat? 6 diet myths: When it comes to Japanese food this summer, go beyond sushi. Michael Schulson, executive chef of the Asian fusion restaurant Buddaken in New York, has some tasty Japanese treats that are grilled to perfection. On the menu: Robatiyaki with miso butter sauce or yakitori sauce. ›12:42, 21.07
Over 40? How to stop middle-age spread: but B-list players like Sydney and Dubai are coming on strong, according to an annual survey of top fashion cities. ›20:17, 15.07
Gore pushes clean energy at Netroots: Last year it was about the candidates. This year, at the Netroots Nation conference of left-leaning bloggers and political organizers, it's the climate. ›03:00, 20.07
Gulp! Woman scared of swallowing tongue: Entertaining this summer? Wow your guests with B. Smith's sesame salmon on a raft with grilled vegetables and garlic rice. ›14:39
Foodie alert! N.C. farm plants rare truffles: Internet video of a lion joyously reuniting with the two men who raised him, taken long after he'd been integrated into the Kenyan wild, has made millions of eyes misty. But the story behind thegrainy old footage is just as affecting and surprising. ›15:27, 22.07
Women over 45: Time for a fashion Comeback:
McKusick, pioneer in medical genetics, dies at 86: Dr. Victor A. McKusick, a key architect of the Human Genome Project and a winner of the National Medal of Science, has died. He was 86. ›15:09
Obama targets distrust between U.S., Europe: Barack Obama told NBC News on Thursday that the next president would have his work cut out to resolve conflict and tension between Washington and Europe that had built up during the Bush presidency. ›20:44
Oddball museums around the world: From the Ventriloquist Museum, in Fort Mitchell, Ky., to the Toilet Museum in New Delhi, the world's weirdest museums and collections. ›21:02, 21.07
Dow Chemical profit sinks 27 percent: Southwest Airlines Co. earned a profit in the second quarter and beat Wall Street expectations by continuing to rely on financial deals that lowered its fuel costs. ›17:06
Be a jet-setter! Maximizing your carry-on: Concetta Bertoldi, known for being a medium who communicates with the dead, answers some of the most common questions about what happens on the "other side" in her new book. An excerpt. ›21:36, 17.07
New book examines Why Men Die First: As we simplify our wardrobe and strip away extra layers of clothing, summer calls for a stronger focus on fabulous skin. TODAY Style editor Bobbie Thomas shares the scoop on this summer's beauty essentials. ›20:18, 8.07
