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Why do the best weightlifters have short arms? What's the biggest physical challenge that marathon runners face? What kind of advantages do athletes from West Africa — and from Asia — enjoy? The Olympics bring a fresh chance to look at those questions, and see how athletes' bodies are changing.

Four years ago, Wanda Kos voted for Barack Obama. Now, she says, she's on the fence. And her decision has taken on an added layer since 2008: Her son just joined the Army, so she'll be casting a ballot for his commander in chief.

A Senate panel found last year that Goldman Sachs marketed four sets of complex mortgage securities to banks and other investors, but failed to tell clients the securities were very risky. The Justice Department said the "burden of proof to bring a criminal case" could not be met.

Denny's Corp. is opening a flagship restaurant in downtown Las Vegas. It will take up 6,400 square feet and include a full bar and wedding chapel. And of course, it will be open 24-7.

The Mars rover Curiosity is exploring the surface of the Red Planet in the Gale Crater, and it is also tweeting about its mission. The rover has a distinct personality, albeit one made by the strokes on a keyboard from the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, Calif.

Seth Horvitz of Washington D. C. says all he wanted was a television. Instead he received a military-grade semi-automatic rifle. Horvitz complained to Amazon.com, UPS and the seller. Nobody took responsibility. But police were happy to take the gun, which is illegal in the nation's capital.

Steve Inskeep talks to Tunisian journalist Asma Ghribi about threats to personal freedoms and human rights under the Islamist-led government. Amnesty International released a report after a journalist critical of the government was arrested on "public morals" charges for drinking on a beach.

The ongoing crisis is underscored by the enormous number of people who have been forced to flee their homes. While nearly 150,000 have sought refuge in other countries, far more have been uprooted but remain in Syria.

The size of the area where the drought is judged to be "exceptional" (the worst rating) grew again. So did those stretches where the drought is said to be "severe" or "extreme."

If you can't get to a campfire to roast s'mores today, check out some smoked chocolate. Smoking chocolate is a technique that takes time and precision, but has produced some tasty results for former Girl Scout Autumn Martin and her Seattle bakery.