Colombian rebels free nine of 18 hostages
Leftist rebels freed on Wednesday nine out of 18 employees of a mining services company who were kidnapped while prospecting for gold in western Colombia, government and army officials said. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, had kidnapped the group at gunpoint on Tuesday evening and marched them into the jungle near the town of Bete near Quibdo, the capital of Choco province, the army said. Full Story