A U.S. soldier fires an artillery piece at a U.S. base in Nuristan province east of Kabul, Afghanistan, in this image made available Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. U.S. forces in Afghanistan will increase their offensive operations against militants this winter because insurgents are increasingly staying in the country to prepare for spring attacks, the top U.S. commander said.
Peace Movement
A young Thai boy is seen at Democracy Monument Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand, to pray for a peaceful resolution to the current political unrest. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has declared a state of emergency as anti-government demonstrators continue to illegally occupy Government House.
In Deep
People cross an area flooded by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hanna in Savan Desole, Haiti, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. The storm spawned flooding in Haiti that left 10 people dead in Gonaives, along Haiti's western coast.
Ready To Roll
Athletes test their tricycles in a tunnel at the Olympic National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, ahead of the Paralympic Games in Beijing, Wednesday, Sept 3, 2008. The Paralympic Games will be held in Beijing Sept. 6-17.
Creepy Crawler
A giant mechanical spider hangs from a building in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008, in readiness for the start of a five-day festival of street theatre that is part of the European Capital of Culture. The spider was built by French company La Machine, which in 2006 displayed a similar artwork called "The Sultan's Elephant," in London. The statue at right is of Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria.
Ducks On The Pond
Ducks swim as the sun sets over West Lake in Portage, Mich., on Tuesday evening, Sept. 2, 2008.
Off Course
A police officer directs traffic near a small airplane that slid off the runway when it was preparing for take off at Congonhas airport in Sao Paulo, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. None of the three crew members on board were injured, according to authorities.
Mule Before The Cart
Two people ride a cart past Russian soldiers at a Russian checkpoint at Karaleti, 4 miles northwest of Gori, Georgia, on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. The checkpoint is part of a Russian military presence in the so-called security zone that Moscow claimed for itself in the Georgian territory after last month's war.