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Selected and fresh photos from around the web.
BASRA, IRAQ - OCTOBER 18: People gather around a Land Rover as it arrives at the village Al Houta on October 18 2008 near Basra, Iraq. The trip by the 51 Sqn Royal Air Force Regiment Force Protection Wing was part of a 'key leader engagement' (KLE) visit to the village close to the Basra Airbase to recruit local labour and engage with the village shiek. Visits of this type are seen as key in efforts to continue winning the support of the local Iraqi population. Although improved security in the region has brought some benefits such as improved trade and commerce, much of the infrastructure remains in a poor state of repair. Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown has indicated that the number of UK troops could be scaled down - especially as the security situation in the south of the country continues to improve.
Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) speaks during a campaign rally in the rain at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, September 27, 2008.
A puppy stands on a truck carrying people to be evacuated from the area in preparation for the approach of Hurricane Gustav in Batabano, on the southern coast of Cuba, August 30, 2008. Powerful Hurricane Gustav roared toward western Cuba on Saturday with 125 mph (205 kph) winds on its way to the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico after a deadly pass through the Caribbean.
BANGKOK, THAILAND - AUGUST 30: A member of Anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) stands behind barbed wire outside Government on August 30, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand. The protesters want to unseat the seven-month old coalition government lead by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic reacts after winning his quarterfinal match 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 against Sweden's Robin Soderling during the Brisbane International tennis tournament held in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.
Florida Gators David Nelson (R) catches a touchdown pass next to Oklahoma Sooners Keenan Clayton (L) during the fourth quarter in the NCAA's BCS National Championship football game in Miami, January 8, 2009.
Aboriginal traditional dancers from Arnhem Land in Australia's Northern Territory who call themselves the "Chooky Dancers" perform during a media preview for the Sydney Festival on January 9, 2009. The Chooky Dancers, who have become an international hit on the internet after their unique dance interpretation of Zorba the Greek, will perform at the Sydney Festival which will be held on January 10-31.
An Israeli attack helicopter fires flares as seen from the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. Lebanese militants fired at least three rockets into northern Israel early Thursday, ripping through a crowded nursing home and threatening to open a new front for the Jewish state as it pushed forward with a bloody offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 700 people.
Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, with an altitude of 8,848 meters (29,028 feet), is seen in this aerial view taken from a passenger aircraft flying over Nepal at a height of 9,144 meters (30,000 feet), November 9, 2008. Everest is part of the Himalayan mountain range along the border of Nepal and Tibet. In background is the Tibetan Plateau. Picture taken November 9, 2008.
A Tibetan man ploughs a field near Gyabon Hamlet located near the base camp of Mount Everest, also known as Qomolangma, in the Tibet Autonomous Region May 9, 2008. An envoy to the Dalai Lama said on Thursday Chinese negotiators had shown a willingness to engage with the Tibetan side during recent talks, despite major differences on important issues.
The summit of the world's highest mountain Mount Everest, also known as Qomolangma, is covered in cloud as climbers from the Olympic torch relay team reach the top in the Tibet Autonomous Region May 8, 2008. Heavy snowfall during the past week had hampered efforts for the Olympic torch's ascent, but the team of 31 Chinese climbers, 22 of them ethnic Tibetans, reached Everest's summit with the Olympic flame this morning.
Ireland's economy has compounded its difficulty by the reckless budgetary arithmetic over the last four or five years, starting with minister [Charlie] McCreevy, continuing with minister [Brian] Cowen under the leadership of Bertie Ahern and now Brian Lenihan, who quite frankly is not up to the task at all. 
I think people have a perception that politics is made up of people that go round stabbing one another in the back and that this is the skill of politics. I don't think there's any proof of that. What is Bertie Ahern's success? He is the quintessential ordinary person. His success was built on ordinariness, on being a nice fellow. He's nice to everyone, even to his most bitter opponents . . .
If I wanted to raise £100,000 for Bertie Ahern, I could have done that in one week.
We have seen Ian Paisley sit down as an equal partner in government with Martin McGuinness. We have heard him describe former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern as his friend. In those events he did more for reconciliation on this island than libraries of PhDs in conflict resolution
Then, when friends came with a scheme, facilitated by . . . Bertie Ahern, it was all urgent . . . secret meetings and rumours in the media, with no clear indication to this House or the other as to what is going on
We were very encouraged when we were offered a meeting with Bertie Ahern's programme manager to brief him on the specifics of Seán's case. We were told that if Fianna Fáil was to be returned to government, the taoiseach himself would meet with us ... Unfortunately, that commitment which gave us such hope that we could make a case for Seán, wasn't fulfilled.
There is the same chance of a change in leadership in Fine Gael as there is of Bertie Ahern coming back as Fianna Fáil leader or the Progressive Democrats not winding up.
As the former taoiseach [Bertie Ahern] said, tribunals can 'rattle on'. The Morris tribunal has finished not with a bang, but with a whimper. History will judge how successful it was for our communities.
Who’d trust them that they won’t roll back further in six month’s time with a supplementary budget ... If Bertie Ahern was still taoiseach this wouldn’t have happened.
The apparently unsinkable coalition put together by Bertie Ahern is beginning to fall apart
We thank Bertie Ahern for all of the work, effort and political acumen he brought to bear on the peace process.
