A Free Syrian Army solider mans a checkpoint in the northern town of Ariha, on the outskirts of Idlib, Syria, last month. In rural areas held by rebels, new institutions are cropping up to fill the void left by the receding Syrian state. Khalil Hamra/AP hide caption

A Spanish NATO soldier on patrol in Afghanistan. Insurgents in the country have been busier this summer than last, and more often than not, civilians are paying the price. Sean Carberry/NPR hide caption

M1 Abrams tanks sit on the assembly line at a plant in Lima, Ohio, the only place where the tanks are manufactured. Plant and local officials fear the plant won't survive if the military temporarily halts new tank orders. General Dynamics Land Systems hide caption

Mohammed Ahmed runs at the NCAA championships in June in Des Moines, Iowa. He's representing Canada at the Olympics and had to decide whether to fast for Ramadan this year. Charlie Neibergall/AP hide caption

United States runner Kam Conley sheds layers to train for the Olympics in England on Monday. Less clothing means more evaporation, keeping athletes cooler. Hussein Malla/AP hide caption

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia spoke with NPR on Tuesday at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Kainaz Amaria/NPR hide caption

Health care workers in South Africa speak to residents during a door-to-door AIDS awareness campaign, part of a series of prevention efforts that has helped lower the country's HIV infection rate. Mujahid Safodien /Reuters /Landov hide caption

A ship cutter helps dismantle a ship at the Bay Bridge Texas recycling yard. Michelle Lopez for NPR hide caption

Know who this gymnast is? You will soon. Seventeen-year-old Jordyn Wieber will compete for the U.S. women's gymnastics team in the 2012 London Olympics. Jeff Roberson/AP hide caption