In October 2008, then-Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama spoke at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Now, even without a Democratic challenger, President Obama plans aggressive roles in states with early presidential primaries, especially in Iowa and other battleground states.
Alex Brandon/AP
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A resident talks with a Los Angeles police officer after another officer was wounded during a shooting in the city in August. Under a program the LAPD is rolling out this month, computer statistics will be used to predict where a crime will occur. Officials hope that the technique will help reduce crime.
Nick Ut/AP
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The compact car-sized Mars Science Laboratory is due to land on the red planet on Aug. 6, 2012. It is equipped with a suite of instruments to study rocks and soils, and take other measurements.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
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The rain forest around the Amazon River is home to some of the only surviving societies of people untouched by modern civilization.
Brent Stirton/Getty Images
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Members of the St. Agnes Catholic Church choir sing during Sunday Mass. From left to right: Donald Hukle, Ray Valido, Richard Samp, Jack Grace and Ben Robles.
Peter Maher/Courtesy of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians
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Peter Maher/Courtesy of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians
For fans of TV chef Paula Deen (seen here in a photo from 2006), her appeal lies not in the recipes, but in that feeling that she's talking just to you.
Courtesy of Food Network/AP
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