YANGON, Myanmar — Soldiers with automatic rifles fired into crowds of anti-government demonstrators Thursday, killing at least nine people in the bloodiest day in more than a month of protests demanding an end to military rule.

Bloody sandals lay scattered on some streets as protesters fled shouting "Give us freedom, give us freedom!"

On the second day of a brutal crackdown, truckloads of troops in riot gear also raided Buddhist monasteries on the outskirts of Yangon, beating and arresting dozens of monks, witnesses and Western diplomats said. Japan protested the killing of a Japanese photographer.

Daily demonstrations by tens of thousands have grown into the stiffest challenge to the ruling junta in two decades, a crisis that began Aug. 19 with rallies against a fuel price hike then escalated dramatically when monks began joining the protests.

With the government ignoring international appeals for restraint, troops fired into packs of demonstrators in at least four locations in Yangon, witnesses and a Western diplomat said. Protesters — some shouting "Give us freedom!" — dodged roadblocks and raced down alleys in a defiant game of cat and mouse with soldiers and riot police that went on for most of the day.

Democrats say company sent team unprepared into insurgent stronghold, provoked Fallujah battle

WASHINGTON — Blackwater USA triggered a major battle in the Iraq war in 2004 by sending an unprepared team of guards into an insurgent stronghold, a move that led to their horrific deaths and a violent response by U.S. forces, says a congressional investigation released Thursday.

The private security company, one of the largest working in Iraq and under scrutiny for how it operates, also is faulted for initially insisting its guards were properly prepared and equipped. It is also accused of impeding the inquiry by the Democratic staff of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The results of the staff inquiry come less than a week before Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL and Blackwater's founder, is scheduled to testify before the committee, which is chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., a longtime critic of Blackwater.

The March 2004 incident involving Blackwater was widely viewed as a turning point in the Iraq war after images of the mutilated bodies of the four guards were seen around the world. Four days after the Blackwater guards were killed, a major military offensive, known as the Battle of Fallujah, began.

The combat lasted almost a month in Fallujah, which is 40 miles west of Baghdad. At least 36 U.S. military personnel were killed along with 200 insurgents and an estimated 600 civilians, the congressional investigation found.

Defense Secretary Gates says he's inclined to approve the Army's $3B force expansion plan

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he's inclined to approve an Army proposal to spend nearly $3 billion extra to accelerate the expansion of its active-duty force.

Army Secretary Pete Geren said speeding up the growth of the force, stretched thin by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, would mean recruiting faster and increasing the number of soldiers who re-enlist.

"I'm probably going to recommend they go ahead and give it a try," Gates told reporters at a Pentagon news conference. Appearing with Gates was Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is retiring on Monday after 40 years in the Marine Corps.

The defense secretary cautioned that he would not accept any sped-up expansion of the Army that would lead the Army to lower its recruiting standards, including levels of education required.

"I'm inclined to approve it," Gates said. "My questions have focused principally on whether they can do it, in terms of recruitment and whether they can do so without lowering standards and, in fact, to begin to move back toward the high standards of not too many months ago."

Obama campaign seeks to distance itself from wife's comments about need to win Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa — The campaign of Democrat Barack Obama moved quickly Thursday to dampen any expectations raised by Michelle Obama who said this week that her husband has to win Iowa.

Most polls in Iowa show the Illinois senator in a tight race with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards. During a visit Wednesday to Davenport, Iowa, Michelle Obama commented on the importance of a strong showing in the caucuses.

"Iowa will make the difference," she said. "If Barack doesn't win Iowa, it is just a dream. If we win Iowa then we can move to the world as it should be. And we need your help in making that happen."

Typically, meeting expectations in Iowa is nearly as important as who actually wins, so candidates are careful about their public comments on the importance they place on a victory.

On Thursday, Obama's campaign made it clear that they were optimistic about their chances in Iowa but didn't consider it essential that they win.

Bush promises action to reduce airline delays, make sure passengers aren't stuck on runways

WASHINGTON — President Bush promised on Thursday to take steps to reduce air traffic congestion and long delays that have left travelers grounded. "Endless hours sitting in an airplane on a runway with no communication between a pilot and the airport is just not right," he said.

Bush met in the Oval Office with Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and acting Federal Aviation Administrator Bobby Sturgell. The president urged Congress to look at legislation to modernize the FAA, and instructed Peters to report back to him quickly about ways to ensure that air passengers are treated appropriately and progress is made to ease congestion.

"We've got a problem," Bush said. "We understand there's a problem. And we're going to address the problem."

After the meeting, Peters told reporters she is asking airlines to meet to formulate a plan to improve scheduling at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of the nation's busiest. If no solution is found, she said, the department is prepared to issue a scheduling reduction order.

She said the agency is also improving the department's complaint system and is acting to increase compensation for passengers involuntarily bumped from flights from $200 to more than $600.

Teen in Jena 6 case released on bail after D.A. drops effort to try him as an adult

JENA, La. — A black teenager whose prosecution in the beating of a white classmate prompted a massive civil rights protest here walked out of a courthouse Thursday after a judge ordered him freed.

Mychal Bell's release came hours after a prosecutor confirmed he will no longer seek an adult trial for the 17-year-old. Bell, one of the teenagers known as the Jena Six, still faces trial as a juvenile in the December beating.

District Attorney Reed Walters' decision to abandon adult charges means that Bell, who had faced a maximum of 15 years in prison on his aggravated second-degree battery conviction last month, instead could be held only until he turns 21 if he is found guilty in juvenile court.

The conviction in adult court was thrown out this month by the state 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, which said Bell should not have been tried as an adult on that particular charge.

Walters credited the prayers of people in this small central Louisiana town with averting a "disaster" when tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on the town. Some critics of Walters considered that a slap against the peaceful marchers.

NASA rover reaches first stop inside crater, is poised to carry out first science experiments

LOS ANGELES — NASA's rover Opportunity has reached its first stop inside a huge Martian crater and was poised Thursday to carry out the first science experiments.

Ground controllers planned to send commands late in the day to the six-wheel robot to examine bright rock layers arranged like a bathtub ring within Victoria Crater. Results on how the rover fared were expected Friday, said John Callas, the rover project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

Mission managers wanted to delay the science operations because of a power outage at one of the international network of antennas that communicates with interplanetary spacecraft. But they changed their minds after they secured another antenna.

Opportunity rolled to the crater lip last month and began a calculated descent down the inner wall toward a shiny band of bedrock that scientists believe may be part of an ancient Martian surface. After a series of three drives, the rover parked itself 40 feet below the rim at a 25-degree tilt — the steepest angle it has encountered since landing on the planet.

Opportunity's first task will be to use the tools on its robotic arm to touch and drill into the rock slab. Mission scientists expect it to stay in place for at least a week before scaling farther down the crater to sample other rocks.

'South Park' creators bringing silly competition series to Comedy Central

NEW YORK — The current kings of juvenile humor on Comedy Central, "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, are pitching in to bring a series of silly competitions to the cable channel. Comedy Central has acquired rights to a Canadian series, "Kenny vs. Spenny," and fans Parker and Stone agreed to help produce new episodes.

The series essentially consists of two friends, Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice, who engage in all manner of silly competitions for bragging rights. Some of the challenges: Who can stay naked the longest? Who can sell more Bibles? Who do gay guys like more? Who can wear a dead octopus on their heads the longest?

An episode about which man could stay awake the longest — Spenny ate health food for help, Kenny (the winner) kept gobbling caffeine — caught Parker and Stone's eyes as they were pulling all-nighters to finish the movie "Team America: World Police."

"It touched our hearts because we had just gone through that," Stone told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Parker and Stone essentially gave Hotz and Rice advice on which ideas would work best and are lending their comedy cache.

Pa. aquarium store buys two-headed turtle from animal collector, puts it on display

NORRISTOWN, Pa. — A two-headed turtle captured by a turtle collector is a rare example of a conjoined-twin birth, its owner said.

The turtle would have likely died in the wild because it swims awkwardly and would be an easy target for predators, according to Jay Jacoby, manager of Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter in East Norriton.

The store bought the tiny turtle from the collector for an undisclosed price and will keep it on display, he said.

The 2-month-old turtle, known as a red-eared slider, fits on a silver dollar. It has two heads sticking out from opposite ends of its shell, along with a pair of front feet on each side. But there is just one set of back feet and one tail.

The turtle is seemingly healthy, and the species can live 15 to 20 years, Jacoby said. The turtle has not yet been named.

Arizona Diamondbacks stop 3-game losing streak with 8-0 victory Pittsburgh Pirates

PITTSBURGH — Arizona manager Bob Melvin made a great last-minute move by putting Micah Owings into his lineup. Pitching him was a good idea, too. Owings was 4-for-4 with three doubles and three RBIs to boost the Diamondbacks over the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0 Thursday and stop a three-game losing streak for the NL West leaders.

Given an ominous weather forecast, Melvin decided less than an hour before game time to hold back ace Brandon Webb (17-10) and pitch Owings (8-8).

The Diamondbacks then assured themselves of holding at least a one-game division lead when they open a three-game series Friday at Colorado with Webb on the mound. Arizona began Thursday one game ahead of San Diego, which played at Milwaukee, and two in front of Colorado, which was at Los Angeles.

Owings allowed four hits, struck out four and walked none in 6 1-3 innings. In his previous start, he beat San Francisco 5-0 on Sept. 18 with a two-hitter.