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Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network will air an exclusive interview conducted by EWTNews Director, Raymond Arroyo, in Rome with Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as part of the international newsmagazine The World Over Live. The complete interview will air on Friday, September 5 at 8 PM EDT. Cardinal Ratzinger, often referred to as the Vatican's doctrinal watchman, is responsible for protecting Catholic doctrine and exposing heresy. He is considered the single most powerful man in the Vatican aside from Pope John Paul II. A notoriously private man, the cardinal rarely grants interviews or takes questions from the media. In...

FBI asked to join probe of mutinyPosted: 1:05 AM (Manila Time) | Aug. 03, 2003 By Leila B. SalaverriaInquirer News Service Hunt for masterminds THE NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation is hot on the paper trail of the July 27 mutiny. It has sought the help of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to track down the masterminds of the mutiny, and is focusing on these questions: Where did the rebel soldiers' 31 million pesos worth of state-of-the-art equipment come from? Who bought and shipped it here? "We want to put a human face [on the matter]," NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco...

Philippine Opposition Senator to be Charged Over Coup Attempt Opposition senator Gregorio Honasan, a former military coup plotter, will be charged for involvement in a coup attempt by junior officers against Philippine President Gloria Arroyo. "We have very clear and strong intelligence report that his involvement in this is deep so we are readying charges and we will prepare other legal moves," Interior Secretary Jose Lina said said in a television interview. Advertisement Mr Honasan, a former army colonel, popularly known as "Gringo", led several bloody coup attempts in the 1980s but was pardoned under a peace deal after which...

The Philippine Star 07/27/2003 After several days of denials by Malacañang, President Arroyo admitted last night that a "small band of rogue junior officers" has conspired to overthrow her government. Mrs. Arroyo said she ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to hunt down and arrest 50 junior officers and men who deserted their posts, bringing with them unspecified weapons. "On my orders, the AFP and the (Philippine National Police) are hunting down to arrest a small band of rogue junior officers and soldiers who have deserted their posts and illegally brought weapons with them," the President said on...

Terrorist bomb expert escapes from Manila jail By Roel Landingin in Manila and Shawn Donnan in Jakarta Published: July 15 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: July 15 2003 5:00 An escape from a high-security prison in Manila by a convicted Jemaah Islamiah explosives expert has dealt an embarrassing blow to the Philippine government's efforts to clamp down on international terrorism. Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, an Indonesian national sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of illegal possession of explosives, was found missing from his cell. Police say Mr al-Ghozi admitted being a leader of JI, the...

President Arroyo said on Saturday, she would launch "comprehensive countermeasures" in different sectors to fight an upsurge in communist rebel attacks in the countryside. "The response to the violence of the NPA (New People's Army) is our launch of comprehensive countermeasures where we will simultaneously use military, political and legal action to fight this group," Arroyo said in a radio speech. "We are combining all necessary measures to stop this threat and defeat it by the use of force, political action and long term social reforms," she added. The President said she would also take up the growing influence of...

A new category appears to have been added to the Byzantine semantics of the US State Department. The Philippines now enjoys the distinction of being a "major non-NATO ally." Whatever that might mean, we will find out in due time. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has been the center-of-gravity of American strategic engagements for five decades. During much of this period, the US was in strategic confrontation with the now-defunct USSR. NATO was the frontline organization during the Cold War. While NATO constituted the frontline of American strategic defense, the superpower concentrated her strategic military capability on the European...

<p>WASHINGTON - Amidst a spate of terrorist bombings in the Muslim world, President Bush on Monday rewarded a stalwart ally, the Philippines, with the promise of more U.S. troops and support in its fight against terrorism.</p> <p>Bush said an unspecified number of U.S. troops would be sent to the Philippines in "support" of operations against Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim terrorist group that has been linked to the al-Qaida network. Currently about 500 U.S. troops are in that country, primarily to help train the Philippine armed forces.</p>

Bush White House press conference to start momentarily! Post your comments here!

MANILA: The Philippine president on Monday condemned as terrorism an attack by Muslim separatists that killed 27 people, and officials issued a bounty on heads of the rebel leaders, days before scheduled government-rebel talks. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front took 57 hostages in an attack Sunday on Siocon town, seized the town hall and a hospital, and torched a market. The government regained control of the town later that day and all but three hostages have been released, said Philippine military spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero. The hostages were ``evidently to be used as human shields,'' said Lt. Gen. Rodolfo...

Arroyo defends 'men in black' cabinet photo (Filed: 17/09/2002) President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines faced down criticisms yesterday that she was mocking the presidency after posing for photographs with her top cabinet officials dressed like alien-tracking Men in Black agents. President Gloria Arroyo [centre] poses with her cabinet secretaries The opposition and several civil society groups have criticised her for the photograph (right), which appeared on the cover of a local lifestyle magazine, the Philippine Tatler. But Mrs Arroyo's spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, said it was "not inappropriate for the president to let her hair down and show her lighter...

It's Manila In Black MANILA - A publicity picture of President Gloria Arroyo and her top aides wearing black suits and dark shades like those worn by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in the Hollywood blockbuster Men In Black has stirred up controversy in the Philippines. 'Protector of the Philippines', Mrs Arroyo and her top officials' take on the Hollywood blockbuster Men In Black has stirred controversy. -- REUTERS In the photo, a serious-looking Mrs Arroyo is flanked by her Chief Cabinet Secretary Alberto Romulo, Defence Secretary Angelo Reyes, Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas and Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho....

US overflights OK in RP in case of war American warplanes and vessels may land, dock, refuel or conduct flyovers of the Philippines should the US decide to attack Iraq, officials said yesterday. Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople said yesterday the offer of President Arroyo for overflights to US military aircraft is still in effect. "We are not endorsing any war, but we are an ally of the United States," he said. "We have a mutual defense treaty with them and there is a UN resolution." It is also "not necessary" to invoke the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, Ople added....

Philippines set to deliver 'killer punch' to kidnappersElite troops are on Abu Sayyaf's southern island-stronghold poised to attack if the 4 surviving hostages not freed in 5 daysBy Luz Baguioro PHILIPPINES CORRESPONDENT MANILA - The Philippines sent in elite counter-terrorism troops to the Abu Sayyaf's southern island-stronghold as the military prepared to deliver a 'killer punch' if four hostages seized by an allied group were not freed within five days.The Army Light Reaction Company, equipped with high-powered weapons provided by the United States under a military assistance package, was part of a contingent of more than 1,000 troops sent to...

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reiterated her previous vow to crush the Abu Sayyaf after American Martin Burnham and Filipino Ediborah Yap were killed Friday afternoon in the course of military operations against the Abu Sayyaf in the hinterlands of the Zamboanga peninsula. “The terrorists shall not be allowed to get away with this,” she declared. “We shall not stop until the Abu Sayyaf is finished.” In Washington, US President George W. Bush said he was assured by Ms Macapagal that “justice would be done” to the terrorists. He said his counterpart had called him and that “she assured me that...

Bangkok wants clarification of `terrorism' before signing pact Arroyo backs Asian co-operation talks Achara Ashayagachat Thailand will join the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia in signing a treaty against terrorism, but only after clarification of the term ``terrorism''. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ratthakit Manathat said Thailand was ready to adhere to the treaty as soon as possible, but needed to examine the wording first. The definition of terrorism would have to be checked. There was also a possibility some laws would have to be amended to conform with the treaty. The spokesman was commenting after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had talks with...