Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, faced with prospect of large street protests, has backed down from plans for a constitutional change that would bypass the opposition-led Senate. The influential Roman Catholic Church, joined by the political opposition and former President Corazon Aquino, has called for a prayer rally to protest what church leaders view as illegitimate moves to change the constitution. Douglas Bakshian has more from Manila.

What were to be summit meetings of East Asian leaders have collapsed completely as a tropical storm bears down on the summit site. VOA's Heda Bayron reports from the Philippine city of Cebu, a meeting of the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers is all that saved the event from complete failure.