The Philippine government is still denying it postponed two major regional summit meetings due to fear of a terrorist attack, even as reports emerge that a car bomb plot had been uncovered days before the summits were to open. VOA's Heda Bayron reports from our Asia News Center in Hong Kong, Manila is sticking to its insistence that an approaching typhoon was the reason for the postponement.

The Philippines, long known for having the freest and boldest press in Asia, has become one of the world's most dangerous places for journalists, trailing only Iraq in the number of reporters killed. The head of the Philippines' National Union of Journalists was in Hong Kong to talk about an environment where journalists are targets for assassination and political intimidation. Claudia Blume reports.

Philippine officials have postponed the summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations because of concerns about tropical storm Utor, which is approaching with winds of 75 kilometers an hour. The move comes as the Philippines is still recovering from a much stronger storm one week ago that left more than 1,000 dead or missing. Douglas Bakshian reports from Manila.

The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced today that it will provide $250,000 for emergency grants to the Philippine National Red Cross Society and other humanitarian organizations working in the area affected by Typhoon Durian (also know as Typhoon Reming). This assistance will help support relief commodities, basic livelihood assistance, road clearing and debris removal.

World Vision Philippines is appealing for US $1 million to enable an immediate aid response to the devastating loss of life and property caused by Typhoon Durian. The Christian humanitarian agency plans to provide some 20,000 affected people with food and survival items within the coming week.

World Vision Philippines is due to dispatch a relief assessment team aboard a military Hercules C-130 into Catanduanes Province, where 265 km-per-hour winds from Typhoon Durian have struck local villages.