Free Republic

PRIME Minister John Howard has been welcomed to the White House in a lavish ceremony featuring hundreds of military guards, two brass bands and thousands of spectators. In scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood movie, Mr Howard was hailed by US President George W. Bush as a hero before waving to the crowd from the curved balcony overlooking the South Lawn. Ceremonial guards from all six of the US military forces began lining the South Lawn about half an hour before Mr Howard and his wife Janette arrived in a black limousine. The Howards were greeted by Mr Bush and his...

FOUR Christian activists were to face a committal hearing this week for breaking into a top military base in central Australia. The Christians Against All Terrorism (CAAT) members will face Alice Springs Magistrates Court on Wednesday over a break-in at the joint US-Australian facility at Pine Gap, near Alice Springs on December 9. Former "human shield" Donna Mulhearn, 37, of Sydney, who was abducted and briefly held by militants in the Iraqi flashpoint city of Fallujah last year, is among those charged. The others are Jim Dowling, 50, of Dayboro near Brisbane, Brian Law, 51, of Cairns and Adele Goldie,...