Free Republic

As the sun rises Sunday morning over the Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland, 100 women stand completely nude, holding large, round mirrors facing the arena. They're on an empty lot in between a fire station and a shipping warehouse, right on the Cuyahoga River. It's the day before the Republican National Convention kicks off, but on this side of the river, it's nearly silent, except for the snaps and pops of a camera.

PRIME Minister John Howard says he will continue to hold hands with his wife, Janette, despite criticism by Margaret Whitlam in a new biography. Mrs Whitlam, wife of former Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam, says in the book that Mrs Howard should not be holding hands in public with her husband and had no sense of humour. "For God's sake, they've been married for over 30 years!" Mrs Whitlam said in the biography to be launched next week, excerpts of which were published in today's The Bulletin magazine. Mr Howard today refused to say whether he found the comments hurtful....