Philippine President May Resign Early, Russia Moves Nuclear Missiles to Capital

1. President Trump's son-in-law loses "privileges" in the White House

Jared Kushner and President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has had his security clearance at the White House demoted, including being removed from senior security meetings.

Over the past year, Mr. Kushner, a senior adviser to President Trump, has been given access to high-level security meetings and the President’s daily briefing — a top-secret intelligence document.

But now, Kushner is not allowed to attend secret meetings and only has access to classified documents instead of top secret, because he has not completed the background check process.

2. South Korea speaks out about North Korean officials' involvement in the Cheonan incident

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo. Source: YONHAP/VNA

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo on February 28 refused to confirm a North Korean official's controversial involvement in the 2010 attack on the South Korean warship Cheonan that killed 46 sailors.

Minister Song's comments came amid continued criticism of Seoul's decision to allow Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Yong-chol to lead Pyongyang's delegation to the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

3. The Philippine President does not want to extend his term of office even for a minute.

President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: AP

On February 28, the press secretary and spokesman of the President of the Philippines, Mr. Harry Roque, said that President Rodrigo Duterte will not run for another term and is ready to resign early.

“The president has said that if possible, he would like to step down earlier and will not stay a minute longer after 2022 (when his presidential term ends),” Mr. Roque said at a press conference at the Philippine President's office.

4.Russia confirms Syria has completely eliminated its chemical weapons arsenal

Syrian soldiers and the Syrian national flag in the town of Shuaib al-Thikr, Raqqa province after the town was liberated from IS militants on December 23, 2017. Photo: THX/TTXVN

Reuters reported that on February 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov affirmed that Syria had eliminated its chemical weapons and placed them under international control, despite "absurd accusations" against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Speaking at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland, Lavrov accused the US and its allies of “using baseless accusations about the Damascus government using chemical weapons as a tool against the Syrian political apparatus.”

5. South Korea announced that it will conduct military exercises with the US from early April.

US-South Korean soldiers. Photo: army.mil.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on February 28 that speaking at a security conference in the US, South Korean Presidential Security Adviser Moon Chung-in said that South Korea and the US could begin joint military exercises in the first week of April.

However, Moon Chung-in also emphasized that if dialogue between the US and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea takes place before the drills, the parties may consider some compromises. Moon Chung-in also hopes that dialogue between North Korea and the US will begin.

6. Cambodia "sad and shocked" as US cuts aid

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Photo: Reuters.

Cambodia is "saddened and shocked" by the US's "disrespectful decision" to cut aid to Phnom Penh.

"Apart from being sad and shocked by the decision of a friendly country regarding development aid, Cambodia is proud to still uphold and maintain democracy with determination," Phay Siphan, a Cambodian government spokesman, toldReutersFebruary 28

Phay Siphan called the aid cut "disrespectful" and "insincere".

7. Russia moves nuclear missiles to the capital at night

RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile of the Russian army. Photo: Sputnik

Three trucks carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) on February 26 began a 400-km journey from the Teykovskaya missile division towards the capital Moscow, under the escort of police and military police, Rossiyskaya Gazetareport

Video released by the Russian Defense Ministry shows a convoy of MAZ trucks carrying these nuclear-capable missiles appearing on the Moscow Ring Highway overnight.

Sources said the missiles were brought to Moscow to prepare for the parade marking the 73rd anniversary of the victory over fascism on May 9, which will be held in Red Square.

8. Trump chooses to manage 2020 presidential re-election campaign

Brad Parscale, digital director of Mr. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Photo: AP.

President Donald Trump's campaign announced on February 27 that Parscale will lead "advance planning" for the 2020 effort and that the campaign will also participate in the 2018 midterm elections, according toGuardian.

The announcement came 980 days before Election Day, earlier than any previous president.

Parscale served as digital “architect” during Mr Trump’s 2016 campaign, after spending years developing websites for Mr Trump’s real estate company as well as his daughter’s company.