TOKYO, Japan –The Japanese company behind the country's iconic bullet trains said on Wednesday, February 28, it had supplied nearly 150 faulty wheel parts that could crack and potentially cause a derailment.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries launched an investigation after a crack was found in its parts under one carriage of a "Shinkansen" in December.

Kawasaki found that the likely cause of the crack was that steel frames connecting the wheels to the chassis were thinner than regulations stipulate.

It said similar problems were found in a total of 146 parts on bullet trains owned by two operators, which were reportedly exchanging them even though there were no immediate fears of cracks.

"I apologise for causing great trouble and worries," Kawasaki Heavy Industries president Yoshinori Kanehana told a news conference.

On December 11, 2017, the crew aboard a bullet train reported a burning smell and strange noises when it pulled out of a station in southern Japan.

The train stopped for checks at Nagoya station in central Japan and inspectors discovered the crack.

If the train had continued to run, the crack could have caused it to derail in the worst-case scenario, transport officials said.

About 1,000 passengers aboard were unhurt and they continued their journey on fresh trains.

Japanese shinkansens have been derailed before due to earthquakes but no-one has been hurt. – Rappler.com

CAIRO, Egypt – Two trains collided in northern Egypt, killing at least 10 people and wounding 15 others on Wednesday, February 28, the latest in a string of deadly accidents on the country's railways, the health ministry said.

The collision between a freight train and a passenger train took place in Behaira province.

Footage aired by state television showed at least two carriages had derailed in a rural stretch of land. Civilians and medics were seen removing wounded passengers and carrying them to ambulances.

The provincial governor told Egyptian media she would head to the site of the crash, as the prosecutor's office announced it had sent its own team.

Health ministry official Alaa Othman told state television that "all the wounded and dead have been removed from the scene of the accident".

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but it comes months after 41 people died in a train collision near the coastal city of Alexandria last August.

The train drivers who survived that accident were detained for questioning.

That was the deadliest train accident in Egypt since a November 2013 collision between a train and a bus killed 27 people south of Cairo.

It came a year after a train collided into a bus carrying school children, killing 47 people.

That accident jolted the government which ordered an investigation and sacked the transport minister and the head of the railway authority.

It was blamed on a train signal operator who had fallen asleep on the job.

The probe, however, did not prevent further accidents. Months later a train carrying military conscripts derailed, killing 17 people.

Egyptians have long complained that the government has failed to deal with chronic transport problems, with roads as poorly maintained as railway lines.

The deadliest accident on Egypt’s railways dates back to 2002 when 373 people died as a fire ripped through a crowded train south of the capital.

There have been many other fatal crashes on the busy rail network.

In July 2008, at least 44 people died near Marsa Matruh in northwest Egypt when a runaway truck hurtled into a bus and several other vehicles waiting at a level crossing, shunting them into the path of a train.

In August 2006, at least 58 Egyptians were killed and 144 wounded in a collision between two trains travelling on the same track.

In the wake of that crash, an Egyptian court sentenced 14 railway employees to one year in prison for neglect. – Rappler.com

GENEVA, Switzerland – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, February 28, accused Washington of training Europeans in the use of nuclear weapons, with the aim of using them against his country.

"Nuclear disarmament is hampered by the US non-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe," Lavrov told the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. 

Russia's top diplomat took particular issue with "nuclear so-called sharing missions," in which one sees "non-nuclear (EU) member states taking place in the planning of the use of US non-strategic nuclear weapons, and involved in corresponding skills training."

"The US military is training the armed forces of European countries to employ tactical nuclear weapons against Russia," he said.

He insisted that "the presence of ready-for-use US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe is not just remanents of the Cold War, but clearly an aggressive stance."

And he called on "European citizens to say no to the deployment on their territory of the most powerful weapon of mass destruction possessed by the one and only state which has already used it," referring to the two atomic bombs the US dropped on Japan to end World War II.

Lavrov also voiced alarm Wednesday over the "considerable shifts in the US approach" to nuclear weapons, referring to Washington's announcement earlier this year that it plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal by developing new low-yield weapons. 

Washington has portrayed the policy as a necessary response to actions taken by Russia and China, claims Moscow and Beijing have fiercely denounced.

This move, Lavrov said, "leads to a lower threshold for the use of nuclear weapons."

The US ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, Robert Wood, took the floor to denounce Lavrov's comments.

"This is a typical Russian statement, ... where it looks to blame the United States for everything that is wrong in the world," he said.

"I'm surprised they haven't decided to blame us for heavy snowfall, ... but that could come soon," he added. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – Hope Hicks, one of Donald Trump's longest-serving aides and perhaps his most trusted confidante, on Wednesday, February 28, announced her resignation in the latest of a string of departures from the embattled White House.

The 29-year-old former model and PR operative took her first job in politics as spokesperson for the Republican's victorious campaign, before joining him in the White House where she was named communications director last September.

While she cut a discreet figure in the White House – refusing all interviews – the former advisor to Ivanka Trump was known around the West Wing for her close relationship with the president's family and as a keen defender of his image.

She was well known to have the ear of the president, who never publicly voiced even the slightest criticism of her.

"There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump," the 29-year-old Hicks said in a statement on her departure.

Trump paid tribute to Hicks' "outstanding" contribution over the past 3 years, calling her "as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person."

"I will miss having her by my side but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood," he added. "I am sure we will work together again in the future."

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said Hicks had "served her country with great distinction."

"To say that she will be missed, is an understatement," Kelly said.

Hicks' announcement came a day after she testified before a Congressional intelligence committee about the Russia election meddling investigation.

She reportedly told lawmakers she had told "white lies" for Trump in the course of her duties, but never over the Russia probe.

The White House said Hicks had informed Trump she wished to leave in order to explore other opportunities. Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said no timeline had been set for her departure, adding that her exit was not linked to her testimony to Congress.

In a sign of the high turnover in Trump's administration, Hicks was the 4th person to head the communications team – her immediate predecessor, the brash Anthony Scaramucci, having lasted just 10 head-spinning days in the role.

Thrust into spotlight

Hicks' departure follows that of a succession of senior administration figures: from national security advisor Michael Flynn, to Reince Priebus as chief of staff, Sean Spicer as press secretary and Steve Bannon as the president's chief strategist.

As communications director she was responsible for shaping the administration's message, but Hicks was far less visible to the public than the press secretary Sanders, and before her Sean Spicer.

But she was brutally thrust into the spotlight in early February when another top Trump aide with whom she had become romantically involved was accused of domestic abuse by an ex-wife.

Former White House staff secretary Rob Porter – who denies the claims – resigned following the allegations.

Hicks had helped craft the official response to the scandal, despite her personal involvement with Porter.

Sanders denied any link between Hicks' decision to leave, and her questioning Tuesday, February 27, by a congressional panel probing Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

During her appearance before the House Intelligence Committee, Trump's communications director had stuck to answering pre-approved questions, and refused to answer many of the other questions put to her.

That meant avoiding questions about her work and White House contacts with Russia, according to lawmakers present at the closed session. – Rappler.com

PARIS, France – A signal from the Universe's first stars, born a cosmic heartbeat after the Big Bang, has been detected for the first time, astronomers said Wednesday, February 28, setting the science world aflutter.

The observation came after a decade-long quest, years earlier than expected, and was described by one excited observer as the biggest astronomical breakthrough since the Nobel-capped detection of gravitational waves in 2015.

The findings have to be confirmed by other experiments.

Crucially, it is hoped the discovery will shed light on dark matter– an invisible, mysterious substance thought to make up a large share of the Universe.

"Finding this miniscule signal has opened a new window on the early Universe," said Arizona State University astronomer Judd Bowman, the project's lead investigator.

"Telescopes cannot see far enough to directly image such ancient stars, but we've seen when they turned on" – that is, sparked to life – "in radio waves arriving from space."

Fingerprints of the stars, already active 13.6 billion years ago – a mere 180 million years after the Big Bang gave rise to the Universe – were picked up by a dining table-sized radio spectrometer in the Australian desert.

Such evidence had been expected, but not for years to come.

To everyone's surprise, and delight, the signal contained something curious.

The early Universe, the data showed, appears to have been twice as cold as previously estimated, at minus 270 degrees Celsius (-454 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the study in Nature.

Some suggested a role for dark matter– the theme of an accompanying science paper published by the same journal.

'Wow!'

The author of that study, Rennan Barkana of Tel Aviv University, said the freeze might be explained by ordinary matter interacting with, and losing energy to, dark matter.

"If Barkana's idea is confirmed then we've learnt something new and fundamental about the mysterious dark matter that makes up 85% of the matter in the Universe, providing the first glimpse of physics beyond the Standard Model," said Bowman.

Data from the Planck satellite showed in 2013 that ordinary matter – which makes up everything we can touch and see – comprises a mere 4.9 precent of the Universe, and dark matter 26.8%.

The other 68.3% is dark energy.

Invisible to telescopes, dark matter is perceived through its gravitational pull on other objects in the cosmos.

But its existence is not explained by the Standard Model of physics – the mainstream theory of the fundamental particles that make up matter and the forces that govern them.

Finding dark matter particles could require updating the Standard Model with futuristic theories such as "supersymmetry", which postulates the existence of a heavier sibling for every particle in the Universe, or extra dimensions.

Expert observers' reactions ranged from "a truly amazing result", and "wow!", to advising caution.

"The apparent detection of the signature of the first stars in the Universe will be a revolutionary discovery if it stands the tests of time," said Nobel Prize-awarded astrophysicist Brian Schmidt of The Australian National University.

Window on the Universe

"Astronomers worldwide will be holding their breath until the result is confirmed by an independent experiment," added Karl Glazebrook of the Swinburne University of Technology in comments via the Science Media Center in Australia.

If it is, it would open "a new window on the early Universe and potentially a new understanding of the nature of dark matter."

Described as technically robust by expert commentators, the findings must nevertheless be confirmed by independent experiments.

Scientists believe that for about 400,000 years after the Big Bang, the Universe was dark – filled primarily with hydrogen.

Gravity slowly pulled the densest regions of gas together to form stars, according to the Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration.

The signals detected in the study came from primordial hydrogen, at a time that light from the first stars made the gas detectible for the first time.

Our own Sun and Solar System was formed about 9 billion years later.

The earliest stars were the source of all heavy elements in the Universe, including those necessary for life to exist. – Rappler.com

BOGOTA, Colombia – The ex-rebel leader running for president of Colombia for the former leftist guerrillas of the FARC said Wednesday, February 28, their peace deal with the government is in serious danger.

Rodrigo "Timochenko" Londono, the leader of the political party launched by the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), said he feels "betrayed" by the government, which he accused of blocking him from campaigning freely for the May presidential election.

"It might sound harsh, but I want to sincerely launch an SOS for the peace process," he told a press conference.

Londono suspended his campaign on February 9, alleging the authorities were failing to guarantee his security.

He went further in Wednesday's allegations, accusing the government of failing to honor the peace accord that won President Juan Manuel Santos the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.

"We have seen how small but very powerful forces are uniting to make this historic and beautiful peace process fail," he said.

Colombia is heading toward legislative elections on March 11, then a presidential vote to choose Santos's successor on May 27, with a possible second round on June 17.

It is the first time the FARC will participate in Colombian elections since the group's founding in 1964.

But the guerrilla army-turned-political party says the government is breaking its promises on security for ex-rebels, campaign funding and freeing its jailed members.

Londono, who has around 1% of the vote in opinion polls, denied rumors he was thinking of dropping out of the race. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The alleged recruiter of Joanna Demafelis, the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who went missing for two years only to be found in a freezer in Kuwait, has surrendered to police, informed sources confirmed to Rappler.

Agnes Tuballes is set to be presented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on Thursday, March 1, two weeks after Demafelis' remains were brought back to the Philippines.

The Department of Labor and Employment earlier named the recruiting agency of Demafelis: Our Lady of Mt Carmel Global E-Human Resources Incorporated.

More to follow.– Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – US lawmakers on Wednesday, February 28, launched a bipartisan effort to end American involvement in Saudi Arabia's conflict with Yemen, an extraordinary attempt to force a vote on whether to over-rule presidential military authorization.

The United Nations has described Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, as the world's largest humanitarian disaster.

More than 9,200 people have been killed and tens of thousands wounded in Yemen's 3-year-old war, which is seen as both a civil conflict and a proxy war between regional titans Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Since 2015 Washington has provided weapons, intelligence and aerial refueling for a Saudi-led coalition which has conducted air strikes against Huthi rebels.

Senators Bernie Sanders, Mike Lee and Chris Murphy said in a joint statement that their resolution would force the first-ever vote in the Senate "to withdraw US armed forces from an unauthorized war."

"We believe that, as Congress has not declared war or authorized military force in this conflict, the United States involvement in Yemen is unconstitutional and unauthorized, and US military support of the Saudi coalition must end," said Sanders, who is an independent but ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.

President Donald Trump's top military and diplomatic advisors said last October that the administration was not seeking new authority for conducting military operations in the world's hot spots.

Congress first passed an authorization to use military force, or AUMF, on September 14, 2001 – 3 days after the devastating attacks on New York and Washington by Al-Qaeda hijackers.

Since then, presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and now Trump have relied on the order's authority, along with a subsequent AUMF in 2002, as they launched operations against armed Islamist groups in far-flung battle zones around the world.

Several Democrats, and some Republicans, have warned that the 15-year-old authorities are licenses for endless US military engagement.

Lee, a conservative Republican, said the measure can help Congress reassert its power over foreign policy decision-making.

"It can authorize – or decline to authorize – military engagement and define US national interests," Lee said.

The 4-page measure notes that according to the 1973 War Powers Resolution, if US forces are engaged in hostilities outside the country absent a declaration of war, "such forces shall be removed by the president if the Congress so directs."

The measure is invoking the provisions of a little-known bill that can force a Senate floor vote on such a privileged resolution.

A similar effort, introduced last year in the House by two Democrats and two Republicans, has 50 cosponsors. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) en banc announced on Thursday, March 1, that Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's indefinite leave was a consensus of all the justices present during the session on Tuesday, February 27.

“The justices present arrived at a consensus that the Chief Justice should take an indefinite leave,” SC Spokesman Theodore Te said on Thursday, reading the joint statement of the justices.

The joint statement was signed by all 13 justices, with the exception of Sereno and Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa who was on leave.

The 13 justices also said, "The Chief Justice herself announced that she was taking an indefinite leave."

"The Chief Justice did not request the rescheduling of her wellness leave," they added.

What does this mean? It puts to rest speculations that only a number of justices wanted Sereno to go on leave.

What does it mean for Sereno? It means that the 13 justices are contradicting the official narrative of Sereno’s camp which said it was the Chief Justice’s personal decision to avail of her wellness leave earlier than scheduled.

The 13 justices said they "regret the confusion that the announcements and media releases of the spokespersons of the Chief Justice have caused, which seriously damaged the integrity of the Judiciary in general and the Supreme Court in particular."

"In the ordinary course of events, the Court expected the Chief Justice to cause the announcement of only what was really agreed upon without any modification or embellishment. This matter shall be dealt with in a separate proceeding," said the 13 justices.  (READ: Why SC justices forced Sereno to go on leave)

What’s next? The fissures inside the High Court continue with another clash between the Chief Justice and her colleagues on the bench.

There is also a question of whether there is legal basis to force her to take a leave.

What is the situation at the SC now? Sereno begins her indefinite leave Thursday. Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio is the Acting Chief Justice and will preside over the succeeding en banc sessions. He will be the acting chair of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) and the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC). 

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro assumes chairmanship of the First Division while Sereno is on leave.

When does her leave end? Sereno wrote in her formal notice to the en banc that it will be “until I shall have completed my preparation for the Senate trial.”

Court sources said the en banc agreed it should be until the end of the entire impeachment process.

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">LOOK: Statement of the 13 Supreme Court justices <a href="https://t.co/SRDy2glQ0R">pic.twitter.com/SRDy2glQ0R</a></p>&mdash; Lian Buan (@lianbuan) <a href="https://twitter.com/lianbuan/status/969045982708097024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

– Rappler.com

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday, March 1, said Japan cannot declare the issue of its former wartime sex slaves "over," repeating calls for Tokyo to apologize over the issue and confront wrongdoings.

The controversy of the so-called comfort women – those forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II– has marred relations between the neighbors for decades.

Park Geun-Hye, Moon's ousted predecessor, struck a deal in 2015 with Tokyo under which Seoul promised not to raise the issue again and Japan paid 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) to a foundation dedicated to supporting the victims.

The agreement, in which Tokyo fell short of taking legal responsibility, angered some victims and after taking office Moon condemned the deal as a "wrongful" solution and urged Japan to make a "heartfelt apology".

"The issue of the comfort women cannot be declared 'over' by the Japanese government," Moon said in a speech marking the anniversary of the country's 1919 uprising against Japanese colonial rule.

"Wartime crimes against humanity cannot be covered up with a declaration that it is over.

"The true way of resolving a tragic history is to remember that history and to learn from it," Moon said, expressing hopes for strong future relations "with the closest neighbour on the backdrop of a sincere apology".

Moon's remarks drew a swift response from Japan, which termed them "extremely regrettable".

Asked to comment on Moon's speech, top Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told a regular press conference: "President Moon mentioned the comfort women issue although we confirmed the final, irreversible conclusion in the 2015 agreement between Japan and South Korea."

"It goes against the Japan-South Korea agreement. We cannot accept it at all and feel it is extremely regrettable. We immediately conveyed our stance and made a strong protest to the South Korean side through diplomatic channels."

Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women, mainly from Korea but also from China, Indonesia and other Asian nations, were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during the World War II.

Many South Koreans remain bitter about abuses under Japan's ruthless 1910-45 colonial rule, including the issue of the wartime sex slaves.

Most Japanese feel they have atoned enough for the country's wartime aggression, including the comfort women issue, after numerous apologies and statements on the war. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines –  The alleged recruiter of Joanna Demafelis on Thursday, March 1, apologized to the slain worker's family, saying she would not have wanted her to end up dead in Kuwait as she was an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) herself.

In a news briefing in Camp Crame after she surrendered to the police, Agnes Tuballes clarified that she only referred Demafelis to her recruiters. She was asked to give her message to the Demafelis family.

Her message: "Nakikiramay po ako sa pamilya ni Joanna, at saka di ko rin po ginusto 'yung nangyari. Sana kung pumunta kayo ng that time (when Joanna was missing) na ganon pala, andon na ako. Sana naagahan natin ang pagdetect kay Joanna, na ganoon na pala katagal ang pagkamatay niya. Pero wala din kayong ginawang aksyon para puntahan ako," a teary-eyed Tuballes said.

(I condole with the family of Joanna, and I myself did not want what happened. If you had come to me that time [when Joanna was missing], I would've been there. We could have acted earlier to detect Joanna, that she had been dead for quite some time.  But you also did not take any action to reach me.)

"Nakikiusap po ako sa inyo, patawad. Hindi ko naman gusto ang nangyari sa kanya kasi ako po OFW din po (I appeal to you, forgive me. I also didn't want what happened to her because I am an OFW myself)," she added.

Her involvement: Tuballes referred Demafelis to Our Lady of Mt Carmel Global E-Human Resources Incorporated, the registered recruitment agency at that time that deployed Demafelis to Kuwait.

It was not  a simple friendly referral. Tuballes was working with a certain Kuwait-based Ara Midtimbang who asked her to look for OFW recruits. Tuballes was promised P5,000 for each referral, but was given P13,000 for Demafelis.

After Demafelis was deployed by Mt Carmel, Tuballes said she lost contact with her.

Police are currently tracking where Midtimbang is, but Tuballes clarified that another Kuwait-based recruiter handled Demafelis' case.

Tuballes voluntarily surrendered to police after media reports flashing her as Demafelis' alleged recruiter triggered a deluge of hate messages to her and her family. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque tried to explain President Rodrigo Duterte's use of the word "co-ownership" when describing joint exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea.

"What he meant was, that's exactly the kind of relationship we will have in a joint exploration and exploitation," said Roque during a press conference on Thursday, March 1.

Roque, asked if the term was used by Duterte to "simplify" the concept of joint exploration, said, "I believe so."

He gave assurances, however, that any agreement for joint exploration to be entered into by the Duterte administration does not mean the government is ceding sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea to Beijing.

Joint exploration can be done without violating the Constitution, he said.

"The existing jurisprudence is ‘yes,’ we can enter into joint exploration and joint exploitation with foreign entities provided that it complies with the Constitution among others, it be pursuant to a written agreement signed by the President and submitted to Congress," he said.

He called joint exploration a "practical solution" that allows Filipinos to "utilize natural resources without having to deal with the contentious conflicting claims to territories."

Roque, a former international law professor, said he doubted Duterte literally meant ownership as no state can "own" the West Philippine Sea.

"It can't be co-ownership in the sense that ownership is not material to the exclusive economic zone, it's only sovereign rights. There's no ownership in sovereign rights," he said.

Under international law, a state exercises sovereignty over its land territory and 12-nautical-mile territorial sea. Beyond it, and up to 200 nautical miles from its baselines, the state has "sovereign rights" – less than sovereignty, but exclusive and superior to the rights of all other states.

However, China is already exercising sovereign rights over parts of the West Philippine Sea by building artificial islands. Roque said the "right to build artificial islands" is a sovereign right.

Grounds for impeachment?

Malacañang also reacted to former solicitor general Florin Hilbay's criticism of Duterte's remarks.

Hilbay took to social media to say Duterte may be violating the Constitution by entering into a joint exploration agreement with China.

"Here's a clear example of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. The West Philippine Sea is exclusively ours. He's giving it away," said Hilbay.

Roque challenged Hilbay to file an impeachment complaint against Duterte.

"He's free to file an impeachment complaint if he wants. How can it be a betrayal of public trust when the Supreme Court itself has said it can be done?" said Duterte's spokesman.

However, the Supreme Court (SC) has yet to make a final decision on the petition assailing the constitutionality of the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) in the West Philippine Sea entered into by the Arroyo administration, China, and Vietnam.

The corporations involved were the Philippine National Oil Company, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, and Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation.

Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano has called on the Duterte administration to await the final verdict of the SC on the JMSU before entering into any agreement with China.

"I believe that the best course of action is to wait for the resolution of the JMSU petition and clear first the doubts as to the proper conduct in exploring and exploiting the resources within our seas," he said, as quoted by Interaksyon.

Alejano urged the SC to decide on the petition.

While Roque said the West Philippine Sea is a "disputed" water body, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague declared as invalid China's claims to the West Philippine Sea.– Rappler.com

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – A mentally disturbed teenager tried to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II during a 1981 visit to New Zealand and police covered up the botched attempt, according to official documents released Thursday, March 1.

Christopher Lewis fired a single shot towards the Queen's car as she toured the South Island city of Dunedin, the documents from New Zealand's Security Intelligence Service (SIS) spy agency revealed.

No one was hurt and police reportedly assured members of the royal party who asked about a gunshot that they had simply heard a firework exploding.

Lewis, 17 at the time, was picked up soon after on an unrelated armed robbery charge and made a rambling confession about his attempt on the monarch's life.

While police said he was delusional and "lives in a dream world" they found a .22 rifle and spent cartridge in the building where he said the attempt took place.

He claimed to be a member of a right-wing organization called the National Imperial Guerilla Army, which police concluded had only 3 members.

Officers at the time decided against charging him with treason over the October 1981 assassination attempt but pursued firearms and robbery charges.

The SIS documents, released publicly in response to a media request and seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP), show police were concerned the incident would become public and conspired to keep it secret.

The New Zealand Herald said authorities were worried it might jeopardize future royal visits to the former British colony.

"Lewis did indeed originally intend to assassinate the Queen," the documents say.

"However (he) did not have a suitable vantage point from which to fire, nor a sufficiently high-powered rifle for the range from the target."

Lewis had a string of serious criminal convictions and was in jail for murder when he killed himself in 1997.

Floral nightie

The Queen's role as head of the Commonwealth has made her a high-profile target for extremist groups and the mentally unwell over the years.

In 1982, unemployed decorator Michael Fagan had a few drinks and scaled the walls of Buckingham Palace, climbing up a drainpipe to enter the Queen's London residence.

He wandered into her bedroom and reportedly sat on the end of the bed for a chat with the perturbed monarch before a palace staffer lured him away with the promise of a shot of whiskey.

Fagan later described the Queen's floral nightie and said he was motivated by a desire to meet his head of state.

Another 17-year-old threatened the Queen's security in 1981, just 4 months before Lewis' attempt, when Marcus Sarjeant fired 6 blanks at her during the trooping the color ceremony in London.

He was quickly overpowered and sentenced to 5 years in prison for treason.

An unconfirmed assassination plot occurred in Australia in 1970 when a train carrying the Queen hit a log as she was traveling to Lithgow, west of Sydney.

A local police officer said unknown extremists put the log there to derail the train and send it down an embankment.

It turned out the engine was traveling too slowly and merely pushed it along the tracks.

There was a far more sinister scheme in 1981, when the Queen opened an oil terminal in the remote Shetland Islands, north of Scotland.

It was the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland and the anti-British IRA smuggled a powerful bomb into the facility.

However, a detonator failed to fire and the Queen was unharmed. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Thirteen (13) justices of the Supreme Court (SC) warned on Thursday, March 1, the spokespersons of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for making announcements which they said “seriously damaged the integrity of the judiciary.”

“This matter shall be dealt with in a separate proceeding," said 13 justices in a joint statement released on Thursday. The 13 justices are the entirety of the en banc, with the exception of Sereno, and Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa who was already on leave.

The 13 justices took a unified stance Thursday to contradict the statement of Sereno’s spokespersons that the Chief Justice was just taking her prior-scheduled wellness leave earlier.

"The Chief Justice herself announced that she was taking an indefinite leave, with the amendment that she start the leave early on Thursday, March 1, 2018. The Chief Justice did not request the rescheduling of her wellness leave," said the 13 justices. (READ: Why SC justices forced Sereno to go on leave)

“The court en banc regrets the confusion that the announcements and media releases of the spokespersons of the Chief Justice have caused, which seriously damaged the integrity of the Judiciary in general and the Supreme Court in particular,” the statement said.

The 13 justices said they expected Sereno to announce only what was agreed upon “without any modification or embellishment.”

Responding to this, Sereno’s spokesperson Jojo Lacanilao said: "We apologize for any confusion we have caused in the last few days but we were working on available information. CJ Sereno will issue official statement later."

Let's trace the statements beginning with Tuesday, February 27.

TIMELINE

TUESDAY, February 27

- 10 am: The 14 justices, except Caguioa who was on leave, meet for their weekly en banc session.

- Noon: Lacanilao announces to the reporters covering the impeachment hearing at the House of Representatives that Sereno will be taking a wellness leave earlier than scheduled.

This reporter gets information from reliable sources from inside the Court that it is not a wellness leave but an “indefinite leave as requested by the en banc.” We report the disparity.

Throughout the day, we were able to get reliable information on how the en banc forced Sereno to go on an indefinite leave,

- Night time: Sereno sends a letter to the SC en banc addressed to Deputy Clerk of Court Anna-Li Papa Gombio. In the letter, Sereno says she will “take an indefinite leave, a portion of which shall be charged against my wellness leave originally from March 12-23, 2018 to March 1 to 15, 2018.”

{source}

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is the letter of leave that CJ Sereno sent to the en banc. She mentions that the period of March 1-15 of her indefinite leave shall be charged to to her scheduled March 12-23 wellness leave. <a href="https://t.co/eIYONZ9ab8">pic.twitter.com/eIYONZ9ab8</a></p>&mdash; Lian Buan (@lianbuan) <a href="https://twitter.com/lianbuan/status/968686482394198016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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 WEDNESDAY, February 28

- Morning: Lacanilao and another Sereno spokesperson Josa Deinla show Sereno’s letter to the media in a press conference. Lacanilao confirmed it was sent to the en banc Tuesday night. 

Lacanilao and Deinla insist Sereno was taking a wellness leave earlier than previously scheduled.

“Yung kanyang desisyon na mag-leave, noon pa yan eh (she had long decided to go on leave), but she found it very opportune to advance that leave beginning March 1 so she can prepare,” Deinla said.

- Afternoon: The 13 justices prepare their joint statement.

THURSDAY, March 1

On the first day of Sereno’s leave, SC Spokesman Theodore Te calls for a press conference in the morning to read the statement of the 13 justices.

The joint statement also says it was the “consensus” of the en banc that Sereno should go on leave, addressing speculations that only a number of justices wanted her to do so.

The fissures inside the High Court continues with this latest development.

There is also a question of whether there is legal basis to force the Chief Justice to take a leave.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">LOOK: Statement of the 13 Supreme Court justices <a href="https://t.co/SRDy2glQ0R">pic.twitter.com/SRDy2glQ0R</a></p>&mdash; Lian Buan (@lianbuan) <a href="https://twitter.com/lianbuan/status/969045982708097024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Human rights groups slammed Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano for again defending President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs before the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council. 

On Tuesday, February 27, Cayetano urged countries to scrutinize in an impartial way, adding that human rights become "a human wrong" when "politicized and weaponized."

For Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Philippine government should "stop depicting itself as the victim."

"[Cayetano's claim] is totally without basis and serves only to frustrate the calls by many for accountability for the Duterte administration’s atrocities related to the so-called war on drugs," Carlos Conde of HRW's Asia Division said in a statement on Wednesday, February 28. 

"The truth is, the Philippine government needs to answer for the more than 12,000 lives lost without due process in this brutal campaign across the country," he added.

Data from the government show that at least 3,987 individuals have been killed in anti-drug operations of the Philippine National Police (PNP). The number of those killed vigilante-style is still highly contested, with human rights groups estimating the figure could be more than 12,000.

The In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND), meanwhile, said Cayetano's continuous defense of the drug war leads to more evidence that it is "officially sanctioned by the state."

"These pronouncements are crucial evidence for possible future litigation against him and the President: a global indictment that we hope would come sooner than later in order to force an end to this failed war on drugs – for that would certainly save lives," Rosemarie Trajano of iDEFEND said in a statement. 

The group denounced Duterte's drug war as a "brutal campaign of terror and annihilation of our democratic institutions and processes."

"The war on drugs does not save the lives of Filipinos; it ushers in Duterte's authoritarian ambitions over a terrorized population," Trajano said. – Rappler.com 

UNITED NATIONS – About 40 trucks are loaded and ready to ferry relief supplies to Syria's bomb-and-siege shattered Eastern Ghouta, but there has been no let up in fighting despite a UN ceasefire resolution, a top UN official said Wednesday, February 28.

Mark Lowcock, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said there has been no change in the situation around the rebel-held enclave in the Damascus suburbs despite a ceasefire resolution Saturday, February 24.

"When will your resolution be implemented?" he asked, staring fixedly at members of the UN Security Council, who listened in complete silence.

Lowcock said trucks loaded with supplies have been poised to go to 10 besieged areas including Douma, the main town in the enclave, since Saturday.

But he said there has been no access for humanitarian convoys, nor authorization by the regime to go into the besieged areas, nor medical evacuations since the Security Council resolution was passed, he said.

On the contrary, the bombings have continued, and deaths and wounded have mounted, he said, speaking at a monthly Security Council meeting devoted to the Syrian conflict.

The US representative Kelley Currie accused the Syrian regime of violating the ceasefire, while Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the rebels.

Carl Skau, the deputy Swedish ambassador to the United Nations, demanded "immediate access" for the humanitarian aid. "There is no time to lose," he said.

Before the meeting began, French ambassador Francois Delattre recalled that the rebels in Ghouta had said Tuesday, February 27, they were ready to observe a ceasefire, but the Syrian regime has given no sign it is ready to do the same.

"It is the collective credibility of the Security Council and the responsibility of each of its members that today is heavily at stake in the Syrian drama," he said.

Jeffrey Feltman, UN under secretary-general for political affairs, expressed frustration over the council's inaction.

"What we need is implementation of (resolution) 2401 and that is not happening," he said.

After a night of intense fighting on the periphery of Eastern Ghouta, Syrian aviation early Wednesday bombed several localities in the rebel enclave, where an estimated 600 civilians have died since February 18, about a quarter of them children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Supreme Court (SC) en banc has designated Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio as Acting Chief Justice as Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno went on indefinite leave beginning Thursday, March 1.

SC spokesman Theodore Te made the announcement in a news briefing where he read the statement of 13 justices that the indefinite leave of Sereno was the "consensus" of the SC en banc on Tuesday,  February 27.

"The Court En Banc considers Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno to be on an indefinite leave starting March 1, 2018. Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio shall be the Acting ChiefJustice," the statement read.

Carpio has been designated as acting chief justice in the past. 

Then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Carpio to the High Tribunal in 2001. (READ: Antonio Carpio: The man on the bench) 

Carpio will preside over the succeeding en banc sessions. He will also be the acting chair of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) and the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro assumes chairmanship of the First Division while Sereno is on leave.

Under Rule 7, Section 6 (c) of the SC’s internal rules, “members who are on wellness leave or who are on vacation or sick leave for at least 15 continuous calendar days shall be exempt from raffle."

The First Division is left to De Castro as acting chair and members Associate Justices Mariano del Castillo, Francis Jardeleza, and Noel Tijam.

According to Section 4 of Rule 8, there is no need to replace a member on leave as long as there is a quorum of at least 3 members.

Under Section 4 of Rule 12, “a member who goes on leave or is unable to attend the voting on any decision, resolution or matter may leave his or her vote in writing, addressed to the Chief Justice or the Division Chairpoerson, and the vote shall be counted, provided that he or she took part in the deliberation.”

Sereno’s spokesperson Jojo Lacanilao stressed that Sereno is only on leave.

“Even now that she is on wellness/indefinite leave, she remains the Chief Justice of the Philippines. So, let’s all be clear about that,” Lacanilao said. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – The United States Senate Wednesday, February 28, passed a bill promoting US-Taiwan relations – legislation likely to infuriate China.

The Taiwan Travel Act, intended to encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan "at all levels" was passed by unanimous consent, having passed the House of Representatives in January.

The bill adds that it should be US policy for high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States, meet with US officials and conduct business in the country.

President Donald Trump's signature is now all that is needed for the bill to become law – something that is not likely to be an obstacle, given that the bill was passed unanimously.

Washington cut formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979, recognizing the Communist mainland rulers in Beijing as the sole government of "One China."

But, under the terms of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, Washington maintains an ambiguous approach to the island, maintains trade relations and sells Taipei weapons.

Trump sparked protest from China shortly after his election in 2016 by accepting a phone call from Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen, an action seen as breaking the protocol of the One China policy.

He made amends by vowing to uphold the One China policy shortly before Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort – but infuriated Beijing again last summer by approving a $1.3 billion arms sale to Taiwan. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said on Thursday, March 1, that the government cannot rush the use of the 48 trains acquired from China-based CRRC Dalian Company Limited, as this would depend on the audit being conducted on the trains.

In an interview on Thursday, Tugade urged the public to wait for the audit results of the Dalian trains, to be sure whether the trains can be used.

Since 2018 started, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) experienced a total of 38 breakdowns from its 8 to 9 working trains, with ridership falling to some 270,000 passengers on average this week.

"Let's not rush what the audit will reveal. We haven't seen the result of the audit. Until then, we will be able to come up with the next steps," Tugade said in Filipino in a media interview on Thursday.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) tapped Germany-based TUV Rheinland  to evaluate the unused MRT3 trains. The assessment will come out on March 10.

During the Senate hearing on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) in February, an expert said that the 48 Dalian trains are "not overweight" and within the allowable limit that MRT3 train tracks can carry.

DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said on Thursday that the audit by TUV Rheinland will determine not only the usability of the Dalian trains but the entire MRT3 system. 

"We want to ensure that we will not expose our half a million passengers to unsafe conditions – that's the reason why we are focusing on the safety and compatibility of the Dalian trains," Batan said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Improvement

After experiencing a new low on February 19 when the week opened without  functioning trains, the now MRT3 averages with 8 to 9 operational trains this week – an improvement from last week's 7 trains on average.

Tugade attributed this to the availability of spare parts which were recently delivered.

According to the DOTr, the MRT3 did not suffer from glitches for 7 days since the last breakdown last week. (READ: Surviving MRT3: Worst train fails in 2017)

"These days, we are lucky because the spare parts needed have been delivered....I hope this [improvement in services] continues," Tugade told reporters.

The transportation secretary appealled for public understanding. He said that the department was doing its best to deliver on its promises of timelines and number of trains available. (READ: DOTr promises better MRT3 services by 2nd quarter of 2018)

The MRT3 management is expected to conduct a full rehabilitation of its trains from March 28 to 31, promising the public better services after. According to Tugade, the public should expect 15 working trains by then. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has apologized for the confusion over her indefinite leave, after 13 justices came out with a joint statement on Thursday, March 1, contradicting the version of her spokespersons.

“It is unfortunate that my plan of making use of an already approved wellness leave in relation to an indefinite leave was inaccurately conveyed for which I apologize,” Sereno said in a statement on Thursday, March 5.

There were discrepancies over her taking a leave: her spokespersons said Tuesday that it was a "wellness leave" taken ahead of schedule, while the 13 justices said it was an indefinite leave. (READ: INSIDE STORY: SC justices pressure Sereno to go on leave)

"The Chief Justice herself announced that she was taking an indefinite leave, with the amendment that she start the leave early on Thursday, March 1, 2018,”  the 13 justices said in a statement read by SC Spokesperson Theodore Te.

The 13 justices said the spokespersons’ version “damaged the integrity of the judiciary.”

In her statement on Thursday, Sereno said, “I had agreed to go on an indefinite leave, but I am also bound by the appropriate administrative rules.” 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">JUST IN: CJ Sereno: “It is unfortunate that my plan of making use of an already approved wellness leave in relation to an indefinite leave was inaccurately conveyed for which I apologize.” <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rapplerdotcom</a> <a href="https://t.co/kMCZtb1BvE">pic.twitter.com/kMCZtb1BvE</a></p>&mdash; Lian Buan (@lianbuan) <a href="https://twitter.com/lianbuan/status/969088833407995909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Sereno explained that since SC rules do not contain any provision on “indefinite leave,” she had to qualify her leave.

Rules 7, Section 6(c) of the SC internal rules lay out scenarios for a wellness, vacation, or sick leave.

Because she already had a scheduled wellness leave from March 12 to 23, Sereno said she had to go by that.

“I requested yesterday in writing the rescheduling of my wellness leave in view of my restudy of the rules,” Sereno said. 

The joint statement on Thursday, however, said, “The Chief Justice did not request the rescheduling of her wellness leave.”

Justices warned they would deal with the “damaging” statements of Sereno’s spokespersons. “The Court expected the Chief Justice to cause the announcement of only what was really agreed upon without any modification or embellishment,” they said.

In response, Sereno said, “The Chief Justice understands the sense of the 13 justices that they expected me, in the normal course of events, to cause the announcement of my indefinite leave."

Sereno added: “I have not resigned and I will not resign. This indefinite leave is not a resignation. I will devote my time to the preparation of my Senate defense and work on the cases in my docket.” 

With Sereno on leave, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio takes over as Acting Chief Justice. – Rappler.com