Let's Do The News! (March 26, 2024)

       

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Malacanang declares half-day work for government workers on Holy Wednesday.

- AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. arrived at Puerto Princesa to meet the wounded soldiers from the recent resupply mission at the Ayungin Shoal.

- Former UK Conservative MP Scott Benton has stepped down, triggering a by-election to replace him in the Blackpool South constituency.

- Millions of Americans' online accounts caught up on a "sinister" Chinese hacking plot that targeted US officials, according to the Justice Department and the FBI. Seven Chinese men have been charged with enacting a widespread "malicious" cyber-attack campaign.

- The UN Security Council has voted for the resolution calling for the ceasefire and the release of all hostages in Gaza. The United States, meanwhile, has abstained from the vote.

- Donald Trump's criminal trial over the hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels will begin this April 15th.

- Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun and other officials have stepped down by year's end amid a deepening crisis over the firm's safety record. The firm is under pressure after an unused door blew out of a Boeing 737 Max in January shortly after take-off.

- Genesis showcased its Neolun Concept as well as the G80 and GV60 Magma concepts. The Neolun Concept previews Genesis' flagship SUV while the G80 Magma and GV60 Magma concepts preview the luxury brand's Magma performance line.

- 81 Produce ends the contract of seiyuu Daiki Nakamura due to reported harassment at his school. The agency received complaints about power & sexual harassment, financial troubles in Nakamura's private school.

- Actor Lee Sang Yeob was officially married. Previously, Lee Sang Yeob’s agency confirmed plans for the actor’s March wedding.

- Shohei Ohtani says he never bets on sports and was shocked over reports that his interpreter stole his money. Ohtani spoke in his press conference with his new interpreter Will Ireton over his recent controversy.

- Washington State and Oregon State have finalized a settlement over financial distributions with the 10 schools leaving the Pac-12.

- Former child actress Krystal Reyes is now engaged to her non-showbiz boyfriend.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (March 25, 2024)

      

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- About one million pertussis vaccines are expected to arrive in the Philippines this June. A certain health expert says that mandatory face mask wearing is recommended as the PH government and the public, Senator Bong Go said, need to cooperate against the spread of pertussis (whopping cough).

- The PH Department of Energy warns that the Luzon Grid will possibly be placed under "Yellow Alert" by April-May.

- NBI forces from Timor Leste have returned but no sign of former congressman Arnie Teves.

- The nationwide earthquake drill in the Philippines kicked off with the "ceremonial activity" at Camp Aguinaldo.

- Russia mourns victims of last Friday's concert hall attack that killed hundreds. People queued to lay flowers at a makeshift shrine to the victims of the atrocity. Two men have been charged with committing an act of terrorism. Four gunmen who attacked the concert hall in Moscow have been charged with terrorism.

- In a rare audio statement, the reclusive leader of the Afghan Taliban warns that the movement will toughen how they enforce their version of Islamic law.

- Senegal held its delayed presidential elections peacefully.

- Simon Harris is set to become the next Irish Prime Minister after being named leader of the Fine Gael Party. Harris replaces Leo Varadkar, who announced his resignation last week.

- The last Audi R8 rolled off the assembly line, marking the end of Audi's only supercar.

- The TV anime The Apothecary Diaries will return this 2025 for its second season.

- Shohei Ohtani briefly came into the Dodgers clubhouse and declared he would make himself available to reporters -- and address the illegal gambling and theft allegations levied against his former interpreter -- the following afternoon.

- TWICE member Jihyo and Physical:100 finalist Yun Sung Bin are reportedly dating. Both agencies respond to the dating rumors.

TTFN.

2024 NASCAR Cup Series - EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

It's the first NASCAR road course racing of the season as they went to the Circuit of the Americas for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. With former Supercars champion Shane Van Gisbergen and WEC champion Kamui Kobayashi joining in the fun, it became a Palm Sunday race to remember.

As the green flag waved, the Palm Sunday racing action began with Stage 1 saw Harrison Burton spinning off the front of Josh Berry in turn 11 on Lap 2. As Christopher Bell wins Stage 1, Stage 2 saw Josh Berry spinning in turn 11 in Lap 21 followed by Kyle Larson after contact with Christopher Bell a lap later. Lap 24 saw Shane Van Gisbergen penalized for speeding at the pits while Kamui Kobayashi spun a lap later after contact from Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

As Denny Hamlin won Stage 2, the last stage saw Kyle Busch spinning in turn 1 on Lap 41 while Erik Jones got penalized for speeding to the pits on Lap 49, Kamui Kobayashi spun again in turn 11 on Lap 53, and Brad Keselowski on Lap 60. The final lap saw a one-on-one clash between William Byron and Christopher Bell for the win.

Screengrab from NASCAR

After an intense Palm Sunday riot in COTA, William Byron wins the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix of the NASCAR Cup Series!

The next race is at Richmond Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400 this Easter Sunday, March 31st.

NTT IndyCar Series 2024 - Thermal $1 Million Challenge

This is IndyCar's equivalent of the NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE, the Thermal $1 Million Challenge. As the name implies, the winner gets half the prize while the other half will be donated to the driver's charity of choice.

As Felix Rosenqvist wins Heat 1 and Alex Palou wins Heat 2, the first non-points race in IndyCar history since 2008 has kicked off with 20 laps to decide who will win the $1 million challenge. With no single incident, this race became smooth sailing for Palou and he locked his eyes on the million-dollar prize.

Screengrab from IndyCar

Alex Palou wins the $1 Million Challenge in The Thermal Club. Half of his proceeds will go to the charity of his choice.

The next race is at Long Beach for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this April 21.

F1 2024: Rolex Australian Grand Prix

The F1 24 season continues with the Rolex Australian Grand Prix and with Carlos Sainz back to work, Ferrari's back in fighting form as it tries to fend off Max Verstappen and the others.

As the lights went off, the action in Melbourne was underway with Max Verstappen's promising start until Lap 4 saw his car smoke, forcing him to retire on Lap 5. With Verstappen out, it's the turn of Lewis Hamilton to throw in the towel on Lap 17 due to engine failure. As the returning Sainz continued to maintain his lead, the final lap saw disaster for George Russell as his car crashed and nearly flipped but he survived.

Screengrab from Formula 1

The returning Carlos Sainz led Ferrari to a 1-2 finish with Charles Leclerc finishing 2nd. McLaren driver Lando Norris completes the podium with a third-place finish. Fernando Alonso was demoted to P8 after being given a 20-second penalty for the late-race incident involving George Russell.

After Australia, Verstappen remains in the lead with 51 points while Charles Leclerc is in 2nd with 47 points, and Sergio Perez is in third with 46 points.

The next race is the MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka this April 6th.

2024 Repco Supercars Championship - MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint

The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship continues in Albert Park, the venue that the Formula 1 camp will be using for its Australian Grand Prix campaign, for the MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint.

Photo: Supercars

As expected, only those who were inside the track for Supercars action have witnessed it because due to international broadcast rights associated with the F1 2024's Australian Grand Prix, their usual highlights and live video coverage of the Repco Supercars Championship events are not available.

Here's the TL;DR summary of the four-part action in Albert Park, moments before the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix occurred; Broc Feeney won Thursday and Saturday's races, Will Brown won the Friday race, and Nick Percat won the final race of the Melbourne SuperSprint. Winning two out of four races, Broc Feeney earned the Perkins Trophy.

After Melbourne, Will Brown leads with 575 points, 17 points ahead of Broc Feeney, while Chaz Mostert's in third with 478.

The next event is the first-ever ITM Taupō Super400 this April 19-21 at the Taupō International Motorsport Park.

Let's Do The News! (March 23, 2024)

     

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Management Association of the Philippines has urged the government to declare a "state of calamity" in Metro Manila because of its worsening traffic congestion that costs the economy an estimated 3.5 billion pesos a day.

- Two Chinese Coast Guard vessels fired water cannons on a Philippine supply boat near Ayungin Shoal, deliberately targeting and hitting the supply boat, sustaining heavy damages.

- 60 people were killed and hundreds were hurt following a gun attack at a concert hall in Moscow.

- Russia and China vetoed a US resolution at the United Nations, which called for the immediate ceasefire in Gaza tied to the release of hostages.

- Princess of Wales Kate revealed she was diagnosed with cancer. The Princess of Wales says she is undergoing chemotherapy after her cancer diagnosis. The Kensington Palace said the Princess' announcement came as a "huge shock".

- VANNER member Sungkook announced his plans to enlist in the military. Sungkook would be enlisting on May 7, according to agency KLAP Entertainment's statement.

- The FA has defended the St. George's Cross design on its new England kit, saying "it's not the first time" different colors have been used. Nike said its design was to celebrate the 1966 World Cup team but the design drew criticism from British PM Rishi Sunak and Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer.

- Major League Baseball has opened a formal investigation into the matter surrounding Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

- Filipina Maria Gigante was crowned Universal Woman 2024.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (March 22, 2024)

    

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Residents and fishermen from Catanduanes are bracing themselves for the falling debris from the Chinese rocket to the sea.

- 500 persons deprived of liberty from New Bilibid Prison have been transferred to Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

- The Philippine Coast Guard and other security forces have been cautioned in recruiting after halting the entry of some Chinese nationals into the PCG auxiliary.

- PAGASA declared the start of the hot season in the Philippines after the amihan season. According to PAGASA, expect hotter temperatures over the next days but expect thunderstorms that sometimes occur during the afternoon or nighttime.

- Mental health advocate Doc Gia Sison passed away at the age of 53.

- The United States accuses Apple of monopolizing the smartphone market in a landmark lawsuit against the tech giant.

- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the US is still pushing for a Gaza ceasefire deal. Blinken was speaking in Cairo after talks with senior Arab ministers.

- The first-ever pig kidney transplant into a living human was hailed a success.

- BMW showcased its Vision Neue Klasse X concept.

BMW Vision Neue Klasse X Concept

- The Volkswagen ID.Buzz GTX was unveiled, featuring a dual-motor system producing 340PS of power output and comes with two wheelbases and battery packs; 79 or 86kWh.

2025 Volkswagen ID.BUZZ GTX

- The six-episode Grimm's Fairy Tales anime anthology will stream on Netflix this April 17th.

- The second season of the Mnet reality show I-LAND revealed all 24 contestants.

- Representatives of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani have contacted law enforcement authorities and asked them to investigate a "massive theft" of money from the player, according to reports.

- Franki Russell is representing New Zealand in the Miss Universe 2024 pageant. Russell made her name after becoming a housemate in the eighth season of Pinoy Big Brother. 

- Astrologer Zenaida Seva passes away.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (March 21, 2024)

   

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The KBP condemned the harassment of two journalists in Angeles, Pampanga. Two female reporters, Rowena Quejada of 88.7 K5 News FM and Rappler's Joann Manabat were harassed while covering a violent demolition in Barangay Anunas in Angeles City.

- Philippine President Bongbong Marcos canceled today's appointments after being hit by the flu.

- The Economic Cha-Cha or RBH 7 and the revocation of SMNI's franchise were sent by the House to the Senate.

- Irish PM Leo Varakdar steps down before the country's next general election.

- The HMRC has reversed its decision to close the self-assessment phone helpline between April and September after criticisms.

- Junior doctors in England vote by 98% to continue industrial action for a further six months in a long-running pay dispute, the British Medical Association says.

- French regulators impose a fine on Google of more than $270m for violating intellectual property rules.

- The 2024 O-NE Superrace Championship will be broadcast live via KBS 2TV courtesy of its new broadcasting deal.

- The second-generation Infiniti QX80 was unveiled. It's the first production Infiniti vehicle to don the brand's new logo. The flagship SUV marks the debut of the VR35DDTT 3.5L twin-turbo V6 engine producing 450hp of power and mated to a 9-speed AT.

2025 Infiniti QX80

- The Gakuen IDOLM@STER app game casts Miya Minato as Sumika Shiun.

- Jun Eun Chae is confirmed to be dating Kim Chung Jae. The two have been dating since last year, according to reports.

- Count Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is joining the list of critics against expanding the NCAA tournament. Calipari urged officials to keep the tournament from ballooning past its current 68-team format.

- The Los Angeles Dodgers interpreter for Shohei Ohtani was fired after questions surrounding at least $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Ohtani's bank account to a bookmaking operation set off a series of events.

- A Minnesota Timberwolves employee was fired, arrested, and charged with felony third-degree burglary for allegedly stealing thousands of internal files, including "strategic NBA information," from a team executive, according to reports.

- ICYMI: IT'S SHOWTIME will officially air on GMA-7 beginning April 6th.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (March 20, 2024)

  

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Chinese Embassy of the Philippines echoed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement regarding "provocative actions" and tensions in the South China Sea. "We firmly oppose the groundless accusation by Secretary Blinken about China's legitimate and lawful actions in the South China Sea and his thinly veiled threat to invoke the so-called MDT obligations," a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said.

- The SCOTUS ruled that Texas authorities can arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally but the federal appeals court freezes the tough new immigration law.

- The first person to be convicted of cyber-flashing in England and Wales was jailed for 66 weeks.

- Three were killed in a Haiti central bank raid as the crisis deepens. A former minister says 'thugs and criminals' cannot be allowed near the presidency.

- The owner of the fashion firm Ted Baker is set to put it into administration, putting jobs and shops at risk.

- The third-generation Peugeot 5008 was unveiled.

2025 Peugeot 5008

- The second-generation Mercedes-AMG GT received an entry-level RWD GT43 variant with a 421PS 2.0L turbocharged engine.

2025 Mercedes-AMG GT43

- Actor Kim Min Kyu will be enlisting in the military next month.

- Former NHL winger Chris Simon died at the age of 52. The cause of his death is suicide according to his family.

- The Mulach family will star in an upcoming TV5 TV show called Da Pers Family coming soon.

The variety show IT'S SHOWTIME is set to officially air for the first time on GMA-7 as the replacement for the now-canned Tahanang Pinakamasaya variety show.

TTFN.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: North Korea's Kim oversees artillery drills

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a series of firing drills by artillery units in the west of the country, state-run KCNA news agency said Tuesday.

The announcement came amid tensions with Seoul and Washington, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits South Korea and after the allies wrapped up one of their major annual joint military training exercises.

The exercises have prompted angry retorts and live-fire drills from nuclear-armed Pyongyang, which routinely condemns all such exercises as rehearsals for invasion.

This time, Blinken's visit appeared to be adding fuel to the fire. The artillery drills were announced a day after Seoul said the North fired three short-range ballistic missiles, described by analysts as a calculated move to grab attention during Blinken's stop in the South.

The drills involved "super-large multiple rocket launchers," according to a report from the state-run KCNA news agency.

When the order was given, it said, the soldiers "simultaneously fired the gun of annihilation".

"Massive shells of super-large multiple rocket launchers, which were fired from the sharp gun barrels like lava, flew to the target with the flame of annihilating the enemy," it said.

The drills also featured a simulation of an "air explosion of a shell of" a super-large multiple rocket launcher, the report continued.

Blinken is attending the third Summit for Democracy and met with President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul early Monday. He is also meeting his South Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the event, for discussions now likely to be dominated by the allies' efforts to counter threats from the North.

Seoul is one of Washington's key regional allies, and the United States has stationed about 27,000 American soldiers in the South to help protect it against the North.

Pyongyang this month warned that Seoul and Washington would pay a "dear price" over their military exercises, and later announced that Kim had guided an artillery unit it says was capable of striking the South Korean capital.

Monday's ballistic missile test was the North's second this year, after Pyongyang launched one tipped with a manoeuvrable hypersonic warhead on January 14.

Source: Agence France-Presse 

Let's Do The News! (March 19, 2024)

 

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- San Miguel Corporation is reportedly calling off the Pasig River Expressway project following opposition from the public.

-  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on nuclear-armed nations to lead the way toward nuclear disarmament, including an agreement on no-first-use. The UN Secretary-General said that an accidental launch is one mistake, one miscalculation, one rash act away. And ultimately, all of humanity will pay the price. A nuclear war must never be waged because a nuclear war can never be won.

- US President Joe Biden warned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that a ground offensive in Rafah would be a "mistake," as they spoke for the first time in a month amid growing tensions over the war in Gaza.

- A three-way summit between the US, Japan, and the Philippines will take place this April 11. US President Joe Biden will meet Philippine President Bongbong Marcos and Japan PM Fumio Kishida in the latest in a series of meetings with Asia-Pacific allies.

- The head of the EU's main leftist political grouping has said it is time to "negotiate" an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, rallying behind a controversial call by Pope Francis for Kyiv to raise the "white flag."

- Donald Trump favors an abortion ban after a certain number of weeks with exceptions but did not confirm how many weeks.

- GB News has been warned about the use of politicians as presenters after Ofcom ruled that five episodes of programs hosted by serving UK Conservative MPs violate its rules. Ofcom said shows hosted by Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Esther McVey, and Philip Davies broke rules stating politicians should not usually front news coverage.

- The Audi Q6 e-tron range was unveiled. The new model's electric drivetrain produces 387PS of power and up to 625km of EV range while the SQ6 e-tron variant has up to 516PS of power with launch control active and 598km of driving range.

2025 Audi Q6 e-tron

2025 Audi SQ6 e-tron

- Kang Tae Oh was officially discharged from the military. The actor is in talks to star in a new rom-com following his discharge.

- Hyeri broke her silence over her ex-boyfriend Ryu Jun Yeol's relationship with Han So Hee.

- Two Manchester United fans have been arrested following Sunday's FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool at Old Trafford for alleged tragedy chanting relating to the Hillsborough disaster.

- Boxing legend Roberto Duran was given a pacemaker after he was hospitalized on the weekend. Duran suffered health issues Saturday because of an atrioventricular blockage.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (March 18, 2024)

                                

                                                                        

Your daily round-up of today's news...

-  The Philippine National Police is prepared for Oplan: Sumvac ahead of next week's Holy Week. The PPA, meanwhile, ordered most of the country's docks to go "full manpower" ahead of Holy Week.

- The investigation into the illegal structures in Chocolate Hills has been widened by the Senate, days after the closure of the controversial Captain's Peak swimming pool.

- San Miguel Corporation and the Philippine Department of Tourism have formally signed the concession agreement for the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Last weekend, San Miguel Corporation bagged the privatization of NAIA.

- The suspension order of an additional 20 officials of the National Food Authority has been lifted by the Ombudsman.

- Russian President Vladimir Putin secured his fifth term in an inevitable election landslide. Alexei Navalny's wife Yulia thanks those who protested against President Vladimir Putin after she voted at the Russian embassy in Berlin.

- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises that Palestinian civilians will be able to leave Rafah before Israeli forces launch their assault on the southern Gazan city.

- The largest democratic exercise in the world - the Indian elections - will take place over six weeks from April.

- South Korea's SUPERRACE championship gets a new title for the 2024 season. It will now be called the O-NE SUPERRACE Championship and in addition to the Super 6000 Class, the Radical Cup Korea, and the BMW M Class, the 2024 season features GT/GT4 Class, the Korea Trofeo motorbike races, and the Prius PHV one-make races.

- The Lynk & Co 07 EM-P PHEV sedan was unveiled. The new saloon is powered by a 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and 3-speed gearbox.

2025 Lynk & Co 07 EM-P

- Animate Ikebukuro is named by Guinness World Records as the largest anime store.

- ICYMI: Voice actor Lee Woo Ri passed away at the age of 24. Woo Ri voiced characters in the Shinbi's House anime series, Genshin Impact's Korean dub, and NPCs from Cookie Run Kingdom.

- Carlos Alcaraz tops Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (5), 6-1 for the second straight year, to defend his Indian Wells title.

TTFN.

2024 NASCAR Cup Series - Food City 500

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Bristol, Tennessee for the Food City 500 as The Last Great Coliseum roars alive with drivers clashing before the flowers bloom for springtime.

As the green flag waved, the springtime action in Bristol is on. The first stage saw William Byron getting into the wall and breaking the toe link, causing debris and a yellow flag three laps later, not to mention Zane Smith losing a tire. As Ty Gibbs won Stage 1, Stage 2 saw Noah Gragson indicting a safety violation, Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. colliding with each other, and a spin by Kyle Busch. With Ty Gibbs winning Stage 2, the final stage saw Noah Gragson tap to the wall, Ross Chastain bumping Ryan Blaney, a loose tire for Blaney, and a flat tire for Carson Hocevar.

Screengrab from NASCAR

Despite severe tire management issues, Denny Hamlin wins the Food City 500 of the NASCAR Cup Series!

The next race is at Circuit of the Americas for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix this Palm Sunday, March 24th.

2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship - Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues in Sebring International Raceway for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, where wild moments await in this 12-hour endurance slugfest.

Screengrab from IMSA

This year's Sebring endurance race saw numerous misfortunes on track from a spin for the Risi Competizione 296 to an unfortunate crash for the #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R with Pipo Derani behind the wheel. Amid the series of unfortunate events, this is becoming one of the most thrilling races ahead of the Spring season.

After a grueling 12-hour thriller, the #40 Wayne Taylor Racing ARX-06 emerged as the winner of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring while the #18 Era Motorsport LMP2 07 won the LMP2 class, the #14 VasserSullivan RC F GT3 for the GTD PRO class, and the #57 Winward Racing AMG GT3 for the GTD class.

The next race is the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this April 19-20.

ABB FIA Formula E S10 - Sao Paulo ePrix

Formula E's 10th-anniversary celebration continues in the streets of Sao Paulo for the Sao Paulo ePrix and this race saw the biggest surprise in Formula E history. The one no one saw coming.

Screengrab from Formula E

Sam Bird ended his 37-lose streak as he managed to overtake Mitch Evans and piloted his way towards McLaren's first-ever Formula E win. Nissan driver Oliver Rowland completes the Sao Paulo podium after finishing third.

After Sao Paulo, Nick Cassidy of Jaguar is leading with 57 points, four points ahead of Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein, while this race's second-placer Mitch Evans is in third with 39 points.

The next race is at an all-new venue: Tokyo, Japan, on March 30th.

Guinness Six Nations 2024 FINAL

The 2024 Guinness Men's Six Nations championship is in full charge with the Super Saturday finale with Wales v Italy, Ireland v Scotland, and France v England. As Ireland leads with 16 points, four points ahead of England, will they win the Grand Slam? Let's find out.

Italy beat Wales at the score of 24-21 while Ireland barely defeated Scotland at the score of 17-13 and France beat England at a razor-thin score of 33-31.

Screengrab from Six Nations

The 2024 season concludes with Ireland securing their back-to-back Grand Slam title for only the third time in their history. 

This concludes the 2024 Guinness Men's Six Nations season but the Six Nations action continues with the 2024 Guinness Women's Six Nations season beginning Saturday, March 23rd with France v Ireland, Wales v Scotland, and a day later, Italy v England.

Let's Do The News! (March 15, 2024)

                               

                                                                        

Your daily round-up of today's news...

-  COMELEC commenced "mall voting" for the 2025 midterm elections.

- Philippine President Bongbong Marcos defends his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte's allegations that he is only "going for a walk" during his foreign visits.

- The DENR is studying legal bases to close the controversial Captain's Peak swimming pool in Bohol. The LGUs of Sagbayan, Bohol, came in defense of the DENR over the issue of the controversial swimming pool near Chocolate Hills.

- A 17-year-old boy admits killing 15-year-old stab victim Elianne Andam at a bus stop in Croydon last September but denies murder.

- The father of the Michigan school gunman who killed four students has been convicted of manslaughter. The trial heard that James Crumbley had ignored his 15-year-old son's mental health needs, buying him the handgun he used in the November 2021 attack.

- Top US Democrat Chuck Schumer demands for a new election in Israel. The US Senate majority leader sharply criticises the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu accusing him of prioritising his "political survival".

- The Gran Turismo World Series 2024 will begin this April.

- Baseball player Shohei Ohtani revealed that Mamiko Tanaka is his new wife, weeks after his shock marriage announcement.

- Swimmers and other athletes are suing the NCAA over transgender policies.

- The long-delayed biopic project of the late singer April Boy Regino will finally push through. Former Dingras, Ilocos Norte mayor Marynette Gamboa returns to produce the film.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (March 14, 2024)

                               

                                                                        

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Former first lady Imelda Marcos, the mother of PH President Bongbong Marcos, has recovered after a bout with pneumonia.

- The DENR clarified that it had already issued a temporary restraining order as well as a notice of violation against the viral resort located at the foot of Chocolate Hills in Bohol.

- The US House of Representatives has voted to approve the bill that could ban the social networking app TikTok on all devices unless ByteDance sells its stake in the app. It will face a Senate vote and when passed, President Joe Biden will sign it, triggering the six-month time limit.

- Israel says it is investigating a strike on a UN food distribution center in Gaza.

- Car designer Marcello Gandini passed away at the age of 85. Gandini is known for designing famous vehicles such as the legendary Lamborghini Miura.

- Hyundai unveiled the ST1, a commercial vehicle platform based on the Staria.

2025 Hyundai ST1

- The Nissan GT-R 2025MY model was unveiled. The Premium edition gained the new Blue Heaven interior color, a new aluminum nameplate, a gold model number plate, and the use of high-precision weight balance parts. Sales will begin this July.

2025 Nissan GT-R

- Volkswagen previewed its ID.3 GTX and the ID.7 Tourer GTX models.

2025 Volkswagen ID.3 GTX

2025 Volkswagen ID.7 GTX Tourer

- The second-generation Honda Vezel/HR-V crossover has been given a minor change for the 2025 model year with the new HuNT variant. It will be powered only by a 1.5 e:HEV hybrid powertrain.

2025 Honda Vezel

- Pokemon teams up with Toyota Engineering Society for a working replica of the legendary Pokemon Miraidon. The Miraidon replica will be on display at the Tokyo Midtown Hibiya atrium from March 15 to 17.

- The upcoming Gakuen IDOLM@STER app game casts Yuri Usui as Rinami Himesaki.

- Actor Park Shin Woo announced marriage.

-  JYP Entertainment shared a statement regarding legal proceedings against the infringement of the rights of their artists.

- Eric Kendricks changes his mind as he will sign with the Cowboys instead of the 49ers, according to reports.

- The MTRCB junked the appeal over the suspension of Private Convos with Dr. Rica Cruz. The show was suspended due to "explicit content".

- Showbiz columnist Cristy Fermin faces charges of cyber libel filed by the mother of Sarah Lahbati.

- Romance novelist Xia Shu died at the age of 29 after her battle with the rare disease syringomyelia.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (March 13, 2024)

                              

                                                                        

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Senator Robin Padilla thanked the PH Senate for its show cause order for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. The implementation of the arrest order against Quiboloy was delayed to Friday.

- Finance Secretary Ralph Recto passed through the confirmation hearing from the Commission on Appointments.

- The PCSO released a statement following Senator Raffy Tulfo's statement over the bettor who won the lottery 20 times in one month.

- Germany affirms its support for the Philippines over the latter's rights for the West Philippine Sea.

- Joe Biden and Donald Trump won enough delegates to clinch US presidential nominations, setting the rematch between them at the 2024 US Presidential Elections.

- The Biden administration is sending a new $300m weapons package to Ukraine.

- A transitional council is expected in Haiti within days. The council will be tasked with nominating a new prime minister following Ariel Henry's resignation.

- UK foreign secretary David Cameron demands answers from the Israeli government after a "disturbing" report into the treatment of Gaza medics in the hospital raid. Footage revealed that medics detained at the Nasser hospital stripped down and kneeled outside. Israel said "any abuse of detainees is strictly prohibited".

- The 2024 Formula DRIFT season drops single qualifying runs in favor of a reimagined tandem-only format.

- Porsche confirms the 911 992 minor change with a hybrid variant is coming this Summer.

- The third Venom movie, titled Venom: The Last Dance, will hit theaters this October 25th. Tom Hardy will reprise his titular dark hero role.

- Beau DeMayo, the creator of the upcoming Disney+ original series X-Men '97, was fired ahead of the show's release. The writer-producer who worked on "Moon Knight" and "Blade" will no longer be promoting the show or moving forward with future seasons.

- The 2024 Nick Kids Choice Awards is happening this July 13.

- Country singer Neil Young returns to Spotify after his boycott against Joe Rogan. Spotify originally pulled Young's music following his ultimatum about removing aspects of Rogan's podcast content from their platform.

TTFN.