Let's Do The News! (March 29, 2016)

- Returning to the money laundering issue,  a Chinese businessman told senators investigating this issue that it was dismissed RCBC branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito who opened the false bank accounts and made sure money that went through them was taken out of the bank. In the statement read before the Blue Ribbon committe, the businessman referred one of the foreigners to Deguito due to the tendency to open the RCBC account and was a junket agent the businessman known for a long time.

- About 100 Chinese boats seen enroaching in Malaysian waters near the Luconia Shoals in the South China Sea, according to a Malaysian minister. The minister in charge of national security, Shahidan Kassim, said the government has dispatched the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the navy to the area to assess the situation and as quoted from reports, legal enforcement action would be take if the Chinese vessels have entered Malaysian exclusive economic zone. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said that Chinese boats have a right to be in the waters.

- 10 Indonesian nationals were held captive when their ship was hijacked in Philippine waters. According to the Indonesian foreign ministry, the owner of the hijacked tug boat and coal barge has received two phone calls, one of them is from the infamous Abu Sayyaf Group demanding a ransom. No one knows when the incident occured but said the ship owner was first contacted on Saturday. The ministry's statement referred to the hostage takers as pirates.

- Japan's new security laws come into effect half a year after being enacted last September. The legislation allows Japan to use force by exercising its right to collective self-defense and able to defend other countries with which it has close ties, if threatened. The Self Defense Forces can now carry out new duties.

- The Federal Bureau of Investigation finally unlocked the iPhone belonged to the suspect from last year's San Bernardino shootout without the help of Apple. This report means the end of the court battle between the US government and the tech giant. The FBI said that it wasked the federal court to withdraw an order requiring Apple to write new software to disable passcode protection and allow access to the phone.

- Belgian authorities released a man they had detained in connection with last week's Brussels terror attacks. The man was arrested in a raid on Thursday, two days after the attack at the airport and subway on the Belgian capital. The authorities believed the man was a match for a suspect who appears in security footage alongside two suicide bombers who died in the attack. Investigations said they had freed the man, saying that they had lack of evidence to justify holding him.

- Former Top Gear presenter, now presenter to the upcoming Amazon original show, James May, comments about the new show's Cenotaph stunt is a "little bit ill-judged". Weeks ago, during the shooting for the new Top Gear, Matt LeBlanc is alongside Ken Block drifting his Hoonicorn in the streets of London and the stunt near the war memorial brought fury to the public. May also confirms that their new show he'll be hosting alongside Clarkson and Hammond will ditch the studio format in favor for a more on-road experience, similar to what the American Top Gear done.

- For the love of plain white rice, there's two Hanayo Koizumi figures as seen from the Love Live School Idol Project! First up, the figma of Kayo-chin that will served as the penultimate in the Love Live figma range. It's now open for orders starting at 5,370 Yen plus tax and it will arrive this September. If that didn't satisfy you, there's a FREEing figure of her, now available to order for 9,074 Yen plus tax and deliveries will commence this September.

figma Hanayo Koizumi

FREEing Hanayo Koizumi

- If you're on THE IDOLM@STER side, the eighth addition to Phat's THE IDOLM@STER anime DVD/Blu-Ray cover series, the lovely Azusa Miura has arrived. Like the others, it has been replicated to match the anime's DVD/Blu-Ray cover look. It's now available to order starting at 8,400 Yen plus tax and deliveries will commence this September. Book one right now to have her!

Azusa Miura

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, the search for a new yaya in the mansion of the lolas and Divina are now on and it was one heck of a long process until an aspiriant tries to met up to its expectations but they couldn't care. Later, they received a letter and it's an invitation to this Saturday's Eat Bulaga Dabarkads Awards! Will they attend? Tune in next time and find out!

TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 6: Huracan Super Trofeo

The FM6 event car of March is a new one and this is basically a prize awarded to players who collected three or more specially marked Gallardo Super Trofeo cars during the Forza Motorsport 6 Lamborghini Super Trofeo event, which is going on now until next month. This is the 2015 Lamborghini #63 Squadra Corse Huracan LP620-2 Super Trofeo and if you haven't got one, don't fret because with season 2 of this FM6 Lamborghini Super Trofeo event is going on now, you have many chances to win a Huracan Super Trofeo, only this time in specially marked ones.

So, what's it all about this car anyway? Debuted at the 2014 Monterey Car Week, the Huracan LP620-2 Super Trofeo, served as the recplacement to the highly successful Gallardo Super Trofeo, was developed by its Motorsport department and it was used for the 2015 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo season in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Based on the brand new Huracan, the Super Trofeo version features an exceptionally light roll cage that extends to the rear axle and torsional stiffness that represents a 45% improvement compared to the Gallardo Super Trofeo. It features a carbon aluminum construction with aerodynamic improvements. This results to a dry weight of 1,270 Kg, with a weight distribution of 42/58%. Its bodywork is made in partnership with Dallara Engineering.

Powering it is a race-spec V10 engine producing 620HP of power while mated with a new three-disc clutch and an XTrac sequential gearbox developed specifically for the Huracán Super Trofeo with an electric actuator designed by the Magneti Marelli Motorsport division.

Anyway, no time for long description about my recently-acquired event car of March, because I just wanna know how good this car is as I shall try one at the Laguna Seca because this is what the producers set up so players can set a lap time and stand a chance to win their very own Huracan Super Trofeo.



So, what do I think? Well, the new Huracan Super Trofeo feels more of an improvement to the old Gallardo Super Trofeo that I tried weeks ago thanks to its  added power and reduced weight but it retains its rear-wheel drive layout as the Gallardo Super Trofeo, due to regulations, it takes a decent skill to master this bull but with practice, you will do get the hang of it.

Because this is entirely new to Forza, you can spend lots of time getting to know more about the Huracan Super Trofeo while standing a chance to win specially marked Huracan Super Trofeos in the second season of the Forza Motoraport 6 Lamborghini Super Trofeo event so while you were there, be sure to participate in upcoming season two events if you want to get your hands on this Huracan Super Trofeo. Good luck.

Stars of 2016 New York Auto Show

2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

The 2016 New York Auto Show is going on until the third of April, 2016, at the Javits Center, New York City, and in honor of this year's car show, it's time to list down the stars of this year's NY Auto Show from debutantes, full model changes, minor changes, and concepts.

2017 Acura MDX

2017 Audi R8 Spyder

2017 Buick Encore

2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible

2017 Chevrolet Sonic

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit

2017 Mercedes-AMG GLC43

2017 Mercedes-AMG E43

2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA range

2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe

2017 Nissan GT-R

2017 Subaru Impreza

2017 Toyota 86

Acura NSX GT3

Genesis New York Concept

Lincoln Navigator Concept

...and more.

URL: http://www.carscoops.com/2016/03/2016-new-york-auto-show-your-to-z-guide.html

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: While you're away...

Couple of things while you're away...

March 24, 2016

On North Korea's explicit threat of attacking South Korea's presidential office and the president, the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae ordered Thursday to rev up military alert against the North. 

President Park Geun-hye called the North’s threat a direct challenge to the world and ordered to reinforce defense readiness to guarantee the safety of the people and called on the public to be alert for any emergency. 

Denouncing South Korea and the U.S.' joint military drills, of which some were targeting to attack the North,

Pyongyang on Wednesday broadcasted through its state media that it will remove South Korea's president, 

specifically targeting the top office with its military and special forces.

Seoul's Unification Ministry on the same day responded that it will not overlook Pyongyang's terror threats 

and that the North should give up its nuclear ambitions and take the route to change.

North Korea said Thursday it has successfully conducted a solid-fuel rocket test, adding that the accomplishment 

will boost the country's ballistic rocket capabilities to hit its enemies.

According to the North's official Korean Central News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made such comments during his visit to a site of a ground-based test on the rocket engine and its separation.

The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on North Korea's human rights issues in Geneva Wednesday to set up a group of experts in a bid to find ways to make the regime accountable for its violations against humanity. 

The resolution was submitted by the European Union and Japan condemning the North's crimes that are said to include acts of extermination, murder, torture, and rape. 

South Korea's government welcomed the adoption by the 47-member forum by consensus, saying it shows how deeply the international community is concerned about the human rights situation in North Korea

March 25, 2016

Beginning this year, every fourth Friday of March will be designated as West Sea Defense Day.

And the government held a memorial ceremony this morning to mark the day and the 6th anniversary of the Cheonan warship sinking. 

The ceremony was held at Daejeon National Cemetery and was attended by some 7,000 people including officials and victims' families. 

46 sailors were killed in 2010 when a North Korean submarine torpedoed the South Korean ship while on a training mission in the West Sea. 

The service also paid respects to the six sailors that lost their lives in the second battle of Yeonpyeong in 2002.

Paying tribute to the fallen soldiers, President Park Geun-hye stressed that the South Korean government will not tolerate Pyongyang’s nuclear development and provocations and that its reckless provocation will only lead to self-destruction. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to destroy South Korean government offices in Seoul.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (or KCNA) on Friday reported Kim as saying the North should “mercilessly” annihilate offices such as South Korea’s presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae.

He reportedly made the orders while directing a long-range artillery exercise.

The KCNA said the training was the largest in scale ever and that it involved some 100 artillery pieces.

The agency said that the regime aimed to show its strong intent to retaliate against South Korea’s recent training 

that simulated hitting the offices of the North’s most senior officials and its ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s central committee.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (March 23, 2016)

- Following the deadly bombings in Brussels, Belgium, the Islamic State militants threatens to attack other countries taking part in the anti-IS coalition. The terrorist organization issued an updated communique taking credit for the Brussels attacks and was published in Arabic and French. The militants also released photos showing its fighters in Syria giving out candy to children to celebrate the Brussels attacks, according to intel.

- Although there is no Filipino casualty in the Brussels attacks, the Philippine Embassy advised Filipinos in Belgium to avoid crowded areas and to be extra careful after attacks in the Belgian capital. Philippine Ambassador Victoria Bataclan told Filipinos to avoid crowded areas that could be targets of terror attacks after 34 people reportedly killed in the explosions.

- The Commission of Elections yesterday asked the high court to reconsider the decision and affirm Senator Grace Poe's disqualification for material misrepresentation in her residency and citizenship eligibilities. The COMELEC also asked the justices to again deliberate on the case and conduct another round of voting, arguing that there was no majority vote finding Poe as a natural-born Filipino qualified to be president.

- The Anti Money Laundering Council head on Tuesday expressed its support to the absolute lifting of the bank secrecy law prior to the 81 million dollar bank heist. Although hopeful for the absolute lifitng of bank secrecy law, AMLC Executive Director Julia Bacay Abad admitted that the will face an uphill battle to accomplish this.

- Allies of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are welcome to help the ruling Liberal Party and its coalition partners. The Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid candidates led by presidential aspirant Mar Roxas held sorties on Tuesday in Pampanga province - a known balliwick of Arroyo - to lure voters before the Holy Week break.

- North Korea threatened a "misearable end" for South Korean president Park Geun-hye and her American allies in its series of provocations. Pyongyang declard it would wage a battle against the South Korean president with its artillery units standing ready to turn her office into a "sea of flames and ashes". This provocation comes as the US and SoKor stage their annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle military exercies, which is the largest this year in the wake of a recent North Korean nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Seoul urged the North to stop "base and vulgar" threats and warned of a "relentless retaliation" against any further provocations.

- Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter revealed that South Korea and the United States have agreed to deploy the anti-ballistic missile interceptor called the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) to the Korean Peninsula. Speaking at a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Carter said the system would protect South Korea and the US troop presence here against North Korea's missile threats. Carter added that Washington has started to boost its capabilities in light of North Korea possibly having the capacity to range the US with an ICBM.

- The recent Arizona primaries scored a huge win for Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton over who could best deal with Islamic extremism amid the recent Belgian attacks. In the Republican side, Trump now has 739 delegates, Cruz has 425 and Kasich has 143. In the Democratic side, meanwhile, Clinton now has 1,203 elegates to Sanders’ 860, based on primaries and caucuses. It takes 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.

- Turkish authorities reportedly detained at least 13 people, including those with alleged links to the Islamic State militants. Three people, including a Syrian and Iraqi, alleged to have planned attacks on targets including a German consulate general and a school. Ten people, meanwhile, tried to illegally enter Turkey from Syria. One is said to have been in possession of an explosive device for a suicide attack.

- Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend next week's Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, and is expected too meet US President Barack Obama on the sidelines. Xi will make a 5-day trip to the Czech Republic and the United States from the 28th of March and he will attend the summit at the end of March. The summit is expected to discuss measures aimed at preventing nuclear materials to fall under terrorists' hands as well as North Korea's nuclear development and China's military activities in the South China Sea.

- Manny Pacquiao kicked off his second week of training in preparation for his final fight against Tim Bradley next month.

- The first-ever retractable fastback version of the fourth-generation Mazda Roadster has unveiled prior to its New York Auto Show debut this week.



- The all-new fifth-generation Subaru Impreza, in saloon form, is officially unveiled prior to its New York Auto Show debut this week.



- Three hit Biohazard/Resident Evil games are coming to PS4 and XBOX One in celebration of the franchise's 20th anniversary! The first is Biohazard 6, coming on the 29th of March, featuring all the DLC contents, Japanese audio, improved frame rate, and ResidentEvil.net exclusive outfits. In Summer 2016, Biohazard 5 will be out and in the Autumn of 2016, Biohazard 4 will be out.



- Evolution Studios, the developer of the popular PS4 racing game DriveClub, has been closed by parent compay Sony. This news comes nearly a year following the studio's recent layoffs affecting over fifty employees, resulting in the studio being restructured and focusing on the game as a service. DriveClub was originally intended as a PS4 launch title but was delayed to 2014 with disastrous launch day results. However, numerous upadtes have been implemented to become one of the most popular PS4 racing games to day. The recent DLC, Finish Line, was launched today featuring Koenigsegg's brand new hybrid hypercar, the Regera, and the legendary Jaguar XJ220.



- The hit BBC TV series Doctor Who has smashed the Guinness World Records title for the "Largest gathering of Doctor Who characters at Comic Con event in Mexico". A total of 492 Doctor Who cosplayers participated in the milestone.



TTFN!!!

Islamic State claims responsibility on the Brussels attacks

According to the latest reports regarding the recent attacks at an airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital Brussels, the Islamic State terrorists claimed responsibility for these attacks.

Right now, 34 people are reportedly killed in the blasts while over two hundred people are hurt. Prosecutors released a CCTV footage of three men suspected behind the airport bombing. In the raid, police found a nail bomb, an Islamic State flag, and chemicals.

Authorities are believed that the bomb maker behind last year's Paris attacks could be the key suspect in the recent attack. Najim Laachraoui is listed as one of Europe's most wanted criminals upon his return to Syria. It is believed that the attacked was carried following the arrest of Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam last weekend.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12201611/Brussels-bombings-terrorist-attack-on-Belgium-airport-and-Metro-live.html

Brussels terror attacks hit an airport and station

There was a recent explosion occured at Brussels' Zaventem airport snd Maelbeek metro station. As of right now, the casuality is now reported to 23.

No one knows who claimed the attack on two sites in the Belgian capital but prosecutors say, it is believed to be a suicide attack.

In response, the Belgian government has placed into full alert with Brussels in full lockdown and establishments shut.

Report: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/22/brussels-attacks-what-we-know-so-far