South Korean President Park Geun-hye says her country will maintain strong sanctions and pressure on North Korea until it chooses to denuclearize itself. Park delivered her speech at a memorial event for soldiers who died in the Korean War held at a national cemetery in Seoul on Monday.
She said that at last month's ruling Workers' Party congress, North Korea called itself a nuclear power. She said that the country also flatly rejected international calls for denuclearization or for it not to conduct any more nuclear tests.
The president said her country's government will cooperate with the international community to maintain sanctions and pressure on the North until it opts for denuclearization and restarts dialogue.
After last month's congress, North Korea made a failed attempt to fire a ballistic missile. It also expressed readiness to discuss ways to unify the two Koreas.
- President-elect Rodrigo Duterte allocated a one billion peso reward for whoever could arrest drug lords, dead or alive. Duterte said the amount will be used in eliminating 200 drug lords in the Philippines, each has a five million peso bounty on the head, two million up from its previous three million.
- The Sandiganbayan denied the petition of detained Senator Bong Revilla for a furlough so that he can attend the remaining Senate sessions. Based on the decision of the Anti-graft court first division, the court already denied the same motion filed by the Senator last year, and clarified that anyone who's currently in jail cannot practice his profession.
- In preparation for the School Year 2016-2017 in the Philippines to kick off in the 13th of June, the Department of Education receives over 8.4 million pesos worth of donations such as donated boats in case of flooding, bicycles, solar-powered lamps, and school supplies. DepEd's Brigada Eskwela is a nationwide program that aims to bring teachers, parents, and community members to prepare schools for the start of classes this month.
- The vote counting continues in the Peruvian presidential elections, where Former Prime Minister Pedro Kuczynski and Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former leader Alberto Fujimori, are in a tight race. Electoral authorities say with 51.7 percent of the votes counted, Kuczynski has won 50.59 percent of the ballots while Fujimori garnered 49.41%.
- Chinese leader Xi Jinping has stressed that individual issues should not hamper ties between China and the United States. He was apparently referring to the South China Sea row. Xi was speaking at the first day of the two nations' Strategic and Economic Dialogue on Monday in Beijing.
- Some pro-democracy students in Hong Kong have stayed away from the annual commemoration of the Tiananmen Square incident, due to the rift among activists. About 125,000 people took part in the vigil on Saturday night at a a park in central Hong Kong, about 10,000 less than last year.
- In Game 2 of the 2016 NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors scored two wins after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers at the score of 110-77.
- Young actor James Reid reacted about Nadine Lustre landing to the top spot in the partial and unofficial tally of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women of 2016.
- Former Sexbomb girl Rochelle Pangilinan reacts to an old tweet from Eat Bulaga phenom Maine "Yaya Dub" Mendoza. Maine's tweet dated back six years ago and it mocks about an old TV drama called Daisy Siete, which stars the SexBomb Dancers.
The 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans is almost upon us (and I hope they got security on this racing event because of...well, you know), and before we get ready for this summer's endurance event, it might be best to look back at last year's winner at Le Mans, which is by no means a surprise for racing fans many since its return two years ago.
Yes, the arrival of the #19 Porsche Team 919 Hybrid on Forza Motorsport 6's Porsche Expansion pack, available now, is a surprise feat for players just to get to know more about this particular LMP1 Porsche that dominated last year's Le Mans against Audi's dominant R18 e-tron quattro. So, what's it all about?
Since 2014, Porsche returns to Le Mans with their first ever 919 Hybrid, an LMP1 prototype made to compete at the FIA World Endurance Championship. For the 2015, the 919 was been heavily revised with new body parts, allowing it to weigh 870kg (calculated without driver or fuel). With the new upgrades, the 919's subclass has been promoted from 6MJ to 8MJ.
Like the 2014-spec, the 919 features a 2.0L fuel-injected V4 engine with li-ion battery for energy recovery in mid-mounted longitudinal configuration. The hybrid powerplant is capable of producing 900HP of power output and 1,100lb-ft of torque, while mated with a 7-speed hydraulically-activated sequential gearbox with rear-lock differential. It features a bodywork blend of carbon fiber and aluminium as well as independent multi-link pushrod suspension.
At the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, the #19 Porsche Team 919 Hybrid, driven by Earl Bamber, Nico Hulkenberg, and Nick Tandy, emerged as the winner, dethroning Audi's reigning R18 e-tron quattro by a margin. At the 2015 FIA WEC season, thanks to the performance done by the #17, #18, and #19 919 machines, the team emerged as the constructors' champion of the 2015 season.
If you were like one of the many notable drivers behind the wheel of Porsche's Le Mans-winning machine even those who are involved in Formula One such as Mark Webber or Nico Hulkenberg, then you're very pleased about getting the chance to drive the 919 round the track, especially when you're polishing up your driving skills at your next e-sports event involving LMP1 machines like this in the game.
As you get behind the wheel of last year's champion, you will experience that driving this LMP1 prototype can be somewhat tricky at first but with enough practice, the 919 will be a capable LMP1 prototype that can take on whatever it stands on its way, especially Audi's R18 e-tron. Most of the players who spent countless days perfecting their racing techniques with the 919 Hybrid will realize just how great the LMP1's potential is, especially taking on the e-sports world or getting ready for the real Le Mans race this summer.
Speaking of potential, let's try compare the 919 Hybrid against other LMP1 competitors. There's the Audi R18 e-tron quattro that was an unbeatable force at Le Mans until the 919 beat it last year, and then, there's the TS030 HYBRID, the one that won the 2014 WEC season.
This should be a fun experiment to conduct and with Le Mans is upon us, now's the better time to do it, putting Le Man's finest to the test and see if the 919 has a possibility to score another win at this year's Le Mans.
And now, the results...
919 - 3:43.654
R18 - 3:44.604
TS040 - 3:44.895
So, in theory, the 919 Hybrid from Porsche may have a better chance to score another win at this year's Le Mans but with everything changed for the 2016 season, looks like there's a slight chance that Audi's new and improved R18 may strike a revenge hit against Porsche or should Porsche defend its honor with its slightly revised 919 Hybrid. Whatever what will expect for this season, it would be difficult to place your bets whether if Porsche defend its Le Mans honor or will Audi plots vengeance against Porsche this season...or rather there could be a third option coming up but oh well.
It feels good to be part of the Porsche 919 Hybrid experience at Forza Motorsport 6's Porsche Expansion, available now. If you haven't got your hands with this expansion, now's the time to do it and if you have it, you can experience Porsche's Le Mans-winning machine at the comfort of the living room. It maybe tricky to drive at the beginning but it can be the ideal LMP1 prototype to drive in this game that can adapt through various situations on track. Hope this isn't the last time fans will meet up with the 919 Hybrid.
Muhammad Ali, an Black American boxer who was legendary for his unbiased fighting style that defeated some of the most mightiest boxers in his career, passed away at the age of 74. Earlier this week, Ali was hospitalized in Phoenix, Arizona, with respiratory problems and his family gathered around him. According to a statement from Ali's family, he passed away Friday night.
Born as Cassius Marcellus Clay in January 17, 1942, Ali is a native in Louisville, Kentucky and he began his boxing career at the age of 12. The reason why he changed his name to Muhammad Ali is because he joined the Black Muslims.
Ali became a legend ever since he defeated some of the most mightiest boxers in his career such as Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman, but all the endless fights he endured cost him his life and suffered some head injuries. Because of his "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" fighting style, his career record consists of 56 wins, five losses, and 37 knockouts.
Despite his boxing career, Ali's a true activist at the hearts of many as he travelled around the world to promote Islam, meet with world leaders, and persuade lawmakers to pass the Ali Boxing Reform Act, which protects boxers from being exploited by managers and promoters.
It's have been an honor for the world to meet up with a well-respected boxer who stood up against discrimination, floating like a butterfly, and became a true fighter in the end. He will always be "the greatest" the world will ever remember.
From the 1st to the 3rd of June, 2016, priests from all over the world took part of the Jubilee for Priests, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which is ongoing until the 20th of November this year. In the first day of this said event, priests have been gathered for the Eucharistic Adoration, Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Pilgrimages to the Holy Door. The second day, which occurred on the 2nd of June, is a retreat preached by Pope Francis. The third and final day is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where a Holy Mass by Pope Francis took place at St. Peter's Square in Rome.
In Pope Francis' homily during the mass, he told thousands of priests from across the globe "The Heart of the Good Shepherd is not only the Heart that shows us mercy, but is itself mercy,” he said. “There the Father’s love shines forth; there I know I am welcomed and understood as I am; there, with all my sins and limitations, I know the certainty that I am chosen and loved," he told priests.
The next event for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will be the Jubilee for the Sick and Persons with Disabilities at the St. Peter's Square on the 10th to the 12th of June, 2016.
The South Korean government says the potential deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system is not on the agenda at talks this weekend between the defense chiefs of the two allies.
The South Korean defense ministry was forced to issue a denial after US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said he expected the issue of the THAAD deployment to come up during his meeting Saturday with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo.
Following North Korea's ballistic missile launch last February, the two allies announced that they would officially enter negotiations for the deployment of the defense system that can counter the growing missile threats posed by the Korean Peninsula.
Meanwhile, a number of UN member states have submitted their plans for implementing the latest Security Council resolution on North Korea.
South Korea, the US, the UK, Japan, Russia, and Monaco are among the ten nations that have submitted implementation plans for UNSC Resolution 2270, imposed on North Korea for its nuclear and missile tests earlier this year.
The 193 UN member states were to submit reports on how they would follow through with the toughest ever sanctions on Pyongyang, within 90 days of the resolution's adoption.
The US left North Korea out from its latest list of states sponsoring terrorism.
The State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2015 said the North "is not known to have sponsored any terrorist acts since the Korean Air bombing in 1987".
The North was first put on the list in 1988 for the airliner bombing that killed 115 people aboard but was removed from the blacklist in exchange for denuclearization talks in 2008.
