- MERALCO is reducing electricity rates by P0.9879 per kWh this month.
- PH Senate President Migz Zubiri was promoted to "reserve officer" in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
- According to the DND, the quadrilateral maritime activity with the Philippines, the US, Japan, and Australia in the West Philippine Sea became successful, calling it a "show of unity" against China's aggressions. Activities include communication, photo exercises, division tactics, or office of the watch maneuver aimed at strengthening defense interoperability and effectively responding to various maritime scenarios.
- Israel reduced its troops in southern Gaza but plans for the Rafah offensive are still on the table.
- IAEA urges restraint after a drone attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
- Liberty Media, which owns Formula 1, acquired MotoGP and WSBK rights holder Dorna Sports in a £3.6 billion deal. With the deal made public, F1 owner Liberty Media will now own 86% of Dorna and thus holds the controlling stake in motorcycle racing’s two biggest international products.
- Disney announced that password-sharing restrictions on Disney+ will commence this June in select countries and worldwide this September.
- John Calipari is finalizing a five-year deal to become Arkansas's next coach, according to reports. A move that will shake up the SEC and college basketball landscape.
- South Carolina beats Iowa 87-75 to win its third NCAA Women's Championship title.
Production of the Audi TT ended late last year, ending its 25-year run since its 1998 debut. Although gone, its legacy will never be forgotten.
The world already bid the Audi TT farewell but here in Forza Horizon 5, it's time to have one last ride with the Audi TT.
The Audi TT RS, in its final generation guise, is the ultimate version of the Audi TT, the fitting car for the TT's final drive here in Horizon Mexico. But first, a little re-introduction with this one.
The Audi TT RS is the ultimate all-around sports car, capable of reaching uncharted heights that no other sports car in its class dares to go. Powered by a five-cylinder 2.5L turbocharged engine, the Audi TT RS produces 400PS of power and 480Nm of torque. Mated to a 7-speed DSG, the Audi TT RS sprints from 0-100kph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 280kph thanks to an optional extra.
For the 2020 model year, the third-generation Audi TT RS received a minor change, featuring an improved exterior design with wider air intakes, a new front spoiler, new inlets flanking the grille, redesigned sills with black inlays, a new rear wing, new air vents, and a revised diffuser. However, the 2.5L turbocharged engine remains unchanged, meaning it still has 400PS of power and 480Nm of torque.
In late 2022, Audi unveiled the TT RS iconic edition, of which only 100 were made for European customers. It features a unique aero kit, a special interior, and Nardo Grey exterior paint. In late 2023, Audi ended production of the TT, which had a three-generation run of 25 years since its 1998 debut.
I won this car at the Horizon Race-Off Storm Season Playlist and the way it looks and feels is just like its pre-facelifted equivalent that we had years ago. Despite donning a different look, it is still the unscripted hero we're familiar with, chewing off the Ariel Nomad and spitting its backbones.
It's still the 4WD sports car in its class you don't want to mess with because anyone trying to square off against the Audi TT RS will make them realize why it performs that others can't. With its unique turbocharged 5-cylinder engine, legendary quattro all-wheel-drive, and short proportions, no one comes close to the Audi TT.
To see how much the final Audi TT RS progressed compared to the first TT that got the RS variant, the second-generation Audi TT, let's drive these two at the Castillo Del Mar for a little progress check. Roll the tape.
And now the results...
TT Mk2 RS - 2m30.334s
TT Mk3 RS F/L - 2:21.7084
Nearly nine seconds. That's how much improvement the final TT RS gained from the first TT RS and Audi never joked about the progress the TT has made through the years.
Before making my last farewell with the Audi TT, I gave it one last attempt to shine and that meant calling in an old friend.
The third-generation Audi TT RS gets all vibrant and pastel for the role of Waccha PriMagi's Miruki Amauri. It's the same one I did from the pre-facelift but you will notice a slight difference between them. Don't thank me, thank Honeytan for this, dao.
With Miruki back for her final encore, it's time for the last Audi TT in history to perform its final dance. Roll the tape.
Not the prettiest ending I hoped for but this is how the Audi TT rolls.
It's been a privilege working with you...
25 years, three generations, one Audi TT. Beyond its tenure, this unique sports car chose to exist rather than to live, and in the end, it made a huge mark in the motoring scene. Although gone, its legacy will never be forgotten.
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 400. A great way to kick off Spring Break with this one.
The Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway kicked off Spring Break racing action with a win by Kyle Larson in Stage 1. Stage 2 saw a loose wheel nut from Christopher Bell's car on Lap 110, which triggered a caution four laps later. Denny Hamlin won Stage 2, and the final stage saw Christopher Bell spin in turn 4, followed by a turn 3 crash by John Hunter Nemechek that triggered an overtime.
Screengrab from NASCAR
It's a full podium sweep for Hendrick Motorsports with Chase Elliott in 3rd, Kyle Larson in 2nd, and the Cook Out 400 winner, William Byron.
The next race is at Texas for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 this April 14.
The F1 24 season continues with the MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. Originally set during the autumn season, the Japanese Grand Prix is now a springtime treat for F1 fans and for Max Verstappen, a chance for redemption after his Australia disaster.
The race kicked off and a red flag was triggered when Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo crashed. A few moments later after the red flag, the race resumed, and Verstappen's in the lead while Lewis Hamilton dropped behind Charles Leclerc. As Red Bull leads the race, McLaren's Lando Norris is the first to pit on Lap 12 followed by Fernando Alonso two laps later.
As Verstappen regained the lead on Lap 21 from Charles Leclerc, Hamilton pits on Lap 24. Halfway through the race, Verstappen pits, giving a chance to Carlos Sainz to gain the lead, only to pit on Lap 36 and Verstappen retaking the lead.
As the race nears its climax, Logan Sargeant goes off-track while the two Ferrari drivers are gunning for the final podium spot.
Screengrab from Formula 1
In a show of redemption, Max Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix, earning him a spot on the list of F1 drivers who led 3000 laps overall. Sergio Perez finished 2nd, and Carlos Sainz finished 3rd. Other finishers include Leclerc, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, Geroge Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, and Yuki Tsunoda.
After Japan, Verstappen leads with 77 points, 13 points ahead of Sergio Perez, and Leclerc is in 3rd with 59 points.
The next race is the Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix on April 21st in Shanghai.
- Some portions of NAIA are expecting a series of power interruptions until May 28th to give way for maintenance activities, according to reports.
- PH President Bongbong Marcos declared April 10 as a regular holiday in observance of Eid'l Fitr or the Feast of Ramadan.
- The Philippines' inflation rate since March 2024 has risen to 3.7% compared to 3.4% last February, according to the PSA.
- US President Joe Biden told Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu that support between the two countries will depend on "steps to address civilian harm and humanitarian suffering" in Gaza. Recently, Israel said it will open two new aid routes into Gaza after President Biden warned steps must be taken to relieve suffering.
- Denmark warns planes and ships to avoid busy shipping lanes due to the risk of falling fragments from missile failure.
- Piran Ditta Khan is found guilty of the murder of PC Sharon Beshenivsky, who was shot during a robbery in Bradford, UK, in 2005.
- Peru's congress votes against impeaching President Dina Boluarte who's being investigated for corruption in a scandal over her Rolex watches.
- The second-generation Renault Captur has been given a big minor change for the 2025 model year.
2025 Renault Captur
- Manga artist Yoichi Takahashi announced his retirement on his X account after the completion of the Captain Tsubasa magazine series. Takahashi says he's "relieved to have finished the ongoing series."
- Tsuburaya Productions announced the 2024 Ultraman installment airing on TV Tokyo this July 6th. The new Ultraman TV series is titled Ultraman Arc and it stars Yuki Totsuka as Yuuma Hize, a member of SKIP who wields the Arc Ariser and an Arc Cube to become Ultraman Arc.
- Chanty of Lapillus will take an indefinite hiatus from group activities.
- Kansas City Chiefs' Rashee Rice was the driver of one of two speeding sports cars who left after causing a chain-reaction crash on a Dallas highway over the weekend, the wide receiver's attorney said.
Forza Horizon 5's Horizon Race-Off series update saw a clash between Team Mustang and Team F-150, a heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, and whoever side gets first, wins one of the hero cars of the update.
Behind the heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, an unexpected visitor appeared and that's okay because this is the McLaren Forza fans waited for since the car's debut three years ago.
This is the McLaren Artura, the hybrid supercar that I won from the Horizon Race-Off Wet Season Playlist. We've been pleading for this car to arrive here and now that it's here, it's time for a little word with McLaren's hybrid supercar.
The McLaren Artura is the company's first V6-powered PHEV supercar that injects most of its motorsport know-how into the making of this unorthodox machine. The 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine is mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled Li-ion battery producing 680PS of power and 720Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed SSG, it sprints from 0-60mph in three seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. Running on electricity alone, it can go for as little as 19 miles.
Aside from the performance, the Artura has near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and specially-developed Pirelli P-ZERO tires. It even comes with a Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle.
The Artura may be a show-off in the middle of a heated debate but being the ideal gentleman disruptor, it sure knows how to flex its muscles well. Although it feels different compared to most McLarens offered in the game, it feels moderately good to drive on asphalt terms, and for the fun of it, addicting. It's all about making a great statement in the name of McLaren-ism.
Still, I've waited long enough to drive the Artura in the world of Forza, and in honor of its arrival, it's time for a leisurely street race against tough drivers to prove if I'm either Lando Norris enough or Oscar Piastri enough to be with the Artura. Roll the tape.
Yes, it was a tough challenge but the Artura survived and won.
Forza players like me have waited three years since McLaren debuted the Artura supercar and now that it's here, we found great reasons to enjoy it, even while disrupting the heated debate between Team Mustang and Team F-150 we're on. This is performance, amplified.
Gosh, I wanted to conclude my little impression with the Artura but...I'm working on a little surprise for the Artura so...watch this space.
- Fifteen vehicles were apprehended in the exclusive EDSA Bus Lane, according to reports. Among the vehicles were two buses of the Metro Manila Development Authority and a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board shuttle.
- Most senators were dismayed over the DENR's failure to monitor the "protected areas".
- About 1,000 people were hurt and nine dead in the M7.4 quake that struck eastern Taiwan. Rescue efforts for the trapped are still underway.
- In a rare admission, Israel said its attack on a humanitarian convoy which killed seven aid workers was a tragic error that had occurred due to a misidentification. Israel is accused of targeting aid workers in Gaza.
- The French parliament tries its hand at Britain's often raucous Prime Ministers Questions.
- The Superrace Championship and the KARA have signed a motorsports publicization expansion partnership. The signing occurred during pre-season testing at the Everland Speedway.
- The Gakuen IDOLM@STER app game stars Kana Hanaiwa as Lilja Katsuragi.
- Lee Jin Hyuk announced his April 23rd comeback under his new agency, Bill Entertainment, which he signed with last year.
- New York City demands NYC Marathon organizers to pay $750K to cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
- Quezon City's Lorraine Ojimba is withdrawing from the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant due to health reasons.
- Singer Angeline Quinto will marry Nonrev Daquina at the Quiapo Church this April 25th.
