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

  

                                          

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

- Former senator Bam Aquino is named as the chairperson of Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino. According to the KNP Facebook post, Bam Aquino is their bet for the 2025 midterm elections.

- Vloggers and social media pages involved in PH President Bongbong Marcos "deep fake" videos are getting complained by the KBP to the PNP-ACG.

- The series of red and yellow alerts at the Luzon and Visayas grids was revealed. The PH Department of Energy and the ERC are facing punishment because there is no regular monitoring of power plants.

- Michael Cohen, the former lawyer of Donald Trump, testifies in the fifth week of the "hush money" criminal trial.

- The migrant-smuggler known as Scorpion was arrested in Iraq after an investigation. Scorpion smuggled thousands of migrants across the English Channel.

- Villagers close to Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia are moved away from their homes as Ukraine's military fights to contain recent Russian incursions.

- Fighting continues in parts of Gaza with clashes reported around Rafah.

- A group of international politicians, named in the trial of the imprisoned democracy activist Jimmy Lai offer to testify as witnesses.

- A high court in Germany upholds a ruling that the intelligence services can investigate the far-right AfD party as a 'suspected extremist' organization.

- ENHYPEN announced its summer comeback with a new album coming this mid-July.

- Ailee revealed to be dating Single's Inferno contestant, Choi Si Hun, according to reports.

- The WNBA has started implementing its regular-season chartering program for the beginning of the 2024 campaign, with the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx flying private for their opening-day games at Connecticut and Seattle, respectively.

- Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder announced her retirement after 24 years guiding the Hawkeyes and 40 seasons overall, including national championship game appearances the past two seasons, making her the winningest women's basketball coach in Big Ten history.

- Miss Teen USA 2023 1st runner-up Stephanie Skinner turned down the Miss Teen USA 2023 title moments after UmaSofia Srivastava resigned from her post. Srivastava resigned from her throne as Miss Teen USA 2023 because her beliefs were no longer in line with the desired path of the Miss Teen USA Organization.

TTFN.

Genesis GV70 - 2025MY Minor Change

The Genesis GV70 is Korea's answer to the BMW X3. For the 2025 model year, the GV70 gets a minor change. This change gives those unfamiliar with Genesis a chance to rediscover the GV70 with a different perspective.

2025 Genesis GV70

2025 Genesis GV70

The 2025 Genesis GV70 starts at 53.8 million KRW plus additional costs, which is more expensive than its pre-facelifted model launched at the end of 2020. Amid a mammoth price hike, the latest minor change is all about rediscovering the luxury brand's second SUV in the same way that the GV80 and the G80 RG3 did when they gained their minor changes last year.

2025 Genesis GV70

Beginning with the exterior, the GV70 minor change gained a redesigned front grille, revised quad lamps and taillights, and new bumper designs with the Standard version abandoning the squarish faux exhausts while the Sport version ditching the round ones from behind in favor of squarish faux ones, this time it's horizontal. The revised exterior design made this minor change easy to understand.

2025 Genesis GV70 interior

The interior saw some major changes as hinted by the new dashboard layout, steering wheel design, and 27-inch OLED integrated wide display that combines the digital instrumental cluster and touch-screen infotainment system into one extra-long screen positioned to the driver's side. The rotary shift dial has been crystalized for showy purposes.

The seats are now festooned with Prime Nappa leather with Standard models featuring Elegance Line Mood Lighting and a choice of two two-tone interior colors; Slate Gray/Velvet Burgundy and Ocean Wave Blue/Havana Brown. The Sport variants feature magma-colored stitching and seatbelts, Sporty Line Mood Lighting, and a choice of Obsidian Black/Ultramarine two-tone and Obsidian Black Monotone interior colors.

Like the pre-facelift, the GV70 can carry up to 542L with the rear seats present. By folding the rear seats down, you can utilize up to 1,678L.

2025 Genesis GV70

Learning lessons from the recently facelifted GV80 and G80, the GV70 minor change threw away the diesel powertrain, leaving only a choice of two gas-powered engines; the 304PS Smartstream G 2.5T engine, and the range-topping 3.5L V6 turbo engine with 380PS of power. All of these engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic and can be fitted with the available AWD with Auto Terrain Mode that automatically detects road conditions, be it tarmac, gravel, or snow, delivering optimal driving performance. It even comes with Integrated Driving Modes that affect the behavior of the GV70 from fuel efficiency to sporty driving.

As expected the GV70 minor change is fully prepared with the most advanced safety features such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with the additional Evasive Steering Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assistance, Highway Driving Assist 2, Navigation-Based Smart Cruise Control, Surround View Monitor, Rear Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Remote Smart Parking Assist.

Whether you are familiar with the GV70 or not, this minor change is all about rediscovering this crossover in a slightly different approach from its revised exterior, new interior, new tech, and a petrol engine lineup with the electric variant following shortly. The more you know,.

Available Colors: Uyuni White, Seville Silver, Makalu Gray, Beak Black, Stor Green, Ceres Blue, Capri Blue, Mauna Red, Matterhorn White, Makalu Gray Matte, Stor Green Matte, and Ceres Blue Matte.

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

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

 

                                          

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

- China is sending a large force against the "Atin Ito Coalition"'s planned civilian mission in Scarborough Shoal. The coalition is unfazed by the heavy Chinese presence in Bajo de Masinloc ahead of the second civilian mission this week.

- The Department of Foreign Affairs is investigating any report of illegal activity by diplomatic officials concerning the alleged audio recording held by the Chinese embassy.

- The PNP Logistics Data Information and Management System is temporarily shut down following the report of a data breach. According to the PNP, the cyber response team of the police has not found any data breach yet.

- Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly replacing his long-standing ally Sergei Shoigu as defense minister.

- Three men are charged with assisting Hong Kong intel service and foreign interference, says London's Met Police.

- Israel honors Memorial Day with silence in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attack that prompted Israel to go to war against Gaza and Hamas.

- Subaru and Toyota are jointly developing four BEV models and strengthening their HEV product lineup. The next-generation e-BOXER powertrain will be installed in the Crosstrek soon.

- Porsche will unveil the 992.2 911 range this May 28th. The updated version will introduce the first-ever hybrid variant.

- Mazda confirms that the next-generation CX-5 will have a Mazda-made hybrid powertrain and the company will launch its dedicated EV platform by 2027.

- The Malaysian leg of the AXCR 2024 season was called off due to security threats and the event will proceed in Thailand.

- The Crayon Shin-Chan and Wonderful Precure anime series will get crossover episodes this weekend. The Wonderful Precure characters will make a guest appearance on this Saturday's Crayon Shin-Chan episode and the exact opposite this Sunday where Shin-Chan makes a guest appearance in a Wonderful Precure episode.

- Girl group NewJeans will make their guest appearance in an upcoming episode of the KBS reality series 2 Days & 1 Night.

TTFN.

2024 NASCAR Cup Series - Goodyear 400

"Are you not entertained?" That is the question the adverts promoting the Goodyear 400 of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series in Darlington say as this next race will be an entertaining spectacle for NASCAR fans everywhere.

As the green flag waved, the action in Darlington was on. As Kyle Larson dominated Stage 1, Stage 2 saw John Hunter Nemechek spinning at turn 4 on Lap 121, a Lap 129 restart disaster, and a spin by Zane Smith in Lap 163. With Stage 2 belonging to Tyler Reddick, the final stage saw Kyle Busch clipping the wall, and spin by Kyle Larson.

 

Screengrab from NASCAR

As Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick got involved in post-race quarreling, Brad Keselowski won the Goodyear 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series!

The next race is at North Wilkesboro for the NASCAR All-Star Race this May 19.

2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship - Motul Course de Monterey powered by Hyundai N

 The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues in WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the Motul Course de Monterey powered by Hyundai N. The world's best GTP, GTD PRO, and GTD class cars are racing on this legendary East Coast racetrack, navigating the most demanding corners, including the infamous Corkscrew. This is a challenging work.

Screengrab from IMSA

The Porsche 963, fresh from its recent success in a WEC race in Spa, became a lucky machine for that race weekend as the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 of Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy emerged victorious at Laguna Seca. Its #7 counterpart finished 3rd, behind the #31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-LMDh. In the GTD PRO, the #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), famous for its Rexy livery, is the winner, while the GTD class belongs to the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.

The next IMSA event is the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix this May 31 to June 1st.

My FM Log: Race Cars kids today don't know

Update 7 of Forza Motorsport not only welcomed players to Brands Hatch but also race cars kids today don't know about. Yes, it's all about older-generation race car garbage and the worst offenders are the 1964 Brabham BT8 and the 1977 Renault #15 Equipe Renault Elf R.S. 01. Is there such a thing as a Renault R.S. 01 in 1977?

First and foremost is the Brabham BT8, a metallic toxic waste that I've got from winning the Update 7 Open Class Tour until May 15, 2024.

Debuted at the 1964 Earls Court Motor Show, the BT8 is the successor of the BT5, which was introduced a year before.

Most BT8 race cars are fitted with the 2.0L Coventry Climax 4-cylinder engine but one has a BRM V8 engine and the other one owned by Jack Brabham has a 2.7L Climax Engine.

Produced between 1964 and 1966, the BT8 won four races and secured ten podium finishes, including the one where Arthur Owen drove the BT8 at the 1964 Singapore Grand Prix and finished second in the Sports and GT race.

Forza Motorsport fans were disappointed when the producers brought in the wrong Renault R.S.01 race car. They were expecting the one with the turbocharged engine that powers the Nissan GT-R R35. Instead, they got the 1977 Renault #15 Equipe Renault Elf R.S. 01. This misprint is the limited-time prize car that can be won by beating the Retro Racers Tour until May 28, 2024.

Created for the 1977 Formula 1 championship, the Renault R.S. 01 is the first F1 car powered by a turbocharged engine in the form of a 2.0L V6 engine. It was also the first F1 car to use radial tires, provided by Michelin.

Designed by Andre de Cortanze and driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille, the R.S. 01 made its racing debut at the 1977 British Grand Prix. Although it faced chronic reliability issues, the R.S. 01 scored points by finishing fourth at the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.

With Brands Hatch as the star track of the update, it's time to drive these race cars kids today don't understand around the track to prove their worth. Roll the tapes.

Forza Motorsport features cars from an era that only parents and grandparents can truly understand. Why show these cars to younger players who don't know anything about them? IT'S COMPLICATED.

Enjoy your new rides.

ABB FIA Formula E S10 - Berlin ePrix

Formula E's 10th-anniversary celebration continues in the Berlin Tempelhof for the Berlin ePrix. Because this track gained a new layout for this season, drivers are striving to accommodate themselves in this new version while doing what they do best; battle for the championship.

Screengrab from Formula E

The first part saw the Jaguar driver Nick Cassidy nail his second win of the season while beating the likes of two-time world champion Jean-Eric Vergne and Nissan driver Oliver Rowland. In the final part, meanwhile, Antonio Felix Da Costa is back in victory lane as he defeats Cassidy and Rowland at the finish line.

After Berlin, Cassidy leads with 140 points, 16 points ahead of Wehrlein, and Rowland is in 3rd with 118 points.

The next event of Formula E's 10th-anniversary celebration goes back to where it all began; China. This time, Formula E invades the streets of Shanghai for the Shanghai ePrix this May 25-26.