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

                             

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

- US President Joe Biden is back on the campaign trail in Detroit following his embarrassing performance at the NATO Summit and the White House press conference. "I am running and we're going to win", Biden said as he faced intense scrutiny amid questions over his age.

- Thousands of inmates across the UK will be freed early to make room for more. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood says failure to act would result in "the collapse of the criminal justice system". Prisoners on “standard determinate sentences” will be released after serving 40% of their sentences, rather than half. But there'll be exemptions for sexual and serious violent offenders.

- Audi will unveil a new model this July 16th. The upcoming yet-to-be-revealed model will have a saloon and Avant versions.

- The Mercedes-AMG GT63 PRO 4MATIC+ was unveiled.

2025 Mercedes-AMG GT63 PRO 4MATIC+

- The Red Bull RB17 was unveiled. It is a 1200bhp V10 hybrid track-only machine that premiered at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Only 50 will be made.

- Ford showcased its Raptor T1+ rally raid car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

2025 Ford Raptor T1+

- The FIA World RX Championship's 2024 season adds a China double-header for October 19-20.

- Microsoft Rewards auto-renewal for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass is ending on August 12th, meaning users won't be able to use their Microsoft Rewards points to auto-renew their subscription which saw its recent price hike effective September 2024.

- The judge grants the motion to dismiss with prejudice in the Alec Baldwin manslaughter trial.

TTFN.

Fly Me to the Moon (2024 film)

Is it possible that NASA faked the moon landing? It's the question that's been on everyone's mind for decades. While some people believe it was real, others think it was an elaborate hoax. Now, in a new rom-com pseudo-historic recreation, we get to see what the story behind the story might have been. There's a lot more to the story than you might expect.

Fly Me to the Moon (2024 film)

FLY ME TO THE MOON stars Scarlett Johansson as a marketing professional and Channing Tatum as a launch director who has to team up to stage a fake moon landing to save NASA’s historic Apollo 11 mission. It’s a rom-com with a pseudo-historic twist.

There's been a lot of debate about the moon landing. Was it real, or was it a hoax? Fly Me to the Moon doesn't offer any real answers, but it is a fun and lighthearted movie. 

The movie does a good job of showing the challenges and the drama that would have been involved in such an undertaking. There are some funny moments, too. Overall, it's an enjoyable movie that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Let's Do The News! (July 12, 2024)

                            

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

- The Philippines and China have agreed to ease tensions at the Ayungin Shoal. "The Philippines will move forward to chart a course anchored on peace, security, and prosperity". The Department of Foreign Affairs and the international community are honoring the 8th anniversary of the Arbitral Award at the South China Sea.

- Four migrants have died after a boat capsized in the English Channel.

- US President Joe Biden mistakenly introduced Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as "President Putin" during the press conference of the NATO Summit. President Biden also made verbal mistakes by referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as "Vice President Trump". Democrats called for President Biden to call off his re-election bid following his stumbling debate performance.

- Porsche will end production of the petrol-powered 718 range by mid-2025 to make way for its all-electric replacement.

- MG unveiled the second-generation HS crossover as well as showcased its Cyber GTS Concept at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

2025 MG HS

MG Cyber GTS Concept

- Honda is reportedly shutting down its two Thai plants.

- The Zeekr 7X was unveiled. It's a new five-seater EV crossover running on an 800V architecture.

2025 Zeekr 7X

- Tesla delays its robotaxi unveiling to October 2024.

- The Duel Masters LOST web anime will stream this October 4th.

- Animation studio Doga Kobo is now acquired by Kadokawa.

- Former major leaguer Sean Burroughs suffered fentanyl intoxication when he died in the parking lot at a Long Beach baseball field in May, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner.

- Former NFL DC Monte Kiffin, whose son Lane is the head coach at Ole Miss, passed away at the age of 84.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (July 11, 2024)

                           

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

- Former secretary Harry Roque was summoned by the PH Senate for the POGO hearing. Roque's bank documents were found following a raid in a POGO hub at Pampanga.

- The Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan and Demokrasia group conducted a noise barrage in Liwasang Bonifacio to condemn China's claim to the West Philippine Sea. According to the lead convenor of the group, Rodolfo Villena Jr., this is also part of the celebration of the anniversary of the Philippines winning the 2016 Arbitral Ruling of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas.

- A magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook the sea area of ​​Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. It has a depth of 722 km. According to PHIVOLCS, Intensity IV was felt at Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, and Intensity III at the City of Mati, Davao Oriental, and Gian, Sarangani.

- The town of Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, was placed under a state of calamity due to the dengue outbreak.

- NATO confirms support for Ukraine's "irreversible path" to membership. The summit in Washington also focused on the perceived threat from growing ties between Russia and China. The outgoing NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said the alliance also pledged a minimum of forty billion dollars of military aid to Kyiv over the coming year.

- Actor George Clooney urged US President Joe Biden to drop his re-election bid. Biden reiterated his stance for his re-election bid.

- The Punirunes TV anime series based on Takara Tomy's line of virtual pet toys is back for its second season this October.

- Disney+ original animated series X-MEN '97 will have a third season in the works with What If...?'s Matthew Chauncey named as the head writer. The second season of the revived X-MEN cartoon was still in the works when former showrunner Beau DeMayo was sacked.

- SM Entertainment shares its update on a lawsuit against impostors stealing artists' private information.

- England has reached the Euro 2024 finals after a dramatic late goal seals a 2-1 win over the Netherlands.

- Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco was placed on the restricted list, a day after prosecutors in the Dominican Republic levied three charges against him for an alleged sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old girl, according to reports.

- The Alec Baldwin trial has finally begun, and the prosecution laid out its case to the jury. They claim Baldwin "played make believe" with the gun and "violated the cardinal rules of firearms safety" when he shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie "Rust."

TTFN.

My FM Log: The Weight of Survival

The Chevron B16 and the Nissan R88C, two unknown endurance racers popped up on Forza Motorsport's Update 9. Having won these two unknown racers, it's time to uncover more.

Chevron is a company synonymous with fossil fuels. So, you may be asking, does Chevron make cars? Really? Chevron makes cars such as the B16?! How did a fossil fuel giant like Chevron get involved in making cars?

Anyway, designed by Chevron Cars founder Derek Bennett to compete in the Group 6 two-liter category of the FIA International Championship of Makes, the Chevron B16 is regarded as one of the most successful race cars of its time, winning several championships and races, including the 1970 European Two-Liter Championship.

Powering the B16 is a Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L engine with a dry sump that produces 215hp of power. It is mated to a five-speed Hewland FT200 gearbox and a Hewland Cam and Pawl differential. It features Lockheed Hydraulic ventilated disc brakes, Rack and Pinion steering, and wishbone suspension with telescopic dampers and uni-ball joints and mountings.

I won this car through Update 9's Open Class Tour until the July 10, 2024 deadline.

Let's move on to the Nissan R88C, an unknown endurance racer that I won from this update's lengthy Endurance Tour until the July 24, 2024 deadline.

Developed in cooperation with Nissan and Lola for the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Nissan R88C is powered by a VRH30 3.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces 740HP of power and 542lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a 5-speed March 87T manual gearbox.

Although one of the R88C machines finished 15th overall in Le Mans, the R88C's best result was in the 1988 Japan Sports Prototype Championship when it finished in 3rd place with Masahiro Hasemi behind the wheel. The next year, it finished 3rd in the 2nd JSCP round in Fuji and 4th in the World Sportscar Championship race in Suzuka Circuit.

Let's push these two around the Sebring track, which was added in the said update, just to experience the performance of these ancient racers. Roll the tapes.

The weight of survival. It feels painful. But if you can make it through arduous challenges, you'll find what's worth it. And what's worth it? The joy of winning, of course!

Enjoy your new rides.

Let's Do The News! (July 10, 2024)

                          

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

- COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia and his wife issued a waiver to have the Anti Money Laundering Council open his bank accounts regarding accusations that he was accepting bribes from a Korean firm.

- Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte called the dismissal of 19 Police Station Commanders an insult to honest policemen.

- Senator Win Gatchalian released information that Alice Guo did not grow up on a farm and was not home-schooled. Based on school records, she attended Grace Christian High School in Grades 1-3.

- Pastor Apollo Quiboloy challenged Philippine President Bongbong Marcos who came forward instead of questioning the reward for his arrest.

- British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressed the Commons for the first time. "We have the opportunity and the responsibility to put an end to a politics that has too often seemed self-serving and self-obsessed," Keir Starmer says. The UK PM adds, "we all have a duty to show that politics can be a force for good".

- Dyson is slashing up to 1000 jobs in the UK as it reviews its global operations.

- A blistering prolonged heat wave has shattered triple-digit records with temperatures in Las Vegas hitting 120-degrees.

- NATO's 75th-anniversary summit begins in Washington. Russian attacks on Ukraine have marred celebrations.

- The Democratic party politicians have held meetings over concerns about US President Joe Biden's fitness for re-election.

- The Russian court issues an arrest warrant for opposition figure Yulia Navalnya.

- The Ultraman franchise announced the Ultraman Card Game coming this October 25th. It will be available in 15 countries worldwide in Japanese, English, and Chinese. Two starter decks have been announced, each costing 990 Yen, while Booster Packs cost 198 Yen per pack or 4,752 Yen for a box set.

- Microsoft announced huge price hikes on the Xbox Game Pass subscription services. The Xbox Game Pass Core's annual fee is now 74.99 US Dollars, although monthly fees remain at 9.99 USD. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate monthly fee is now $19.99 while the PC Game Pass monthly fee is now $11.99. Pricing changes will go into effect beginning September 12, 2024.

- JO1 member Shoya Kimata will make his guest appearance in the July 14 episode of Tosochu: The Great Mission TV anime.

- Pocketpair, the developer of the controversial game Palworld teams up with Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Aniplex to establish Palworld Entertainment, a joint venture dedicated to developing Palworld IP outside of the game.

- Rumors of Cartoon Network's closure are fake news. Currently, Cartoon Network shut down its old offices and relocated to a new building now shared with Warner Bros. Animation. The rumor was spread by a union called Animation Workers Ignited.

- The full lineup of the Road to Kingdom reality show was unveiled.

- Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco was charged with sexual abuse against a minor in the Dominican Republic.

- The PBA Season 49 Draft Combine has commenced. 70 aspirants are tested at the Ynares Sports Arena, undergoing biometrics, and get to perform various athletic tests and shooting drills during the two-day event that concludes on Thursday.

- Dreamworks announced Shrek 5 is coming to theaters on July 1st, 2026. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz will reprise their roles as Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona.

- The trial of actor Alec Baldwin begins in New Mexico.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (July 9, 2024)

                         

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

- 30 were hurt after a massive fireworks explosion in Zamboanga City.

- The UP Diliman added security personnel due to the stabbing incident. Last night, the UP Diliman Police received a report about a stabbing incident at the UPD National Science Complex. The victim was immediately brought to the hospital and the QCPD took over the case.

- The DILG urged Pastor Apollo Quiboloy "Let's end this".

- Preparations for the upcoming 3rd SONA of Philippine President Bongbong Marcos are nearing completion.

- A children's hospital in Kyiv has been hit after Russia launched a wave of missile strikes against cities across Ukraine. Thirty-six people were killed and 140 people were injured in the strikes, President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak said.

- France's President Emmanuel Macron asks French Prime Minster Gabriel Attal to stay in role for now to "ensure stability" after election. France is facing political deadlock after parliamentary elections deal a blow to the far-right National Rally - but leave no party with a majority.

- US President Joe Biden says he's "firmly committed" to his re-election campaign and calls for speculation to end in a letter to the Democrats.

- England's regional mayors are due to meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his deputy to discuss "a major programme of devolution", the government says. The Labour Party has made growing the economy one of its five "missions" for government.

- Honda confirms production of the Prelude Concept. The Prelude Concept will make its European premiere at this week's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

- BYD dealers in Thailand being probed by authorities after consumer complaints over unfair discounting.

- Zeekr is teasing its upcoming EV SUV codenamed CX1E.

- Rock band Fujifabric suspends their activities in February 2025 following keyboardist Daisuke Kanazawa's decision to leave the band.

- HYBE is producing Team Korea's official light stick for this month's Paris 2024 Olympics.

- The San Francisco Giants held a public memorial service for the late Willie Mays.

- Skydance took over Paramount in a deal worth $8 billion. Paramount is the parent company of the Paramount film and TV studios, Paramount+, CBS, and cable channels including Nickelodeon, MTV, and Comedy Central. Paramount said it expected to close the deal by the summer of next year.

TTFN.