Let's Do The News! (August 5, 2025)

                                 

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

- The PH Department of Health said its hospitals are ready to receive patients following the UP-PGH announcement that its emergency room has reached full capacity. The DOH also released a list of hospitals that will serve as referral centers for patients who can no longer be accommodated at PGH.

- President Bongbong Marcos of the Philippines has signed Republic Act 12231, known as the Government Optimization Act. This law aims to enhance service delivery within the government, reduce operational redundancies, and simplify existing rules and regulations.

- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has approved the operation of Apple Pay and Google Pay in the Philippines. These payment systems can now function without the need for registration with the BSP, as their current structure does not meet the BSP’s definition of an operator of payment systems.

- Palawan residents alarmed over tremors from China's rocket launch.

- The US State Department said some visa applicants will soon be required to pay bonds of up to $15,000 to discourage visa overstays as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on migration. 

- Australia will upgrade its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates from Japan.

- UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese lost her "verified" status from her X account just days after a law firm representing UN Watch, a Geneva-based pro-Israeli NGO, submitted a legal appeal to Elon Musk. This loss of the verification badge occurred less than a month after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed sanctions on Albanese, citing what he described as her “illegitimate and shameful efforts” to encourage the International Criminal Court to take action against U.S. and Israeli officials and companies.

- Stella Rimington, the first female head of UK MI5, dies at 90.

- The special-edition Ford Bronco 60th anniversary edition was unveiled.

2026 Ford Bronco 60th Anniversary

- Lamborghini scrapped the SC63 hypercar campaign to focus on the Temerario GT3.

- Organizers of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics said they'll be ready with less than six months to go.

- Boy band Westlife launched their all-expenses-paid London trip campaign ahead of their 25th anniversary concert.

- Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is named writer for the next 007 movie.

TTFN.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Korean Government Reveals Plans to Offer Tax Credits for Webtoon Production Costs

 

In a move to boost the global competitiveness of South Korea's webtoon industry, the government announced plans to introduce tax credits covering 10–15% of production costs for digital comics.

As part of the 2025 tax reform plan the Ministry of Economy and Finance unveiled on July 31, the new measure aims to strengthen the nation's cultural soft power by supporting one of its most internationally successful content sectors.

Eligible content includes webtoons and digital comics as defined under Korea's “Promotion of Comics Act” and must be distributed via an online network. Covered expenses include planning and production labor costs, licensing fees for source novels, and software costs related to webtoon creation. Indirect costs such as marketing or promotional expenses are excluded.

The tax credit will be 10% for large companies and 15% for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The credit will apply to expenses incurred in the fiscal year in which the webtoon is released online and will remain in effect through the end of 2028.

Source: Anime News Network 

Let's Do The News! (August 4, 2025)

                                

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

- Twelve police officers were suspended for up to 90 days over the "missing sabungeros" case, where they are accused of involvement in the disappearance of sabungeros and taking bribes from the mastermind behind it.

- Philippine President Bongbong Marcos is en route to India for his state visit.

- The US said it had no choice but to deport them to a third country, then it sent them home. The Trump administration says that some serious criminals need to be deported to third countries because even their home countries won't accept them.

- Pope Leo XIV stands with youth in Gaza and Ukraine as well as war-torn nations, calling for peace through dialogue during the Closing Mass for the Jubilee of Youth at St. Peter's Square. "We are with the young people of Gaza, we are with the young people of Ukraine, with those of every land bloodied by the war.", the Pope said.

- SEMA and a trade group representing foreign car manufacturers commended the US EPA's decision to repeal the 2009 greenhouse gas "endangerment" finding, describing it as a significant victory for "vehicle choice".

- Toyota, Ford, and Chevrolet GEN3 Supercars will undergo aerodynamic testing in the US.

- Mercedes-Benz plans to launch 18 new cars over the next year, including the next-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC.

- Actor Song Young Kyu passed away.

- K-POP girl group PURPLE KISS will disband this November.

- The NFLPA has elected David White as its interim executive director.

TTFN.

2025 NASCAR Cup Series - Iowa Corn 350

There are only four races left in the regular season of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series before the playoffs, as they head to Iowa for the Iowa Corn 350. Who will be playoffs-bound? Let's find out.

As the green flag waved, the action in Iowa was on. As Brad Keselowski took Stage 1, Stage 2 saw the #88 going for a big slide in Turn 2, followed by a collision with the #9 car. As Keselowski took Stage 2, the final stage saw the #11 car slip, followed by the #43 car.

Screengrab from NASCAR

After an intense fight in Iowa, William Byron wins the Iowa Corn 350 of the NASCAR Cup Series!

The next race is at Go Bowling at The Glen this August 10, 2025.

2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship - Motul SportsCar Grand Prix

The 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues at Road America for the Motul SportsCar Grand Prix. As summer is getting more intense, endurance racing at the heart of Wisconsin has never felt so alive this year.

Screengrab from IMSA

The #24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 has been declared the winner of the Motul SportsCar Grand Prix. Additionally, Spike, driving the #99 AO Racing ORECA LMP2 07, secured his second career victory. In the GTD PRO class, the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO triumphed, while in the GTD class, the #021 Triarsi Competizione 293 GT3 took the win.

The next race is the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR this August 22-24, 2025.

F1 2025: Lenovo Hungarian Grand Prix

F1's 75th anniversary celebrations continue at Hungaroring for the Lenovo Hungarian Grand Prix. Although the Hungaroring got renovated with a bold new look, it's another race week for McLaren as they're gunning for their 200th team win on Hungarian soil.

Image: F1

McLaren delivered its fourth 1-2 finish streak with Lando Norris fending off Oscar Piastri to win the Hungarian Grand Prix. Mercedes' George Russell completes the podium by finishing in third place. Other finishers include Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto, Lance Stroll, Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Ollie Bearman was the only one to retire in the middle of the race following damage to his car.

The next race will be in Zandvoort for the Heineken Dutch Grand Prix this August 31, 2025.

WRC 2025: Secto Rally Finland

The 2025 World Rally Championship continues with the Secto Rally Finland. Summer rallying action on Finnish soil never felt so intense in the midst of the summer heat.

Screengrab from WRC

Kalle Rovanpera spearheaded Toyota Gazoo Racing's headlining 1-2-3-4-5 finish on Finnish soil with his first win on his home turf, 39.2 seconds ahead of Takamoto Katsuta. Sebastien Ogier finished 3rd, with Elfyn Evans finishing 4th and Sami Pajari locking Toyota's historic five-car finish.

The next event is the new Rally del Paraguay, a gravel rally based in Encarnación from August 28 to 31, 2025.