Let's Do The News! (January 30, 2026)

       

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

- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. denies calls to declare Chinese embassy personnel as "persona non grata".

- House Deputy Speaker and La Union Representative Paolo Ortega V condemned the dissemination of fake medical test results of President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. Ortega's point is that this is not an issue regarding the President's health but rather an issue of the dissemination of fake and misleading information. Ortega stressed that St. Luke's Medical Center's statement is clear that the said document is fake and not authenticated.

- Senate President Pro-Tempore Ping Lacson has raised the possibility that former congressman Zaldy Co may be using his whereabouts to make his whereabouts public. This is also related to the petition sworn and signed by Co in Stockholm, Sweden, on January 15 and submitted to the Supreme Court, asking the Office of the Ombudsman to stop filing charges against him.

- House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima insisted that Vice President Sara Duterte is still not safe from impeachment. De Lima's message came after the Supreme Court upheld its initial declaration that the articles of impeachment against VP Duterte are unconstitutional.

- US President Donald Trump says that immigration officials are working on a plan to reduce the number of agents in Minneapolis.

- Saturday pre-season NASCAR activities in Bowman Gray Stadium were postponed due to weather, but the Clash will still take place this Sunday.

- Simona de Silvestro will compete in the bobsleigh competition of February's Winter Olympics.

- The 2026 KYOJO CUP season announced that last year's champion, Rio Shimono, KYOJO veteran Rina Ito, Australian driver Paige Raddatz, and Kilei Kanemoto are competing for this season.

- The current-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class received a minor change for the 2027 model year.

2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

- Starship Entertainment issued a statement following a final ruling against a malicious YouTuber.

- Shin Eun Soo and Yoo Seon Ho confirmed that they are in a relationship.

- The match between Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov will be streaming live on Netflix this April 11th. This match marks Fury's first fight in 13 months and a high-risk comeback.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (January 29, 2026)

      

                                          

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

- Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said that former President Rodrigo Duterte's legal team handling his case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) will not be replaced. Despite this, VP Duterte said that the former president has given instructions for their next steps. It can be recalled that Duterte's confirmation of charge hearing at the ICC is set for February 23.

- The PH Department of Transportation (DOTr) has released a list of shipping lines approved to cover routes previously serviced by Aleson Shipping Lines after its operations were suspended in the wake of the sinking of MV Trisha Kerstin 3 in Basilan. The lines include Montenegro Shipping, SRN Fast Seacraft, Ever Lines, Ibnerizam Shipping, Archipelago Philippine Ferries, Cokaliong Shipping, Lite Shipping, Seem Sam Shipping, Ocean Fast Ferries, and HS Star Marine. Routes with special permits include Zamboanga City to Isabela City, Siasi, Jolo, Bongao, as well as Dumaguete City to Pulauan, Siquijor, and Larena.

- The Philippine National Police (PNP) is ready to maintain peace and order during the upcoming motorcade caravan of several groups along EDSA on Jan. 31, 2026.

- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is in good condition, according to Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.

- Federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis were placed on leave.

- Amazon is closing all of its physical Amazon Go cashier-less convenience stores and Amazon Fresh grocery stores. Also, the online retail giant is suffering major cuts, with 575 jobs in the Seattle area heavily affected.

- The SRO expands its GT Academy driver development program.

- The front-wheel-drive MG4 EV Urban joins its UK lineup alongside its revamped RWD MG4 model.

2027 MG4 EV Urban and 2027 MG4 EV

- i-dle member Yqui, Young K of DAY6, Stella Jang, and others were promoted to full members of the KMCA.

- ILLIT's Minju and Moon Sang Min are ending their stint as presenters of Music Bank.

- In Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup finals, TNT leveled with 2 wins each after beating SMB 110-87.

- Veteran action director William Mayo died at age 70.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (January 28, 2026)

     

                                          

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

- Basilan Rep. Yusop Alano asks to conduct a deep investigation and hold accountable those responsible in connection with the sinking of MV Trisha Kerstin 3 in the waters covered by Basilan, where 18 have been recorded dead and there are still missing.

- A magnitude 5.7 quake hits Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat.

- The Armed Forces of the Philippines continues their operation against the remaining members of the Communist Terrorist Group.

- The European Union opened their investigation on X (formerly Twitter) over its Grok AI.

- US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar got sprayed by an unknown substance after a male suspect charges her at the Minneapolis town hall.

- Genesis showcased their X Skorpio Concept.

- The FIA confirmed a WRC candidate event in the US this June 11-17, 2026. 

- Seiyuu Kozo Shioya dies at 71.

- The Masked Rider Agito 25th Anniversary movie will hit select cinemas this April 29, 2026.

- Seo Ji Hun announced his February 3 enlistment date.

TTFN.

Alpine A390

Call it sacrilege, but the first-ever 67,500 Euro EV crossover from Alpine, the A390, is a grim reality Alpine fanatics are facing head-on since the five-door Renault 5-based Alpine A290.

2026 Alpine A390

Designed to compete with the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Porsche Macan, the first-ever A390 enhances Alpine's ambition for electrification that started with the A290. As Alpine's first electric vehicle crossover, some enthusiasts may view it as a betrayal of the brand's heritage. However, the driving experience it offers is a groundbreaking step forward.

2026 Alpine A390

2026 Alpine A390 interior

From concept to reality, the A390's coupe-style silhouette is all about making a statement for the brand's first EV crossover. The front view is suspiciously reminiscent of the Alpenglow concepts, while the rear view could easily be mistaken for the Lotus Emira. Overall, it's a long story short: this all-electric coupe-style SUV wears the Alpine emblem.

Come inside, the A390 uses Groupe Renault's familiar dashboard layout that combines the all-familiar 12.3-inch horizontal screen joined by the L-shaped Google-powered 12-inch vertical touchscreen that controls the infotainment, climate control, and others. In the interest of space, this five-seater can accommodate up to 532 litres of boot space with the rear seats present, with up to 1643 litres with the passenger seats folded down, making it the most spacious Alpine car you can buy.

The A390 features a tri-motor setup, providing all-wheel drive (AWD) capability, along with an 89 kWh lithium nickel battery. The GT version produces 400 horsepower and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 200 km/h and a driving range of 551 km. In contrast, the GTS version delivers 470 horsepower and up to 808 Nm of maximum torque, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. The GTS has a top speed of 220 km/h and a driving range of 497 km.

Such performance is made possible by the OV button that gives this SUV a 10-second power boost. Can't do that with the Nissan Ariya NISMO.

The A390 is fairly manageable as an SUV, although the bulk of its EV powertrain results in a somewhat mild driving experience. It does feature unique Active Torque Vectoring and custom Michelin Pilot Sport tires to enhance handling. While you might find yourself needing some trips to the clinic and packs of painkillers after a day at the track, for everyday use, it’s not too difficult to live with, especially with the wide array of ADAS at its disposal.

Although it is a controversial decision, the Alpine A390 represents the beginning of the "new normal," emerging unexpectedly.

Available Colors: Blanc Topaze, Bleu Alpine Vision, Bleu Abysse, Argent Mercure, and Noir Profond.

Photo: Alpine Cars

Let's Do The News! (January 27, 2026)

    

                                          

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

- The Philippine National Police is assisting in the investigation of the vessel sinking off Basilan as it mobilizes its resources to support its Search and Rescue ops.

- Construction of the flood monitoring command center in Manila has commenced.

- The PH Food and Drug Administration got grilled by the recent Senate hearing due to a lack of responsibility in the agency's mandates.

- Former UK Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman has defected to the Reform UK party.

- The Israeli military confirmed that it has retrieved and identified the remains of the last Gaza hostage, Ran Gvili.

- The US Border Patrol chief and some agents are leaving Minneapolis following the deadly shooting.

- The Charlotte Motor Speedway is expected to drop the Roval in favor of bringing back the superspeedway naming for NASCAR's postseason race.

- The Rahal Letterman Lanigan racing team adds Ryan Briscoe and race engineer Mike Pawlowski to its three-car program.

- ICYMI: The Dragon Ball franchise has announced an upcoming Galactic Patrol chapter of the Dragon Ball Super anime. Additionally, there will be a new "Age 1000" Game Project, as well as a director's cut "Beerus" version of the Dragon Ball Super TV anime, set to be released this fall, along with other exciting updates.

- Cha Eun Woo apologizes for disappointing fans with his tax evasion issue.

- Nonito Donaire will battle Anthony Olascuaga in their March 15 match in Yokohama.

- Match between Jose Valenzuela and Diego Torres confirmed as the Zuffa Boxing main event this February 1, 2026.

- Actor Raoul Aragon passed away at 78.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (January 26, 2026)

   

                                          

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

- Political analyst and former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Atty. Egon Cayosa, believes that the Philippines will be more shameful to the world if the impeachment complaints filed against the country's two highest-ranking leaders are not acted upon immediately. Cayosa's reaction was to Senate President Tito Sotto's statement that the Philippines will be more shameful to the world if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte are impeached.

- The Philippine National Police has arrested 24 individuals involved in illegal mining in Misamis Oriental, and 30.8 million pesos worth of equipment was seized.

- Executive Secretary Ralph Recto is directing the PH Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth to examine the possible expansion of benefits and PhilHealth packages, especially for those in the middle class.

- Andy Burnham was blocked from standing in the upcoming by-election in the UK by the Labour Party's ruling body.

- US officials confirmed that a person was shot to death by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.

- Prince Harry says sacrifices made by NATO forces in Afghanistan deserve "respect" following harsh comments from US President Donald Trump. Trump's "insulting" comments draw flak from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

- Apple's Apple Pay service is expected to begin operations in the Philippines by the third quarter of 2026 as local banks work to complete technical requirements to support the platform for contactless payments.

- Tesla removed the standard Autopilot feature from all-new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles sold in the US and Canada.

- The Donkervoort P24 RS was unveiled, and it's powered by an EcoBoost V6 engine turned to produce 600bhp of power in a car that weighs 780kg.

- Bertone revived the Runabout as a V6-powered machine that will be built in very limited numbers.

- TV series Kamen Rider Zeztz casts Yuki Tamaki as CODE Number: 3/Lord Three, Shin Koyanagi as CODE Number: 5/Lord Five, and Yuzuki Hirakawa as CODE Number: 6/Lord Six.

- The penultimate episode of the final Super Sentai Series installment, No.1 Sentai Gozyuger, casts Kenichi Suzumura as the ultimate threat, Rex.

- NCT members Jeno and Jaemin announced their unit debut as NCT JNJM.

- The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will face each other in the NFL's Super Bowl this February 8, 2026.

- In Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals, San Miguel leads 2-1 after beating Talk N Text at the score of 95-89.

TTFN.

2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship - Rolex 24 at Daytona

The 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship kicked off with the Rolex 24 at Daytona. 60 cars from four classes are gathered in a record audience at Daytona for America's legendary endurance race where they will spend 24 hours racing, battling, and surviving until the winners are made.

Screengrab from IMSA

The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 nailed its third Rolex 24HR Daytona victory for the GTP class with Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer, and Laurin Heinrich behind the wheel. The #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR dominated the LMP2 class, the #1 Paul Miller Racing M4 GT3 Evo for the GTD PRO class, and the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the GTD class.

The 24-hour endurance race in Daytona is over, but the 2026 IMSA season has just begun. The next race is the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring this March 18-21, 2026.