Let's Do The News! (February 2, 2026)

 

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

- A boat en route to Surigao, one of the MV Maria Felisa fleets, caught fire yesterday.

- The PH Bureau of Customs is auctioning 10 more cars seized from Sarah Discaya next week. 

- Construction on stalled housing projects from the PBBM administration in Caloocan City were resumed and will be finished as soon as possible.

- Criminal complaints filed against the Villars will be re-evaluated by the PH Department of Justice.

- Serial killer Steve Wright admitted the kidnapping snd the murder of the 17-year-old Victoria Hall in Suffolk, UK.

- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Lord Mandelson should not be part of the House of Lords following his involvement with the late sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein.

- An annual solar eclipse will welcome the Lunar Year of the Horse on February 17, 2026. It will be visible in Antarctica.

- NASCAR's pre-season clash in Bowman Gray stadium postponed to Wednesday due to winter weather.

- Bandai Namco announced Tekken 8's Year 3 roadmap with numerous updates, returning favorites such as Kunimitsu, Bob, and Roger Jr., and an additional character to be revealed at Late 2026.

- The winners of the 2026 Grammy Awards.

TTFN.

San Miguel Beermen claimed PBA 50th Season PH Cup title

 The San Miguel Beermen's dominance in the PBA Philippine Cup continues as they defeated the TNT Tropang 5G with a score of 92 to 77 in Game 6 of the best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup Finals. The match took place at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

Before SMB's recent PBA title win, the previous five games saw both sides exchange fire, even in the latter games. The Beermen are leading 3-2. 

Come Game 6, the SMB proved unstoppable with June Mar Fajardo unleashing blows in the first half, while the second half saw other players stepping up to fend off the rival team. In the end, the San Miguel Beermen defeated the TNT Tropang Giga with a score of 92-77 to claim the PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup Champions title.

June Mar Fajardo was named Rebounder of the Game and MVP, while Cjay Perez was named Assist Man of the Game.

Image: PBA

Congratulations to the San Miguel Beermen for becoming the PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup champions!

ABB FIA Formula E S12 - Miami City E-Prix

Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship continues with the Miami E-Prix. Thankfully, the snowstorm did not reach Miami; instead, a drizzle turned this street race into a wet and wild event. It's great that Miami is still hosting this exciting Formula E race, despite ongoing tensions between the U.S. and the EU regarding Greenland, as well as the U.S.'s preparations for this summer's World Cup and its upcoming 250th anniversary celebration.

Screengrab from Formula E

From P9 to the top of the podium, Jaguar driver Mitch Evans left Porsche drivers Nico Mueller and Pascal Wehrlein behind to win the wet and wild Miami E-Prix.

Post-Miami, Nick Cassidy of Citroen leads with 40 points, with Porsche driver Pascal Wehrlein in 2nd with 38 points, and Andretti's Jake Dennis is in third with 37 points.

The next race is the two-race Jeddah E-Prix this February 13 to 14, 2026.

Ferrari Amalfi

As the successor to the Ferrari Roma, the Amalfi is Ferrari's first-ever GT car, designed for the daily driver who prefers to take the scenic route home.

2026 Ferrari Amalfi

2026 Ferrari Amalfi interior

Priced near the 300-grand mark plus additional costs, the Ferrari Amalfi picks up where the Roma left off with new and intriguing ways to keep its drivers satisfied for more.

While the Amalfi maintains the silhouette of the Roma it replaces, it features a front view inspired by its larger counterpart, the 12-cylinder model, all designed to exude a sleek and sporty appearance. Inside, the Amalfi is the first Ferrari to showcase a monolithic layout, where the instrument cluster and air vents are integrated into a single block. This unique air conditioning design ensures both the driver and passenger stay cool, even in heavy traffic. 

Like most Ferraris, you can't escape the fact that it comes with a fully-functional touchscreen, an F1-style steering wheel full of switches and buttons, a second screen for the passenger, and other luxury features worth noticing.

The front-mid-engined 4.0L turbocharged V8 engine from the Roma has been boosted to produce 640PS of power, about 40PS less than its main rival, the Aston Martin Vantage S. Armed with the 8-speed F1-style transmission, it sprints from 0-100kph in 3.3 seconds and has a top speed of 320kph, nearly as good as the Vantage S.

The Amalfi retains the Roma's driver-friendly character, prioritizing road performance over track capabilities. Its road-focused suspension and chassis setup distinguish it from its relatives. As a result, the driving dynamics have improved, offering a smooth experience worthy to be called, sorry to say, "a smooth operator." Good on the track, better on the road, as the Amalfi means it.

The Amalfi is no doubt one of the must-drive GT cars of today. Not as smooth as butter, but it's a "smooth operator". This Roma successor is suitable for daily driving and ideal for date nights, appealing to those who excel like Leclerc or Hamilton.

Photo: Ferrari

Renault Clio VI

The Renault Clio is now in its sixth generation, and it's now the best-looking Clio ever made. However, don't let its revolving looks amaze you because underneath, it's all commoners' stuff, only today's generation of drivers can fully understand.

2026 Renault Clio

2026 Renault Clio

Starting at 19,900 Euros plus additional costs, the all-new Renault Clio rewrites its 35-year history with its revolutionary new design, new interior, cutting-edge technology, and a rather fuel-efficient powertrain that makes you want to go like never before.

Renault has completely redesigned the Clio, giving it a fresh look that distinguishes it from previous models. The front view, while dynamic in spirit, recalls Lincoln's styling, with the hexagonal grille reminiscent of contemporary Lincoln crossovers or the Hyundai Sonata III from the mid-90s. Regardless of the comparison, it’s certainly a striking appearance for a French hatchback.

2026 Renault Clio interior

Inside, the all-new Clio features a 20-inch panoramic widescreen that merges a 10-inch instrument display with a Google-powered 10-inch touchscreen. This touchscreen controls nearly all vehicle functions and can be equipped with over 100 apps, including Waze, Canal+, and Nextory. The interior also includes climate control switches, a Harman Kardon sound system, a gear shift column located behind the steering wheel, unique ambient lighting, and seats made from recycled materials. Additionally, the boot space ranges from 327 to 1,176 liters.

The Clio VI is available with two engine options: a 1.2L TCe engine producing 115PS and a top-of-the-line 1.8L E-TECH Hybrid engine delivering 160PS. The E-TECH Hybrid boasts an impressive fuel economy of 4.1L/100km, based on WLTP standards. The 1.2L engine can be paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed EDC automatic transmission. Meanwhile, the E-TECH Hybrid is equipped with a 6-speed Multi-Mode Automatic transmission, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.5 seconds, with a top speed comparable to that of many Japanese cars.

Still built on the CMF-B platform, the all-new Clio offers exceptional comfort, class-leading dynamic handling, and improved soundproofing. While it shows slight enhancements over the previous model, it remains ordinary as expected. As for safety, the all-new Clio is jam-packed with 29 advanced driver assistance systems, including the Safety Score and Safety Coach features that provide personalized driving advice. Awkward, I dare say.

As said before, the sixth-generation Renault Clio is the best-looking yet, but beneath its stylish exterior lies a blend of familiar features that resonate with today's drivers. In short, it's stylish but regular for a French hatchback sourced from Turkiye. In the end, it's all about common sense.

Available Colors: Vert Absolu, Blanc Glacier, Gris Rafale, Gris Schiste, Noir Etoile, Bleu Iron, and Rouge Absolu.

Photo: Renault

Let's Do The News! (January 31, 2026)

        

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

- North EDSA roads closed for four months, according to the MMDA, due to the installation of the MRT-7.

- Luigi Mangione will not receive the death penalty if convicted of killing United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson, a judge has ruled.

- The US Justice Department is releasing over three million pages from the Jeffrey Epstein files.

- US President Donald Trump announced a special IndyCar street race in Washington, D.C., taking place from August 21 to 23, 2026. This event, called the Freedom 250, will take place near the National Mall.

- ICYMI: Nissan sold its South African plant to China's Chery.

- Seiyuu Yuji Mitsuya was hospitalized following an injury.

- Fate/Grand Order arcade game's service will end this March 2026.

- In Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup finals, SMB leads 3-2 after defeating TNT at the score of 96-82.

- Actress Catherine O'Hara, known for her roles in Schitt's Creek, Home Alone, and Beetlejuice, dies at age 71.

TTFN.

Send Help (2026 film)

If you and your boss were stranded on a deserted island, who would be in charge now? This psychological survival horror film from the mind of Sam Raimi will demonstrate who’s really in control.

Send Help (2026 film)

From the visionary behind horror classics like The Evil Dead and Drag Me to Hell comes Send Help, a psychological survival horror film featuring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. In this story, McAdams plays an office worker who is growing weary of taking orders from her boss, portrayed by O'Brien. However, after surviving a terrifying plane crash, both characters find themselves stranded on a deserted island, turning the tables on their dynamic.

Raimi has done it again with his latest work. This psychological horror masterpiece explores the insanity that afflicts two characters after they survive a plane crash on a deserted island. You can think of this film as a blend of "Cast Away" and "The Shining," providing a chilling new twist on the classic "stuck on a deserted island" trope. It goes to show that going psycho is the last thing you'll ever gonna do when you're stuck on a deserted island with someone you don't like the most.

If you enjoyed the classic horror films by Sam Raimi, give this new movie a try. You'll discover who is in charge now.