Let's Do The News! (March 11, 2016)

- The People's Republic of China has expressed alarm over the recent agreement between Japan and the Philippines for the transfer of defense equipment and technology from Tokyo to Manila. The Japanese government is set to lease five of its retired training planes to the Philippines which will be used for patrolling the disputed South China Sea.

- An anonymous donor helped Davao City Mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte pay for his initial political ads that were aired before the start of the official campaign period. According to one of Duterte's spokesmen, the ads were directly placed within TV stations and he didn't know who the donor was.

- The military uncovered supposed training manuals for militants under the Islamic State from the raid into the camp used by the Maute group in Butig, Lanao del Sur last month. According to Lt. General Mayoralgo de la Cruz, the commander of the Western Mindanao Command, the troops retrieved several documents and booklets showing that the Maute brothers is trying to link up with the Islamic State.

- Suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group issued an ultimatum for one month to the families of three foreigners and a Filipina captive kidnapped last year on an island resort in Samal, Davao del Norte to meet their demands or face execution.

- Today marks the 5th anniversary of the March 11 disasters and people across Japan paid tribute to the victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku region. Mourning ceremonies and meetings are being held at 1446 hours local time, the exact time when the quake struck five years ago. People offered silent prayers for the victims.

- Based on the latest-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the first-ever E43 AMG high-performance saloon was uncovered, packed with a 3.0-litre V6 biturbo engine generating 401HP of power while mated with a 9G-TRONIC gearbox.

2017 Mercedes-AMG E43

- A teaser for the new fifth-generation Subaru Impreza was showcased before this month's New York Auto Show.

Teaser for the new Impreza

- Cartoon Network's revival of the hit cartoon The Powerpuff Girls is set to air this April 4th at 6PM/5PM Central!

The Powerpuff Girls

- To celebrate the return of The Powerpuff Girls as well as saying goodbye to μ's because of their impending Final Love Live, the "μ's Meet The Powerpuff Girls" collaboration event is heading to AnimeJapan 2016 this month, packed with more goodies.

μ's Meet The Powerpuff Girls

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, Lola Nidora entered Dudang's mansion...just to meet Dudang. Now here's the catch; tomorrow, Dudang's going to meet Yaya Dub in person and that is one thing you should watch out because their meetup will decide the fate.

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: NoKor leader ordered his officials to ready the attacks

The North's Korean Central News Agency said today that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his officials to get ready to carry out nuclear attacks and conduct more nuclear tests. The NoKor leader stressed the need to further develop nuclear weapons and diversify the means of delivering nuclear warheads in order to "make nuclear strikes at the enemies form anywhere, even underwater".

Kim gave militant tasks to conduct more nuclear explosion tests to estimate the destructive power of the newly produced nuclear warheads and other tests to improve nuclear capability. The KCNA said without disclosing when the drill took place.

Yesterday, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea as an act of protest against the ongoing US-South Korean joint military drill.

Source: Arirang News

Remembering Tohoku, five years later...

March 11, 2016 marks the fifth anniversary of the dreaded Tohoku earthquake and tsunami as well as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. So, five years has passed since the terrible disasters and I'm not very sure how are things going on in the affected Japanese region. Let me give you quick brief about what happened five years ago.

It was the 11th of March, 2011, at the Tohoku Region of Japan, when a magnitude-9 earthquake triggered a nightmarish tsunami that was more than 10 meters high.  According to reports, over 18,500 people were either dead or unaccounted for while almost 3,000 people died while evacuated from their homes. During the powerful quake and tsunami, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been destroyed, causing one of the most terrifying nuclear disasters since the Chernobyl incident thirty years ago.

I know that efforts to contain the radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi takes a lot of time but I believe that this plant is a symbol of nuclear awareness and having learned their lessons from Fukushima, some people aware of this incident have to take precautions to their remaining nuclear plants not just in Japan but also worldwide.

Despite recovery in the affected areas, the pain from what happened five years ago is still reeling from the people and I'm not sure how will move on to their normal lives after the disasters.

I have nothing else to say but to wish the people the very best to move away from the pain they felt five years ago and continue on what they do best.

Ganbarou, Nippon!

Genesis EQ900L

2017 Genesis EQ900L

2017 Genesis EQ900L interior

Late last year, Hyundai Motor Company made "Genesis" into a standalone luxury brand in the same way Citroen done with DS Automobiles, showing that it's the ideal moment to separate the men from the boys when it comes to cars. The first venture to the Genesis Motors brand is the EQ900, the flagship replacement to the Equus that promises to take on the likes of MB's S-Class and BMW's 7-Series.

Now, the first Genesis car in automotive history has been given a stretched version called the EQ900L and with added 290mm in the wheelbase, the interior of the EQ900L will accommodate even a top-ranking South Korean official after his or her busy day at the parliament. With the available "First Class VIP Seat" option, this would be the most relaxing back seat a South Korean official may live up with and enjoy his or her backseat privileges from reading the newspaper, watching TV for today's news, or even phone calls with the other officials. The rear seat of the EQ900L is nothing more like a command center on the road.

Exclusive to the EQ900L is the powerful V8 5.0-liter GDI engine which produces 425PS of power and 7.2km/L of fuel consumption, while mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. It even comes with HTRAC all-wheel drive system which makes it an all-weather cruiser from the Blue House to Gangnam.

The EQ900L also comes with an array of tech such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detection, Active Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and Driver Attention Alert, to Smart High Beam Assist and Around View Monitor.

The price for the EQ900L starts at 150,200,000 Korean Won (roughly $125,000), making it the most expensive Korean car to buy, unless if you are trying to commission it as the main mode of transport for South Korean politicians trying to mop up today's situations.

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

Suzuki Baleno (WB32/42S)

Last 2015, at the Frankfurt International Auto Show, Suzuki Motor Corporation showcased a new kind of hatchback with a name fairly familiar to some in the same way the recently launched Ignis compact is. This new Suzuki hatchback is called Baleno and this could be one of the most important cars to spark a revolution to the Japanese car manufacturer that excels in fuel-efficient compacts unlike any other.

2016 Suzuki Baleno

Before I can explain what's what abut the Baleno, let me give you a quick trivia on where this car was made and I'm sure most of your guesses are plainly wrong because it's not in here and it's not even in Hungary either (like today's SX4 S-Cross and the Escudo) because the Baleno is made somewhere in Manesar, India, making it the first Indian-made car to be sold in the Japanese market. Makes perfect sense especially the fact that India played a crucial role in the growth of Suzuki.

Because this is an Indian-made Japanese compact, the styling of the Baleno is not what you called dynamic and striking because from every angle, the Baleno will remind you that it is distinctively Indian. Nothing to see here, it's just a regular Indian tourist trying to accommodate the sights and sounds of Japan.

2016 Suzuki Baleno interior

Despite being too Indian on the exterior, the inside of the Baleno surely makes them shift their judgment and it's rather nice enough to be accommodated with, especially if this is mainly a five-seater car, perfect for being a daily driver's car to live up with you and your small family. Space-wise, the Baleno is rather great indeed to carry a golf cart and some stuff you bought from the supermarket.

2016 Suzuki Baleno

By the time the Baleno went on sale to the Japanese market, the only available engine offered is a 1.2L Dual Jet engine, a dual-injection petrol engine with better thermal efficiency, which produces 91PS of power and 118Nm of torque, and with the CVT equipped, fuel economy is around 24.6kmpl. If they waited 'till May, they can experience one of the most important engines developed by Suzuki, the first-ever turbocharged 1.0L BoosterJet engine which develops 111PS of power and 160Nm of torque, while mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. For the turbocharged model, fuel economy is expected to be somewhat 20kmpl.

What about dynamics? Well it maybe a globally-competitive compact, but this Indo-Japanese has a lot to learn from the Europeans because while many hatchbacks love to gloat around with their independent suspensions, the Baleno gets suck around with MacPherson struts and coil springs up front and a torsion beam and coil springs in the rear. Despite this setup, it's no surprising the Baleno can balance performance and comfort at ease and what it feels like is like Glico meets Britannia. Delicious.

As for safety, the Baleno is well prepared with features such as Radar Brake Support, ESP, six SRS airbags, and an impact absorbent body.

2016 Suzuki Baleno

The Baleno, sourced from India, starts at 1,414,800 Yen and when you compare it against Japanese cars with dual-citizen status, be it a Nissan March or a Mitsubishi Mirage, its pricing is not a walk in the park but that's not the least of the problem. The only dilemma this new car is facing is how would the Japanese public respond to a car that is sourced from India? Nobody knows where this car is made anyway but they will just treat it like any other car in the world. Let's hope the Indo-Japanese will work its karma here.

Available colors: Arctic White Pearl, Premium Silver Metallic 3, Midnight Black Pearl, Fire Red, Autumn Orange Pearl Metallic, Ray Blue Pearl Metallic, and Urban Blue Pearl Metallic.

Photo: Suzuki Motor Corporation

Let's Do The News! (March 10, 2016)

- The Philippines Health Insurance Corporation or PHILHEALTH downplayed reports allayed the fears of members and stakeholders and denied reports that it can only operate for 10 more months. Alex Padilla, the president and CEO of PHILHEALTH, clarified that the state health firm remains stable and their funds remain robust and steadily growing. Padilla issued an official statement in response to yesterday's news that "PhilHealth is dying due to fund payout larger than its members’ monthly contributions and income” and that may have caused panic among PhilHealth’s members and stakeholders.

- Jovito Salonga, the former Senate President passed away at the age of 95. Salonga was the leading opposition leader during the Marcos regime. He was elected president of the Liberal Party in 1985.

- Senate President Franklin Drilon vowed to stop COMELEC from delaying the May 9 elections following the Supreme Court order to print vote receipts. COMELEC chairman Juan Andres Bautista said that printing receipts may have an impact on the poll body's timeline as there are only two months left before the election, but Drilon reminded them that it has no legal basis to delay the election.

- At the recent democratic debate in Florida, Democratic frontrunner Hilary Clinton blasted her rival Bernie Sanders for being too far left on his actions but also seeking to cast him as ally of the far-right militiamen on the subject of immigration. In Clinton's point of view, condemning Sanders is proof that she isn't ready to deal against the Republicans but she is still trying to make a case against Sanders as the Florida primary kicks off next Tuesday.

- Three B-2 stealth bombers were dispatched by the United States. These bombers had been deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base in the state of Missouri and they will conduct training exercises with allies and friendly nations, mostly from the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Observers say the dispatch is aimed at demonstrating the ability of US forces to respond to the activities of China and North Korea.

- For two days in a row, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps from Iran has test-fired ballistic missiles, causing criticism from the United States and a chance of raising the issue with the UNSC. Last year, Iran made a deal with six world powers to restrict their nuclear program in return for lifting sanctions but it has insisted it will not make concessions on its missile program.

- The Opel/Vauxhall Astra K is named as the 2016 European Car of the Year.

- Disney unveiled a first image for their upcoming reboot of the TV animated classic Duck Tales, coming to Disney XD this 2017.

- TV personality Kris Aquino decides to take a break from her showbizness for health reasons.

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, despite Alden's still in his Dubai gig...again...the 34th weeksary of AlDub is never forgotten until the sudden arrival of Yaya Dub's stepmother, Caitlyn "Dudang" Smash, showed up, knowing that she wants them to invite in her house tomorrow. The lolas are not ready to enter so to decide if they're going or not, they've challenged Dudang to a game of knock-knock jokes and the lolas won but because of Yaya Dub's persuasion to meet her stepmom, they're decided to go but what's the address? Tune in next time and find out! 

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: NoKor to seize all SoKor assets on its soil

North Korea said they will seize all South Korea assets on its soil in response to Seoul's unilateral sanctions against the country over the fourth nuclear test and rocket launch.

The statement from the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said that NoKor will invalidate all economic cooperation projects and exchange accords with the SoKor as well as liquidating assets of SoKor firms and related institutions.

Source: NHK World

Ssangyong Tivoli Air

Look who came back from last year, it's Ssangyong's little crossover called the Tivoli but the Tivoli we're seeing it now looks somewhat different from the one we saw last year because the Ssangyong Tivoli you saw now is the longer version, the Air. Tivoli Air.

2017 Ssangyong Tivoli Air

The Air, which is the longer wheelbase version of last year's Tivoli, made a premiere at the recent Geneva International Motor Show, and following its Geneva premiere, Ssangyong quickly made the extended version for sale on the South Korean motoring public. Surprising, eh? But don't get too surprised about the newest Tivoli variant made for those who are in need of more boot space.

2017 Ssangyong Tivoli Air

2017 Ssangyong Tivoli Air

To avoid further confusion between the Air and the regular Tivoli, the new model features a 238mm increase over the base Tivoli, reaching a load capacity of 720 cubic liters of space. It also comes with a different exterior cue that will help differentiate it from the normal Tivoli as well, so you can get a clear idea of which Tivoli is which, although the seating for five people still remains for the newer and longer version of the Tivoli, so you won't feel any difference when you get inside. What's clever about the Air is that the side pockets are big enough to fit a 1.5 liter of your favorite soft drink you bought from your nearest sari-sari store. Seems legit for your next barkada trip but in terms of fun, expect some spoils on this one.

2017 Ssangyong Tivoli Air

The e-XGi160 1.6L engine from the normal Tivoli was carried over to the Air, this time it produces 11PS less than the basic Tivoli, resulting in 115PS of power output and 30.6kg-m of torque, while mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.

Be it front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, even with a multilink suspension setup and three different driving modes, the Tivoli Air feels as cheap as the cheap Korean cars of the last century. It's going to be a tough slob to drive and doesn't feel as refined as its European rivals on the road. It's going to act like that old-school service you've been in since your childhood, clattering from the moment it arrived from your doorstep and still clattering on your way back home after exhausting hours of schoolwork.

Should you buy one? The Tivoli Air starts at 19,490,000 to 24,490,000 Korean Won, making it more pricey to own than the normal Tivoli but with all that price comes a car that sacrifices a few power output for more space at the back and nothing else to be excited about. On the scale of MISS to PERFECT, I believe it should be placed in the BAD position because when you look at it, the new and longer Air model doesn't cut the mustard against the competition and I think this car should do better than that.

That's okay though because with the Tivoli Air, Ssangyong knows how to step their game up after being taken over by the Indians five years ago and they're coming back fighting to the crossover games.

Available colors: Grand White/Black, Silent Silver/Black, Flaming Red/Black, Jazz Brown/Black, Techno Grey/Black, Dandy Blue/White, and Space Black/White.

Photo: Ssangyong Motor Company

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: NoKor fired missiles into the East Sea

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea has fired two short range missiles off the East Sea as an act of protest against the ongoing US-South Korea joint exercise.

The ballistic missiles fired at around 0520 hours Korean time from the Hwanghae Bukto province bordering South Korea. This is the first time NoKor fired ballistic missiles this year. Last week, North Korea fired six short-range rockets into the East Sea.

North Korea has a record of reacting with military provocations to the annual military exercises, which they denounce as an act of war.

In response, the United States is closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula. A spokesperson from the Pentagon told that the US has seen the reports adding that they are closely monitoring the situation.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (March 9, 2016)

- Parts of Southeast Asia have experienced a partial or total solar eclipse, which is the only total eclipse of the sun this year. The eclipse lasted for a few minutes and it occurred at different times at different spots along the path of totality. It was first appeared at around 0015 GMT at the western end of the path and it petered out in the eastern Pacific at 0338 GMT. A total solar eclipse is what happens when the moon, in its new phase, passes directly in front of the sun from an observer's perspective.

- One of the petitioners behind the disqualification case against Senator Grace Poe said he will file a motion for reconsideration and present new grounds against the senator who was recently been granted by the Supreme Court to take part in the May 2016 elections. Former dean of the University of the East College of Law, Amado Valdez, said he will attempt to reverse the SC ruling allowing Poe to run as president, stating that Poe's violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, which both described as strong grounds.

- Former Philippine Stock Exchange employee Jay Penaflor was labeled by the National Bureau of Investigation as the Philippine equivalent of "The Wolf of Wall Street", enticed stock market investors to invest in big corporations, promising them high returns. According to sources, Penaflor may be the biggest market investment scam operator through the years with an estimated 100 million to 300 million pesos in funds taken from several investors.

- Once again, the United States reassume that there will be no dialogue with North Korea until the reclusive state takes steps toward denuclearization. According to the US's top nuclear envoy, Washington's NoKor policy remains the same and there is no secret dealing with China that South Korea is not aware of. His comments came amid speculation that Beijing had proposed a two-track approach of pursuing North Korea's denuclearization and peace talks simultaneously and the impending five-party talks excluding North Korea.

- The Japanese court has issued an injunction to suspend operations of two nuclear reactors at the Takahama plant in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, the first time such injunction for reactors currently in operation. 29 residents from the Shiga prefecture sought an injunction last year demanding that the plant's operator keep the third and fourth reactors offline, claiming they're unsafe and risk of major accidents.

- Following Maria Sharapova, there are some of Russia's top athletes have tested positive for the banned drug meldonium. Russian state media reported that short-track speed skater Semion Elistratov, 5-time world champion speed skater Pavel Kulizhnikov, and men's volleyball player Alexander Markin  have failed the drug test and tested positive for the banned drug. The lower house of the Russia's State Duma will convene an emergency sports committee meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue.

- Porsche and other sponsors revoked their partnership with Maria Sharapova following the shocking revelation about her tested positive for a banned drug ahead of the Australian Open.

- Japanese electronics company NEC plans to test out their early earthquake warning devices in Taiwan with the aim to win their first overseas contract for their equipment.

- Remember Erika Toda? The actress who played Misa Amane from the Death Note films ten years ago? Guess what? She's back to reprise the role in the brand new successor film, which honors the tenth anniversary of the live action Death Note films.

- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga kalyeserye, with Yaya Dub back in the picture after what happened yesterday, she and the lolas received a letter from Yaya Dub's stepmother, Madame Caitlyn Smash, better known as Dudang. The letter invites them to her mansion, although no specific timeline was given. Question is when? What is Dudang's mansion look like? Could this be the lolas' personal idea of hell just to rid of Yaya Dub? Tune in next time and find out!

TTFN!!!

Forza Motorsport 6: The Awesome Porsche 918

The star attraction of the Forza Motorsport 6 Porsche Expansion pack is none other than the pinnacle of Porsche's engineering excellence; the 918 Spyder. With the 918 Spyder here, the dream of having the Hybrid Hypercar Holy Trinity consisting of this, the P1, and the LaFerrari, can finally be settled once and for all. But first, I want to talk about the 918 and to find out, I want to recreate a Top Gear moment that Richard Hammond tried the 918 round the Yas Marina Circuit in nighttime.



Like the McLaren P1 I tried a few moments ago, the Porsche 918 features a combination of a 4.6L V8 engine which produces 612HP of power by itself, two electric motors bolted on the axles, and a 6.8kWh Li-ion battery. The electric motors deliver around 500lb-ft of torque at 8000rpm, a torque that a Ferrari 458 deemed impossible.

Compared against the McLaren P1, the 918 is a tad 7mph slower than the P1's 218mph top speed but the 0-60mph time is what the 918 got its Ace of Spades. 2.6 seconds to the P1's 2.8 seconds, courtesy of the 4WD drivetrain and its incredible torque. With those stats, both the P1 and the 918 will keep fighting and fighting. It's Love Live's Sunny Day Song against THE IDOLM@STER's M@STERPIECE.



Time for some interesting facts about the 918 and it features some cool stuff that the P1's feeling jealous at. It comes with regenerative braking which can retrieve energy generated by braking and feed it back into the batteries. Since this is labeled as a "Spyder", the roof can be removed for open-top cruising, and on the interior, there are concessions of comfort that the P1 doesn't have, including the center console, touch-screen, and glovebox.

Aside from that, the 918 features four driving modes. In E-Power mode, its battery-only mileage is around 18 miles compared to the P1's 7 miles. Then, when switched to hybrid, the petrol and the electric battery can be alternated on various driving conditions. When switched to Sport mode, only the V8 engine kicks in. Now, onto Race mode and talking about this feature is tad boring, let's find out just how good the 918 is when all the power from both sides kicked in.



It's no surprising the 918 lapped round the Nurburgring faster than every other car in the world and thanks to its clever four-wheel drive system and the extensive use of lightweight materials, all that Porsche motorsport DNA is implied in this civilized, grown-up, hypercar and despite being well-mannered and well-behaved than the P1, the dynamics are surprisingly accessible even for a 4WD hypercar.



Think about this, a Weissach Package-spec 918 Spyder, noteworthy with a unique livery and 60kg weight drop, lapped round the Nurburgring of less than 6:57, making it the fastest series production street-legal car to break the seven minute barrier. In context; a Lexus LFA Nurburgring Package did it in 7 minutes and 14 seconds while the Nissan GT-R did it half a second slower. For the P1, McLaren claimed it made it through the sub-7 minute mark but they're not saying an actual time.



Like what Richard Hammond felt during his Top Gear years, the 918 may not be as powerful as the P1 but its dynamics will really upset the McLaren P1 and once I'm done evaluating with the LaFerrari later on, I can finally settle the Hybrid Hypercar trio round the Top Gear track and see if one of these hybrids seal their fate on the failed attempt to rename Jeremy Clarkson into Jennifer until their inevitable demise in the world of Top Gear.

For now, you can settle one yourself by trying the awesome 918 Spyder on the Forza Motorsport 6 Porsche Expansion pack, available now.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Kim Jong Un says country has small nukes

The Korean News Central Agency says that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met his nuclear scientists for a briefing and declared he was amazed that the nuclear warheads are small enough to fit into ballistic missiles.

Based on the report, the North Korean leader told the scientists that the stronger the country's nuclear strike capability, the more effective it will be as a deterrent to aggression.

Pyongyang has previously claimed it has nuclear warheads small enough to fit into long-range missiles but experts have questioned such claims. They've warned last Monday of pre-emptive strikes following the US-South Korean joint military exercises that commenced on that day and will last until the end of April.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remained high following NoKor's nuclear test and rocket launch, which prompted the UN to adopt tough new sanctions.

Report: The Philippine Star