THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Supreme People's Assembly begins

The Supreme People's Assembly has begun today, a process widely seen as cementing Kim Jong-un's grip on power. The session comes 50 days after a rare Workers' Party Congress last month. South Korea's Unification Ministry says today's convention will address the legislation and revision issues of its party's structure and constitution among other things. Experts predict Kim Jong-un will take the title of chairman of the Central People's Committee, a position once held by his late grandfather and North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung.

Meanwhile, the US, South Korea, and Japan conducted their first joint-missile-tracking exercise off Hawaii on Tuesday local time in an effort to better defend against threats from North Korea. The Pacific Dragon exercise came as the North has been carrying out numerous test firings of the Musudan missile, which the second one claimed it was successful.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (June 29, 2016)

- President Benigno Aquino III will be given departure honors before he will pass over his leadership duty to president-elect Rodrigo Duterte tomorrow. Aquino will have a one-on-one meeting with Duterte before the final departure honors by the Armed Forces of the Philippines at the Palace grounds, according to officials.

- An analyst said that US Secretary of State John Kerry should meet President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to secure the Philippines-US relationship. John Schaus from the Center for Strategic and International Studies said that Kerry should be the first cabinet official to meet with Duterte when he assumes office and directly hear his objectives.

- Musical artists, who are also supporters of VP-elect Leni Robredo are expected to perform at her thanksgiving celebration tomorrow, the day of the inauguration. Robredo;s post-inaugural celebration will be held at the Quezon City Memorial Park from 5PM to 8PM local time on the day of her oath taking in the city.

- Earlier, a bomb attack occurred at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Istanbul Turkey, with reports of near 50 people had already died but later said the death toll is expected to rise to close to 50. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for these attacks. Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said that there are no Filipino casualties in the recent Turkish airport attack.

- Onto the Brexit aftermath, over a thousand young Brits held a rally in London to protest their country's decision to leave the European Union. The demonstrators gathered at Trafalgar Square in the center of the British capital, waving EU flags, toted placards, and chanted slogans calling for UK to retain in the EU.

- Presumed Republican presidentiable Donald Trump wants the United States to be withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pack, calling it a death blow to American manufacturing. He stressed his opposition to expanding free trade and said he would give priority to securing jobs for workers in the US.

- On the 29th of June, 2014, the terrorist organization called the Islamic State was established for the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria. The establishment of the rogue terrorist organization came after the militants controlled Mosul, Iraq. In its two year timeline, the Islamic State unleashed wave of terrorist attacks from the Middle East and inspiring attacks from across the globe, including France, Belgium, and Turkey, among many others.

- Good Smile Company's THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Crystal Night Party range adds Rin Shibuya to the mix. This figure is now available to order for 11,852 Yen (plus tax) and deliveries will commence this February.

- "Look At Our Shiny New Logo". A new logo for Amazon Original Series, The Grand Tour, hosted by former Top Gear trio Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, has unveiled.

- The second-generation Porsche Panamera saloon has been unveiled, featuring a brand new exterior, high-tech interior, and new V6 and V8 Biturbo engines.

TTFN!!!

TGUSA: Cuba

This is probably the last American Top Gear aired on HISTORY Channel prior to the announcement that this show is well and truly over...for now. In this episode, which is the last for US Top Gear, the boys are on a historic road trip to Cuba.

Since the trade embargo that prohibits Cuba from importing new cars from the US during the Cold War and the infamous missile crisis, most of the cars on Cuban roads are mostly pre-1960 American cars. Thanks to the newly-reconciled ties between US and Cuba, things are finally settling in.

To honor such an occassion, Tanner, Rut, and Adam tried out some classic American cars and then set off to a Cuban road trip with some challenges and surprises in store for them.

Although I can't tell what the boys did in their historic Cuban road trip, it's a sad day to see the end of American Top Gear. It's a bit of a "meh" for Top Gear fans as a whole but it's been quite a ride after six seasons, seeing the boys ventured through uncharted territories with fast cars and clashing each other just for the fun of it.

Thank You, Top Gear. (The hit US Show)

Are You Ready 7th-TYPES??

Donuts' future-set idol rhythm app game, Tokyo 7th Sisters, is now on its 2nd year and to commemorate its 2nd year milestone, a 2nd anniversary concert will be held on the 21st of August at the Pacifico Yokohama, and apart from that, here comes a 2nd compilation album that will cater those who are familiar with this app game.

Are You Ready 7th-TYPES??

Tokyo 7th Sisters' 2nd compilation album called "Are You Ready 7th-TYPES??" features the best of hit songs as heard from the T7S game and this two-disc compilation offers the futuristic fun songs made possible by 777 ARTISTS' finest. Whether if you've got hooked into this game, discovering it for the very first time, or just for the love of idol girls no matter which side you're on, T7S's 2nd compilation album strikes the right grooves not just for fans of the present but fans from the not-too-distant future.

Oh, and there's a limited edition PREMIUM BOX which features two additional discs, a DVD packed with trailers highlighting two years of T7S, a bonus T-shirt, 16 in-game jacket cards, and a clear case, which is a must have for T7S fans or idol girl aficionados alike.

The Tokyo 7th Sisters 2nd Live 16'→30'→34' -INTO THE 2ND GEAR- concert takes place at the Pacifico Yokohama on the 21st of August, 2016. See you in 2034! (Just kidding)

TRACK LISTINGS:

Disc One:
1.Intro ～Are You Ready 7th-TYPES??～
2.SEVENTH HAVEN / セブンスシスターズ
3.FALLING DOWN / セブンスシスターズ
4.-Zero / KARAKURI
5.TREAT OR TREAT? / 4U
6.TREAT OR TREAT? (EMO edit) / 4U
7.TREAT OR TREAT? (HINA edit) / 4U
8.Is This it, Sisters!? / （ドラマトラック）

Disc Two:
1.Intro -to be the Blue Sky...-
2.僕らは青空になる / 777☆SISTERS
3.FUNBARE☆RUNNER / 777☆SISTERS
4.ラバ×ラバ / WITCH NUMBER 4
5.さよならレイニーレイディ / SiSH
6.You Can't Win / NI+CORA
7.セカイのヒミツ / サンボンリボン
8.YELLOW / Le☆S☆Ca
9.Behind Moon / Le☆S☆Ca
10.ハネ☆る!! / はる☆ジカ(ちいさな)
11.Snow in "I love you" / 777☆SISTERS
12.I need you ～「僕らは青空になる」original piano arrange～
13.またあした / 春日部ハル

Let's Do The News! (June 28, 2016)

- President-elect Rodrigo Duterte eyes placing the Philippines between the US and China, according to foreign policy and defense experts during the Asia Pacific Foreign Policy and Defense Seminar at the East West Center last week. According to Dr. Evelyn Goh, the Sheeden professor of Strategic Policy Studies, Australian National Studies, the Philippines right now is very much on the side of the US but it come back closer to the midpoint. However, that doesn't mean Duterte is going to align with the Chinese. Instead, it will bring the Philippines back to where it was kind of before, more along the mainstream where some ASEAN nations have thrived to keep the relations close to both world superpowers.

- Meanwhile, Vice President-elect Leni Robredo will collaborate with the private sector in pursuing her anti-poverty and pro-women advocacies. Robredo's spokespersons have repeatedly said she would continue to work hard to serve the people even without a Cabinet c=position.

- Back to the Brexit aftermath, British ambassador Asif Ahmad said that Britain's historic decision to leave the European Union will not affect Overseas Filipino Workers living and working in Great Britain as they arrived under a completely different regime. The UK has an independent migration and visa policy, not being part of Schengen and Filipinos came to the UK based on rules that would not be changed.

- Meanwhile, the top European Union leaders are holding a 2-day summit in Brussels to discuss how to deal with UK's decision to leave the bloc. The first session is due to start at around 1600 hours on Tuesday. British PM David Cameron is expected to tell his counterparts that he wants the negotiations to take place under his replacement, who will be chosen by October.

- Pope Francis said Sunday that Christians and the Roman Catholic should apologize to the LGBT community and seek forgiveness for the way they have been treated. Speaking to reporters as he flew back from Armenia, the pope was asked if he agreed with comments by German Cardinal Reinhard Marx that the Church needed to apologize for the way it has treated the LGBT community.

- Biohazard 6's Leon S. Kennedy and Ada Wong gets figurized courtesy of Hot Toys. These poseable figures are available to order starting at a limited-time pricing of 27,000 Yen and deliveries will commence this January.

- With Fast 8 shooting at Iceland's going to be sub-zero, the producers uncovered the cars that Dom and his crew will be using during their Icelandic mission, including Dom's Ice Charger.

Dom's Ice Charger

- China expressed regret over the meeting between exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and US pop singer, Lady Gaga. The two meet up at a conference of American mayors in Indianapolis on Sunday. At the meeting, the Dalai Lamai said compassion for others is the key to world peace and happiness while Lady Gaga replied that compassion is humans' greatest asset.

- Top Gear presenter Matt LeBlanc warned that he may quit the show unless the BBC sacked Chris Evans from the show.

- Sandara Park (Dara from K-Pop girl group 2NE1) returns on Philippine television as one of the judges of the upcoming reality show alongside comedian Vice Ganda and singer Yeng Constantino.

TTFN!!!

Top Gear S23E05

The fifth episode of "brand new" Top Gear is a road trip through scenic Irish roads with an argument between new and old as the Rolls-Royce Dawn, with Matt LeBlanc behind the wheel, pits against the legendary Corniche, owned by Chris Evans, just to settle things once and for all.

First, Evans tries out Britain's newest lightweight, the Zenos E10S, round the Top Gear Track. When handed to The Stig, it set a lap time of 1:25.1. Then Rory Reid races against time to the Geneva Motor Show in Jaguar's ultimate sportscar, the F-Type SVR. And Chris Harris drifts round the track in the BMW M2.

On Star In A Rallycross Car, Absolutely Fabulous' Jennifer Saunders did it in 2:21.6 while baker Paul Hollywood did it in 2:16.4. All in very wet condition.

History Channel nixes American Top Gear

As if the world of Top Gear didn't have enough problems following the original presenters' departure and bad performance by Chris Evans, things took a serious tailspin across the Atlantic, meanwhile as History Channel pulled the plug on its American equivalent, which was hosted by racing driver Tanner Foust, comedian Adam Ferrera, and racing commentator Rutledge Wood.

That shocking announcement came from Rut's instagram and according to him, "I'm not saying Top Gear USA is done, but it's done for the immediate future on History". Despite History Channel nixed this show, all is not lost for TGUSA as the show may be picked up by another network which could even include online streaming service later on.

The US version of Top Gear aired since the November of 2010 for six seasons. At the start, it wanted to give the TG format the original UK version had an American taste. Now, it's been reformatted into a three-car comparison show where whoever wins the most challenges is assigned to try a new car. 

We've seen Tanner racing a HALO jumper with the F-150 Raptor, fireworks at the back of Rut's truck, a Rally Fighter against a boat, maxing out a supercar in England, a muscle car versus a cowboy, and they even had a chance encounter with Donald Trump (no, seriously, they did met up with Trump when he's just a harried business tycoon before his presidential bid that made us hate him). What more can you ask?

Tomorrow's episode will be the last of TGUSA on History and in this episode, the boys are on a historic Cuban road trip with American classics.

It's sad to see American TG's demise and for nostalgic purposes, here are the best bits of TGUSA ever recorded...in my mind.

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2016/06/27/history-axes-top-gear-usa-breaking/