THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: US puts sanctions on Kim Jong-Un

The United States will impose sanctions against North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un personally for human rights abuses.

The government announced on Wednesday that 10 North Korean senior officials are also on the list of those responsible for the commission of serious human rights abuses and censorship in the country. According to the US Department of State, North Korea's human rights abuses are among the worst in the world as they commit serious human rights abuses including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, forced labor, and torture. The US will continue to identify more individuals and entities in future reports, hinting at a plan to add more North Koreans in the list.

Source: NHK World

Let's Do The News! (July 7, 2016)

- Typhoon Butchoy has slowed down as it continues to move closer to Taiwan, according to PAGASA. The eye of the storm was located 160km Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes with max sustained winds of 205 kph and gusts of up to 240kph. It is forecasted to move west northwest at 17kph and expected to leaver the PAR on Friday.

- The Philippine National Police on Thursday revealed that they are part of solving possible human rights violations committed by policemen during anti-drug operations. A certain lawmaker, earlier, filed a resolution calling on the House of Representatives to investigate extrajudicial killings and summary executions of suspected drug violators and criminals. Since Duterte's inauguration, at least 30 drug suspects have been killed and over 900 drug users and pushers have surrendered.

- The PDP-Laban party asked the Supreme Court to junk COMELEC's resolution granting the Liberal Party's request to extend the deadline of the submission of statements of contributions and expenditures. The party is the second to file a petition questioning COMELEC's decision to extend the deadline of the filing of SOCE.

- The death toll from Sunday's Baghdad terror attack by the Islamic State has reached 250, which makes it the deadliest since the beginning of the Iraqi War in 2003. An Iraqi Health Ministry reported that 250 people were killed about 200 others were wounded when a car bomb exploded in a largely Shia district in the Iraqi capital last weekend. The war 13 years ago deepen religious animosity between Shia and Sunni Muslims int he country.

- Former UK PM Tony Blair said he accepts responsibility for the decision of his country to take part in the Iraq War since 2003. Blair says it was the hardest decision he took in his 10 years as prime minister and expressed more sorrow, regret, and apology than people may ever know.

- The investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State has ended without any charges. US Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that she accepted the FBI's recommendation. The FBI on Tuesday recommended that no criminal charges be brought in the case while saying Clinton was careless in handling classified information.

- The Spanish court has sentenced Argentinian soccer superstar Lionel Messi to 21 months in prison for defrauding tax authorities of 4.6 million dollars. The court on Wednesday found Messi guilty of tax evasion by using companies in overseas tax havens. He was also fined of 2.3 million dollars.

- The Harry Potter-spinoff movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, is set to hit theaters this Autumn but J.K. Rowling said she has completed script for its upcoming sequel. The first film is the first of the Fantastic Beasts trilogy.

- Former SexBomb girl Sugar cries for help over her legal battle with her estranged husband. A video of her asking for help went viral, following the child abuse complaint filed by her estranged husband Kristofer Jay Go. Since last year, Sugar filed a complaint against her husband for violating the RA 9262 law or Anti-Violence Against Women and Children act of 2004.

- Following their crushing defeat by the New Zealand basketball team and their hopes to be part of the Rio Olympics ended in shambles, GILAS Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin stressed the need to play more tune-up games for the national team in future endeavors, especially if it expects to be successful in the world of basketball.

- Today marks the 51st weeksary of AlDub.

FIA Formula E 2015-2016 FINALE

The two-part London finale at the 2015-2016 season of the FIA Formula E Championship really ends this season with a major twist unheard of in the world of motorsports as Sebastien Buemi and Lucas di Grassi ended up not finishing the last race but thanks to the "fastest lap" tiebreaker, Buemi wins and he is named as the FIA Formula E 2015-2016 champion.

That was quite a twist in the world of motorsports when everyone noticed that two top drivers ended up in a crash but settled in a fast lap tiebreaker to determine this season's champion.

Highlights:

And that concludes this season of the FIA Formula E Championship and for the upcoming 2016-2017 season, there will be big changes for this championship as well as the addition of the questionable RoboRace. Wonder how will the next season unfolds for the future of zero-emission motorsport like this? Only time will tell...

Let's Do The News! (July 6, 2016)

- Typhoon Butchoy has intensified further as it maintained its speed and direction as of 1100 hours local time, according to PAGASA. Butchoy packed maximum sustained winds of 195 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230kph while its estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 550km diameter of the typhoon. Signal No. 1 was issued over the Batanes Group of Islands.

- President Rodrigo Duterte extended his greetings to Filipino Muslims as they commemorate Eid'l Fitr, the annual feast which marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month. In his message to Filipino Muslims, Duterte describe this year's Eid'l Fitr as "timely and relevant" given the change of leadership.

- Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said the three police generals linked to illegal drugs have reported to him and have already been turned over to the NAPOLCOM for formal investigation.

- Onto the race to the White House for the November 2016 elections, US President Barack Obama has joined presumptive Democratic presidentiable Hillary Clinton on her campaign for the first time at a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday. Clinton praised Obama, saying he was the president who knew how to keep America safe and strong. Republican presidentiable Donald Trump, meanwhile, harshly condemns Clinton over her controversial email scandal. Trump referred to the FBI's decision not to file charges against her for using a private email server while she was secretary of state, which the agency called her handling of classified information "extremely careless". Of course, the FBI says it will not press criminal charges against Clinton over her e-mail scandal following last week's interview because the agency did not find clear evidence that they intended to violate the law and there was no "intentional misconduct".

- Brazil has increased security in venues to be used in the Rio 2016 Olympics and other public spaces before next month's games are open. Justice minister Alexandre de Moraes spoke at the Olumpic security forces' launch ceremony before 1,000 personnel.

- Although the Islamic holy month of Ramadan has ended, countries remain on high alert following multiple terrorist attacks during the month. During the holy month, deadly attack were carried out in countries including Turkey, Bangladesh, and Iraq.

- Aston Martin unveiled the AM-RB 001 hypercar in collaboration with Red Bull Racing. Combined with ultra-lightweight materials as well as its V12 engine, it claims to have an impossible 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, just like the Koenigsegg One:1. Deliveries will commence this 2018.

 

- An open-top version of the Ferrari LaFerrari hybrid hypercar has been uncovered prior to its Paris Motor Show debut this fall. Before its announcement, all of the units have been officially sold out.

TTFN!!!

F1 2016: Austrian GP

Photo: Getty Images

Despite a rainy weather in Spielberg, Austria, the rivalry between Mercedes-AMG's F1 aces, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, heated the Austrian GP of the F1 2016 season and as demonstrated by their last-lap contact between them at the finish line, it's anyone's guess how long will this cat-and-mouse game will last until the end of term. Of course, with Hamilton winning the Austrian GP following Rosberg's "incident", the gap between them is now reduced to 11 points in the overall standings. Following Hamilton's win, Red Bull rookie Max Verstappen taste another podium finish after holding off Kimi Raikkonen to secure third place while Sebastian Vettel's 2nd place finish is not too shabby for Ferrari, either.

The next race is set at Great Britain on the 10th of July.

Juno probe successfully reached Jupiter

After a five-year journey, NASA's Juno probe has successfully reached Jupiter.

Launched in August 2011, Juno completed entry into Jupiter's orbit at around 0353 hours UTC, making it the second probe to enter Jupiter since the Galileo in 1995. It will orbit Jupiter over the next 18 months and conduct observations from an altitude of 5,000km - the closest a probe has reached the planet's surface.

With Juno, NASA scientists will be able to discover more about the planet Jupiter.

Further reading: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/36710768

*Creative visualization

Let's Do The News! (July 5, 2016)

- A typhoon named Butchoy has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility Tuesday afternoon. Although not expected to make landfall, the typhoon is expected to enhance due to habagat in the next few days. The eye of the typhoon, according to PAGASA, was located at 1,440km east of Baler, Aurora.

- President Rodrigo Duterte named the five high-ranking officials from the Philippine National Police allegedly involved in illegal drugs. During his speech at the Philippine Air Force's 69th anniversary, Duterte warned officials involved in illegal drugs and named PNP Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr., former NCR Police Office chief Director Joel Pagdilao, Western Visayas regional director Chief Superintendent Bernardo Diaz, Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio, and retired police general Vic Loot.

- Vice President Leni Robredo, meanwhile, will hold a leadership position in the Liberal Party as stated by the rules of the political party. Robredo said the LP has yet to meet formally after President Duterte's first SONA on the 25th this month.

- Onto the Brexit aftermath, UKIP leader Nigel Farage, one of the spearheaders of the successful campaign to leave the European Union in the referendum last month, says he is stepping down from his position. Farage told reporters that he has done his bit, and couldn't possibly achieve more than he did in the referendum. He will remain as a member of the European Parliament and continues to work with other European lawmakers skeptical of the EU.

- Onto the Istanbul airport attack, Turkish authorities suspect a network of former Soviet extremists may be behind the attack. Reports told that the organizer behind the attack was Akhmed Chatayev from Chechnya, southern Russia. He is believed to be a leader in the Islamic State group.

- People across the United States of America have celebrated Independence Day under maximum security against potential attacks. Traditional festivities such as fireworks displays and parades are held every year on the 4th of July in honor of America's independence from British tyranny from 1776.

- The iconic Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst will be having a second layout to the Eastern part of the track soon. The Bathurst Regional Council has secured the land needed to make the proposal. The project is expected to cost 50 million dollars, not including the cost of securing the 32-hectare plot of land.

- Cardcaptor Sakura's 20th anniversary celebration continues with two new Nendoroid Co-de variants of Sakura Kinomoto, They're both available to order for 2,778 Yen plus tax and arrives this November.

- Jyushimatsu and Todomatsu from Osomatsu-san joins the Nendoroid range. They're now available to order starting at 3,241 Yen plus tax and deliveries will start this November.

TTFN!!!