Let's Do The News! (August 27, 2016)

- Typhoon Dindo is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility today, but it will continue to induce monsoon rains over the western part of the country, according to PAGASA. As of 4:00 PM yesterday, Dindo was spotted at 1,025km east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

- Despite the sharp rise of extrajudicial killings and recognized him as a threat to the country according to international media, there are most Filipinos seen supporting President Rodrigo Duterte despite today's issues.

- An impromptu ceasefire between the communist rebels and the government takes effect today after the representatives signed a joint declaration in Norway to stop armed hostilities in preparation for talks to end once and for all the decades-long rebellion. The declaration of the truce coincided with the announcement of the release of three policemen by New People's Army rebels.

- The death toll from the central Italy quake has now risen to 278 and 388 people are hurt and hospitalized. Rescue workers searching for survivors of the quake have been facing rapidly narrowing odds of finding people alive following the passing of the 72-hour period.

- The French top administrative court has suspended the ban on "burkini" full-body swimsuits for Muslim women on a Mediterranean beach resort. A burkini is a combination of bikini and burkha, a full-body covering with a mesh screen for the eyes. The Council of State said on Friday that the ban had seriously infringed on basic freedoms, such as religious freedom and individual freedom.

- White House officials voiced concerned about close encounters between US and Iranian military vessels in the Persian Gulf. Military officials say four Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps ships approached within about 270 meters of a US Navy destroyer in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite warnings. The next day, an Iranian ship approached within 180m of a US patrol boat. The vessel moved away after the US side fired warning shots, but later approached another American ship.

TTFN!!!

Lolas' Concert

With Maine Mendoza finally returned from her American summer vacation, our very own Lola Nidora and Lola Tinidora got their vocal magic ready for the biggest day of their lifetime after a week of good vibes with Alden during Maine's leave for commitment reasons because the lolas got their own concert in front of the Eat Bulaga live audience!

Photo: Official Eat Bulaga Facebook Page

For the lolas' concert in front of the live audience, both Lola Nidora and Lola Tinidora performed some of music history's greatest hits and with the little help of the boys from Lola's Playlist and Alden Richards, nobody does it better. After their little live performance, they are so impressed about the progress over the condition set for AlDub in order to hear Maine's acceptance but what's that "ay" that Lola Nidora talking about? Tune in on Eat Bulaga every weekdays for more Kalyeserye antics!

#BGShootMoYan

On the August 26, 2016 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Shoot Mo Yan gags

- Even a small change happening to him can be considered acceptable

- The trouble with amazons

- More wise words from Tata Lino

- A man who's always absent at work is making a case for himself

- Another Buhay Ng Bakla jamming session

- More news for moms in Balitang Ina!

- The morgue gets a beautician...

- A new superhero is feeling the heat!

- Basa-Basa-Pik!

Dolce Amore's Most Beautiful Finale

The story of ABS-CBN's hit TV drama, Dolce Amore, is all about two crossed lovers, Serena and Tenten, trying to overcome all odds in the name of everlasting love. After everything they've been through, these two never gave up on themselves, no matter how sour things get.

In the finale, we see things finally patched up for the two of them as they finally got the wedding they truly deserved and as the two recall about everything they've been through, Serena and Tenten are finally married, much to the delight of the family and friends of their lives.

Moments later, Serena and Tenten had their honeymoon and following a sudden accident, Serena finally remembered...that Tenten is nothing but a womanizer and let's leave it that way.

This concludes the love story of Serena and Tenten in Dolce Amore.

Acura/Honda NSX NC1

Dubbed as one of the most anticipated models in the late 2010s, the legendary sportscar that made a mark in the history of Honda or Acura, after a ten-year absence, has been resurrected and the new-generation NSX is now ready to take on the world's finest sportscars with its unparalleled performance that will raise some eyebrows among speedo boys everywhere, although I'm not quite sure about the NSX's rebirth in any way that gave me some jitters.

2017 Honda NSX

2017 Acura NSX

Sticking true to the concepts, the all-new NSX features a striking design that makes it a perfect fit for a sportscar revived after a 10-year hiatus. It's like reviving a once-famous fantasy show that became a hit ten years ago and as a result, all the elements that made the new NSX one of the most anticipated sports cars in the late 2010s come full circle. One look and you'll know that the new NSX is ready to rewrite the hybrid history books even for a fact that this is actually a hybrid engine-wielding masterpiece that incorporates the knowhow of Honda's motorsport pedigree with a bit of Gran Turismo flair on it ever since its concept version got featured in Gran Turismo 6 three years ago, although unsure if or when this production-version NSX will make it to the upcoming Gran Turismo Sport game, but whatever it is, the new NSX's ties to the Gran Turismo video game will make me condemned that this is a serious hybrid sportscar for those who had enough of driving the hybrid hypercar trio or anything else.

As a hybrid engine-wielding supercar, the all-new NSX features a bold new powertrain that was inspired in most models from its stable. Take this, Sport Hybrid SH-AWD, for instance, the Legend/RLX has one but this is a different powertrain for the NSX rebirth because at the heart of it all lies a 3.5L V6 DOHC Twin Turbo engine bolted to three electric motors that take care of the Power Drive Unit and a li-ion battery that takes charge on the Intelligent Power Unit. With such power sources, the new NSX delivers an overall power output of 581PS, more than the recently-facelifted Nissan GT-R had, and it's mated to a 9-speed DCT built exclusively for the NSX. Nine gears in a hybrid sportscar? With such gears, it's starting to feel like a Fast and Furious gearbox, minus the dramatic shifting part that you saw from those flicks, you know what I mean?

Aside from its performance, the new NSX is made to be aerodynamic thanks to a clever feature that produces more downforce while retaining its sharp styling. As for the body, it was made entirely from aluminum, carbon fiber, and high-strength steel, to make it more rigid and light on the corners. 

Because this is a hybrid equivalent of the Audi R8, the new NSX takes things seriously through the corners with a precision that keeps this sportscar afloat, no matter how messy things are, and because this is a four-wheel drive car, just like a Nissan GT-R, the NSX is an ideal all-weather multirole that can take on various road conditions, be it dry, wet, or freezing, and whereas most supercars getting scared on a slippery-when-wet condition, the NSX is not afraid to feel the slip and with such dynamics, the NSX feels like a this is a take-on-all-comers on the supercar empire.

2017 Honda NSX interior

2017 Acura NSX interior

As a handcrafted sports car made by the finest materials forged by the artisanship of experts at the Performance Manufacturing Center in an American state considered a battleground for the two rivals who really run this world in a very dangerous game, the NSX is a delicate item for a prized collector who really values this car more than anything else and because of its handcrafted status, let me give you a tip...

In the US, the NSX will set you about $156,000, but here in Japan, because they consider it as an import from American soil, they will set you up for a mega-expensive 23,700,000 Yen, making it the most expensive Japanese car ever sold in Japan. It's about more pricey than the Nissan GT-R if you asked them regarding the car that can return up to 12.4kmpl of fuel economy based on Japan's JC08 Mode standards. Also, selected Honda dealers across Japan, labeled as NSX Performance Dealers, will start accepting reservations and deliveries take place in the February of next year. That's a lot of time, but if I may disregard the mega-high price tag, the new NSX is going to be a flip-flop for me apart from its Gran Turismo ties that set me off. The performance is great for me but when it comes to gaining ties to this car, this will be a challenge because while some are getting jealous on wishing to get their hands on the NSX rebirth, there are a few who are opposed to it due to its ties with Gran Turismo. This should sound like a decent challenge for the hybrid sportscar masterpiece.

Photo: Honda/Acura

Let's Do The News! (August 26, 2016)

- After the beheading of another hostage by the Abu Sayyaf Group last Wednesday because of the failed ransom deadline, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered yesterday military troops to eliminate the terrorist group. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has ordered the deployment and insertion of additional troops in Sulu and Basilan to rid the group. The President said he condemned the recent beheading of the kidnap victim, a Jolo native, and son of a court stenographer who was kidnapped last month.

- Personalities involved in a drug matrix recently released by President Duterte may face drug-related graft charges, according to the Palace official. The so-called drug matrix claims that Senator Leila de Lima and Pangasinan Representative Amado Espino Jr. are among the key people involved in the New Bilibid Prison drug trade.

- At least 1,500 overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia have expressed willingness to return home, according to the DSWD. The agency's humanitarian team is currently in the Middle Eastern country to assist distressed OFWs and their families. About 1,575 out of 3,193 OFWs in Saudi's 21 campsites want to go back home but that number is expected to rise as the team continued to reach out to other distressed OFWs located outside the campsites across the KSA.

- In the aftermath of the central Italy quake that killed 250 people, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi declared a state of emergency in areas affected by the quake. Renzi said at a news conference in Rome on Thursday that the government authorized a preliminary 57 million dollars, in emergency funding to deal with the disaster.

- The two presidentiables for the November 2016 elections, Democrat Hillary Clinton and controversial Republican Donald Trump are fighting over minority votes as Trump tries to win over blacks and Hispanics. Trump invited black and Hispanic leaders to his Trump Tower HQ in New York on Thursday while Clinton continues her attack on Trump over his stance on minority groups. At a rally earlier, she called his policies racist, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrants and anti-women and accused him of building his campaign on prejudice and paranoia. Her campaign even posted a clip that connects Trump to white supremacists.

Suspended Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff is facing the last step of her impeachment trial on charges of manipulating government budgets. The Senate began deliberations on Thursday. The session, presided over by Supreme Court's Chief Justice, heard witnesses for and against Rousseff. If at least two-thirds of the senate find her guilty, she will be dismissed.

- Airsoft gun company Tokyo Marui unveiled the special Samurai Edge Special Color Variation gas blow back handgun to honor the Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise's 20th anniversary. On sale this November for 26,800 Yen, this gold-colored replica of the M92F Custom made for STARS members, as seen from the games, comes with a commemorative pin and a casing. A must-have collector's item for fans of CAPCOM's hit survival horror franchise!

SAMURAI EDGE
Special Color Variation

- ICYMI: Malaysian carmaker Proton unveiled the new-generation Persona midsize saloon. Starting at 46,350 up to 59,350 Ringgit, the new 2017 Proton Persona rides on the same platform used on the Iriz compact and it's powered by a 1.6L DOHC VVT petrol engine, mated with either a 5-speed manual or a CVT.

2017 Proton Persona

- Disney XD announced that their new animated series, Milo Murphy's Law, is set to air this October 3rd at 8:00PM. This new animated series is made by the same people behind Phineas and Ferb and it will star Alfred Yankovic as the titular Milo Murphy in a hilarious, scientifically, fun-filled escapade.

Milo Murphy's Law

- The Grand Tour executive producer Andy Wilman commented about dealing with the BBC while preparing the Amazon original series during his appearance at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. Let's hear what he had to say...

TTFN!!!

Nissan GT-R (2017 Minor Change)

For almost the decade, the Nissan GT-R has been languishing through the supercar ranks with its impeccable performance that puts it near the best sportscars in Europe today and for the 2017 minor change, Godzilla takes a step further with its improved performance that will surpass even the past GT-R updates, even its appealing design that will strike a chord to the speedo boys. Contrary to its 9,960,840 Yen starting price, the new GT-R features major updates that is a one step further for its reputation.

2017 Nissan GT-R

At first glance, its new design looks somewhat similar to the past GT-R updates in its near-decade timeline when Nissan revived the legend back in 2007, but when you look closely to the Nissan V-Motion grille upfront, you'll know that the flagship sportscar is staying in tune in today's trends, although some might find it fishy that it looks awkwardly familiar because it looks like it was coined from the pages of video games.

2017 Nissan GT-R interior

Apart from its mildly-changed exterior, the GT-R's interior has been heavily changed from top to bottom. From the new steering wheel design, new sat-nav, new leather seats, and other changes in store, the new interior balances business and pleasure for the driver in store. It's like being dressed in a three-piece business attire while taking on men on cycling wear on the park. Sounds cheesy as it sounds but the new interior really means business.

2017 Nissan GT-R

Because the Nissan GT-R was born from the knowledge of its motorsports involvement, the elite engineers spend most of their manpower finetuning its near-perfect dynamics to deliver its driving experience to its uncharted heights. Starting with its VR38DETT engine, which has been the hallmark of the GT-R engineering excellence, which now produces 570PS of power and 637Nm of torque. This power output sounds seamlessly familiar to the old Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera but mind you, this ain't no Lambo because the engine's mounted on the front just like how past GT-R updates felt. Mated to its V6 twin-turbo engine is a brand new GR6 Dual Clutch Gearbox for better refinement and performance in a variety of driving situations, making gear changes a lot more smoother than ever.

There's more because in the past updates, the torque drops when the car starts going from a standstill under light throttle but for the 2017 minor change, expect no drop from the torque so the car can go smoothly upon initial acceleration even under light throttle.

Apart from its lavish updates that will keep drivers pushing this car harder and longer as long as they have interests on it, the GT-R still has the ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system. At the start, it behaves like a rear-wheel drive car but it can be balanced depending on speed, lateral acceleration, steering angle, tire slip, road surface, and yaw rate. And thanks to its refined chassis, not only it drives well on the track but also on the roads as well, balancing its sports car and luxury car character at the same pace.

2017 Nissan GT-R NISMO

2017 Nissan GT-R NISMO interior

To further up the Nissan GT-R experience, there's also a more powerful and track-honed GT-R NISMO offered for 18,700,000 Yen. Apart from its race-inspired design and performance that the world should be focused rather than the flawed GT-R LM NISMO LMP1 prototype and the GT500 car that was used on the Super GT series, the V6 Twin Turbo engine produces 600PS of power, which sounds unchanged compared to the old GT-R NISMO, but by inheriting all the updates from the base GT-R, you'll know that this car means business.

The Nissan GT-R has been with us for almost a decade now but with this latest minor change, we can see how far Godzilla can go from its newly refined performance and by comparison against Europe's finest, speedo boys can look forward to see how the latest update unfolds in the real world.

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: UNSC to continue talks on N.Korea

Sourced from NHK World:

The UN Security Council has failed to come to an agreement on how to respond to North Korea's latest missile launch.

The Security Council held an emergency meeting on Wednesday at the request of Japan, the United States and South Korea, which have called for a stern response.

The closed door session followed North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile on Wednesday, apparently from a submarine. It travelled about 500 kilometers, and is believed to have landed in Japan's air defense identification zone in the Sea of Japan.

After the meeting, Council President Dato' Ramlan Bin Ibrahim of Malaysia said the majority of the members were critical of the missile launch. But he admitted that they failed to reach a consensus.

The Security Council plans to continue discussing how to respond.

On August 3rd, it held a similar meeting after North Korea launched two of what are believed to be Rodong medium-range ballistic missiles.

But the council was unable to issue a statement, as China and some other countries insisted they should avoid provoking Pyongyang.

It remains to be seen whether the council can take action on the matter, given China's stance.

Let's Do The News! (August 25, 2016)

- The Commission on Human Rights said the rights body has not experienced having extrajudicial killing cases since almost three decades ago. During the budget briefing at the House of Representatives, CHR Chair Jose Luis Martin Gascon said that the Special Task Force was only able to look into less than 20% of more than a thousand cases of extrajudicial killings.

- President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday expressed hope that China will deal with the Philippines in good faith regarding the issue on the West Philippine Sea. Duterte hopes China is dealing with them in good faith as they're not insisting on the verdict of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration last July favoring the Philippines’ arbitration case against China’s nine-dash line claim that covers virtually the entire West Philippine Sea or South China Sea.

- The death toll from the M6.2 quake in central Italy was now risen to 247. Amatrice, a mountainous town with a population of about 2,600, was hardest hit and almost all of the buildings collapsed. It was known to be a tourist spot for a summer holiday and it is believed many quake victims are tourists.

- Back to some provocations made up by Republican presidentiable Donald Trump, he floated a possible process to allow undocumented immigrants to remain in America during a stunning reversal on an issue central to his candidacy. Trump said he was moved by concerns from fans who opposed his previous calls for a deportation force" to remove all of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the US. In the midst of his Jackson, Mississippi tour, Trump pitched in former UKIP leader and one of the key people behind last June's Brexit vote, Nigel Farage, to urge Trump supporters to "re-declare American independence" in the same way the Brits done two months ago. Farage declined to endorse Trump but he freely opined on the US presidential election.

- With Hillary Clinton getting her first intelligence briefing as nominee this Saturday, according to sources, former president Bill Clinton said that none of the recent headlines about the Clinton Foundation have caused him to second guess how the charitable organization operated when his wife was secretary of state. The Democratic presidentiable come under fire after reports that most donors got meetings with Clinton when she headed the State Department, according to newly released emails.

- The Refugee Olympic athletes, originally from South Sudan, have received a warm welcome at Kenya as they returned from the Rio Olympics. The five athletes arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday. People celebrated their return, beating drums and performing dances. The athletes are among the members of the first-ever Olympic Refugee Team, comprising of athletes from unstable countries, mostly from the Middle East and Africa.

- Some say, Jeremy Clarkson will invade the set of Game of Thrones for one of the stunts in the upcoming Amazon original show, The Grand Tour, which filming for the first 12-episode season is almost complete.

- Two new downloadable contents are now available on the PS4-exclusive THE IDOLM@STER Platinum Stars! First up, the second DLC Catalog is now up featuring the new song 僕たちのResistance as well as the brand new Trench Camouflage outfit, among many other accessories and returning songs such as オーバーマスター and Do-Dai. Also, the second DL LIVE has arrived and those who performed well will receive a brand new ひまわり畑の思い出 costume, packed with special skills made for this costume, as well as better accessories!

- Back to some IDOLM@STER-related stuff, a new music video made by the 10 aspiring hopefuls in the making of the upcoming South Korean drama based on THE IDOLM@STER franchise is now up. It's titled Dream by the newly named Real Girls Project. Check it out.

- Today marks the 58th Weeksary of AlDub!

20 Years of Pokemon: The Pokemon 2016 World Championships

Every year, ace trainers from a multitude of countries compete in the name of valor among the best of Pokemon gamers in the Pokemon World Championships. Whether if its video games or trading card games, the top prizes are up for grabs for the very best...like no one ever was. Uh-huh, but for 2016, it's becoming a historic one because of Pokemon's 20th anniversary celebration. Whether they can compete in OR/AS battles, trading card game battles, or even the new Pokken Tournament battles, their honor as a top ace trainer rests beneath their burdens.

Photo: Official Pokemon Instagram

So, at last weekend's world championships held at the San Francisco Bay Area, let's say congratulations to the champions of the 2016 Pokemon World Championships.

In the TCG World Championships:

Shintaro Ito from Japan for the Masters Division whose deck includes Audino-EX, Shaymin EX, Hoopa-EX, Magearna-EX, Cobalion, and Absol.

Jesper Eriksen from Denmark for the Senior Division whose deck includes Vespiquen, Combee, Shaymin-EX, Yanma, Yanmega, Spinarak, and Ariados.

Shunto Sadahiro from Japan for the Junior Division whose deck includes an Yveltal and Darkrai-EX, among many others.

In the VG World Championships:

Wolfe Glick from the USA for the Masters Division whose Pokemon roster includes Kyogre, Hitmontop, Gengar, Raichu, Bronzong, and Rayquaza.

Carson Confer from the USA for the Senior division whose Pokemon roster includes Kyogre, Kangaskhan, Thundurus, Bronzong, Cresselia, and Groudon.

Cory Connor from the USA for the Junior Division whose Pokemon roster includes Kyogre, Rayquaza, Togekiss, Thundurus, Scizor, and Hitmontop.

With the San Francisco 2016 Pokemon World Championship is well and truly over, the next World Championships is set at Anaheim, California this 2017 and we can expect the best of Sun and Moon players competing for the top spot. In the meantime, congratulations to the winners! You guys really are the very best...like no one ever was!

URL: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/the-battles-are-over-in-the-city-by-the-bay/

Let's Do The News! (August 24, 2016)

- Typhoon Dindo has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, according to PAGASA. At 12:00 PM, the storm was located 1,200km East Northeast of Itbayan, Batanes, packing max winds of 130kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160kph. No signal warnings have been raised but still alerted the public concerned agencies to monitor the situation.

- Embattled Senator Leila de Lima says linking her to the PDAF scam involving mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles was unfair, stressing that she herself handled the cases of Napoles when she was Justice Secretary. De Lima reacted following President Rodrigo Duterte's announcement to re-investigate the pork barrel scam case involving Napoles and some senators.

- President Rodrigo Duterte said he was sarcastic about the threat to leave the United Nations. However, Duterte insisted the UN should not meddle with the affairs of the Philippines.

- The Turkish military launched an operation to clear a Syrian border town from Islamic State militants, and the country's state-run news agency said Turkish tanks had crossed into Syria as part of the offensive.

- 38 people were reportedly died after a magnitude 6.2 quake struck central Italy. The USGS says the quake struck at around 0330 hours local time. The focus of the quake is estimated to be about 100km northeast of Rome at a depth of 10km. Emergency workers are trying to pull people from the debris. But rescue operations and damage assessment are difficult due to its mountainous region.

- US President Barack Obama has visited the flood-hit state of Louisiana to inspect the recovery efforts. Obama met the FEMA, who had been working in the state, to hear about the extent of the damage and the recovery operations. Last week's deadliest floods killed 13 people and affected at least 60,000 homes.

- Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev was enraged over the decision that prevented Russian athletes from entering the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games. Medvedev was responding to the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to uphold the IPC's ban on Russian athletes over doping.

- The Tesla Model S will spawn a more powerful P100D, which is the quickest car ever made with a 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds and has 315 miles of range.

- In preparation for the inaugural Roborace, the new autonomous racing sport has created DevBot for that very purpose that is set to support the upcoming 2016-2017 season of the FIA Formula E Championship.

- Kia Motors showcased its image sketch of their upcoming Pride/Rio subcompact, set to debut at this year's Paris Motor Show.



TTFN!!!

Aikatsu! Photo on Stage!! EP 01

Aikatsu! Photo on Stage!! EP 01

Fans who can't get enough of the Aikatsu franchise, especially during the Akari Generation years, spend most of their time playing with their smartphones with the franchise's first official smartphone app game, Aikatsu! Photo on Stage, and as if we didn't have enough problems regarding so much idol girl-related smartphone app games over a lifetime, almost, fans get the same experience as expected on the original arcade games, at the comfort of their hands. while spending most of their lifetime collecting as much of the idols and compete for the spot at rankings.

Anyway, enough explanation about the whole Photo on Stage game because here comes the first maxi single inspired from the hit Aikatsu mobile game and we can expect more like this over the coming moments. The first maxi single features three songs as heard from the Photo on Stage app game, only now they're all given the full version treatment never before heard so you can hear the rest of your favorite songs heard from the game whenever you like.

Like I said, you can expect more maxi singles inspired from the Photo on Stage game soon!

TRACK LISTINGS:

01 夏色バタフライ
02 GLAMOUROUS BLUE
03 きらめきメッセンジャー
04 夏色バタフライ(off vocal)
05 GLAMOUROUS BLUE(off vocal)
06 きらめきメッセンジャー(off vocal)