Stars of 2017 Geneva Motor Show

2018 Lamborghini Huracan Performante

From now up until the 19th of March, 2017, the 87th Geneva International Motor Show is held at the Palexpo and in here, a plethora of world premieres from the world's biggest car companies are gathered for spring's biggest motoring event in Europe.

Wow, although Switzerland revoked their membership to the European Union following last year's Brexit issue, they still know how to run a big car show not just for Europe but for the rest to the world by showcasing the best of the best while dealing with today's issues that heavily affect the motoring industry.

Time to list down this year's stars of the show.

2018 Alpine A110
2017 Artega Scalo Superelletra Concept
2018 Aston Martin Rapide AMR
2018 Aston Martin Vantage AMR Pro
2017 Audi Q8 Sport Concept
2018 Audi RS3 Sportback
2018 Audi RS5 Coupe
2018 Bentley Bentayga Mulliner
2017 Bentley EXP 12 Speed 6e Concept
2018 BMW 4-Series Convertible
2018 BMW 4-Series Coupe
2018 BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe
2018 BMW 5-Series Touring
2018 BMW M4 Convertible
2018 BMW M4 Coupe
2017 Citroen C-Aircross Concept
2017 Citroen SpaceTourer 4x4 E Concept
2018 Dacia Logan MCV Stepway
2018 DS 7 Crossback
2018 Ferrari 812 Superfast
2018 Ford Fiesta ST
2018 Honda Civic Type R
2017 Honda NeuV Concept
2017 Hyundai FE Fuel Cell Concept
2018 Infiniti Q50
2017 Infiniti Q60 Project Black S Concept
2017 Italdesign Zerouno
2018 Lamborghini Huracan Performante
2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar
2018 Lexus LS 500h
2017 Lexus RC F GT3
2018 McLaren 720S
2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Concept
2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
2018 Mercedes-Benz G650 Maybach Landaulet
2017 NanoFlowcell Quant 48Volt Concept
2018 Opel Crossland X
2017 Opel Insignia Grand Sport
2018 Opel Insignia Sports Tourer
2017 Pagani Huayra Roadster
2017 Peugeot Instinct Concept
2018 Porsche 911 GT3
2018 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid
2018 Renault Captur
2017 Renault Zoe e-Sport Concept
2018 Seat Ibiza
2017 Skoda Citigo
2018 Skoda Kodiaq Scout
2018 Skoda Kodiaq Sportline
2018 Skoda Octavia RS 245
2017 Skoda Octavia Scout
2017 Skoda Rapid
2017 SsangYong XAVL Concept
2018 Subaru XV
2017 Toyota i-TRIL Concept
2018 Vauxhall Crossland X
2018 Volkswagen Arteon
2017 Volkswagen Sedric Concept
2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace
2018 Volvo XC60

...and more.

Six Nations 2017 - Round 4

The fourth round of this season's RBS 6 Nations sees the Welsh Rugby Union recovering from two rounds of losses after defeating the IRFU at the score of 22-9.

The play of the game comes from George North's tries per half as well as the impressive performances by Jamie Roberts and Leigh Halfpenny that propelled them to a win.

Meanwhile, the FFR defeated the FIR Italia at the score of 18-40 while the England Rugby stomped Scotland at the score of 61-21.

The 2017 season concludes on the 18th of March with Scotland vs. Italy, France vs. Wales, and Ireland vs. England. At this magnitude, looks like England Rugby's Grand Slam win is nigh.

Noven Belleza wins IT'S SHOWTIME's Tawag Ng Tanghalan

Since last year, ABS-CBN's hit noontime show, IT'S SHOWTIME, revived the legendary talent search programme Tawag Ng Tanghalan as their segment everyone's tuning in everyday. 

Throughout a year of searching the best of amateur talents across the Philippines, it's not about how good their singing talents are but it's about how long they can defend their status as a champion until they can be classified as fit to be part of the hall of fame and dish each other for the grand prize in the finale.

And here it is. At the grand finale held at Resorts World Manila, a grand champion has been named from the six finalists and Noven Belleza is the grand winner of the show's Tawag Ng Tanghalan segment.

Because he gained a massive percentage of votes from the viewers and judges alike, Noven Belleza's impressive performance beats the likes of Froilan Canlas, Sam Mangubat, and many others. He won not just two million pesos of cash prize, but also a house and lot, a recording contract, and other prizes.

And there you have it folks, a champion has been named and let's give him a standing ovation he truly deserved.

Bubble Gang - March 10, 2017 #BGRoadRage

In the March 10, 2017 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Road Rage gags

- Meet the Manyikas!

- Bragging about their torture moments.

- Another Buhay ng Bakla session

- Too kind for a suicidal man...

- One jeepney driver has a plan in a middle of a jeepney phase-out.

- Department store dilemma

- Basa-basa Pik!

Let's Do The News! (March 10, 2017)

- Edgar Matobato, the former member of the alleged Davao Death Squad, was temporarily released by authorities.

- President Rodrigo Duterte warned that he will declare martial law in Mindanao, following intense fighting against rebels. According to the President, only the LGUs can help him in ending terrorism, and ensuring that no civilian will be involved in the conflict. Duterte clarified that he does not wish to declare Martial Law, but he doesn’t have a choice if the mayors and Governors will not support him.

- Four suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf groupwere killed in an encounter with government  forces  in Basilan on Wednesday. Senior Superintendent Nixon Muksan, Basilan police director, identified  two of the fatalities as Mobin Kulin, alias Mulawin, and Hadji Villamin Hassan.

- A total of 26,029 houses in 53 barangays here were destroyed in the quake that hit Surigao del Norte last month, the city disaster risk reduction management council reported yesterday.

- The Kilusang Mayo Uno expressed support to Kadamay Group for occupying the housing projects of the government in Bulacan. Bong Labog, National Chairman of KMU, said it is the right of poor Filipinos to benefit from the housing projects of government.

- Reports told that the Department of Justice is deploying 50 judges to immigration detention facilities across the United States. The department is also considering asking judges to sit from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., split between two rotating shifts, to adjudicate more cases, the sources said.

- International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and a young Yazidi woman who was enslaved and raped by Islamic State militants pushed Iraq on Thursday to allow a United Nations investigation into crimes by ISIS.

TTFN!!!

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500

It was the 5th of March, 2017, when the second round of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup commenced at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, continuing the excitement where they left off from Daytona.

This race is packed with speeding violations occured in the pit lane, which is a dismal for Kevin Harvick, but considered good news for Brad Keselowski. Even though he had to sacrifice his lead in the pit lane, he fought hard until the inevitable happened to Harvick, while pinning down against the likes of Matt Kenseth and Kyle Larsen, and Keselowski won the race.

The next race will commence in Las Vegas on the 12th of March.

Let's Do The News! (March 9, 2017)

- Senators warned Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. that his problems do not end with the rejection of the Commission on Appointments on his confirmation. Yesterday, 15 members of the CA Committee on Foreign Affairs unanimously decided to reject the appointment of Yasay.

- Nine drug suspects have been reportedly killed during the relaunch of the Philippine National Police's Oplan Tokhang, resuming the ongoing bloody war on drugs.

- Tension ensued at the Senate on Wednesday during the privilege speech of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on his remarks that spiritual renewal will not make anybody a ‘saint.' Trillanes said in his statements there are some Senators that act as experts in spiritual renewal, amid pointing out Retired SPO3 Arturo Lascanas who reversed his previous allegation against President Rodrigo Duterte.

- The founder of Nickel Asia, Manuel B. Zamora Jr. was quick to react following Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez’ statement during the hearing of her confirmation at the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday.

- US President Donald Trump is expected to announce a rollback of the country’s strict fuel standards on the back of pressure from many large automakers.

- Porsche tuner RUF celebrates the 30th anniversary of the record-breaking CTR by unveiling the revived Yellowbird at the Geneva Motor Show. Powered by an an all-new 3.6-liter, twin-turbocharged flat six producing 710 hp and 649 lb-ft of torque, it can reach 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, onwards to a 225 mph top speed.

- The Hayate no Gotoku manga series will conclude on the 12th of April.

- Did you know? Next month's Idol Time Pripara TV series will feature male PriPara idols for the first time as 

Seiichirou Yamashita, Tatsuyuki Kobayashi, and Reiou Tsuchida will play the roles of Shogo, Asahi, and Koyoi of WITH.

TTFN!!!

Hyundai Sonata New Rise

The current LF Sonata by Hyundai has been given a much-needed minor change it deserved following a hunch that its stale styling never appealed to the general public. Called Sonata New Rise, this minor change will see a much improved styling on the current-generation model and then some.

So, here comes the 2018 Hyundai Sonata minor change and for this minor change, the front face now mimics the one as seen on the new i30 while it features the most dramatic rear view in the Sonata history. In addition to the new rear lamp designs, the big SONATA lettering and the Hyundai logo are plastered in the middle, which reminds everyone of the old EF Sonata from the late 90's but with a bit more feel. For turbocharged models, it has been given sporty cosmetic treatments to make it look assertive and sporty for a midsize saloon.

Inside, there are small changes occured and much to the dismay for speedo boys everywhere, the touch screen is now standard and no matter what you're doing, it will never come off and that idea of a CD player-less dashboard is becoming more rampant to the cars of today because carmakers starting to get annoyed over speedo boys changing the car's radios so they have done the inevitable. They give the interior some irreplaceable tech to scare some speedo boys, especially with a smartphone mirroring feature that works well with iPhones and other smartphones via MirrorLink. Sounds convenient, yet scary from the hands of speedo boys so I'm afraid your luck has run out. You can't find the radio anywhere and you can't replace it. The end.

Anyway, back to the 2018 Hyundai Sonata minor change, it still offers four engine choices from last time such as a 1.6L T-GDi, 2.0 CVVL, 2.0 T-GDi, and the 1.7 CRDi-VGT engine. That's three petrols and a diesel offered in the 2018 Sonata and get this; in the more powerful 2.0 T-GDi engine, it has been offered with an 8-speed automatic, which sounds rewarding but somewhat regular if you may ask.

Safety wise, the 2018 Sonata comes with a Lane Departure Warning system assisted by a Lane Keep Assist function, as well as High Beam Assist and Dynamic Bending Lights for better nighttine driving, and Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.

The 2018 Hyundai Sonata minor change starts at 2.255 million up to 3.253 million Korean Won and its available to order now. So, with the new look in one of the fastest-selling executive midsize saloons in South Korea, can the new Sonata rise up to the occassion? Only time will tell.

Photo: Hyundai Motor Company

Let's Do The News! (March 8, 2017)

- The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of charges against former Budget Secretary Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad in connection with the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program amounting to US$ 72 billion. According to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, they found probable cause to press charges against Abad for violating Article 239 or the Usurpation of Legislative Powers of the Revised Penal Code.

- The Commission of Appointments approved yesterday a new set of rules, including the so-called three-strike policy that has long been considered but never actually introduced in the body. According to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, the rule would effectively force the hand of the commission to decide on the fate of the appointees, thus eliminating the long-standing practice of a President to reappoint people regardless of the number of times they are bypassed.

- Senator Leila de Lima is facing nine criminal and administrative cases – from involvement in drugs to financing the Abu Sayyaf – that prove she is being persecuted by the Duterte administration, according to her lawyers.

- With President Duterte approved the National Broadband Plan, expect the country's internet speeds to improve soon.

- The Philippines cries afoul over the depiction of the Philippine President in bect week's episode of the hit TV drama series, Madam Secretary. Titled "Break in Diplomacy", this episode sees the main character punching the Philippine President.

- US President Donald Trump signed testerday the revised, yet still controversial, executive order banning wntey to the United States by citizens in Iran, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia. Iraq is now removed in the blacklist and it will go in effect this March 16.

- McLaren unveiled the 720S, the first of the next-generation Super Series, powered by a new 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine profucing 720PS of power. Following the unveiling, Slightly Mad Studios announced that the 720S will be featured in Project CARS 2.

- Tata Motors' Tamo Racemo sportscar has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. While shorter than today's Mazda Roadster and drawing inspiration from European sportscars, the Racemo is powered by a turbocharged 187 hp 1.2L three-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. It may not come until 2018 with limited to 250 units made, it's accessible to all because it's a free DLC car in the Forza Horizon 3 game for XBOX One and Windows 10 PC.

- The Fittipaldi EF7 Vision GT, designed in collaboration with Pininfarina and F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi, has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Not only it will come in GT Sport but it will be physically available to the motoring public in very limited numbers. It is powered by a naturally-aspirated V8 which sends drive to the rear wheels via an integrated gearbox, suspension and braking system developed by HWA AG.

- Reports told that the Nintendo Switch 

has sold an estimated 330,637 units in Japan in the first three days of the release.

TTFN!!!

House approves return of death penalty

The House of Representatives approved the bill reviving the controversial death penalty on the third and final reading despite opposition from numerous groups.

A total of 216 voted in favor while 54 are against in and only one abstained.

From an initial list of 21 crimes that included rape, treason and plunder, the House leadership decided to limit death penalty to drug-related crimes and offenses.

After that bloody struggle, the proposed law will now be transmitted to the Senate where it is expected to face tougher opposition from senators against the bill, which erupt anger from numerous opposition groups, especially the Catholic Church.

URL: http://m.philstar.com/headlines/show/77f80b12774f64a7281c87f96fffd17d?t=02kudm7g06ol00vo507k9asc37

Let's Do The News! (March 7, 2017)

- Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay said he doubts the real motive of questioning his citizenship at the Commission on Appointments. Yasay said it is a clear ‘propaganda’ accusing him as American citizen to embarrass the government in the international community.

- A series of glitches hassled Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-3 passengers this Tuesday morning. Trains of the MRT-3 first encountered problem at the Southbound of Shaw Blvd. station past 6am, where passengers were forced to offload.

- President Rodrigo Duterte is set to sign the executive order that prohibits everyone to smoke in public places effective today.

-The third and final hearing over the reintroduction of the death penalty is expected to happen today despite opposition from numerous groups. Meanwhile, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez hinted that it is still possible for Plunder and rape to be included in the Death Penalty Bill.

- Large parts of the country, mostlyly in Leyte and Mindanao will experience rainy days as effect of the low pressure area that was last spotted 160 km southeast of Davao City, according to PAGASA.

- PSA Peugeot Citroen finalized the deal to purchase Opel/Vauxhall, with almost all of their connected properties, from General Motors. With that, PSA is expected to become Europe's second largest car company.

- Aston Martin's hypercar made in collaboration with Red Bull Racing, formerly called the AM-RB 001, has been officially named as the Aston Martin Valkyrie. It's set to debut at this week's Geneva Motor Show.

- Lamborghini unveiled the high-performance variant of the Huracan, called the Huracan Performante. Set to unveil at this week's Geneva Motor Show, it features ultra lightweight materials and an improved V10 engine.

- The Forza Horizon 3 Duracell Car Pack arrives tomorrow on the XBOX Live marketplace and it will be the last car pack to be covered on the game's Season Pass. It features cars like the new Camaro ZL1, Jaguar XE, and many others.

TTFN!!!

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: N.Korea fires 4 ballistic missiles

Sourced from NHK World:

Japan's government says North Korea fired 4 ballistic missiles from the country's west coast around 7:34 AM Japan Time on Monday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that 3 of the missiles are believed to have fallen into Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Suga said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed government officials to do all they can to gather and analyze information. He said Abe has asked them to quickly and appropriately provide it to the public.

Suga said the prime minister also told them to take thorough measures to confirm the safety of aircraft and vessels and be fully prepared for unexpected events.

The chief cabinet secretary added that so far, there has been no report of damage to aircraft and vessels.