- According to Atty. Nasser Abinal, the leader of the Sunni branch of Islam in the Philippines, Sunni Muslims are seen as enemies of fundamentalist and extremist Muslims as development of many areas in Mindanao is behind by a century compared to Metro Manila.
- Roy Cimatu, the new DENR Secretary, immediately took his oath of office in front of President Rodrigo Duterte during a Cabinet Meeting last May 8.
- Meanwhile, President Duterte named former House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. as special envoy for inter-cultural dialogue.
- The Taiwanese government will send a delegation to a UN health meeting even though they are not invited as it China that efforts to exclude it could lead to “irreversible” damage to ties. Self-ruled Taiwan wants to attend a May 22-31 annual meeting in Geneva of the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, but it has accused Beijing of obstructing its efforts.
- Members of the Texas Major Cities Chiefs, consisting of the police chiefs in Dallas, Houston, Austin, Arlington, Fort Worth, and San Antonio, and the Texas Police Chiefs Association condemn the controversial Senate Bill 4, which was signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott last weekend and involves racial profiling on Latinos.
- It is reported that Ferrari will launch their next hypercar within the next three to five years following the success of their sold-out LaFerrari hybrid hypercar.
- Top Gear presenter Chris Harris will be participating in two rounds of this year's Blancpain GT Series in a factory-run McLaren. His first outing is next weekend at Silverstone before heading to Spa-Francorchamps at the end of July for the 24 Hours of Spa.
- HBO confirmed that the eighth season of their hit TV series, Game Of Thrones will be their last when it comes out next year but there will be spin-offs.
- Netflix original series, 13 Reasons Why, gets renewed for a second series.
Ah, Talladega Superspeedway, the battle arena for the Geico 500 at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series where many entered, some got eaten alive, and only a brave few managed to snag the checkered flag at the endgame.
In the first stage of the Geico 500 race, Brad Keselowski, despite the fender bender, nailed the 10-point stage win while in the second stage, it's Denny Hamlin scored his first stage win of the year.
Now, we get to the interesting part because on Lap 168, the "big one" erupts at 'Dega when Chase Elliot gets turned by AJ Allmendinger, setting off a massive wreckage as Chase rides the wall while AJ goes over on his lid and they would have to flip that car over to get AJ Allmendinger out. Thankfully, all of the drivers involved in this big mess were released from the infield care center.
After one catastrophic crash after another, an overtime occurred and after that, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., snagged his first Monster Energy Series win.
Next race is on Kansas for the GoBowling.com 400 this May 13th.
- The Manila Police District presents the suspect behind the April 28 Quiapo bombing that hurt 14 people. One of the key suspects, named Abel Macaraya, was presented by Police Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel. Macaraya is charged with multiple frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms.
- The Senate Minority is in favor of reviewing the secret voting system of confirming or rejecting the ad interim appointment of a Cabinet member. According to Senator Bam Aquino, the Commission of Appointments must examine and modify the current secret voting system.
- Different female groups assembled in front of the Senate, claiming that Senator Tito Sotto's apology over his controversial joke against DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo is not sincere. According to Amparo Miciano, Secretary General of Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan, they plan to file an ethics complaint against Sotto for his joke against the female community.
- US and Afghan officials confirmed that the leader of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan was slayed during a joint military operations. Officials from the Afghanistan government and US military headquarters in Kabul released a statement on Sunday. It said Abdul Hasib was killed in a raid on April 27th in the eastern province of Nangarhar near Pakistan.
- A memorial service for the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camps was held in Austria on Sunday. The camp was built by the Nazis during the Second World War. Jewish and Roma people and Soviet prisoners of war were incarcerated at Mauthausen. More than 100 thousand were killed there. About 7,000 people, including survivors, families, and representatives of various countries took part at Sunday's ceremony.
- Volkswagen will discontinue the Beetle and the Scirocco, according to reports.
- Sequel to Edge of Tomorrow sci-fi action film was been tentatively named "Live Die Repeat and Repeat".
- Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach will soon to make a showbiz comeback, according to trainer and mentor of beauty queens Jonas Gaffud.
The second round of the French presidential elections pits two candidates vying for the seat to become the next French president.
The former is the leader of the far-right National Front party, Marine Le Pen, who plots to become the first female leader of this nation while dishing out her Donald Trump-style approach by closing borders, terminate the Schengen agreement, ban everything Islam, and the biggest of all is plotting a Frexit from the European Union, while the latter is the former economic minister for the Socialist Party, Emmanuel Macron, who formed his own movement called En Marche, which became the fastest-growing movement with over a hundred thousand members, and his plan to unleash a political revolution, something that the lefts and the rights never achieve to do so.
Yesterday, millions of French voted to decide the fate of their nation, and with the votes tallied, the winner to become the next French president is none other than the outsider named Emmanuel Macron. Macron garnered 66.1% of the votes, compared to the 33.9% of the votes Le Pen garnered.
Macron's win can be either a good news and a bad news because while some don't know the extent of his campaign promises because he is new to the politics, the European Union expressed relief, knowing that a win for Macron is a win for the EU. This will put a minor blow against populism that prompted the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, the Philippines that propelled Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs to the top, and the USA with Donald Trump, although the alleged Russian hack prompted some questions that left untold.
It's been half a decade since Toyota and Subaru introduced the world their compact front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports coupes sold under their respective names of Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ and as sportscars come and go by, rest assured that these affordable Asian sportscars never gone to waste even though they're not as fast as any European sportscars because what these cars are not just good-looking but also greater to drive which isn't so bad for a four-cylinder car to begin with if you're new into sportscars.
Because both the BRZ and the 86 both have the same boxer-4 engine, the same 200HP power output, the same FR layout, and with the rest goes on and on, it's hard to decide which one is the best so let's ditch the comparison and talk about how it feels to be behind the wheel of the Toyobaru coupes, starting with the 86.
This Toyota will be remembered as one of the all-time greats because it brings Toyota back to its sporty character that dates back to the legendary AE86 Sprinter Trueno that wows speedo boys elsewhere for being a drift-focused car, not to mention pop culture stardom because of Initial D.
With today's lineup of Toyotas too regular for their own good, the 86 isn't what you called "regular" because even though it's not powerful enough to outsmart the European sportscars, its superb handling capabilities is what made them get into the sportscar craze in the first place and the more they have fun with the 86, the more they will graduate to an even more powerful sportscar and that is just a crash course to those who are new to sportscars. Think of it like a stepping stone for the speedo boys, a rite of passage, a first impression if you may and if you had enough fun with the 86, you have a choice of either stay with this Toyota or go forward to another sportscar.
I think I could just stay with this for a little while because while the 86 is a speedo boys' car, I had a little tinkering job to do with it. Ready?
See what I did here? A little Rocket Bunny aero kit, some major improvements on the mechanical bits, and with the little decor you are mostly familiar with, this 86 is ready to impress the crowd with its untapped potential as a tuner's car. Now, here's a little thing about this car because it's important not to overdo with its performance because putting it too much power makes it darn undrivable even at the starting line but while it can be somewhat undriveable on the race, it makes up an ideal drift car to score some huge points in the drift zones if you are careful with it. In the meantime, I decided to tone it down a bit and make it more track-mannered because today, I called on some 86/BRZ enthusiasts for a little meeting all around this upside-down country and they wanted to see if this 86 is good enough to impress themselves.
Ready?
You may think it's mad to say that this is the best four-cylinder sportscar in the world but look at this way, the 86 has gone through different times and while it didn't produce the results that a sportscar should be, it will always be the starting point for anyone who is new to sportscars and if they are happy with it, they will have some tough decisions to make.
This is why I love enjoying the Toyota 86 because while it doesn't have the power and the speed to eclipse against the world's best sportscars, its fun factor will always play a key role in its driver involvement and this is all about bringing driving back for the drivers. It really is an all-time great for Toyota.
The fourth episode of the tenth season of BBC Doctor Who, titled "Knock Knock", sees The Doctor and Bill figuring out what was going on behind the old house she and her friends went into.
When Bill Potts and her friends rented an old house from a shady landlord, they thought they're having the best day of their lives when suddenly, behind the wooden walls, something strange occurred, and with the arrival of The Doctor, they are figuring out the mystery behind the old house while keeping Bill's friends safe in this death trap they went into.
There's one enjoyable thing about the recent episode and that's because the sound team made a binaural version of it, meaning if anyone watches it again with their headphones on, the realistic 3D sound is what made this week's episode as real as they were part of the show. That's a bonus but let's leave it at then because time to hear what they say in the recent DW Fan Show webcast featuring David Suchet and Mike Bartlett discussing today's DW episode.
For over half a decade, the Porsche Panamera has became a sacrilege for Porsche traditionalists because this is more of a saloon than what a Porsche should be and behind the ugly looking exterior design comes the beating heart of the Porsche DNA that makes it a four-door supercar that promises everyone to ditch their chauffeurs and drive anywhere they like in this Porsche saloon beyond the limit.
At long last, here comes the second-generation Porsche Panamera. To be found on the Porsche Car Pack of Forza Horizon 3, players got themselves the golden opportunity to try out the latest generation of Porsche's first ever saloon car that works like a luxury car and a sports car at the same pace. The Panamera you know has been refined, recharged, and reloaded for the new era.
For the second-generation Panamera, the exterior has been influenced by Porsche sports cars such as the 911 and the 718 while the interior has been heavily revamped with modern features such as touch panels in place of buttons. For the first time, an Executive long-wheelbase was offered featuring a much longer legroom on the back courtesy of its long wheelbase. The choice of engines include a 3.0L V6 (single or twin turbo), 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo, 4.0L V8 Diesel, and the E-Hybrid variant with the combination of a 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine and an electric motor. All models are mated with an 8-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (Double Clutch Gearbox).
Seen here is the Panamera Turbo, which is the most powerful in the range for now and when equipped with the Sport Chrono package, it produces 550PS of power and 770Nm. of torque. It can go 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds and onwards to 306kph. This is very fast for a luxury premium saloon and because it has permanent four-wheel drive system, it's not afraid to take on any weather condition forecasted on the telly. Hold on, since this car has four-wheel drive, you might think that this car is grippy as last time, am I right? Not so because with the adaptive air suspension with new three-chamber technology, including Porsche Active Suspension Management, the enhanced Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport system including Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus and active roll stabilisation, as well as a new electromechanical steering system, the new Panamera is like a hectic schedule of a basketball player who plays on game day and then after that, arrives on time for the wedding while dressed in formal attire...only this time he forgot to change his shoes. It's like sports and business mashed up for an executive saloon with the the DNA of a Porsche sportscar.
I know that I didn't like the latest exterior design of the Porsche because it feels like it haven't changed a bit but what I like about in the Turbo variant is the variable rear wing that is very Iron Man-ish when you're speeding. Looks cool but it can get you into real trouble when on public roads but since this is Horizon and there's no one around here to stop you, you're free to look at that new Panamera sprouting its wings like a metallic superhero. Speaking of which, since the Panamera is an executive premium saloon and a high-performance sportscar all rolled into one, my brain just hatched an idea.
Catered by the tailor of Panama...sorta...I have given the brand new Panamera the impression of a queen. The "Perfect Queen" if you know what I'm saying, huh? Anyway, you may not know her but this lady here is Aikatsu Stars' newest character, Elza Forte of the Venus Ark. That's right and that suits both of their personalities rather well so with some improvements already taken care of, it's time for the Perfect Queen to impress the crowd against...the best of Germany.
And so Queen Elza stunned the crowd with her pride and prestige while my allowance after the first four races with the new Panamera will surely rise. Although that sounds too cheap for me but...hold on, what's that? Hmm? Ok... I've just received word that there's a new barn find hidden somewhere in the Outback. While I was racing with the Panamera, word from the mouth is the Barn Find is located near the airport grounds. Here is the shot...
With the location set, me and the Panamera set off for the latest treasure hunt...
Time to find out what kind of legendary machine we encountered today...
Why that's the legendary Porsche 356A Speedster, a 356 catered for the American market. Known as the entry-level open-top version of the said model with the low, raked windscreen that can be detached for track racing, bucket seats, and a minimal folding top, this rare Californian treat is powered by the same 1.6L petrol engine as the other 356s, producing 60HP of power and 81ft-lb of torque, while mated with a 4-speed manual gearbox, but it weighs 1,676lbs, which makes this legend very nimble on the corners.
Anyway, enough chit-chat, let's see how the 356A lives up to being a legendary Porsche that became a hit in Californian roads in the past. Roll the tape!
Man, what a day it was for me. I managed to tailored the Panamera like a "perfect queen" and then unearthened a legendary Porsche 356A Speedster from the outback. It's like The Royals meets the Deadliest Catch and I couldn't be thankful for this day without these Porsches. Speaking of which, looks like the "perfect queen" wants me to have another go and yet, here I am, taking her for a spin.
The so-called Guardians of the Galaxy have returned for another one of their greatest hits in the universe and for their Volume 2 mixtape, looks like our ever favorite band of intergalactic vigilantes are up to something next while a powerful alien race chasing them far and wide. This can get very interesting for one of the biggest films pre-summer.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Volume 2 picks up where the previous one left off following Groot's fate sealed and later reemerged as the Baby Groot. In this film, the so-called guardians were recruited by a powerful alien race to protect their most valuable resources but when they discovered that Rocket Raccoon stole the resources they were supposed to protect, that's where the hot pursuit begins and Peter "Star-Lord" Quill and the gang must shake off their pursuers by any means necessary.
The cast from the previous film were returned for this second installment, well almost. There's Chris Pratt as you know who he is, there's Zoe Saldana as Gamora, former WWE superstar and Bond villain Dave Bautista as Drax, and Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket with the addition of other celebs like Kurt Russell as, and this is the shocking part, Peter Quill's father. True to the chemistry from last time, the second installment of Guardians of the Galaxy is not just one film because it still is an action thriller and slapstick comedy all rolled into one so-called superhero flick everyone can enjoy, even the whole family. However, even though this film packs more thrills than the last film, the jokes are still corny than last time and there's one inescapable hunch they should know about. This film is NOT welcomed to be called "cute".
Yes, Baby Groot's presence in this film can be somewhat...you get the point, but because "cuteness" is not welcomed in this film, tough is what best sums this small-but-terrible sapling up because this film is still tougher than you look. It is but be warned, anytime you call this film "cute", you'll be subjected to Baby Groot's buttkicking habits. Simple as that.
Although this maybe the corniest flick to watch and the risk of being called "cute" due to Baby Groot, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is as enjoyable as a road trip with your mates and it's the perfect superhero flick you can bring your friends and family for during the summer season.
The Golden Week holidays mean that people in Japan spend the rest of their vacation days doing whatever they like and the best example of spending the Golden Week holidays is taking the whole family or friends to the Fuji Speedway to watch the second round of this season's Autobacs Super GT Championship. Once again, it's another victory for the new Lexus LC500 GT500-spec racing machine as the #38 ZENT CERUMO LC500, driven by Yuji Tachikawa and Hiroaki Ishiura, drove its way to victory for the GT500 class. In the GT300 class, meanwhile, the #51 JMS P.MU LMcorsa RC F GT3, driven by Yuichi Nakayama and Sho Tsuboi, is the clear winner. That's two Lexus machines nailed their wins at their home turf, quite a golden opportunity for those who never take a break on the Golden Week holidays.
- Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II suggested that President Rodrigo Duterte can be their new DENR secretary if he wishes to do so. The Justice Secretary explained that if Duterte cannot find any replacement for Lopez, the President can head the DENR and name the former Environment Secretary as undersecretary. He used former dictator Ferdinand Marcos as a template because back then, Marcos acted a Secretary of the Department of National Defense while leading the country.
- Authorities launched a manhunt operation against the New People’s Army, after a Philippine National Police sub-station in the Cagayan Valley region was attacked yesterday.
- The Department of Health warns the public of hypertension, which is now the leading cause of death in the Philippines. Over 12 million adult Filipinos experience hypertension.
- Congress has passed the controversial revised healthcare act that will repeal Obamacare once and for all after a vote of 217-213. This bill allows the so-called "Trumpcare" to cut Medicaid, allow insurance companies to kick people with preexisting conditions off their plans, and kick 24 million people off their healthcare coverage, fearing that this will break most of President Donald Trump's core campaign promises. It's now passed to the Senate where it will face some tough competition.
- Yesterday's debate between French presidential candidates, National Front leader Marine Le Pen and Centralist Emmanuel Macron, turned ugly but neither of them landed their finishing blow.
- Delta Airlines apologized on Thursday after a couple said they were kicked off an overbooked flight with their two toddlers so their seats could be given to waiting passengers, the latest U.S. airline to apologize over incidents on board their flights.
- India plans to ban the sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by the year 2030 and focus more on electric vehicles.
- The facelifted Porsche 911 GT3 set a Nurburgring lap time of seven minutes and 12 seconds, 12.3 seconds more than the previous model.
- Singer Morissette announced that she will be co-hosting an Asian reality show to be hosted by Grammy winner Michael Bolton.
In case you are wondering, the folks from NHK named the best 100 anime in history. The poll collected votes from the 8th of January to March 31 in honor of 100 years of Japanese animation. Folks can choose one from the 10,000 Japanese anime produced so far and vote for three works per day.
Since its deadline, the poll received about 600,000 votes and the winners are named via a special broadcast on NHK and BS Premium. So, in case you missed it, here are the best 20 out of the 100 anime shows that made it in the list. Is your favorite made it on the list?
1) TIGER & BUNNY
2) TIGER & BUNNY The Movie -The Rising-
3) Puella Magi Madoka Magica
4) Love Live! School Idol Project Season 1
5) Love Live! School Idol Project Season 2
6) TIGER & BUNNY The Movie: The Beginning
7) Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
8) Cardcaptor Sakura
9) Love Live! The School Idol Movie
10) Osomatsu-san
11) Gintama
12) Joker Game
13) The Legend of the Galactic Heroes
14) Neon Genesis Evangelion
15) Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
16) Is the order a rabbit?
17) Mobile Suit Gundam
18) Digimon Adventure
19) Psycho-Pass
20) Sword Art Online
The Tiger and Bunny anime series scored big wins in the list as well as the original Love Live School Idol Project ranging from two seasons and a 2015 movie. It's no surprising that these anime franchises really are one of the all-time greats when fans look up to 100 years of anime.
