Let's Do The News! (October 24, 2017)

- US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his ASEAN counterparts discussed views on regional security during informal meetings in Clark, Pampanga. His spokesperson said that Mattis relayed his appreciation for the broad range of US-ASEAN security cooperation.

- According to Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr. President Rodrigo Duterte's tirades on the European Union will not affect the "robust" relationship between ASEAN and the EU.

- The Chinese government officially turned over three million dollars worth of heavy equipment to be used for the rehabilitation of the war-torn Marawi City.

- According to Senator Grace Poe, the graft charges against former Transportation chief Joseph Emilio Abaya and other officials "rests on solid grounds."

- China's Communist Party moved to confirm Xi Jinping's rise to becoming the country's most powerful leader in decades by amending its constitution to add his name and ideology. Xi's concept of "socialism with Chinese characteristics for new era" was added to the party constitution at the close of a twice-a-decade major congress.

- Singapore's Land Transport Authority announced that the growth rate for cars and motorcycles in categories A, B, and D will be zero from next year, according to reports.

- The 2018 Ford Mustang now comes with a Performance Pack Level 2 which comes with the same goodies as Level 1 but with major improvements, including a redesigned front splitter and rear spoiler, wider tires, custom tuned MagneRide dampers, quicker steering calibration, and many others.

2018 Ford Mustang GT Performance Pack Level 2

- Consumer Reports named Toyota and Lexus one of the most reliable car brands of 2017.

TTFN!!!

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup - Hollywood Casino 400

The 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup playoffs continue at Kansas for the Hollywood Casino 400 where the Round of 8 has finally set to those who are gunning for the title.

Before getting to know who made it to the Round of 8, let's find out what just happened around Kansas Speedway. In Lap 76, problems arise at the #42 car of Kyle Larson due to ECU malfunctions while Kyle Busch took Stage 1. In Lap 90, a problem has occurred in one of the tires of the  #78 car of Martin Truex Jr and with them swapped, he's back into action. In Lap 159, Denny Hamlin wins Stage 2. In Lap 188, Jimmie Johnson has slid out on the fourth corner and in Lap 198, disaster strikes when the #77 crashed through the wall followed by the #4 and the #20, and then a pileup occurred in the middle of the race.

Martin Truex Jr. secured the top spot for the Round of 8 and now the recent results;

1) Martin Truex Jr. - 4069pts
2) Kyle Busch - 4,042pts
3) Brad Keselowski - 4,026pts
4) Kevin Harvick - 4,017pts
5) Jimmie Johnson - 4,017pts
6) Denny Hamlin - 4,014pts
7) Ryan Blaney - 4,009pts
8) Chase Elliot - 4,006pts

The playoffs continue at Martinsville Speedway on the 29th.

F1 2017: US GP

The USGP of the F1 2017 season held in Circuit of the Americas at Austin, Texas, is a star-studded feast and behind all the glitz and glamour shining through the Lone Star State, this year's race never get as bigger as the state itself.

After all that star-studded moment to remember for F1 fans, Mercedes-AMG snagged their constructor's championship win and Lewis Hamilton nailed another win in his career while Sebastian Vettel from Ferrari placed 2nd and Kimi Raikkonen placing a dramatic third place after a dramatic dogfight between him and Max Verstappen from Red Bull at the final corner. Other finishers include Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, and Carlos Sainz.

As Mercedes now gained a constructor's championship win, the fight for the driver's championship title between Hamilton and Vettel still rages on as the gap between them is now 66 points, 331 vs. 265.

Next race is at Mexico on the 29th of October.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: South Korean defense chief in PH for ASEAN meeting

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo arrived in the Philippines to join  regional security forum. He plans to discuss North Korea and other pending security issues with his counterparts from ASEAN countries and additional dialogue partners for a two-day meeting to open later in the day in Pampanga.

Song plans to hold trilateral talks with his American and Japanese counterparts, Jim Mattis and Itsunori Onodera, on the sidelines of the event. He is also pushing for a one-on-one meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan. The South Korean minister will also seek to drum up support for efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.

Source: Arirang News

Let's Do The News! (October 23, 2017)

- Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Baste Duterte, the first children of President Rodrigo Duterte, call for unity in a rally of pro-Duterte supporters and groups amid the political division in the country.

- The Malacanang Palace announced that they accepted the resignation of COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista and said that this would be effective immediately.

- ASEAN defense ministers condemned the Maute group and the Marawi siege which killed thousands and charred the one-bustling central district of the lakeside town hours after the Philippine secretary of defense declared the end of the siege.

- Typhoon Lan (Pablo) made landfall on Japan's Honshu island early Monday local time with winds moving up to 105mph. At least five people were hurt during the storm, according to recent reports.

- Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled the new JPN Taxi and it's on sale now at Toyota and Toyopet dealers starting at 3,277,800 Yen. The new model features a London cab-inspired design, LPG-hybrid powertrain that returns 19.4km/L of fuel economy by JC08 mode standards, and Toyota Safety Sense C. It comes with two trim models such as the entry-level Nagomi and the top-spec Takumi.

2018 Toyota JPN Taxi

- Porsche unveiled a new variant for the 911 called the Carrera T. Designed for grand touring in mind, the 911 T features standard PASM sports chassis, Sport Chrono Package, shortened shift lever, Sport-Tex seat centres, and rear-axle steering.

2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T

- In Game 5 of the 2017 PBA Governor's Cup, the Brgy. Ginebra is one win away on the title after defeating Meralco at the score of 85-74.

- The BBC announced that the celebs who are joining alongside 13th Doctor Jodie Whitaker in the upcoming season of Doctor Who are Bradley Walsh as Graham, Tosin Cole as Ryan, and Mandip Gill as Yasmin. They also announced that Sharon D Clarke will be returning in the new season. The new season returns this Fall 2018 with ten episodes beginning with a feature-length hour on the season premiere.

TTFN!!!

GT SPORT: First ride

With the latest Gran Turismo making its debut on the PS4, looks like I am now back to the writing board to talk about the cars of this newest title and how they impress me not just by their looks but by how they react or feel on the track. First up, let's look at the car I obtained on my first day of gameplay with GT SPORT.



Sorry, a little dark with this picture but bear with me folks because this is the car I got on my first day of GT SPORT gameplay. It's the Audi TTS, a semi-high-performance variant of the third-generation Audi TT.

What is it then? The TT S is powered by a 2.0L TFSi petrol engine that produces 310PS of power output while mated with a choice of either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed flappy paddle that can do 0-100kph in 4.6 seconds and a top speed limited to 250kph. Apart from the power, the third generation TT S utilizes the MQB platform from every VW Group vehicle of today, and because of the next-generation Audi Space Frame, it's surprisingly lighter than the previous TT S model, and with Audi's signature quattro permanent all-wheel drive, it's capable through different road conditions, be it rain or shine.



It's quite surprising that everyone who's starting GT SPORT for the first time gets their hands on this but let's not get too excited because this car can get bitey because of its understeering nature. Despite this, the Audi TT S is a nice starting point for those who want to sample the twists and turns of the tracks offered on GT SPORT. It can be mild and tangy but it's the start of many things to come in GT SPORT.

So, care to see what I did with this on the Tokyo highways? Let's roll the tape and thank goodness, I made my first GT SPORT clip for this post.





Mild as I said but the TT S knows how to impress a beginner before setting off to check out some more cars and tracks offered in-game. Needless to say, before you head off to the big leagues, why not take some time to discover the cars and tracks in GT SPORT?  There's so much to discover before getting ready for the race of your lives so take your time before you raise a hand for a challenge.

20 Years of Gran Turismo

The arrival of GT SPORT is more than just welcoming the PS4 era of the hit racing simulation franchise but it's here for one major purpose; to celebrate 20 years of Gran Turismo. So, to commemorate Gran Turismo's two-decade anniversary since the first one was launch, let's take a moment to discover twenty years of Gran Turismo.

Of course, you could say that in GT SPORT, there's a history lesson dedicated to the longest-running racing simulation franchise in video game history that you can access it on the Museum section at the Gran Turismo brand via Brand Central. But for those who never got the game or a PS4, here's the history lesson that sums it up in-game.

Here's for twenty years of GRAN TURISMO, and if you're ready for the biggest race of your lives, pick up GT SPORT, now available exclusively for the PlayStation4.