Let's Do The News! (December 26, 2014)

Welcome back. Here is your current sitrep:

- Memorial services are being held in Asian nations for the victims affected from the cataclysmic 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami on the disaster's 10th anniversary. Over 200,000 people died when an undersea earthquake triggered a killer tsunami on the 26th of December, 2004.

- Critical peace talks between the Ukrainian government troops and Pro-Russian rebels, due to take place in Minsk on Friday, has been called off, according to Belarusian officials. No immediate reason has been given.

- An armed Islamic group attack Libya's biggest oil port in Sirte when they fired a rocket from a boat, setting the fuel storage tank in flames. Reports told at least 19 soldiers were killed in the attack.

- The nations of Iraq and Turkey have agreed to boost their military cooperation against the ISIS. This agreement was reached when Iraq PM Haider al-Abadi held talks with Turkey PM Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara.

- Prosecutors arrested a ministry official for leaking information about the investigation of the Korean Air "nut rage" scandal where Cho Hyun-ah, the daughter of the chairman of Korean Air, scolded the cabin crew when they served her bagged macadamia nuts instead of nuts on a plate. There are suspicions that the SoKor government has been surreptitiously aiding the carrier.

- Numerous groups are planning to protest against the fare hike of the Metro Rail and Light Rail Transit this January. Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes said that Bayan RILES and TREN, and commuters are questioning against the MRT-LRT fare hike, that is scheduled to be effective this 5th of January, 2015.

- Subaru to display a concept model of their Levorg sport tourer equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox at the 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon. Apart from that, they'll be displaying a Legacy Blitzen Concept as well, which is based on the latest-generation Legacy B4 saloon.

- Following with the launch of their new, eighth-generation, Suzuki Alto kei car, they'll be displaying their customized Alto Turbo RS Concept at the 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon this January as well. This concept previews the turbocharged version of the Alto that is scheduled to be on sale this Spring 2015.

Suzuki Alto Turbo RS Concept

- Mitsubishi Motors added a 1.2L petrol engine to their JDM Mirage compact car. Normally a Mirage with the 1.2L petrol engine has been offered globally since its 2012 debut but two years later, that global variant is now available for the first time in the Japanese market. The 1.2L petrol engine produces 78PS of power and 100Nm of torque. Fuel economy is 25.0km/L.

Mitsubishi Mirage 1.2 G

TTFN!