Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Let's Do The News! (March 23, 2016)


- Following the deadly bombings in Brussels, Belgium, the Islamic State militants threatens to attack other countries taking part in the anti-IS coalition. The terrorist organization issued an updated communique taking credit for the Brussels attacks and was published in Arabic and French. The militants also released photos showing its fighters in Syria giving out candy to children to celebrate the Brussels attacks, according to intel.

- Although there is no Filipino casualty in the Brussels attacks, the Philippine Embassy advised Filipinos in Belgium to avoid crowded areas and to be extra careful after attacks in the Belgian capital. Philippine Ambassador Victoria Bataclan told Filipinos to avoid crowded areas that could be targets of terror attacks after 34 people reportedly killed in the explosions.

- The Commission of Elections yesterday asked the high court to reconsider the decision and affirm Senator Grace Poe's disqualification for material misrepresentation in her residency and citizenship eligibilities. The COMELEC also asked the justices to again deliberate on the case and conduct another round of voting, arguing that there was no majority vote finding Poe as a natural-born Filipino qualified to be president.

- The Anti Money Laundering Council head on Tuesday expressed its support to the absolute lifting of the bank secrecy law prior to the 81 million dollar bank heist. Although hopeful for the absolute lifitng of bank secrecy law, AMLC Executive Director Julia Bacay Abad admitted that the will face an uphill battle to accomplish this.

- Allies of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are welcome to help the ruling Liberal Party and its coalition partners. The Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid candidates led by presidential aspirant Mar Roxas held sorties on Tuesday in Pampanga province - a known balliwick of Arroyo - to lure voters before the Holy Week break.

- North Korea threatened a "misearable end" for South Korean president Park Geun-hye and her American allies in its series of provocations. Pyongyang declard it would wage a battle against the South Korean president with its artillery units standing ready to turn her office into a "sea of flames and ashes". This provocation comes as the US and SoKor stage their annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle military exercies, which is the largest this year in the wake of a recent North Korean nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Seoul urged the North to stop "base and vulgar" threats and warned of a "relentless retaliation" against any further provocations.

- Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter revealed that South Korea and the United States have agreed to deploy the anti-ballistic missile interceptor called the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) to the Korean Peninsula. Speaking at a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Carter said the system would protect South Korea and the US troop presence here against North Korea's missile threats. Carter added that Washington has started to boost its capabilities in light of North Korea possibly having the capacity to range the US with an ICBM.

- The recent Arizona primaries scored a huge win for Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton over who could best deal with Islamic extremism amid the recent Belgian attacks. In the Republican side, Trump now has 739 delegates, Cruz has 425 and Kasich has 143. In the Democratic side, meanwhile, Clinton now has 1,203 elegates to Sanders’ 860, based on primaries and caucuses. It takes 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.

- Turkish authorities reportedly detained at least 13 people, including those with alleged links to the Islamic State militants. Three people, including a Syrian and Iraqi, alleged to have planned attacks on targets including a German consulate general and a school. Ten people, meanwhile, tried to illegally enter Turkey from Syria. One is said to have been in possession of an explosive device for a suicide attack.

- Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend next week's Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, and is expected too meet US President Barack Obama on the sidelines. Xi will make a 5-day trip to the Czech Republic and the United States from the 28th of March and he will attend the summit at the end of March. The summit is expected to discuss measures aimed at preventing nuclear materials to fall under terrorists' hands as well as North Korea's nuclear development and China's military activities in the South China Sea.

- Manny Pacquiao kicked off his second week of training in preparation for his final fight against Tim Bradley next month.



- The first-ever retractable fastback version of the fourth-generation Mazda Roadster has unveiled prior to its New York Auto Show debut this week.



- The all-new fifth-generation Subaru Impreza, in saloon form, is officially unveiled prior to its New York Auto Show debut this week.



- Three hit Biohazard/Resident Evil games are coming to PS4 and XBOX One in celebration of the franchise's 20th anniversary! The first is Biohazard 6, coming on the 29th of March, featuring all the DLC contents, Japanese audio, improved frame rate, and ResidentEvil.net exclusive outfits. In Summer 2016, Biohazard 5 will be out and in the Autumn of 2016, Biohazard 4 will be out.



- Evolution Studios, the developer of the popular PS4 racing game DriveClub, has been closed by parent compay Sony. This news comes nearly a year following the studio's recent layoffs affecting over fifty employees, resulting in the studio being restructured and focusing on the game as a service. DriveClub was originally intended as a PS4 launch title but was delayed to 2014 with disastrous launch day results. However, numerous upadtes have been implemented to become one of the most popular PS4 racing games to day. The recent DLC, Finish Line, was launched today featuring Koenigsegg's brand new hybrid hypercar, the Regera, and the legendary Jaguar XJ220.



- The hit BBC TV series Doctor Who has smashed the Guinness World Records title for the "Largest gathering of Doctor Who characters at Comic Con event in Mexico". A total of 492 Doctor Who cosplayers participated in the milestone.



TTFN!!!

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