Thursday, February 9, 2017

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


- Vice President Leni Robredo expressed grave concerns regarding the pronouncement of House speaker that lawmakers allied with the administration who will vote against death penalty may resign or be replaced if they are holding key positions. Her comments on House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez's pronouncement is both a "threat" and "arm-twisting." She also supported the position of former Colombian president Cesar Gaviria's opinion that President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs may end up like him.

- The Court has postponed the start of the trial of former Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.'s plunder case after his camp filed a motion seeking to quash the case. In a hearing before the Sandiganbayan First Division, Revilla's lead counsel, former Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza reiterated before the court the main argument of his client's motion to quash-that the facts cited in the information of the case, filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2014, do not constitute the crime of plunder.

- The Commission of Human Rights warned that the tensions between the government and the communist rebels may result in the increase of human rights violations on the ground. CHR chairman Chito Gascon called on negotiating panels to find ways to return to the peace table following the government’s declaration of an all-out war against the New People’s Army (NPA).

- Despite opposition, Jeff Sessions, US President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general was confirmed by the US Senate in a majority vote. The Senate approved Sessions with a vote of 52 to 47. Sessions, a Republican Senator from Alabama, is known for his hardline stance on immigrants. He is also a strong backer of Trump's plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico. He is the 6th member in the Trump administration to win Senate confirmation.

- Checking onto the situation of US President Donald Trump, he sent a letter to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, expressing hopes for developing a constructive relationship that benefits both countries, although the US government is imposing harsh anti-dumping duties on China. Then, he and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that they will cooperate on counterterrorism efforts.

- The organizers of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics have unveiled the official countdown clock, with one year left before the games. The unveiling took place at a square in central Seoul on Wednesday. The 17-day event, which is due to kick off on February 9th next year, will be the first Winter Games in South Korea.

- Former VW chairman Ferdinand Piech told prosecutors that leaders knew of the emissions testing cheat device months before the revelation two years ago and brought it to the attention of then CEO Martin Winterkorn and numerous supervisory board members.

- Lamborghini's joining the factory-restored classic bandwagon by restoring one of the earliest Lamborghinis in history, the 350GT, courtesy of Polo Storico.


- Actor John Boyega twitted a picture of himself playing the role of Jake Pentecost, the son of Stacker Pentecost from the first Pacific Rim film, in the upcoming 2018 sequel Pacific Rim Uprising, CHECK IT OUT.

- This stunning figure of THE IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls' Fumika Sagisawa form Phat! Company can now be yours to order starting at 12,000 Yen plus tax and will be delivered this August.


- Inside the world of Hasegawa Hobby Kits' Ace Combat lineup inspired from the hit Bandai Namco video game franchise, a UPEO-spec Typhoon model kit, as seen on Ace Combat 3 Electrosphere, will land on hobby stores this 24th of February for 3800 Yen plus tax with limited availability. Also, a Wardog-spec F-14A and the Razgriz-spec F-14A from Ace Combat 5 The Unsung War, are joining the Eggplane range and they'll be hitting stores this March 22nd.


TTFN!!!

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