Let's Do The News! (January 3, 2018)

- Tropical Storm Agaton has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility after dumping continuous rains over the Visayas and Palawan region since New Year's Day. As of 1300 hours local time, PAGASA said that Agaton was 40 km west northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, outside PAR.

- House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez warned that the 2019 midterm elections might be cancelled if the Philippines will shift to a federal parliamentary form of government. A transition government would be needed if the shift would be approved by May of this year. However, the presidential spokesperson said that the elections would have to push through unless the Constitution is amended.

- Meanwhile, the revision of the 1987 Constitution and the shift from a unitary to a federal form of government would be the top priorities of the House of Representatives for this year. According to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, he is hopeful that Congress will convene this month for a constituent assembly and submit a referendum for a plebiscite along with the barangay elections on May.

- The Israeli parliament passed a law on yesterday requiring a supermajority to relinquish control over any part of Jerusalem, a move that could hamstring the city's division in any future peace deal. The law also permits the government to remove outlying Palestinian neighborhoods from the city, a move promoted by hard-liners to preserve Jerusalem's Jewish majority. They would be turned into separate municipalities under Israeli control.

- US President Donald Trump threatened to cut off U.S. aid money to the Palestinian Authority, asking why the U.S. should make "any of these massive future payments" when the Palestinians are "no longer willing to talk peace."

- Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador and Islamic groups have held rallies in major cities after US President Donald Trump lashed out at the country over its alleged support for extremists.

- A baby polar bear at Berlin's Tierpark zoo has died, less than a year after its mother lost another cub.

- Mercedes teases the next-gen G-Class with an ode to the original.



- The 100th Porsche dealership has opened in Guangzhou, China.

- Shelby SuperCars returns with a teaser of their new supercar.



- Seiyuu Yurika Kubo has left her talent agency to go freelance. She was famed for playing the role of Hanayo Koizumi from the Love Live series.

TTFN!!!