Let's Do The News! (January 7, 2025)

      

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- As the ongoing kiss of the Lord Jesus Nazarene continues, the number of devotees lining up at the Quirino Grandstand has increased.

- Approximately 1,300 police officers from Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) will be deployed to Manila to ensure a safe and orderly celebration of the Feast of the Nazarene on January 9.

- British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer criticizes those spreading false information regarding child sex grooming gangs after Elon Musk criticized ministers.

- Winter Storm Blair hits the US East Coast, possibly with 16 inches of snow in Washington D.C.

- Justin Trudeau resigns as leader of Canada's Liberal Party after nearly a decade as prime minister.

- The new Shutokou Battle video game will have early access this January 23rd with full launch expected mid-2025 on PC via STEAM.

- The Genesis GV60 minor change was unveiled.

2026 Genesis GV60

- An anime adaptation of the Ghost of Tsushima video game is coming in 2027.

- VTuber Tsumugihime Amanosakura parts ways with First Stage Production at the end of January 2025.

- Green Bay Packers player Christian Watson suffered a season-ending torn ACL following the team's defeat by the Chicago Bears.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (January 6, 2025)

     

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. presented some of the main priorities this 2025, including the modernization of their naval, aerial, ground, air defense, and cyber capabilities.

- The Philippine National Police is still studying whether to implement signal jamming on mobile phones on the day of Traslacion itself or on January 9, 2025.

- The Manila LGU, Metro Manila Development Authority, and the Quiapo church leadership have completed the renovation of the Quirino Grandstand for the traditional Kissing of Jesus Nazarene, as part of the Quiapo festival activities.

- UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting slammed Elon Musk for attacking MP Jess Phillips over grooming gangs, calling Musk's comments "a disgraceful smear". Meanwhile, Musk says Nigel Farage "doesn't have what it takes" and Reform UK needs a new leader.

- Heavy snow closes Manchester Airport runways and flooding hits rail lines.

- Kia unveiled the special edition Bongo Smart Selection in honor of the Bongo series' 45th anniversary.

Kia Bongo Smart Selection

- Kimi to Idol PreCure, the 2025 PreCure installment, will air this February 2, 2025.

- Kim Jung Hyun has left Story J Company.

- Emilia Perez and The Brutalist sweep Golden Globe wins.

- Drag Race UK's The Vivienne dies at the age of 32.

TTFN.

Renault 5 E-TECH

The legendary Renault 5 made a comeback as an all-electric hatchback that promises to look as good as its ancestors. So, what's it all about the born-again Renault 5?

2025 Renault 5

Priced at 23,990 Euros plus additional costs, the return of the Renault 5 in the age of the "new normal" is more than just welcoming back a legendary nameplate because this is the city car that adapts to the challenges of this unstable world we live in.

2025 Renault 5

The all-new Renault 5 features a design inspired by concept cars while remaining true to its heritage. However, the five-door layout might disappoint purists who are familiar with the original Renault 5. Still, consistency is only part of the equation. The Renault 5 has also become the flagship vehicle for Renault's electric revolution.

2025 Renault 5 interior

2025 Renault 5 interior

Inside, the Renault 5 features an innovative openR 2x10" dashboard packed with over 50 onboard apps, including Google Maps. It even comes with its own in-car mascot named Reno, which pops up when you say the magic word "Hey Reno," it does whatever you ask, a la Amazon Alexa. It's disturbing but addictive.

Regarding space, the reborn R5 has a boot space of 326 to 1106 liters, which is more than the outgoing Twingo E-Tech and more spacious.

2025 Renault 5

Now, let's talk about the E-TECH powertrain that serves as the beating heart of the 21st-century Renault 5. The base model runs on a 40kWh battery with 120PS of power and a range of 312km. The range-topper uses a 52kWh battery with 150PS of power and 410km of driving range. It does 0-100kph in eight seconds and flat-out in 150kph. Enough said.

Unfortunately, the Renault 5 E-TECH is available only as a front-wheel-drive model. Given the size of the electric drivetrain underneath, the vehicle may not offer the best handling dynamics. While it performs well in city driving, it can be less enjoyable during a Sunday afternoon track day.

As always, the all-new Renault 5 boasts 26 advanced driver assistance systems and devices developed by Renault for efficient driving. These features include active driver assist, automatic emergency braking, lane departure detection with emergency trajectory correction, parking assist, safe occupant exit alert, and a driver attention monitoring system.

What can I say about the reborn Renault 5? While it doesn't quite resemble its ancestors, it's exciting to see the iconic nameplate return in the 21st century as a symbol of Renault's electrification revolution. Will it ignite a French motoring revolution? Only time will tell.

Available Colors: Jaune Pop!, Vert Pop!, Bleu Nocturne, Blanc Nacre, and Noir Etoile.

Photo: Renault

My FM Log: The Inmates of Summernats

The ghosts of the Australian motoring past have invaded Forza Motorsport's Update 15 as prize cars and having got my hands on these two, let's have a word with them.

Here is the 2011 HSV GTS that I won from clearing the Update 15 Open Class Tour until the January 8, 2025 deadline.

The HSV GTS is a high-performance executive saloon car that competes against European cars such as the BMW M5 and the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG. It is based on Holden's VE Commodore and is powered by a 6.2L V8 engine sourced from the Chevrolet Corvette. The "E Series 3" version of the HSV GTS features minor exterior changes, interior improvements, and an enhanced electronic interface.

Lastly, here is the 2013 Holden #10 Holden Xbox Racing Team Commodore VF race car that I won by clearing the Australian Tour until the January 22, 2025 deadline.

Served as the wildcard entry at the 2013 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, the #10 Holden Xbox Racing Team Commodore VF was driven by globally acclaimed racing drivers Andy Priaulx and Mattias Ekstrom under the helm of Triple Eight Race Engineering team. The car sports an XBOX ONE livery in honor of the Forza Motorsport 5 game as one of the launch games for the XBOX ONE gaming console in 2013.

The XBOX One racing team became one of the top ten finishers of the 2013 Bathurst 1000, leading for a total of 17 laps. The car recorded the fastest speed of the day at 295kph, which is a first for any wildcard entry.

Time to line up The Inmates of Summernats for their little death march around Bathurst, and see how capable these ghosts of the Australian motoring past are. Roll the tapes.

These are the ghosts of Australian motoring's past. They were once great machines when Australia was a hub for car manufacturing. Now, they're relics of a bygone age.

Enjoy your new rides!

Let's Do The News! (January 4, 2025)

     

Your daily round-up of today's news...

The PH Department of Health clarified that a post circulating on social media regarding an alleged international health concern is not from a reliable source and has no confirmation from the World Health Organization. The DOH announced this amid the spread of information about a purported new epidemic that includes Influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19 and is overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums in China.

- Amber weather warnings were issued for large parts of England and Wales with heavy snow bringing hazardous travel conditions.

- US House Speaker Mike Johnson survived a razor-thin vote by overcoming a massive revolt from his fellow Republicans.

- The judge ordered US President-Elect Donald Trump to be sentenced for his "hush money" guilty verdict this January 10th.

- Defender confirms three-year FIA World Rally Raid Championship Works Program starting in 2026. It will have a two-vehicle entry across the entire season with a three-car entry in the Dakar Rally. An entry in the new "Stock" category which, from 2026, will conform to new and heavily revised regulations.

- Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson have left the Arrow McLaren team. This follows McLaren Racing's completion of its buyout of the NTT IndyCar Series outfit.

- The 39th Golden Disc Awards will now air on January 6-7 on JTBC.

- The College Football Playoff will not reschedule the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and the Capital One Orange Bowl after SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said he asked about the possibility of changing them.

- Luke Littler became the youngest darts champion at age 17 after defeating Michael van Gerwen in the World Darts Championship final.

TTFN.

THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Attempt to arrest S Korea president Yoon suspended after dramatic standoff

 

South Korean investigators have called off an attempt to arrest suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol after a dramatic six-hour standoff with the security team outside his home.

"We've determined that the arrest is practically impossible," said the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which has been investigating Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration.

"Next steps will be decided after review," the CIO said, adding that Yoon's "refusal of the legal process" is "deeply regrettable".

Yoon's supporters, who have been camped out in front of the presidential residence for days, cheered in song and dance as the suspension was announced. "We won!" they chanted.

The CIO said that concern for the safety of the team on the ground was another factor in their decision to call off the attempted arrest.

Investigators have until 6 January to arrest Yoon before the current warrant expires. They can, however, apply for a new warrant and try to detain him again.

Since early morning, dozens of police vans lined the street outside Yoon's residence in central Seoul.

At about 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT), an arrest team made up of police officers and CIO members marched towards the compound.

This started out with a 20-strong team, but quickly multiplied to some 150 people.

While about half of the arrest team was able to get inside, they were locked for hours in a standoff with security officers - who are still responsible for protecting Yoon, despite him being stripped of his powers - and a military unit responsible for protecting the city of Seoul.

At one point the security team engaged in a "confrontation with the CIO at the presidential residence", an official with Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.

Before the attempt was stood down, Yoon's security team told the news agency they had been "in negotiation" with the investigators who sought to access the president.

Yoon's legal team was also seen entering the residence slightly past noon local time.

His lawyer Yoon Gab-keun had earlier said they would take legal action over the arrest warrant, which they called "illegal and invalid".

A Seoul court issued the arrest warrant early this week, after Yoon ignored three summonses to appear for questioning over the past fortnight.

On Friday, prosecutors also indicted on insurrection charges army chief Park An-su, who was named martial law commander during the brief declaration last month, and special forces commander Kwak Jong-geun, according to Seoul-based news outlet Yonhap.

They are to face trial while in prison.

Source: BBC News

Let's Do The News! (January 3, 2025)

    

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Government agencies are ready for the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Nazarene to be held in Quiapo, Manila on January 9. Security has also been put in place for the millions of devotees who are expected to attend the procession of the Lord of the Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand.

- Representative Toby Tiangco of Navotas is pleased that the National Food Authority has achieved 95% of its target for buffer stock, or rice reserves, from local farmers. This is a significant accomplishment, as it helps to ensure that the country has sufficient rice reserves in the event of an emergency.

- Farmers are appealing to the government to have Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. repeal the Rice Tariffication Law.

- The FBI now believes that the slain suspect behind the New Orleans New Year's Day attack acted alone and has no connection to the exploded Tesla Cybertruck outside the Las Vegas Trump Hotel. Meanwhile, Las Vegas authorities said that the man behind the exploded Cybertruck was believed to be a US soldier and was found with a gunshot wound to the head.

- Amber cold weather health alerts are in effect as temperatures drop with snow expected across the United Kingdom in the coming days.

- The 2024 SBS Entertainment Awards was rescheduled to January 29th.

- The 2024 KBS Drama Awards will be aired this January 11th at 2120 Hours KST.

- Actor Park Sung Hoon apologizes for "accidentally" sharing an explicit parody poster of Squid Game's second season. Sung Hoon played the transgender character in the second season of the hit Netflix K-drama.

- Rapper Stormzy was banned from driving for nine months after admitting to using his phone behind the wheel of his Rolls-Royce.

TTFN.