South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered measures including an emergency relief team to help victims of the collapse of a dam being built by South Korean companies in Laos, his office said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of people in southern Laos are missing and many are feared dead two days after the hydropower dam under construction broke, killing several as it swept away homes in flash flooding.
“The president ordered robust measures including sending an emergency relief team while looking into the cause of the accident, as our companies are participating in the dam construction,” presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told a briefing.
- The missing containers from the "swing operation" at the Mindanao Container Terminal has jumped to 169 from January to present this year, according to Customs Chief Isidro Lapeña. The continuous rise of missing containers, Lapeña said, is a result of over two weeks of backtracking of alerted shipments at the Mindanao Container Terminal.
- The PH Senate approved on second reading the bill providing mandatory Philhealth coverage to persons with disabilities. The measure, Senate Bill 1391, provides that all PWDs are automatically enrolled and covered under the National Health Insurance Program or NHIP.
- The Philippine National Police allayed fears of more bloody war on drugs following President Duterte's pronouncement of a need to have the campaign be relentless and chilling. PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Benigno Durana said Duterte’s declaration is a reminder to the police force and other law enforcement agencies to continue with their successful operations to totally lick the illegal drugs problems in the country.
- CNN obtained a secret audio tape where US President Donald Trump discusses secret payment with Michael Cohen.
- The eleven boys from a soccer team that were saved from a flooded Thai cave that rocked the world were ordained as Buddhist novices on Wednesday at a temple in Chiang Rai in memory of a volunteer diver who died during their rescue.
- Investigators said there was no national security risk following the mass shooting that killed two people and wounded 13, as they continued to probe the life of the 29-year-old gunman for clues to what prompted the deadly rampage in a popular Toronto neighborhood. The assailant, Faisal Hussain, died after an exchange of gunfire with police. His family has said he suffered from lifelong “severe mental health challenges” but they never imagined he would do such a thing. It was not immediately clear whether he took his own life or was killed by police during the attack Sunday night.
- Syrian state media say 27 people have been killed in a suicide attack in the country’s south, blaming the bombing on Islamic State militants.
- New ride-sharing company Hype denies their implementation of their two peso per minute travel time charge to its riders after being summoned by the LTFRB. Nick Escalanate, president of Hype Transport Systems Inc. told reporters his company is not implementing a P2 per minute charge but said his units are charging P1.25 per minute instead under beta testing mode.
- Audi unveiled the second-generation Q3 compact crossover with new looks, new tech, and new packaging.
2019 Audi Q3
- FCA boss Sergio Marchionne stepped down from his post due to health concerns.
- Actress and singer Demi Lovato got hospitalized due to drug overdose.
- Actress and TV presenter Anne Curtis calls on senators, including Manny Pacquiao and Tito Sotto, who oppose the LGBTQ anti-discrimination bill.
The Audi A6 has been rivaling the BMW 5-Series and the Mercedes E-Class for several years now and with the arrival of the new C8-spec incarnation, the newly regenerated Audi A6 wants to be leading the executive luxury car class with its newly revised tech and performance that will show the world just how serious this new model is, although it's not going to be as enjoyable as its rivals as some would point out.
2019 Audi A6
2019 Audi A6 Avant
While car companies like BMW have forgone the usual "Russian doll" effect, which makes customers confused about which is which, the new Audi A6 doesn't go for that approach and while it looks vaguely similar to the old C7 model, it can be easily distinguished from its brothers such as the smaller A4 and the supreme A8, fitting for the middle child of the family tree. Not a bad looker as such but what's beneath the coat and tie approach is somewhat hard to explain.
2019 Audi A6 interior
2019 Audi A6 Avant interior
Like we saw on the new A8 and the A7, the new interior is now donning to the new Audi interior like the ones mentioned a few seconds ago, meaning there's going to be some confusion about which interior does this car come from. Anyway, confusing the interior it can be, what's offered on the driver's side show that who says you can't sit on both boards and who says an office should have four walls. With MMI navigation plus and Audi connect, connectivity really means business and with all the internet connectivity provided, it's like you have work today even if you're stuck at traffic. Apart from that, the seats aren't as bad as you might think and rear space is fit enough for VIP escorts. On the Avant version, not only it's surprisingly bigger than the old model but it retains the same boot space as the old model, giving you plenty of space to store some for your day-offs and another rounds.
2019 Audi A6
2019 Audi A6 Avant
Like the new A8 and the A7, the new A6 range is now offered with a mild-hybrid system with a 48-volt primary electrical system and a belt alternator starter generating up to 12 kilowatts of recuperation power, standard on all variants. At launch, the sedan is offered a choice of two 3.0L engines, in petrol and diesel guise while the Avant is offered only with a 3.0L diesel, which is therefore out of context in today's Germany due to Europe's hatred affair with diesel engines. Most variants are fitted with a seven-speed S tronic or an eight-speed tiptronic gearbox.
Because it runs on an entirely different platform compared to the previous model, the new A6 sees some slight improvement to the handling department and when coupled with an optional limited slip differential and dynamic all-wheel steering as well with any of the four suspension setups as long if air suspension is chosen, it handles and behaves like what an Audi should be, getting round corners in a dramatic matter while staying true to its comfort zone but on the downside, it can snap your arms real good and that will drive you a bit mad if you are trying to push it over the limit.
Putting safety as its top priority, the new A6 offers a wide range of driving assists inspired from the A8, divided into the "City" and "Tour" packages. Whichever driving aids you ticked from its checklist, you can rest assure that while some can be worth surprising, there are others that will also drive you mad. Hey, that's the Audi way, you know. You won't win many friends by driving one rather than those who got a BMW or a Mercedes.
The sedan starts at 55,050 Euros (3.44 million pesos) while the Avant starts at 57,550 Euros (around 3.592 million pesos), which is annoyingly more costly to own compared to the BMW 5-Series and there you have it. While the new A6 is more expensive and less exciting compared to its compatriots from Germany, its tech, comfort, and efficiency won't go unnoticed and there's so much more to expect with the new model over the coming years, although there's nothing to excited about seeing a new Audi by yourself.
The fourth-generation Kia Sportage is now on its 2019 model year and has been given a minor change. Called Sportage the Bold, this minor change features some of the newest additions on the commoner's crossover that is somewhat a commoner on Korean roads, from Seoul to Busan.
2019 Kia Sportage
2019 Kia Sportage interior
So, what's new on this minor change, you may ask? First and foremost, the Sportage has received new front and rear bumpers, which is somewhat hideous for crossover standards if you ask the other folks, as well as some new lamps and a choice of new alloy wheel designs from 16 to 19 inches. The interior hasn't been touched but it's been offered with a choice of two interior colors; black and brown. Also, the sat-nav's revamps with KakaoI voice recognition system, T-Map Mirror Link, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and more. Plus, the Sportage is the first Kia to be offered with the brand new UVO IoT Service, which is a car-to-home service that lets you communicate with your Sportage while at home. It takes time to get used to opening your new Sportage with your voice but it beats using the key in a long shot.
2019 Kia Sportage
2019 Kia Sportage interior
The engine lineup's changed for this minor change as well. The e-VGT R2.0 diesel engine is now mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox while the old e-VGT U-II 1.7L diesel engine has been thrown away and replaced by a brand new 1.6-litre 'U3' Smartstream D engine, which is the cleanest diesel engine Kia has ever made. The new diesel engine produces 136PS of power and 32.6kg-m of torque and is mated with a 7-speed DCT, which has a tendency to not work if you are not familiar with double-clutch gearboxes on normal vehicles like this, fuel economy, depending on wheel size, is a combined 16.3km/L. The Nu 2.0L MPi petrol engine remains in the lineup but sadly, the manual gearbox is gone for good, which is somewhat a bad trip for some.
As for safety, the new Sportage comes with a wide range of driving aids such as Front Collision Avoidance, Back Side Collision Warning, Lane Departure Assist, High Beam Assist, Rear Cross Warning, and Driver Attention Warning, among many others.
The Sportage the Bold starts at 21,200,000 Korean Won.
Available colors: Pure White, Snow White Pearl, Steel Grey, Sparkling Silver, Fiery Red, Mercury Blue, and Cherry Black.
South Korea is considering withdrawing some troops from its border zone with North Korea as a confidence-building measure after their landmark summit, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
The ministry said it would withdraw some soldiers and equipment at guard posts inside the Demilitarised Zone on a trial basis, and consider a gradual expansion of the pullout later.
“We will push for plans for a full-scale withdrawal in sync with surveys of historical remains and ecological features,” it said in a report to parliament.
The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically at war. The DMZ was designated as a buffer zone but the areas to the north and south of it are heavily fortified.
At their April summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the South’s president Moon Jae-in agreed to cease all hostile acts and turn their border into a “peace zone”.
Also under consideration is a joint programme with the North and the United States to exhume the remains of war dead buried in the DMZ.
The zone bisects the Korean peninsula and is about four kilometers (2.5 miles) wide. It includes a Joint Security Area (JSA) around the truce village of Panmunjom, where negotiations take place.
The ministry also said Seoul was reviewing plans to reduce guard personnel and firearms in the JSA, “based on the spirit of the armistice agreement”.
North Korea’s diplomatic overtures began earlier this year with its participation in the Winter Olympics in the South.
In June Kim held a historic summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore at which he reaffirmed his commitment to work towards the “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula”.
After the summit, Trump declared the North Korean nuclear threat to be effectively over, although experts say Pyongyang has made no public commitment to give up its weapons.
- Congress finally ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
- The Malacanang Palace is prepared to work with newly named House speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the administration's legislative agenda as well as the passage of the 2019 national budget. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace has no problem working with Arroyo due to their “very good relations” even as he denied the Palace involvement in the latest leadership change in the House of Representatives.
- The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments has rescheduled its hearing on the proposed Federal Constitution submitted by the Consultative Committee on August 1.
- The death toll from the Greek wildfires has reached 50 with 170 hurt as wildfires engulfed woodland and villages in the Athens region. The death toll soared with a Red Cross official reporting the discovery of 26 bodies in the courtyard of a villa at the seaside resort of Mati.
- Over 200 environmental activists were killed last year as government-sponsored killings linked to lucrative projects by vast agriculture multinationals soared, a global rights watchdog warned on Tuesday. Global Witness said it had documented 207 cases where activists were killed while trying to protect land from development, often for the production of consumer staples such as coffee and palm oil, making 2017 the deadliest year on record for environmentalists. Brazil and the Philippines were the top two dangerous nations for land activists last year.
- A rock from Jerusalem's Western Wall fell down but narrowly missed a bystander praying at the wall.
- A certain Uber/Lyft driver broadcast videos of his passengers online has been suspended from services. Jason Gargac live-streamed passengers' journeys on video-sharing site Twitch, where viewers would comment on their behaviour and appearance. A local newspaper said passengers were seen kissing, vomiting, and gossiping about relatives and work colleagues. His Twitch channel has been suspended.
- Mercedes-Benz will launch the first-ever A-Class sedan later this year. The new model will be the most aerodynamic in its class.
- The Honda Civic Type R crushed the Estoril front-wheel drive record at 2:01.84, with WTCR driver Tiago Monteiro behind the wheel.
- The San Miguel Beermen takes on Barangay Ginebra once again for the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals this Friday.
Your ultimate racing game just welcomed a duo of oldie cars from the recent Top Gear Car Pack here on Forza Motorsport 7. Fresh out from the junkyard full of bangers, these legendary machines showcase us how much of a car they possess, not to mention their own tales to tell in front of the motoring enthusiasts, no matter how legendary they are. Today, I went to Italy to sample these legends.
Continuing their celebration for Porsche's 70th anniversary, here's another legend you might be interested in; the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS.
While I'm in the middle of doing some sighting laps with this car, let's talk more about this legendary, giant-slaying Porsche. Ever since Porsche withdrew from Formula 1 in 1962, their transition to sports car racing has been a challenge, given that the 718 was a bit of a prime, so they created the 904 with help from Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche.
Built on a steel ladder chassis and fiberglass bodywork, it weighs less than a ton and for added rigidity, the chassis and the bodywork are bonded. Power comes from a Type 587 2.0L boxer-4 engine, which is an evolution of the Type 547 found in most VW and Porsche vehicles, producing almost 200HP of power and it's capable of reaching 0-100kph in less than six seconds. For suspension, the 904 opted for coil springs and uneven-length A-arms up front to make handling better on the corners.
Porsche built 106 road-going variants due to homologation regulations and sold out quickly. Since its racing inception in 1964, the 904 won the Targa Florio and class wins at Spa, Sebring, Nurburgring, Le Mans, Watkins Glen, Zandvoort, Canada, and the Paris 1000km, raking SCCA's C-Production and E-Sports racing titles. When it went rallying, the 904 won the Tulip, Munich-Vienna-Budapest, Geneva, and the Alpine Rally. The following year, the 904 had no shortage of wins in numerous racing events.
Looking back at its impressive racing career, it's perhaps no wonder that the 904 is a legendary Porsche that showcases its fighting force to be reckoned with. Hey, that's the German way, you know. Trying to show the world who's in charge of racing and Porsche doesn't give a darn thing or two about dominating different races and that same thing carried on to its successors. Showing the world how Porsche is capable of, the 904 Carrera GTS is a giant-slaying menace that deserves the fear and admiration classic car enthusiasts deserve and since I'm in Monza, I'm taking this car for a spin, just to see if the 904 lives up to its legendary reputation.
I may be showing off near the end of the drive but I think it's great to say that I am honored to get to know more about the 904 Carrera GTS my point of view judging from its impressive racing career in its heydays and because this is Porsche's 70th birthday after all, this one is definitely part of Stuttgart's greatest hits.
Speaking of which, there's another oldie car from the Top Gear Car Pack I would like to show you.
When you say Giulietta, sorry to disappoint because as producers being fanatics for all things baby boomers, they brought in the original Giulietta, in Sprint Veloce form. And while doing some sighting laps at Mugello, let me talk to you about this machine. Unveiled at the 1954 Turin Motor Show, the Giulietta was known to be Alfa Romeo's foray into the 1.3L class cars and the first variant of the Giuletta range is the 2+2 Sprint coupe, later joined by the four-door Berlina sedan and an open top version, among many others, with a coachbuilt estate variant in the mix.
The Giulietta was styled by Bertone's Franco Scaglione and built at the Grugliasco factory near Turin. It was powered by a 1.3L all-alloy engine designed by one-time Ferrari engineer Giuseppe Busso. Due to its immediate success, Alfa Romeo ramped up the Giulietta's production numbers to keep up with the overwhelming demand and they introduced the Veloce variant in 1956.
The Veloce is a lightweight variant that drops 70kg of weight from the normal Giulietta Sprint, resulting in 830kg of weight, courtesy of its aluminum materials and removal of rear seats. From 1954 to 1965, Alfa made 3,058 units of the Sprint Veloce and in today's times, it has become a collectible for Alfa Romeo enthusiasts.
As the saying goes you can't be a true petrolhead without driving an Alfa Romeo, this original Giuletta is all about taking yourself back to its golden years because in its good old days, Alfa Romeo has brought us some of the most fantastic cars that possess such value and performance that makes driving through the Amalfi very charming and stylish. Today's Alfa Romeo can be somewhat of a brash if you know what I mean but they're doing the best they can to shake off their stodgy image by offering exciting models such as today's Giulia and the 4C, among many others.
You know what? Maybe today's Alfa Romeo needs to do some inspiration from the past and this is where the original Giulietta Sprint Veloce comes into play so it's time to show them what an Alfa Romeo can do.
Now this is what I called driving without explanations and this is what an Alfa Romeo of its golden years can do.
I have to say, I have to give credit to the producers for finding such junkyard beauties to feature in the game, judging by the fact that the Forza producers are all about going backward rather than forwards in search of cars to feature. Fresh off from the junkyard, they have been faithfully recreated into the machines we are now and whether you love them or hate them, the Forza series is all about being your ultimate racing game, much like when you called DWWW 774 "your ultimate AM radio."
Memories, memories, memories. With legends like these possessing such memories, they are always here to stay for many generations to come. Enjoy these oldies while you can, drivers.
