THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Joint investigation team on Yoon launched

 

A joint investigative body was formed on Wednesday to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law, amid concerns over overlapping investigations into the high-profile case that deals with allegations of insurrection of a sitting president.

The Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation said it would work together with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the Defense Ministry "to leverage the strengths of each institution and eliminate confusion and inefficiencies." The joint team excludes the prosecution which has been competing with the police and the CIO to take the lead in the insurrection investigation.

The police previously declined the prosecutors' request for a joint investigation last week.

The announcement comes hours after the police arrested Korea National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Head Kim Bong-sik without a warrant on charges of insurrection early Wednesday, detaining the top two police officials simultaneously for the first time. Both officials were placed under a travel ban as of Tuesday.

The police officials were placed under emergency arrest at 3:50 a.m. following lengthy interrogations lasting up to 11 hours for Cho and 10 hours for Kim.

Both Cho and Kim are accused of directing police officials to block access to the National Assembly when martial law was declared on Dec. 3 to prevent lawmakers from entering the parliament to repeal the martial law decree. Cho is also suspected of sending police personnel to the National Election Commission to assist the military in carrying out orders issued under martial law.

A police official told Yonhap News Agency that the emergency arrests were made considering that insurrection charges are “serious offenses which are punishable by death” and because there were “concerns regarding the possibility of evidence tampering.”

Through additional investigations, police officials plan to decide whether to request arrest warrants for Cho and Kim. Both chiefs will be released if such warrants are not filed or granted within 48 hours.

With both leading police officials absent for the time being, Lee Ho-young, the Deputy Commissioner of the KNPA, will serve as the acting commissioner, while Choi Hyun-seok, the Chief of the SMPA’s Life Safety Division, will take over as the acting head.

Source: Korea Herald

Let's Do The News! (December 11, 2024)

                            

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

- PH Vice-President Sara Duterte says she has no plans to leave the country or hide in case a warrant of arrest is filed against her.

- The PH Department of Health has confirmed that most were sickened due to the effects of the Kanlaon Volcano eruption.

- Mary Jane Veloso is testifying to court against her recruiters upon her return to the Philippines.

- Luigi Mangione, the suspect behind the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, is fighting extradition to New York from Pennsylvania. Mangione is charged with murder.

- Due to illness, Andrea Kimi Antonelli withdraws from Super Formula's winter testing in Suzuka.

- The Ford Mustang GTD lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6m57.6s, making it the fastest US-made car to lap the Ring.

- The final production version of the Aston Martin Valhalla was unveiled. Powered by a 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine with a tri-motor setup, it produces 1065hp of power. Mated to an 8-speed gearbox, it does 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 217mph. All 999 units were sold out.

2026 Aston Martin Valhalla

- McMurtry founder Sir David McMurtry passed away.

- The D4DJ franchise named Shuri Miyumi as the new voice of RONDO member Nagisa Tsukimiyama.

- Archie Alemania files a counter-affidavit for Rita Daniela's acts of lasciviousness complaint.

- Sofronio Vasquez became the first Asian to be crowned the grand winner of NBC's hit singing competition, The Voice.

TTFN.

Suzuki Wagon R Smile (2025MY Minor Change)

The Suzuki Wagon R Smile has been updated for its 2025 model year, and it is time to reintroduce this kei minivan from a different perspective. 

2025 Suzuki Wagon R Smile

Priced at 1,489,400 Japanese Yen plus additional costs, the updated Smile is more than just its revised looks.

2025 Suzuki Wagon R Smile interior

Beginning with the exterior design, the Smile now features an updated front face that saw its front grille shortened to half, all in the name of gentleness and cuteness. Also, the plated back door garnish on the HYBRID X model has been revised and the shoulder line has been simplified.

There are no changes to the interior, but it now offers two new color combinations for the instrument panel: "Reflection Gray & Copper Gold" and "Moss Blue & Silver." The front door armrests also match the instrument panels. Additionally, a smartphone-linked memory navigation system is available as a manufacturer's option. This system includes a new drive recorder link, HDMI input, and Suzuki Connect functionality.

The Suzuki Wagon R Smile is built on the HEARTECT platform and features front MacPherson struts with coil springs. For front-wheel-drive (FF) models, there is a choice of a rear torsion beam, while 4WD models come with an Isolated Trailing Link. Additional features include torsion bar stabilizers, rack and pinion steering, and options for disc brakes on FF models and ventilated disc brakes on 4WD models. These dynamics make the Wagon R Smile enjoyable to drive, comparable to pushing a baby stroller with a peacefully sleeping child.

Under the hood, the Smile is equipped with a RO6D 660cc three-cylinder petrol engine, producing 49 PS of power and 58 Nm of torque. When paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), it achieves a fuel economy of 23.9 km/l on the WLTC scale.

For those interested in hybrid variants, they feature the same engine but are enhanced with a 1.9 kW electric motor, a lithium-ion battery, Idling Stop, and Eco-Cool technology, resulting in a fuel economy of 25.1 km/l on the WLTC scale. It's as efficient as today's Spacia, only slightly cheaper.

As always, the Suzuki Wagon R Smile comes equipped with the Suzuki Safety Support suite, which includes various driver aids to ensure safety everywhere.

If you're looking for a fuel-efficient kei minivan but can't afford a Spacia, consider the Smile you're affordable alternative.

Photo: Suzuki Motor Corporation

Let's Do The News! (December 10, 2024)

                           

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

- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) welcomes about 2,000 new recruits who will be deployed to various districts before their official training.

- The Malacañang remains mum on updates on the repatriation of OFW Mary Jane Veloso from Indonesia. Meanwhile, BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. is looking into whether the CIW will detain Veloso upon her arrival in the Philippines.

- Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro says Evacuating those affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano is still a hardship. Meanwhile, the PH Department of Health warns the public of potential health hazards following the Kanlaon eruption.

- The term “Polarization,” chosen as Merriam-Webster’s 2024 Word of the Year, reflects the political climate in the United States.

- Police arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione and charged him with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York.

- The United Kingdom paused Syrian asylum decisions with the home secretary saying the situation is "moving extremely fast" after the fall of the Assad regime.

- Devlin DeFrancesco is making his IndyCar comeback with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as part of a multi-year deal.

- The Koenigsegg Jesko Attack smashed the Top Gear Test Track lap production car lap record in 1:10.9.

- Xiaomi unveiled the YU7 crossover.

- The Star Wars franchise casts Jeremy Allen White as Jabba the Hutt's son, according to reports.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (December 9, 2024)

                          

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

- The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) announced that it now has its own power connection. It is said to have partnered with Meralco, which built an "express feeder" that connects NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 4 to a dedicated power circuit.

- Ousted by the Syrian rebellion, Bashar al-Assad was granted asylum in Moscow.

- US President-elect Donald Trump threatens to pull the country out of NATO. He threatened NATO moments after his visit to the Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral's reopening.

- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's "brutal regime" and calls for "peace and stability" in Syria.

- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says over 43K soldiers were killed in the conflict with Russia.

- Unveiled at the F1 24 finale in Abu Dhabi, the Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed comes to life with production limited to 250 units, and all units are sold out. Featuring a halo cockpit instead of the roof and glass, its 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine produces 585PS of power and has a top speed of 315kph.

2025 Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed

- The Kimetsu no Yaiba franchise is getting a new Hinokami Chronicles game coming soon while the first of the Infinity Castle movie trilogy is coming this 2025.

- Nintendo delays its general retail launch of its Alarmo devices in Japan.

- YoonA announces her retirement from hosting the MBC Music Festival after this year.

- JYP USA responds to allegations by former VCHA member KG.

- n.SSign members Junhyeok and Eddie announced they would leave the group and their agency.

TTFN.

Gran Turismo World Series 2024 FINAL

Amsterdam, The Netherlands is the final destination of the 2024 Gran Turismo World Series. Who will be crowned the champions? What surprises await for GT7 players? All will be revealed in this final event of the 2024 season.

Screengrab from Gran Turismo

The finale of the Manufacturers Cup took place at Spa-Francorchamps, where teams faced off for the last time in the series. Although the BMW team secured victory in the final race, it was Lexus that narrowly clinched the Manufacturers Cup title, finishing just one point ahead of BMW.

Moving on to the Nations Cup, where the second race previews a new playable Gran Turismo original racing machine coming soon to GT7; the Gran Turismo F3500-A racing machine that was heavily inspired by 1990s F1 racers, the grand finale in the Nurburgring 24hr saw T. Miyazono snatched K. de Bruin's lead in the near end of the final lap to win not just this race but also the Nations Cup title.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Gran Turismo World Series finale!

This concludes the 2024 Gran Turismo World Series.

F1 2024: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Ferrari or McLaren? Which team deserves to be crowned Constructors' champions? What will Lewis Hamilton's final day as a Mercedes driver be before his switch to Ferrari next year? All will be revealed in the F1 2024 finale; the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

As the final race of 2024 began, Sergio Perez spun on the start and retired. while Max Verstappen got penalized for hitting Oscar Piastri on Turn 1. As Lando Norris was leading, Charles Leclerc charged his way to P4 until he went to the pits on Lap 21. Come Lap 28, Franco Colapinto's day in Abu Dhabi is done following mechanical failures. Lap 31 saw Valtteri Bottas send Kevin Magnussen spinning, a heartbreak for Bottas' final race. With 18 laps remaining, Lewis Hamilton threw everything he had until he overtook George Russell and became in P4.

Screengrab from Formula 1

Lando Norris' victory in Yas Marina earned McLaren its first Constructors' Championships title in 26 years. Ferrari sweeps the remaining podium spots with Carlos Sainz in 2nd place and Charles Leclerc in 3rd place. Other finishers such as Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, and Oscar Piastri.

Congratulations to McLaren for winning the 2024 Constructors' Championship, and thank you, Hamilton, for everything you achieved as a Mercedes driver.

This concludes the F1 '24 season. See you next year.