Saturday, February 15, 2025

ABB FIA Formula E S11 - Jeddah ePrix

The two-part Jeddah ePrix, held during the 11th ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season, celebrated the series' 100th race. To honor this milestone, the race weekend featured some of the fastest-rising racing drivers participating in rookie testing, showcasing the capabilities of the GEN3 EVO racing machines at the official venue of the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

After landmark Free Practice sessions with the fastest-rising rookie racers, the action in Jeddah begins with accidents, clashes, and suspense galore.

ABB FIA Formula E S11 - Jeddah ePrix
Screengrab from Formula E

The first race saw Maximilian Guenther nailed his first win as a DS driver. In contrast, Nissan driver Oliver Rowland finished 2nd to maintain his title fight and McLaren newcomer Taylor Barnard completed the podium with his third-place finish. In the incident-packed second race, meanwhile, it's an all-British podium with Rowland the winner, Barnard the second placer, and Maserati's Jake Hughes the third placer.

Rowland is leading the championship fight ahead of Barnard but it's too early to tell. The next event is the Miami ePrix this April 12th.

Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World

A brave new Captain America has entered the MCU battlefield as Marvel Studios kicks off 2025 with their latest chapter, where the new generation of Captain America confronts a different kind of "red scare."

Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World
Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World

With Anthony Mackie taking over the shield as the new Captain America, Brave New World stars Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, and Tim Blake Nelson.

In the first of the 2025 installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the new Captain America's meeting with President Ross turned deadly. As tensions escalate to the brink of an all-out war, Captain America races against time to unmask the mastermind behind the attack.

Mackie's new purpose from the Black Falcon to the new Captain America is one of the shockers MCU fans are expecting in this exciting new chapter of the saga, a sign of things to come where familiar faces are repurposed with new roles. Although controversial, it works with huge dividends. 

Regarding the movie, it is about as suspenseful as current US politics. Bringing Ford from the George Lucas universe into the Marvel universe as the President entangled in a deadly conspiracy is not much different from his experiences in the Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series. It's as if the Marvel and Tom Clancy fandoms collide with thrilling results but still, it's one of the must-watch movies of the season right until the epilogue that signals what's next in the MCU.

It truly is a "brave new world" for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Conspiracy-driven politics, intense action, unexpected twists, and hints of what’s to come in the MCU are bravely encapsulated in this movie.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Let's Do The News! (February 14, 2025)

  

                                        

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

- House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman and Albay 2nd district Representative Joey Salceda has great confidence that Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon will be able to effectively lead the PH Department of Transportation.

- Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile celebrated his 101st birthday. Philippine President Bongbong Marcos congratulated Enrile, who said he was a true statesman, a legal genius, and an exemplary public servant.

- The Malacañang Palace has yet to comment on former President Rodrigo Duterte's insults to President Bongbong Marcos at the PDP-Laban proclamation rally. In his speech, Duterte once again accused President Marcos of using illegal drugs.

- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaxxer, was named US Health Secretary as he promises an overhaul of the country's health, food, and drug regulations.

- Indian PM Narendra Modi met with US President Donald Trump moments after Trump unleashed his reciprocal tariff plan targeting US allies. Trump announced a deal for India to import more US oil and gas to shrink the trade deficit between the two countries.

- Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky says he won't accept any peace deal reached between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin without Ukraine's involvement.

- The Munich car ramming was a "suspected attack", say German officials, with at least 28 people injured and the suspect a 24-year-old Afghan national.

- Nissan officially terminated merger talks with Honda.

- A new Chihayafuru TV drama is coming this July. The new series is set 10 years after the series ended.

- HYBE LABELS JAPAN was renamed YX LABELS.

- Six former East Mississippi Community College football players who were featured in the documentary series "Last Chance U" have filed a lawsuit against the school, Netflix, the National Junior College Athletic Association, and the program's director regarding their portrayals.

- Actor Peter Navy Tuiasosopo passed away. Tuiasosopo played E. Honda in the 1994 Street Fighter movie.

- Comedienne Matutina passed away at the age of 78. Matutina was one of the cast from John en Marsha.

TTFN.

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Kia Tasman

Last year, the Kia Mohave may have been killed off, but it wasn’t in vain. From its remains came the Kia Tasman, the brand's first-ever pickup truck. The Mohave was a true off-road luxury SUV that made good use of a body-on-frame structure and a diesel V6 engine. But that was before its sad demise. Now, a new generation can experience the Tasman, which makes full use of the Mohave’s best features.

2025 Kia Tasman
2026 Kia Tasman

The first-ever Kia Tasman is a pickup truck that competes against the best midsize pickup trucks from across the Pacific Rim. Starting at 37,500,000 Korean Won, the Tasman was born from the remains of the Kia Mohave, which, sadly, was no longer in production.

2025 Kia Tasman
2026 Kia Tasman


2025 Kia Tasman
2026 Kia Tasman

Let's begin with the exterior design. Although the muscular exterior design bears nothing in common with the entire Kia vehicle line-up of today, one hard look and they can be easily fooled into thinking that it is a Jeep Gladiator, which is one of the Tasman's chief rivals. 

Similarly sized compared to the now-defunct Mohave, its squarish design makes a huge statement for customers, thinking that the Tasman is the ideal building block of their everyday needs, come business or leisure.

Customers can customize the Tasman with various gear to meet their adventurous needs. Options include bed rails, a canopy, or both. Additionally, you can choose configurations with a roof tent or overland gear.

2026 Kia Tasman interior
2026 Kia Tasman interior


2025 Kia Tasman
2026 Kia Tasman interior

In contrast to its macho exterior styling, the Tasman boasts a luxurious interior featuring a 12.3-inch + 5-inch + 12.3-inch panoramic widescreen technology, haptic switches for the sat-nav, switches for the volume, climate control, and hazard lights, door handles with rollers, folding console table, column-type gear lever, and secret compartments under the second-row seats, among others. Rear-wheel-drive variants can carry as much as 700kg of bed space while 4WD variants, especially the X-Pro variant, can carry up to 400kg.

2026 Kia Tasman
2026 Kia Tasman

The only engine that powers the Tasman is a Smartstream G2.5 Turbo GDI engine that produces 281PS of power and 43kgf-m of torque. Mated to an 8-speed AT, it does 0-100kph in 8.5 seconds and onwards to 185kph. As for fuel economy, rear-wheel-drive variants get up to 8.6kmpl while 4WD variants get up to 8.1kmpl. Towing capacity is up to 3,500kg.

Manpower pushed the Tasman through the extreme limit to demonstrate its cross-country abilities while tackling scorching sands and blizzards. In response to such demanding elements Mother Nature can throw at it, the Tasman features the tried-and-tested X-Pro variant that features increased ground clearance and standard 4WD. In addition to three driving modes; ECO, Smart, and Sport, the X-Pro adds Rock, Sand, Mud, and Snow. It even comes with a rear Electronic Locking Differential, an X-Trek Mode which enables the Tasman to maintain a low speed off-road without the need for manual acceleration or braking, and the ultra-handy Ground View Monitor.

In addition to the Ground View Monitor, trailer assist, and the trailer brake controller, the Tasman packs a wide range of ADAS such as lane keeping assist, blind spot collision warning, and remote parking assist through Highway Driving Assist 2.

The all-new Kia Tasman pickup truck inherits the body-on-frame design from the now-defunct Mohave luxury SUV and boldly ventures into uncharted territory for the Kia brand. With the rogue gallery of midsize pickup trucks from across the Pacific Rim in its crosshairs, the Kia Tasman is a worthy contender in its class and looks like it's on a roll.

Those who are interested in a proper off-roader from Kia can look no further because the Tasman has arrived.

Available Colors: Snow White Pearl, Interstellar Grey, Aurora Black Pearl, Cityscape Green/Black, Runway Red/Black, Tan Beige/Black, and Denim Blue/Black.

Photo: Kia Corporation

Let's Do The News! (February 13, 2025)

 

                                        

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

- Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte revealed that she is not surprised by the criminal case recommended by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against her.

- Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez is fully hopeful that the trilateral agreement between the Philippines, America, and Japan will remain and be reaffirmed. Romualdez said this after the recent meeting in Washington DC between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and US President Donald Trump.

- PH Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista has resigned due to health reasons.

- US President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and agreed that negotiations over the Ukraine war would start "immediately".

- Judge-led public inquiry into Nottingham attacks will begin in "matter of weeks", UK PM Keir Starmer tells victims' families.

- The Chevrolet Corvette C8 ZR1 broke production car lap records in Watkins Glen, Road America, Virginia International Raceway, and Road Atlanta.

- Tanner Foust will compete in RallyZ's Euro League event at Montalegre this March 29-30.

- Tina Hausmann confirmed for her second F1 Academy season with Aston Martin.

- The recent PlayStation State of Play presentation revealed more on Saros, Days Gone Remastered, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, and more.

- NJZ member Hanni has reportedly been issued a new Korean Visa.

- Netflix's original dating show Singles Inferno gets a fifth season. It was announced after the Season 4 finale.

- Football player Kadarius Toney was arrested in Georgia on two counts.

TTFN.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Starry Night Serenade

The Nijigasaki High School Idol Club has introduced the Monthly Songs project, similar to Aqours' monthly birthday song singles. Each month, one of your favorite members will get a chance to shine. For the February edition of the Nijigaku Monthly Songs project, Emma Verde takes the spotlight.

Starry Night Serenade
Starry Night Serenade

Emma Verde, voiced by Maria Sashide, takes over the February edition of the Nijigaku Monthly Songs project with her featured song "Starry Night Serenade". This second installment includes this featured track and the additional song titled "ドリーム☆シューター".

Next month...Ayumu Uehara.

TRACK LISTINGS:

01. Starry Night Serenade

02. ドリーム☆シューター

03. Starry Night Serenade (Off Vocal)

04. ドリーム☆シューター (Off Vocal)

Let's Do The News! (February 12, 2025)

                                        

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

- House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun has asked the House Blue Ribbon Committee to include in its investigation the P12.3 billion in unsettled financial transactions of the Department of Education that were censured by the Commission on Audit. Khonghun believes this will further strengthen the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

- Atty. Noli Rafol Pipo was sworn in as the new commissioner of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

- The Armed Forces of The Philippines will deploy almost 18K soldiers to maintain peace and order in the May 2025 elections.

- The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the forging of the military partnership between the Philippines and Canada.

Eleven Labour Party councilors in Greater Manchester, England, were suspended from the party as part of its investigation into a WhatsApp group that contained offensive messages.

- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warns that the Gaza ceasefire will end if Hamas does not release hostages this Saturday.

- Penske Entertainment replaced IndyCar President Jay Frye with Indianapolis Motor Speedway boss Doug Boles. Boles will also maintain his leadership of IMS.

- The Alpine A110 R Ultime lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 15 seconds.

- Actor Idris Elba joins the Cupra Kiro Formula E team ownership group.

- Veloce becomes the first team to confirm their Extreme H campaign.

- T-ara member Hyomin briefly comments on her marriage news.

- The Australia team and Chelsea player Sam Kerr are cleared of causing racially aggravated harassment.

- Restauranteur and chef Margarita Fores dies at 65.

TTFN.