Let's Do The News! (January 11, 2019)

- The Philippines is more inclined to purchase military equipment from Israel and South Korea rather than its longtime traditional ally United States, according to President Rodrigo Duterte.

- President Duterte ordered the military and police to ensure free, peaceful and credible January 21 plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law as well as May 13 midterm elections.

- 70 young Filipinos are set to attend this year's World Youth Day in Panama from the 22nd to the 27th of January.

- Australia's foreign minister has lauded Thailand for handling a young Saudi woman who fled her family to seek asylum but reminded of a continuing concern about a Bahrainin soccer player granted asylum in Australia who remains in Thai detention.

- US lawmakers, friends of murder journalist Jamal Khashoggi and press freedom groups marked 100 days since the Saudi dissident's assassination. Featuring a portrait of Khashoggi against a backdrop of American flags, the ceremony began with a moment of silence.

- German Chancellor Angela Merkel heaped praise on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in a show of post-austerity solidarity during a visit to Athens, lending diplomatic support for a name change for Greece’s neighbor Macedonia.

- An Israel opposition leader slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public criticism of authorities investigating him on graft allegations, saying such behavior was not “normal”. “In a normal country the prime minister does not attack the justice authorities,” Labour party leader Avi Gabbay told a party convention for the first time since the start of campaigning for April’s general election.

- Toyota will bid the Mark X farewell with a final special edition model; the Mark X GRMN. Limited to 350 units, the final special model will be mated with a 6-speed manual gearbox and will be based on the 3.5L V6 350RDS variant with numerous upgrades in store.

2019 Toyota Mark X GRMN

- Toyota has showcased the GR Supra Super GT concept at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon and it's set to race at the Super GT for the 2020 season.

Toyota GR Supra Super GT Concept

- Creatures draws flak from netizens over their controversial visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.

- Maho Yamaguchi of NGT48 apologizes for speaking out after alleged assault.

TTFN!!!