From the 1st to the 3rd of June, 2016, priests from all over the world took part of the Jubilee for Priests, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which is ongoing until the 20th of November this year. In the first day of this said event, priests have been gathered for the Eucharistic Adoration, Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Pilgrimages to the Holy Door. The second day, which occurred on the 2nd of June, is a retreat preached by Pope Francis. The third and final day is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where a Holy Mass by Pope Francis took place at St. Peter's Square in Rome.
In Pope Francis' homily during the mass, he told thousands of priests from across the globe "The Heart of the Good Shepherd is not only the Heart that shows us mercy, but is itself mercy,” he said. “There the Father’s love shines forth; there I know I am welcomed and understood as I am; there, with all my sins and limitations, I know the certainty that I am chosen and loved," he told priests.
The next event for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will be the Jubilee for the Sick and Persons with Disabilities at the St. Peter's Square on the 10th to the 12th of June, 2016.
The South Korean government says the potential deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system is not on the agenda at talks this weekend between the defense chiefs of the two allies.
The South Korean defense ministry was forced to issue a denial after US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said he expected the issue of the THAAD deployment to come up during his meeting Saturday with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo.
Following North Korea's ballistic missile launch last February, the two allies announced that they would officially enter negotiations for the deployment of the defense system that can counter the growing missile threats posed by the Korean Peninsula.
Meanwhile, a number of UN member states have submitted their plans for implementing the latest Security Council resolution on North Korea.
South Korea, the US, the UK, Japan, Russia, and Monaco are among the ten nations that have submitted implementation plans for UNSC Resolution 2270, imposed on North Korea for its nuclear and missile tests earlier this year.
The 193 UN member states were to submit reports on how they would follow through with the toughest ever sanctions on Pyongyang, within 90 days of the resolution's adoption.
The US left North Korea out from its latest list of states sponsoring terrorism.
The State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2015 said the North "is not known to have sponsored any terrorist acts since the Korean Air bombing in 1987".
The North was first put on the list in 1988 for the airliner bombing that killed 115 people aboard but was removed from the blacklist in exchange for denuclearization talks in 2008.
- Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is now out from the intensive care unit to a regular private room at the Makati Medical Center around midday yesterday after she was earlier confined for pneumonia. Miriam's husband, Narciso "Jun" Santiago Jr. said her condition has improved and doctors have allowed her to be placed in a regular room.
- The next chief of the Philippine National Police would rather have his policemen caught in possession of illegal drugs be killed rather than charged in court. In a television interview, Chief Superintendent, Ronald dela Rosa said policemen with drug links have the money to defend themselves before the courts and eventually return to their illegal activities while keeping their jobs as law enforcers.
- Members of the Cabinet of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte should prepare for late night meetings as he admitted being at his best at 6PM and would rather begin his workday officially at one o'clock in the afternoon. Duterte said he would like his weekly Cabinet meetings in the afternoon, instead of morning.
- A US reports says that despite losing ground in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State militants are expanding the ability to launch attacks globally. The US State Department released its annual report on terrorism on Thursday, analyzing terrorist attacks occurred since last year. The Islamic State is described as a threat to global security but the report says that since May last year, the group lost 40% of its territories in Iraq and government troops regained 11% of the territory that it on controlled in Syria.
- Democratic Presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton lambasted Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for encouraging Japan to nuclear weapons. She said making him the US commander-in-chief would be a "historic mistake".
- Strong rains in Paris, France, are causing trouble for citizens and weather officials warned that Seine could overflow its banks. The rainfall in the city for the three days until Tuesday was twice the average for the month of May. They estimate that the river could reach the highest level in three decades on Friday.
- Game 1 of the 2016 NBA Finals match between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors became the most dramatic start of the match, due to some trouble at the near end of the 3rd quarter (and some karate chopping the clipboard by the angry coach). But, anyway, the Warriors scored their first win of the match at the score of 104-89.
- The all-new Audi A5 and S5 Coupe has been launched, packed with a brand new design, new engine choices, and a suite of high-tech features.
2017 Audi S5 Coupe
2017 Audi A5 Coupe
- New Pokemon Sun and Moon updates on the radar. The names of the legendary Pokemon featured on the cover are identified as Solgaleo for Pokemon Sun and Lunala for Pokemon Moon. Apart from their unveiling, some new features are announced for the upcoming installment such as the brand new Rotom Pokedex and QR scanning feature.
Solgaleo and Lunala
- Actress Emily Blunt will going to play the role as Mary Poppins in the upcoming Disney movie, Mary Poppins Returns, set to hit theaters in Christmas 2018 and directed by Rob Marshall. It will be a sequel that set two decades after the original.
- Amazon's new motoring show, The Grand Tour, hosted by former Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, will start shooting in South Africa,,,and they want one of the lucky people to be part of the audience. Could it be you?
- International media groups have condemned Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's comments that many slain journalists through the years are corrupt and those who have done wrong are still being assassinated. Reporters Without Borders expressed outcry and urged the Philippine media to boycott Duterte's news conference until he issues a formal, public apology. The Committee to Protect Journalists said Duterte's comments "apparently excusing extrajudicial killings threaten to make the Philippines into a killing field for journalists."
- Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas and Vice President-elect Leni Robredo lauded their supporters in the administration's thanksgiving party held last night. The two expressed gratitude to their supporters prior to the campaign season and post-election.
- The People's Republic of China welcomed the plans of incoming Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. to hold bilateral talks to resolve the South China Sea dispute. The Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that over the four decades of diplomatic ties, successful leaders of China and the Philippines have affirmed their agreement to peacefully resolving the sea row.
- South Korean leader Park Geun-hye is in France for a state visit, celebrating 130 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Her four-day trip has begun with a Korea-France business forum on Thursday local time with some 200 business leaders from both countries attending. For Friday's summit talks, the two leaders will adopt a joint statement aimed at boosting ties in the 21st century. To realize the potential, the two sides will seek to diversify trade items and boost investment.
- Presumptive US Republican presidentiable Donald Trump is set to visit Great Britain later this month, after a referendum on the country's membership in the European Union. Trump's camp said that the businessman will visit Scotland on the 24th to attend an opening ceremony of a golf resort he owns.
- The world's longest and deepest rail tunnel in Switzerland has opened. The shortcut under the Alps is expected to give a high speed railway network a big boost. A ceremony was held on Wednesday in the southern Swiss town of Bodio to celebrate the Gotthard Base Tunnel. The tunnel shaves 30 minutes off the overland route and expected to reduce the amount of goods hauled over roads, and cut air pollution from trucks.
- Choromatsu and Ichimatsu from the hit TV series Osomatsu-san now joins the Nendoroid range. That's four down, two to go.
Nendoroid Ichimatsu
Nendoroid Choromatsu
- The PS4/XBOX One version of Biohazard/Resident Evil 5 will be available digitally on the Playstation Store or XBOX Live Marketplace this June 28, part of the series' 20th anniversary celebration. Aside from the refined graphics made for these consoles, it also offers two additional episodes Lost In Nightmares and Desperate Escape, as well as THE MERCENARIES UNITED (combining the original Mercenaries mini-game and The Mercenaries Reunion from the PS3 Biohazard 5 Alternative Edition), and other extras.
- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye, today marks the 46th weeksary of AlDub.
The US Treasury Department designated North Korea as a "primary money laundering concern". In response, South Korea has welcomed Washington's latest step toward completely cutting banking ties with the Korean Peninsula.
A source from South Korea's foreign ministry says the initiative shows that the US is determined to maintain pressure on North Korea.
A few moments ago, I tried the track-focused version of Ferrari's LaFerrari called the FXX K and I told that no matter how many curse words burst from their mouth, having a mastery with the FXX K will prove that this car can FXX K it right up in its rear bumper...or is it because now, another track-only version of a certain hybrid hypercar has arrived in Forza 6 and this time, it's the turn of the McLaren P1.
The McLaren P1 GTR, a track-focused version of the McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar just like the Ferrari LaFerrari-based FXX K that caused me the expletive dialogue. Before taking this car for a spin round Silverstone, because this was used for testing session for drivers of the McLaren P1 Driver Programme, let me tell you a quick story about this car.
From its concept debut at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance to a dream come true at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the P1 GTR, based on the hybrid engine-wielding P1 hypercar, is a track-focused version of the said car that pays tribute to McLaren's 1995 Le Mans victory using the F1 GTR.
The P1 GTR is the most powerful McLaren ever developed with power output up to 987HP and 738lb-ft of torque from its 3.8L V8+electric motor powerplant. Because this is a track-focused version, the P1 GTR features racing slick tires, new fixed ride height on race-prepared suspension, fixed rear wing, and a unique exhaust design.
The P1 GTR is priced at around 1.9 million British Pounds and its packaging includes a one-make race series for owners. This track-only version joins the normal road-going P1 in the Ultimate Series, the third and final tier of the McLaren range.
I already tried the FXX K back then and upon driving the expletive-prone hybrid racer, its computer-controlled dynamics really made this car do the talking while on track, especially the clever feature inherited from the LaFerrari that goes "the faster it go, the better it works". Now, where did I heard that before? Anyway, onto the P1 GTR, and unlike the FXX K I drove in the past, consider this a pain in the butt to drive. Sure, it may be the most track-honed McLaren ever made but when I tried it, getting through tight corners is an arm-breaking struggle and trying to regain grip on this car is very tricky. It's like being headlocked by a female pro-wrestler in her battle suit she wore for halloween.
Consider the P1 GTR the widowmaker reloaded because of its intimidating dynamics similar to its road-going P1. At first taste, you may find that its dynamics are too tricky and too hostile to handle but with such mastery, you will be able to set very fast laps at one fell swoop just like the highly capable Ferrari FXX K.
Anyway, I think that's enough about explaining the P1 GTR because to explain just how tricky this car drives, I managed to take a spin round Silverstone to see what's what.
The track-only McLaren P1 GTR maybe one of the most intimidating cars to drive in Forza Motorsport 6 but if you are skillful enough to get this widowmaker under control, you will be able to unlock its true potential from within. It maybe scary but if you keep trying, it wouldn't be a problem for you.
So, despite Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo set his historic pole position during the qualifying practice, that didn't stop Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton from racing through the overall standings following his 1st place victory. Of course, Red Bull's tire inventory problem is a gain for both Mercedes and Hamilton himself on a rainy day Monaco race. Still, despite the inventory problems with the tires, at least Ricciardo finished second place, though. Of course, by having Sergio Perez finished third place, Force India had a great weekend now that they taste their first podium finish.
It's ashamed that the young Dutchman, Max Verstappen, crashed himself to failure at Monaco but despite this catastrophe, this young chap's not giving up without a good fight and we can expect more from him to correct some mistakes, and some others.
Now, onto the overall standings and judging from Hamilton's Monaco win, he's now 2nd place with 24 points behind leader Nico Rosberg. Riccardo's 2nd placer means he's in third place with 66 points.
The next race will be at Canada on the 12th of June, 2016.
Ri Su Yong, a senior North Korean official visiting China has stressed that the reclusive country has no plans to abandon its nuclear development program. Ri is the vice chairman of the ruling Worker's Party, overseeing international affairs. He arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit and met with the head of the Chinese Communist Party;s International Department, Song Tao.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on the visit on Wednesday. It said Ri briefed Beijing on the results of the Workers' Party congress last May, the first congress in 36 years. Ri explained to Chinese officials the party's two-track policy of pursuing economic and nuclear development simultaneously, which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared the policy permanent.
China's foreign ministry urged North Korea to exercise restraint after reports of a failed launch of an intermediate-range Musudan missile yesterday. The ministry said that UN Security Council resolutions stipulate clear rules, and suggested that the launch violated them,
Meanwhile, US researchers say the Korean Peninsula may be preparing to process plutonium for nuclear weapons, or may have already started. The US-Korea Institute at John Hopkins University posted on its website on Tuesday satellite imagery of the Nyongbyon nuclear site.
The photos, taken on the 12th and 22nd of May, show smoke rising from a chimney on a plutonium reprocessing facility at the complex. The researchers say the photos point to the Korean Peninsula's probable plutonium production. They add that exhaust plumes were also confirmed at the facility during February and March.
Then, the South Korean Foreign Ministry warned that North Korea could face tougher sanctions and become more isolated if it does not stop its provocations. The ministry said the launch attempt is tantamount to ignoring repeated warnings from the international community to stop its provocative acts, and it cannot be tolerated.
South Korea will review what countermeasures should be taken through talks with allies after a detailed analysis of the missile launch, hinting a strengthening pressure on the North in cooperation with Japan, the United States, and others.
Senior officials from Japan, the United States and South Korea have agreed to cooperate on preventing North Korea from conducting further provocative actions. The officials met in Tokyo on Wednesday, the day after North Korea's failed missile launch. The officials condemned the North's nuclear and missile programs as totally unacceptable. They also reaffirmed that their governments will refuse to talk with the North unless it makes clear a path to its denuclearization.
- Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is in critical condition and placed on the Intensive Care Unit afer being hospitalized. Confirmed by her husband Jun Santiago, Miriam's suffering from complications from her lung cancer. Last night, the veteran Senator was transferred to the ICE from her private room because of her worsening condition.
- President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte introduced his members of the Cabinet of his administration and chosen them for a meeting at the Presidential guest house in barangay Panacan in Davao City.
- The US Government is warning Americans planning to visit Europe this summer to be on guard against imminent terrorist attacks there. The US State Department said in a travel alert that US citizens should be aware of the risk of terrorist attacks targeting major events, tourist sites, and transportation throughout Europe.
- South Korean prosecutors have indicted the former heads of two sterilizer manufacturers on charges of producing goods linked to deadly lung injuries. Shin Hyun-woo, the former CEO of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, and two former senior company officials were indicted on Tuesday. The prosecutors also indicted the former head of a defunct sterilizer company. Many infants and their mothers suffered serious lung damage after inhaling harmful substances in sterilizers that were sold between 2001 and 2011, killing 95 according to reports.
- Security concerns prompted Kenya to close a large refugee camp located near its border with Somalia. The Dabaab camp will be closed this November. It was set up 25 years ago and is the world's biggest refugee camp, housing 350,000 people, most are Somalians. The Kenyan government says the camp has been used as the hideout from an Islamic terrorist organization Al-Shabab. It says the insurgents are recruiting fighters there.
- BMW's 3-Series Gran Turismo has been updated for the 2017 model year with new engine choices.
2017 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo
- A brand-new Opel/Vauxhall Zafira MPV was unveiled featuring full LED Adaptive Forward Lighting headlamps, sporty exterior, new safety features, and more.
2017 Opel Zafira
- Former wrestler turned action star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hints of a more badass federal agent Luke Hobbs he'll be reprising in the upcoming 8th Fast and Furious movie, due next year. His character's gritty appearance shows there's a potential for a Luke Hobbs spinoff.
- In case you missed the recent Eat Bulaga kalyeserye, guess who's finally back? Yep, it's Divina! Welcome back!
The foreign ministers of Japan and Mongolia have agreed to cooperate to prevent further provocations by the Korean Peninsula. Earlier, the North reportedly attempted to fire a missile early on Tuesday but presumably failed.
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida discussed the incident with his Mongolian counterpart Lundeg Purevsuren in Tokyo. Mongolia has traditionally been friendly with North Korea and has its own channels with the country.
The two ministers also confirmed cooperation for the success of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Mongolia in July as well as strengthen economic ties after a bilateral economic partnership agreement takes effect on June 7th.
Meanwhile, senior North Korean official Ri Su Yong is in China for talks with Communist Party leaders. Ri will meet Chinese leaders for three days according to sources and expected to brief them about the Workers' Party Congress held earlier this month.
- The Malacanang Palace officials stated that it respects the work schedule of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, as he assumes his post at the end of June. In his previous interviews, Duterte said he will be reporting for work from 1:00PM to 12:00 AM. The president-elect also plans on commuting from Manila to Davao every day.
- Senator Bongbong Marcos stresses that despite the proclamation of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and VP-elect Leni Robredo ends, he will never give up the fight.
- Iraqi troops are facing fierce resistance from Islamic State militants after they began pushing into Fallujah, a stronghold of the militant group. The government forces announced on Monday the start of the advance, backed by US-led airstrikes, which is part of massive operations to retake the city from the militants.
- Brazil's anti-corruption minister has resigned over his suspected involvement in a bribery scandal, dealing a fresh blow on the country's interim government. The Brazilian media leaked recorded phone conversations between Transparency Minister Fabiano Silveira and the Senate president, who is under investigation for links to a corruption case involving a state-run oil.company.
- Thai authorities are seizing over 100 tigers from a temple popular with tourists following allegations of involvement in the black market for wild animal. The Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, has been keeping the animals since monks there first took care of a sick cub.
- Subaru uncovered the Levorg STi Sport and sorry to interrupt your enthusiasm because this is just essentially a normal Levorg with handling upgrades and a flashy aero kit with no performance enhancements whatsoever. To be on sale this summer, the Levorg STi Sport features a unique exterior appearance as well as Bilstein DampMatic II shock absorbers at the front, along with updated springs and a retuned suspension. It will still come with the choice of 1.6L or 2.0L DIT boxer engine mated to a CVT.
2017 Subaru Levorg STi Sport
- Global production of the Mazda Axela has reached five million units.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will be competing on the 2016 NBA Finals! The first game of the best-of-7 match will be scheduled on Thursday, June 2, at 6:00 PM Pacific / 9:00 PM Eastern (about 9:00 AM Philippine Time).
