Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Let's Do The News! (December 12, 2017)



- President Rodrigo Duterte fired commissioners of the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor due to weak work performance and alleged corruption, according to the Malacanang, following Duterte's speech that he would sack an entire commission on Monday over allegations of corruption among its officials.

- According to a health form advocate, they had cautioned former Health Secretary Janette Garin over the safety of Dengvaxia but their warnings were ignored. Dr. Anthony Leachon, former member of the Department of Health Expert Panel on Dengue, said that experts questioned the “premature” mass vaccination in 2016, citing that its safety and cost-effectiveness had not been established.

- The Senate and Congress have agreed on the new vehicle excise tax ahead of this week's approval of the nation's tax reform. Reports told that cars priced at 600,000 pesos and below will slap a 4% tax while those above 4,000,000 pesos will slap a 50% tax. Electric cars and pickup trucks will be exempted on the tax while while hybrid vehicles will be slapped half the tax versus non-hybrid vehicles. They also approved of an increased excise tax on petroleum products which is expected to trigger the price of commodities (and inflation) next year.

- A would-be suicide bomber inspired by Islamic State terrorists triggered a pipe bomb explosion in a New York subway in a middle of Monday rush hour. The first bomb blast in the subway in over two decades. However, the attacker, identified as Akayed Ullah, sustained serious wounds after his failed suicide attack.

- The Pentagon insists that they will let transgenders to be enlisted in the military beginning January 1, a blow to US President Donald Trump's ordered ban. Two federal courts already have ruled against the ban and on Monday a federal court judge denied a government request to set aside the January start date for enlistment.

- German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pushing for the quick formation of a new governing alliance with Germany's main center-left party, saying that only a coalition will bring the "stable government" needed at a challenging time for Europe.

- Yesterday, Saudi Arabia will allow movie theaters to open in the conservative kingdom next year, for the first time in more than 35 years, in the latest social push by the country's young crown prince.

- Renault introduced a new 1.3L turbocharged petrol engine featuring a range of technologies such as Bore Spray Coating, cylinder coating technology, direct injection and Dual Variable Timing Camshaft, promising more torque at low revs. It will be introduced in the Scenic range as well as future Renault models next year.

- UBIsoft's The Crew 2 racing game has been delayed to mid-2018.

- Next year's Pokemon movie sees a new look of anime's main character Satoshi/Ash as animation studio OLM teams up with Wit Studio for next year's film hitting Japanese theaters this Summer 2018.

- In preparation of the Pretty Rhythm series' 10th anniversary in 2020, a new project called Pretty All Friends was unveiled, featuring the main characters from both Pretty Rhythm and PriPara series.

TTFN!!!

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