Good morning. Happy Friday from the Araw Araw team! We hope you guys have a fun and restful long weekend as Eid al-Adha occurs on Monday. Stay tuned for an intriguing startup founder’s story this coming Sunday for our Sunday Special post!

Local News

💦 Spy Games: China’s Infiltration from Within?

By Tobias Bautista

Heads up, folks! President Marcos is ringing the alarm bells over some serious external threats. But here's the kicker: the threats might have already slipped through the backdoor.

Defense guru Joshua Espeña is spotlighting China’s deep dive into local businesses, governments, and schools. Picture this: 146 Chinese vessels lounging in the West Philippine Sea from June 4 to 10. Most are China’s maritime militia, with a few from the Chinese Navy. Talk about overstaying your welcome!

Espeña suggests China’s infiltration is an age-old strategy, quietly weakening the Philippines from within. Think of it as a Trojan horse, but less mythical and more real-world sneaky.

And it’s not just boats. Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (Pogos) are seen as potential Trojan horses. Even schools are feeling the heat with an influx of Chinese students, raising eyebrows over their true intentions.

Defense Secretary Teodoro Jr. is calling for Pogos near military bases to pack up and go. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration is tightening the reins on student visas amid rising security concerns.

China’s grand strategy? Unrestricted warfare. By blending in and spreading influence subtly, China could be setting the stage for bigger moves. Remember, folks, it's all about keeping your friends close and your enemies... well, in your backyard. Stay tuned!

Tech

🤖 AI: The Unlikely Hero for Marginalized Communities

By Tobias Bautista

When folks chat about AI, it's usually a doomsday scenario—job losses, privacy invasions, and Skynet vibes. But hold on, there's a silver lining for marginalized communities that's often missed in these debates.

Picture this: AI as a superhero cape for those facing systemic oppression. These are the folks who could benefit the most from responsible AI development.

AI as the Great Equalizer

AI has the potential to bust through traditional barriers like a wrecking ball. Think about it—translation tools breaking language barriers, educational platforms tailored to first-gen learners, and job matching sites that level the playing field. It's not techno-magic, but it’s a step towards democratizing access to information and opportunities.

Empowering People with Disabilities

For people with disabilities, AI can be a game-changer. Imagine AI apps helping people with autism develop social skills or adaptive learning tools making education more accessible for those with dyslexia. It's like having a personal assistant that caters to their unique needs, fostering independence and inclusion.

Challenging Injustice

AI can also tackle systemic injustices head-on. By providing market insights to small-scale entrepreneurs or matching job seekers with opportunities that fit their skills, AI can help level the economic playing field. It’s like having a savvy business advisor and a top-notch recruiter rolled into one.

The Real Responsibility

Policymakers, tech giants, and corporations should shoulder this responsibility. They have the power to develop and enforce regulations ensuring AI doesn’t widen existing inequalities.

The focus should be on ethical development, responsible deployment, and addressing existential risks. Think of it as a checklist: training data ethics, avoiding surveillance pitfalls, and preventing mass job displacement.

By harnessing AI’s potential responsibly, we can transform it from a dystopian villain to a champion of social justice and equity. After all, it’s about time we had some good news in the AI saga!

Sports

🏆 Brooms are almost out: The Boston Celtics stop the Dallas Mavericks in the clutch en route to Game 3 win

By Koby del Rosario

After almost blowing a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Boston Celtics held off a big Dallas Mavericks run to take a commanding 3-0 NBA Finals series lead with the 106-99 Game 3 victory.

The dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are having a mini-race to the Finals MVP Award as both had stellar performances of 31 and 30 points, respectively, for the game. The C’s even got the dub without starting big man Kristaps Porzingis who was sidelined due to injury.

For the Mavs, Kyrie Irving’s masterclass of 35 points wasn’t enough as superstar Luka Doncic fouled out late with 27 markers and six boards and dimes, apiece, as Dallas could not pull out the stops for a win.

Will Dallas live to fight another day? Or will the Celtics get their first championship in 16 years? Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals is scheduled for this Saturday morning Philippine time.

News Roundup

• The Philippines is among world’s worst countries again.

• 3 OFWs confirmed dead in Kuwait Building Fire

• Rafael Nadal will skip Wimbledon so that he doesn’t have to switch from grass to clay for the Olympics

• NBA Legend and “NBA Logo” Jerry West dies at 86. His legacy lives on through the league.

• 1000 days have passed since Taliban has banned girls from secondary education in Afghanistan. Over 1 million girls are affected.

• Potato Corner opens pop up store in Canada

• Balloon Warfare? Peep the story on South Korean activists retaliating by sending balloons deep into North Korea (even reaching China).

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