Good morning. Happy Independence Day, everyone! President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called on all Filipinos to proudly display our flag as a symbol of our ongoing fight for independence in every sense. In fact, over 16,000 police have been deployed nationwide for public safety.

This year’s celebrations in Manila are set to be festive, with events at Rizal Park, including a bazaar, cooking competition, free concerts, and a grand parade. But the revelry isn't limited to our shores, as the Filipino diaspora grows. From the U.S. to Europe, Filipinos worldwide are honoring our heritage with parades, street fairs, and cultural gatherings.

Let’s come together, celebrate our rich history, and look forward to a future filled with pride and unity. Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan! 🎉

Stocks

Stocks: Today, the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) closed at 6,410.07, marking an increase of 48.57 points or 0.75% from the previous trading session. This upward movement was accompanied by declines across most sectors, including Financials, Industrials, and Holding Firms. The total trading volume for the day was 400,901,290 shares, with a total trade value of approximately PHP 3.3 billion. The market saw 82 advancing stocks, 99 declining, and 43 unchanged​.

Local News

🚨 Bracing for Impact: Marcos Calls for Defense Readiness Amid Rising Tensions

By Tobias Bautista

Water, the essence of life, keeps our bodies ticking. While we're busy grooving to such inspirational lyrics – “make me sweat, make me hotter, make me lose my breath, make me water” – it’s easy to forget that water is the real star of the show, making sure our organs stay hydrated and happy. Sadly, not everyone has easy access to clean drinking water, especially in marginalized communities, leading to waterborne diseases. But fear not! Procter & Gamble, in cahoots with World Vision Philippines, has been sprinkling their magic with Purifier of Water technology, bringing clean water to nearly 50,000 Filipino kiddos and their families. This innovative powder, a brainchild of P&G scientists and the CDC, works wonders by purifying 10 liters of water in just 30 minutes, making even the murkiest water crystal clear. From the marshes of Agusan del Sur to the floating houses of Manobo families, P&G and World Vision are on a mission to keep the water flowing, ensuring every child has the chance to dream big and stay hydrated—sorry, Tyla, but water's the real MVP here!

Tech

🍏 Musk’s AI Takedown: No Apples Allowed

By Tobias Bautista

Elon Musk has taken aim at Apple, threatening to ban their devices at his companies if Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level. "That’s an unacceptable security violation," Musk proclaimed on X, the social media platform he owns. He even suggested storing Apple devices in Faraday cages at the door — an enclosure used to block electromagnetic fields.

This comes after Apple announced new AI features across its apps and operating platforms, partnering with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to its devices. Apple assured everyone that privacy is their priority, using a mix of on-device processing and cloud computing.

Musk isn’t buying it. He took to X to call it "patently absurd" that Apple can’t create its own AI but claims OpenAI will protect security and privacy.

Ben Bajarin, CEO of Creative Strategies, thinks Musk’s stance is a bit over the top, noting that Apple is trying to educate users about the security of their private cloud.

Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, sued the company in March, alleging it strayed from its original mission. Not one to be left behind, he also launched his own AI venture, xAI, valued at a cool $24 billion after raising $6 billion in series B funding.

Sports

🤨 Agree or disagree? Caitlin Clark was left off Team USA Women’s for the 2024 Olympics

By Koby del Rosario

Team USA recently announced its 12-woman roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics slated to occur from July 26th to August 11th of this year. 

But, much to the surprise of many, the team notably did not select WNBA rookie sensation Caitlin Clark as a part of the team despite her recent collegiate level prowess and strides in her professional play thus far.

Headlined by Sabrina Ionescu and Diana Taurasi, the squad consists of some of the league’s best in Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jewel Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Britney Griner, Kahleah Copper, and Jackie Young.

The Indiana Fever standout is not letting the non-selection rattle her, however, as she has her sights set on steadily adjusting to the WNBA pace of play while putting up a great first-year campaign for her. Indeed, this will really open her eyes and prove the naysayers wrong.

Even if she was snubbed this year, we can definitely expect Clark to make it on the next iterations of the team should her superstar stock continue to rise. 

Nevertheless, the team is still stacked similarly to the assembly of the Team USA Men’s squad. Expect both rosters to bring glory to their homeland in the 2024 Olympics.

Lifestyle

🐍 Time to double-up the “?”: The “What The” Kobe 8 and 9 Elite are set to return in 2025

By Koby del Rosario

This is for those OG Nike Kobe line fans! Both legendary “What The” themed colorways of the fan-favorite Nike Kobe 8 and 9 Elite are expected to re-release next year in 2025.

Both pairs are rumored for a summer 2025 drop, as it marks 12 and 11 years, respectively, since the shoes’ initial release.

While no word has been said on its official specs, the “What The” Kobe 8 is expected to follow the same aspects of the recently-released “Venice Beach” Kobe 8—featuring key components from the original pairs as opposed to the “protro” versions.

Meanwhile for the “What The” Kobe 9 Elite, there hasn’t been much disclosed on how a “protro” of the shoe will be like as the first iteration of its kind is yet to release later this year with the “Christmas” Kobe 9 Elite Protro. 

With the amount of Nike Kobe’s releasing and are rumored or confirmed to drop in the near future, here’s hoping that everyone who has been wanting a pair of the late great Black Mamba’s sneakers finally gets one.

News Roundup

• Hamas says it accepts UN-backed truce plan to end the war with Israel and Gaza.

• Harry Roque’s Response to Ex-President Duterte’s wishes to become Senator: “Mas Gusto niya maging yayo.”

• Over 1000 animals killed in Bangkok fire at Chatuchak Market

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Games

🎯 Fun Brain Teasers

• Wordle: guess the random five letter word

• Connections: match four words of the same category

• Strands: word search but it depends on the category

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