FOR the second straight time Sunsparks is the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League - Philippines (MPL-PH) champion after topping ONIC PH in the finals of season 5 at the weekend.

TORONTO — Basketball great Michael Jordan voiced outrage on Sunday over the death of George Floyd, a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white policeman knelt on his neck in Minneapolis, an incident that has triggered violent nationwide protests.

The rise of COVID-19 from a “crisis-to-watch” back in late December 2019 to a global pandemic that saw every country go into virtual lockdown, is nothing short of meteoric. The world’s economy fell into the doldrums with businesses (except for a handful) struggling with almost non-existent operations, disrupted supply chains, and an unprecedented surge or drop in demand that were not even in any planning scenario. We are all caught flat-footed by this continuously evolving threat, at a loss as to what will come next, not knowing where to start our business continuity and recovery efforts.

As I write this, the worrisome images of riots in Minneapolis, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, DC, and 20 other US cities flash over cable news — replacing the reportage on COVID-19 that had been the standard preoccupation of news media for two months. A week has passed since white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was captured on a viral video pressing his knee onto the neck of George Floyd (who is black) for more than eight minutes. In the video, Floyd is heard saying “Please,” “I can’t breathe,” and “Don’t kill me.” Floyd reportedly died during the incident, and Chauvin, along with other police officers present, was fired. Chauvin was later on charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death.

PHILIPPINE police arrested 90 Chinese and two Malaysians for allegedly violating health and safety guidelines on the coronavirus after law enforcers raided an illegal offshore gaming operator in Bacoor City in Cavite province on Friday.

INFLATION likely remained stable in May, despite an uptick in some food items and a slight recovery in pump prices, according to analysts.

AS the lockdown eases in many parts of the country, experts are divided on how quickly the Philippine economy will rebound from the coronavirus crisis.

BUSINESS GROUPS and exporters are asking Congress to consider a longer transition period from the current tax incentives system and to accelerate the corporate income tax cut, in an effort to restore fiscal certainty to investors amid the pandemic.

NON-PHILIPPINE residents are allowed to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) through the central bank, bourse operator Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) said.

THE HOUSE Banks and Financial Intermediaries Committee approved on Friday a bill seeking to expand the loan assistance program, rediscounting and other credit accommodation facilities of government financial institutions to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) cope with the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

THE Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) is reopening its trading floor today as quarantine measures in Metro Manila are eased.

SOME 10–15% of the land area in cities could be converted for use as fruit and vegetable farms, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.