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Thunder wallop Nuggets in showdown of West’s best

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER scored 40 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their seventh consecutive victory, a 127-103 rout over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

It was the first of back-to-back games in Oklahoma City for the teams that entered the day in the top two spots in the Western Conference. The loss dropped the Nuggets into third place, percentage points behind the Los Angeles Lakers.

The West-leading Thunder have won 16 of their last 18 games and snapped the Nuggets’ two-game winning streak.

With just more than two minutes remaining and the Nuggets’ chances for a comeback already hanging by a thread, Gilgeous-Alexander pulled up from the top of the key and drained a 3-pointer to stretch Oklahoma City’s lead to 18 and virtually put the game away.

The bucket also gave Gilgeous-Alexander his NBA-best 11th 40-point game of the season.

Nikola Jokic, coming off an historic performance (31 points, 21 rebounds and 22 assists) in Friday’s overtime win over Phoenix, came up just short of his 30th triple-double of the season.

Jokic, who made just TWO of 10 3-point attempts, finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, along with three blocks.

Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t much better from distance, going two of 11 on 3-pointers, but was 15 of 32 overall. He added eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

The Nuggets got off to a quick start, scoring the game’s first 10 points and leading by 11 just more than four minutes in.

But Oklahoma City quickly cut into the lead and eventually trimmed the deficit to one to close the first quarter.

In the third quarter, it was Denver’s turn to fall behind by double figures and battle back.

The Thunder led by 11 about midway through the quarter before the Nuggets cut the margin to three entering the fourth.

With Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench, Oklahoma City reeled off a 14-3 run early in the fourth to take control for good.

That stretch was fueled largely by Jalen Williams, who scored seven of his 26 points during that stretch. He also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out eight assists.

After beating Portland on Friday without any of its usual starters, all five returned for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren contributed 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, while Isaiah Hartenstein had 10 points and 11 boards.

Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Christian Braun added 19 points and Jamal Murray scored 17. — Reuters

Swiatek, Rybakina serve up bagels en route to victories at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, California — Defending champion Iga Swiatek crushed Dayana Yastremska 6-0, 6-2 and 2023 champion Elena Rybakina powered past Britain’s Katie Boulter 6-0, 7-5 to reach the fourth round of Indian Wells on Sunday with displays of dominance.

Swiatek, seeded second, is aiming to become the first woman to win the tournament three times and the Polish player looked eager to do so in as little time on court as possible, reeling off 10 games in a row and needing just 65 minutes to see off her Ukrainian opponent.

“At the end I got a bit tired, it’s always hard to finish a match like that but I’m happy that I kept my intensity up in the last game to close it,” she said.

“I had control from the beginning so I’m happy with the performance for sure.”

It was Swiatek’s second bagel set of the tournament after she overwhelmed Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-0 in her first match.

The five-time major champion has not won a title since her triumph at Roland Garros in 2024, her longest drought since winning her first major title in 2020.

She served a one-month suspension in October for a failed drug test and has seen Aryna Sabalenka take her world number one ranking but said the California desert is an ideal setting to get back to winning ways.

“It’s amazing, I love coming here,” she said.

“I already have my routine so it feels like home. It’s for sure the place to be and a great place to play tennis.”

Swiatek will face 15th seed Karolina Muchova in the round of 16 after the Czech player beat her compatriot Katerina Siniakova in the afternoon.

After cruising through the first set, Rybakina fell behind 5-3 in the second before regrouping.

She stretched to hit a sensational defensive shot in a game where she broke back for 5-5 and broke again on match point to seal the win.

Rybakina, who missed last year’s tournament due to an illness, will play either ninth-seeded Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva or Dane Clara Tauson in the next round. 

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina upset 14th seed Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-4 and will face another American, fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the next round after she breezed past China’s Wang Xinyu 6-2, 6-1.

Svitolina’s countrywoman Marta Kostyuk beat American wildcard Caroline Dolehide 6-3, 6-3.

MEDVEDEV, TSITSIPAS ADVANCE
On the men’s side, Stefanos Tsitsipas showed off his impressive athleticism and defence, leaping for overheads and speeding around the court to beat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-3.

“I’m approaching these matches with determination and willingness to just leave it all out there on the court,” Tsitsipas said.

“I want to get out there on the court and be a gladiator, and that’s how I approach every single match I get to play.”

The Greek eighth seed will face battle-tested Holger Rune after the Danish player dug deep to outlast Frenchman Ugo Humbert 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 with the backing of the crowd on center court.

“I tried to be brave,” Rune said of his play over the final two games of the match.

“The energy on this court was truly amazing.”

Daniil Medvedev was on court for just 10 minutes before his American opponent Alex Michelsen was forced to retire due to illness after two games.

The Russian fifth seed has lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final the past two years, and the Spaniard is once again on the opposite side of the draw.

Medvedev will next face popular American Tommy Paul, who notched his 50th win at a Masters 1000 tournament with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Britain’s Cameron Norrie.

Tallon Griekspoor toppled 29th-seeded Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday after stunning top seed Alexander Zverev in the previous round.

Griekspoor pounded 10 aces and broke Mpetshi Perricard’s mighty serve twice en route to the win.

Southern California native Marcos Giron came from behind to beat Alexei Popyrin 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a match where the struggling Australian converted just one of his 15 break point chances.

It is the 31-year-old Giron’s first time reaching the fourth round of the tournament. — Reuters

Balanced offense lets Cavs beat Bucks for 14th straight win

MAX STRUS had 17 points to lead eight Cavaliers who scored at least nine as Cleveland won 112-100 at the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night.

It was the Cavaliers’ 14th consecutive victory, one shy of their season-best streak they started the season with. Donovan Mitchell scored 15, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland added 13 apiece and Jarrett Allen tallied 11. Strus also led the team with nine rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks, who lost their second in a row, with 30 points and nine rebounds. Damian Lillard added 22 while Kyle Kuzma scored 14.

Cleveland swept the four-game season series against the Bucks for the first time since the 2008-09 season and has won five in a row over Milwaukee overall.

Both teams came out firing, with Cleveland going into the second quarter up 34-32 thanks to 56.5% shooting from the floor.

They gained a bit of separation going into the halftime break as they led 62-52.

Strus had 14 of his points in the first half to lead Cleveland while Antetokounmpo had 18 for Milwaukee. The Cavs shot 10-for-26 from beyond the arc (38.5%) compared to just 29.4% for the Bucks.

Cleveland also won the turnover battle 18-15 and led by as many as 19. — Reuters

Philippines’ Duterte says he will accept arrest if ICC issues warrant

RODRIGO DUTERTE — PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/ ROBINSON NIÑAL

HONG KONG/MANILA – Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said in Hong Kong that he was ready for possible arrest amid reports the International Criminal Court (ICC) was poised to issue a warrant over his years-long “war on drugs” that killed thousands.

The “war on drugs” was the signature campaign policy that swept Mr. Duterte to power in 2016 as a maverick, crime-busting mayor, who delivered on promises he made during vitriolic speeches to kill thousands of narcotics dealers.

The office of the current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Monday no official communication had been received from Interpol yet, but indicated Mr. Duterte could be handed over.

“Our law enforcers are ready to follow what law dictates, if the warrant of arrest needs to be served because of a request from Interpol,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters.

It was not immediately clear how long Mr. Duterte would stay in China-ruled Hong Kong – which is not a party to the ICC. Mr. Duterte was in the city to speak at a campaign rally attended by thousands of Filipino workers, hoping to boost support for his senatorial candidates in upcoming Philippine midterm elections.

“Assuming it’s (warrant) true, why did I do it? For myself? For my family? For you and your children, and for our nation,” Mr. Duterte told the rally, justifying his brutal anti-narcotics campaign.

“If this is truly my fate in life, it’s okay, I will accept it. They can arrest me, imprison me,” Mr. Duterte said.q

“What is my sin? I did everything in my time for peace and a peaceful life for the Filipino people,” he told the cheering crowds in Hong Kong’s downtown Southorn Stadium, appearing with his daughter, the Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte.

An elite Hong Kong police unit for protecting VIPs was stationed in the vicinity of the hotel where Mr. Duterte is staying, according to a Reuters witness.
The Hong Kong government’s security bureau and police gave no immediate response to a request for comment.

The Philippines presidential office dismissed speculation that Mr. Duterte might evade the law by visiting Hong Kong, while appealing to Mr. Duterte’s supporters to allow the legal process to take its course.

During a congressional hearing last year into his bloody crackdown on drugs, Mr. Duterte said he was not scared of the ICC and told it to “hurry up” on its investigation.

The firebrand Mr. Duterte unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the ICC’s founding treaty in 2019 when it started looking into allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings.

More recently, the Philippines has signaled it is ready to cooperate with the investigation in certain areas. — Reuters

Analysts raise exploitation concerns over EBET Law

STOCK IMAGE | Image by Merhan Saeed from Pixabay

by Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter

The Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act can help address the job-skills mismatch but could also be a gateway for exploitation if not properly regulated, analysts said on Thursday.

“We’re all for equipping workers with future-ready skills, but let’s keep it fair, keep it ethical, and—most importantly—keep it from turning into an exploitative loophole,” Federation of Free Workers (FFW) President Jose Sonny G. Matula told BusinessWorld in a Viber chat.

Mr. Matula said that the EBET act allows longer apprenticeship programs, which, if not properly regulated, could turn into “glorified unpaid internships.”

“That’s not skills development; that’s just cheap labor with a fancy name,” he said.

National President of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino Renecio “Luke” S. Espiritu said that “safeguards for security of tenure, non-diminution of benefits, and free-of-charge insurance in medium to high-risk industries” must be in place to protect the rights and welfare of trainees and apprentices under the programs.

Mr. Espiritu added that opportunities under EBET programs must be accompanied by “strong and robust” industries that will ensure that this law would be beneficial for national development and not just for “foreign benefit.”

“The job mismatch or underemployment has been both a persistent and prevalent problem for Filipino laborers for decades now and we welcome solutions to address this long overdue problem,” he said.

“But (we) must also be wary of the export-oriented nature of wanting to address the global workforce demand,” he added.

 

Linking educational institutions

Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Executive Director Justine B. Raagas said in a press release that linking educational institutions with industries can help eliminate job mismatch and create a “future-ready” Filipino workforce.

“It is one thing to know which jobs are in demand, and another to ensure that the workforce has the necessary skills to meet those demands effectively,” Ms. Raagas said.

Under the Republic Act No.12063 or the EBET Framework Act, the State shall “promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all”.

It stated that workers could upskill and learn new skills through training programs that leads to a secured “quality employment and/or obtain entrepreneurial known-how”.

The training allowance for each trainee shall not be lower than seventy-five percent (75%) of the applicable minimum wage rate.

Trainees may undergo up to eight hours of training per day, subject to the enterprise’s discretion. For overtime cases, trainees are subject to an additional 25% of the hourly rate for every additional training hour, limited to two hours per day.

In November 2024, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., during the law’s signing, said the training programs through public-private partnerships would help the current workforce cope with the rapidly changing, technology-driven job market.

“If we are successful in doing this, before a student or a trainee is finished with their training, there already is an available space in the labor market waiting for them,” he said in a speech.

Megaworld’s new Iloilo skyscraper is the region’s most modern office tower

The 19-storey International Corporate Plaza offers varying office layout sizes, unique and first-in-Iloilo shared amenities, and even EV-ready parking slots

Property giant Megaworld, the leading office developer in Iloilo with a 46% share of total supply as per latest data from Colliers International, is once again redefining the landscape with a groundbreaking new tower packed with innovative, first-in-Iloilo features and amenities.

International Corporate Plaza (ICP) is Megaworld’s first office-for-sale development
in Iloilo Business Park

The 19-storey International Corporate Plaza is Megaworld’s first office-for-sale development and is strategically located at the financial district of  the company’s expansive 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

ICP offers 301 prime office units ranging from 26 sq.m. to 60 sq.m., catering to local businesses, entrepreneurs, and professional firms specializing in marketing, consultancy, and legal services. Notably, it will also house the Western Visayas regional office of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

‘First in Iloilo’ amenities are available for use for office owners and their guests.

ICP introduces first-of-its-kind amenities in the Iloilo office market, including two boardrooms, three meeting rooms, co-working spaces, and breakout rooms. It also features an executive lounge, an elegantly designed lobby and hallways, and a roof deck garden that provides a refreshing escape with panoramic views of the bustling cityscape and Guimaras Island. It also boasts ample parking spaces with provisions for charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs).

More than its standout features, ICP serves as a catalyst for inclusive growth, providing local businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals with topnotch office space packed with amenities and access to modern conveniences including world-class accommodations such as Richmonde Hotel Iloilo and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo as well as lifestyle destinations including Festive Walk Iloilo and Festive Walk Parade.

Meeting rooms of varying sizes and capacity are available for owners’ use for big
meetings.

The building is also 28 minutes away from the Iloilo International Airport, and 10-minutes walking distance from Iloilo Business Park Transport Hub. Tenants will also have access to all types of public transportation including PUJs, modernized jeepneys, shuttle service, Grab and taxis.

“Through the International Corporate Plaza, we aim to empower local businesses and professionals in Iloilo and from across the region with the opportunity to own premium office spaces in a prime location like Iloilo Business Park, combining investment value with top-tier amenities, seamless connectivity and utmost convenience. The International Corporate Plaza offers strong investment value, with property prices rising 25% since pre-selling began in 2019, reflecting high demand and growth potential in the Iloilo City office market,” says Jennifer Palmares – Fong, Head of Sales and Marketing, Megaworld Visayas.

Megaworld, the country’s biggest office developer and landlord, currently has over 150,000 sq.m. of office space in its portfolio in Iloilo. These office buildings are situated inside the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park township and have become home to 12 multinational companies, mostly BPO firms, generating more than 36,000 jobs for Ilonggos.

Top-notch features such as the Executive Lounge provide the perfect venue for client
meetings.

Over the years, Megaworld has already completed 11 office buildings in Iloilo Business Park including One Global Place, One Fintech Place, One Techno Place, Two Global Place, Two Fintech Place, Two Techno Place, Three Techno Place, Richmonde Tower, Festive Walk Office 1 and 2, and Festive Walk Business Hub.

Megaworld is further expanding its office footprint in Iloilo with ICP, and the 12-storey Enterprise One. Another office building, the 12-storey Enterprise Two is also set for completion within the year.

 


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Physical stores allow online shops to feel more ‘legit’

Having a physical store still matters to some online businesses because it helps them appear more ‘legit’ to buyers who want to see and experience the products in person, Mariel Ortiz-Luis Veluz, founder of Connect by the Park and Sewn Sandals, told BusinessWorld in an interview. “I still believe in physical stores,” she said. “It’s how I think you can represent your business in a more trustworthy or legal [way].”

Related article: https://www.bworldonline.com/bw-launchpad/2025/02/05/651106/concept-store-offers-flexible-retail-spaces-to-small-retailers/

Interview by Almira Martinez
Video editing by Jayson Mariñas

Philippines says its actions in South China Sea driven by national interest

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

MANILA – China should recognize that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and not at the direction of other countries, Manila’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

The Philippines’ foreign ministry also said the “real issue is China’s refusal to abide by international law” and how its “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive behavior at sea” have affected Filipino communities.

“We call on countries to be circumspect and to avoid actions and words that only contribute to tensions in the region,” it said in a statement responding to comments from China that Manila was being directed by external forces.

At a press conference on March 7, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said the Philippines’ actions in the South China Sea were not independent but part of a “screenplay written by external forces,” to smear China.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the foreign ministry’s statement.

The Philippines has embarked on what it calls a transparency initiative to shed light on China’s actions in the South China Sea, including embedding journalists on maritime patrols and resupply missions.

Its approach has resonated with allies, including the United States, who support the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that found China’s vast South China Sea claims had no legal basis. China rejects that finding. — Reuters

Trump says US talking to four different groups on sale of TikTok

A TikTok logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken Jan. 6, 2020. — REUTERS

 – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his administration was in touch with four different groups about the sale of Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, and that all options were good.

TikTok’s fate has been up in the air since a law requiring its owner ByteDance to either sell it on national security grounds or face a ban took effect on January 19. Mr. Trump, after taking office on January 20, signed an executive order seeking to delay by 75 days the enforcement of the law.

Asked if there was going to soon be a deal on TikTok, Mr. Trump told reporters aboard the Air Force One, “it could.”

“We’re dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it … all four are good,” he added.

TikTok and ByteDance did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment outside of normal business hours.

The turmoil at TikTok has attracted several potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who have expressed interest in the fast-growing business analysts estimate could be worth as much as $50 billion.

Mark Carney wins race to replace Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister

Source: By World Economic Forum - Flickr: Mark Carney - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19542924
Source: By Policy Exchange – https://www.flickr.com/photos/policyexchange/19631517244/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64192687

– Former central banker Mark Carney won the race to become leader of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party and will succeed Justin Trudeau as prime minister, official results showed on Sunday.

Mr. Carney will take over at a tumultuous time in Canada, which is in the midst of a trade war with longtime ally the United States under President Donald Trump and must hold a general election soon.

Mr. Carney, 59, took 86% of votes cast to beat former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in a contest in which just under 152,000 party members voted.

“There’s someone who’s trying to weaken our economy,” Mr. Carney said of Mr. Trump, spurring loud boos at the party gathering. “He’s attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses. We can’t let him succeed.”

“This won’t be business as usual,” Mr. Carney said. “We will have to do things that we haven’t imagined before, at speeds we didn’t think possible.”

Mr. Trudeau announced in January that he would step down after more than nine years in power as his approval rating plummeted, forcing the ruling Liberal Party to run a quick contest to replace him.

“Make no mistake, this is a nation-defining moment. Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given,” Mr. Trudeau said.

Mr. Carney, a political novice, argued that he was best placed to revive the party and to oversee trade negotiations with Trump, who is threatening additional tariffs that could cripple Canada’s export-dependent economy.

Mr. Trudeau has imposed C$30 billion of retaliatory tariffs on the United States in response to tariffs Trump levied on Canada.

“My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect,” Mr. Carney said.

Mr. Carney’s win marks the first time an outsider with no real political background has become Canadian prime minister. He has said his experience as the first person to serve as the governor of two G7 central banks – Canada and England – meant he was the best candidate to deal with Mr. Trump.

The prospect of a fresh start for the Liberal Party under Mr. Carney, combined with Mr. Trump’s tariffs and his repeated taunts to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, led to a remarkable revival of Liberal fortunes.

 

RALLY-AROUND-THE-FLAG MOMENT

At the start of 2025 the party trailed by 20 or more points but is now statistically tied with the official opposition Conservatives led by career politician Pierre Poilievre in several polls.

At a protest outside Canada’s Parliament building in Ottawa on Sunday, dozens of Canadians held up signs protesting Trump with no reference to domestic politics.

“There is a rallying-around-the-flag moment that we would never have predicted a year ago,” said University of British Columbia politics professor Richard Johnston. “I think it’s probably true as we speak that the Liberals have been saved from oblivion.”

Polls though indicate that neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives would be able to form a majority government. An election must be held by October 20.

Two Liberal Party sources said Carney would call an election in coming weeks, meaning one could take place much sooner.

Mr. Carney could legally serve as prime minister without a seat in the House of Commons but tradition dictates that he should seek to win one as soon as possible.

Liberals sought to compare Conservative leader Poilievre to Mr. Trump in a recent advertisement. Poilievre in turn ramped up attacks on Mr. Carney on Sunday. –

UK seeks to scale back reviews that delay new housing projects

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Pierre Blaché from Pixabay

 – Britain set out plans late on Sunday to scale back lengthy public reviews that can delay housing developments, as part of its goal to get 1.5 million homes built in the next five years.

The housing ministry said it would hold a consultation over reducing the number of public agencies and civic groups whose views must be sought over new housing, including groups which represent sporting organizations, theatres and historic gardens.

Planning delays are widely blamed by housebuilders and government for the inability of new construction to keep up with population growth and for contributing to broader economic weakness.

In 2023, 193,000 homes were built across the United Kingdom and the construction industry has not exceeded the 300,000-a-year pace needed to meet the new government’s target since 1977.

“We need to reform the system to ensure it is sensible and balanced, and does not create unintended delays,” Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said.

Further legislation on planning reforms is due later in the week.

Britain’s housing and local government ministry, which Rayner heads, said more than 25 agencies now had a legal right to be consulted on housing developments, some of which often objected by default or insisted on expensive modifications.

The ministry cited the example of how the conversion of an office block into 140 apartments was delayed after a sports body judged insufficient expert advice had been sought over whether a 3-metre-high (10 ft) fence was enough to protect residents from cricket balls struck from an adjacent sports ground.

Around 100 such disputes a year had to be resolved by ministers, the government said.

Under the new proposals, local planning authorities would also be instructed to narrow the basis on which other bodies could object and stick more closely to standard rules and deadlines. – Reuters

North Korea calls US-South Korea drills a dangerous provocative act

MICHA BRANDLI-UNSPLASH

 – The North Korea Foreign Ministry said U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises are “a dangerous provocative act,” state media KCNA reported on Monday.

Annual South Korean and U.S. military exercises called Freedom Shield are due to begin on Monday and run until March 20.

They aim to strengthen the readiness of the alliance for threats such as North Korea, the South Korean military said earlier.

North Korea has traditionally called for these joint exercises to be called off, branding them as a prelude to invasion.

“This is a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean peninsula, which may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides by means of an accidental single shot, to the extreme point,” the Foreign Ministry said, according to KCNA.

The drills will harm U.S. security, the ministry added. – Reuters

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