Undermanned Meralco Bolts hurdled first two games in Philippine Cup title defense

April 7, 2025 | 7:38 pm

VETERAN Allein Maliksi has been ruled out of Meralco’s Philippine Cup title defense, leaving the Bolts without one of the stalwarts from their champion crew.

Mr. Maliksi is dealing with sciatica from a back injury he sustained in the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup last January. Sciatica is pain going down the leg from the lower back.

“It will take time to heal, to ease the pain and numbness. It needs intensive rehab to recover. Just wait to ease sciatica,” the 37-year-old shooting guard said.

For now, the five-time PBA champion couldn’t give a timetable for his return.

Mr. Maliksi takes solace in the fact he can already jog and do strength workouts at this point.

Chris Banchero, another key player in the Meralco title defense, is also sitting out due to hamstring issues. But Mr. Banchero is expected to be back in harness in two weeks’ time.

The Bolts have hurdled their first two assignments minus the two, posting a come-from-behind 91-89 thriller over Converge before bamboozling Terrafirma, 118-80.

Meralco stakes its 2-0 record against payback-seeking San Miguel Beer (1-0) on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in the pro league’s 7:30 p.m. main offering on its 50^th anniversary.

Commissioner Willie Marcial announced that fans born in 1975, the PBA’s founding year, will get free admission to the April 9 double-header that also has Magnolia and Converge clashing at 5 p.m. They just need to show a valid ID showing their birthdays to gain entry.

Additionally, fans can buy seats at the lower box for only P50, and P30 for the general admission section on the said playdate as part of the PBA’s golden anniversary festivities. — Olmin Leyba

Kings keep postseason hopes alive with win over Cavaliers

April 7, 2025 | 7:37 pm

ZACH LAVINE made seven 3-pointers, including three in the fourth quarter, to finish with a game-high 37 points as the visiting Sacramento Kings pushed past the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-113 on Sunday night.

The win sends the Kings (38-40) to the ninth seed in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Mavericks, and also denied the Cavaliers (62-16) the opportunity to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Sacramento won both games over the Cavs this season.

With the score 116-111, LaVine drove to the basket and scored with his left hand on a lay-in with 46.1 seconds left, but the replay seemed to indicate that the ball was still in his hand when the shot clock went off. The play was never reviewed.

DeMar DeRozan had 28 points and seven assists for the Kings, while Domantas Sabonis added 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Ty Jerome paced Cleveland with 20 points off the bench, Donovan Mitchell had 19 points, six boards and six assists, while Jarrett Allen finished with 17 points. Evan Mobley contributed 16 points, nine rebounds and three steals.

In the third quarter, Mitchell appeared to injure his left ankle coming up the court when he crossed paths with Keon Ellis. Mitchell went back to the locker room and did return after missing over six minutes of game action. Sacramento would close the third quarter on a 24-6 run to lead 91-79.

Neither team was able to get any breathing room in the first half, with the Cavs owning the largest lead at seven and the game tied eight times.

Sabonis, who had 19 points in the first half, made a long 3-pointer with 49.1 seconds left in the first quarter to push the Kings to a 31-27 lead at the end of one.

Cleveland was down four in the second when it got a huge boost from reserve Isaac Okoro. Okoro scored on a drive to the basket, a 3-pointer and then put back a miss to cap a 10-0 run as Cleveland took a 45-39 lead, the biggest for the Cavaliers to that point.

Okoro, who missed a big chunk of the season with a shoulder injury, beat his chest after his last basket.

Sacramento didn’t yield and closed the first half with a wild flourish in the final 50 seconds. DeRozan sank a jumper from the baseline, LaVine sliced to the basket for two and Ellis banked in a 3-pointer from just inside halfcourt at the buzzer to trim the Cleveland lead to 57-56 at the break. — Reuters

Lakers pour in 22 3-pointers to thrash Thunder

April 7, 2025 | 7:37 pm

LUKA DONCIC scored 30 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 126-99 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

The Lakers finished with a season-high 22 3-pointers on 40 attempts (55%). Austin Reaves had 20 points and he and Doncic were two of four Los Angeles players with four or more 3-pointers. Dorian Finney-Smith (14 points) and Gabe Vincent (12) each made four triples, while LeBron James added 19 points and seven assists.

The Lakers (48-30) have won four of their last five.

The Thunder have dropped back-to-back games for the second time this season. Oklahoma City (64-14) had not lost a game by more than 15 points this season, other than the NBA Cup championship game that did not count toward the league standings.

The Lakers got going from deep early and didn’t cool off in the first half. Los Angeles hit 10 of its first 12 3-pointers to help it build a lead that stretched as large as 29 in the first half.

The Lakers finished the first half 15 of 22 from beyond the arc, tying a franchise record for 3-pointers in a half.

Los Angeles ripped off a 16-6 run late in the first quarter to grab control and lead by 11.

The Lakers hit three 3-pointers in that stretch, including two on consecutive possessions by Vincent. They were 7 of 9 from beyond the arc in the opening quarter to score 42 points against the team with the top defensive rating in the NBA.

Los Angeles quickly stretched its lead to 20 in the first three minutes of the second quarter and Oklahoma City never got closer than 13 the rest of the way.

The Lakers dominated despite not scoring off a Thunder turnover until more than three minutes into the fourth quarter when James stepped in front of an Aaron Wiggins pass near midcourt and ran uncontested for a raucous dunk.

It was just Oklahoma City’s third turnover of the game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 26 points, extending his streak of scoring 20 or more points to 71 games.

Gilgeous-Alexander added nine assists and did not attempt a free throw for the first time this season. Jalen Williams had 16 points and Chet Holmgren scored 10.

The game was the first of back-to-back games between the teams in Oklahoma City. They’ll meet again on Tuesday. — Reuters

UConn crushes South Carolina for record-extending 12^th title

April 7, 2025 | 7:37 pm

THE University of Connecticut (UConn) thrashed South Carolina 82-59 to claim a record-extending 12^thnational championship in NCAA women’s basketball on Sunday, the first title for the team since 2016.

A dream showdown between two of the sport’s marquee teams quickly turned sour for defending champions South Carolina against a suffocating UConn defense, as the Huskies ended their longest title drought since their first title in 1995.

The Gamecocks were unable to slow down freshman Sarah Strong, who put up a double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds, and guard Azzi Fudd, who added another 24 points and was later named the most outstanding player of the Final Four.

“You just never know if you’ll be back in this situation again,” said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, the winningest coach in collegiate basketball who became emotional in his post-game remarks. “We kept hanging in there and hanging in there.”

The Huskies had a 10-point lead through two quarters after a clutch three-point jumper from guard Ashlynn Shade to close out the first half, in which UConn sharpshooter Fudd led the way with 13 points.

They heaped on more pressure in the second half and South Carolina’s hope of a third title in four years evaporated as the Huskies were up by 32 points with four minutes left in the game.

The win gave famed guard Paige Bueckers, the presumed first pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, the accolade she craved most in her final collegiate game and she wept as she stepped off the court and embraced Auriemma.

“Unreal. Just so much gratitude for everything this program has meant to me,” said Bueckers, who put up 17 points on Sunday after overcoming injuries to become one of the collegiate game’s biggest names.

“I can’t even put into words what’s happening right now.” — Reuters

Malaysia braces for long-lasting impact of US tariffs on economy

April 7, 2025 | 5:45 pm

Malaysia-vehicles-road — VEHICLES travel along the Federal Highway in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. — BLOOMBERG

MALAYSIA is bracing for the possibility that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs will leave a lasting impact on its economy for years to come, given that nearly all of its trading and investment partners will be affected by the new regime.

The government is taking measures to address the tariffs’ impact, said Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Aziz. These include setting up a task force to gather feedback from stakeholders, assessing the impact on industries and continuing its engagement with Washington, he said. Mr. Zafrul is seeking meetings with US officials by month-end.

“We are one of the US’s largest trading partners in Asean, and also one of the major recipients of US-based foreign investment,” the minister said at a briefing on Monday in Kuala Lumpur. “We must therefore acknowledge that there will be mid-to-long-term impact.”

The direct hit will include reduced demand and revenue, as well as conservative investment spending, Mr. Zafrul said. “In the long run, it may lead to decrease in Malaysia’s GDP and slowdown in global growth,” he added. The government is also vigilant of potential dumping of imported goods, he said.

Still, Malaysia’s “moderate” tariff rate could see some of its exports becoming more competitive in the global market, Mr. Zafrul said. The nation will also see some gains over palm oil exports as consumers opt for cheaper substitutes, he added.

After starting off the year on an optimistic note, Malaysia is now reviewing its gross domestic product growth target for 2025 should the tariffs come into effect on April 9. The Malaysian ringgit was one of the biggest losers in Asia on Monday, weakening 0.6% against the US dollar. The Kuala Lumpur benchmark stock index slumped as much as 5.7%, its biggest intraday drop since the start of the Covid pandemic.

The nation is also seeking to lead efforts to coordinate a regional response to the tariffs. Countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are among those hardest hit: Vietnam and Cambodia were slapped with rates of 46% and 49%, respectively, by the Trump administration, while Malaysia is subject to a 24% levy.

Like its regional peers, Malaysia has opted not to retaliate against the punishing trade overhaul and is seeking engagement, though it’s refuted the Trump administration’s claim that it imposes a 47% levy on US goods. — Bloomberg

BoJ warns of heightened uncertainty as Trump tariffs batter markets

April 7, 2025 | 5:44 pm

TOKYO — The Bank of Japan (BoJ) said uncertainty over Japan’s economy was growing as some firms worried about the hit to profits from higher US duties, a sign President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs risked upending a moderate economic recovery.

In a quarterly meeting of its regional branch managers on Monday, the BoJ maintained its assessment for all nine areas to say they were either recovering or picking up moderately.

But it said in a statement that “uncertainty over Japan’s economy was heightening,” underscoring the BoJ’s concern Mr. Trump’s tariffs may threaten to derail a cycle of rising wages and prices — a key prerequisite for further interest rate hikes.

While the statement did not make direct mention of higher US tariffs, it warned that “some firms voiced concern over the impact on output and profits” from US trade uncertainty.

The BoJ’s assessment of regional economies, which is based on surveys conducted by its nationwide branches on firms, did not fully incorporate the impact of Mr. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs announced last week, a central bank official told a briefing.

The BoJ painted an optimistic view on the economy, saying that brisk spending by overseas tourists and strong demand for luxury items have underpinned consumption. It also said firms maintained their robust capital expenditure plans.

Pay hikes were broadening for a wide range of sectors in regional areas, though some regions saw smaller firms voicing caution over further pay increases, the statement said.

“Companies continue to pass on rising import costs at a moderate pace,” with some also considering or implementing price hikes to raise funds to pay for rising labor costs, it said.

Asian share market tanked on Monday as investors feared that Mr. Trump’s tariffs could lead to higher prices, weaker demand and tip the global economy into recession.

Mr. Trump’s decision to slap a 25% levy on auto imports, and a reciprocal 24% tariff on other Japanese goods, will likely deal a huge blow to the export-heavy economy with analysts predicting the higher duties could knock up to 0.8 percentage point off economic growth.

The BoJ’s assessment of regional economies will be among factors that will be scrutinized at its next policy meeting on April 30-May 1, when the board is seen keeping interest rates steady at 0.5% and issuing fresh quarterly economic forecasts. — Reuters

Aid cuts could leave more women dying in pregnancy and birth — United Nations

April 7, 2025 | 5:43 pm

Pregnant teenagers wait in line for a free pre-natal checkup at a clinic in Tondo, Manila, Aug. 31, 2012. — REUTERS

LONDON — Cuts to aid budgets are threatening to undermine years of progress in reducing the number of women dying during pregnancy and childbirth, and could lead to a rise in deaths, the United Nations (UN) has warned.

Globally, there was a 40% decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023, a report by UN agencies including the World Health Organization (WHO) showed on Monday, largely due to better access to essential health services.

That could now go into reverse, the WHO said in a statement accompanying the report which did not mention specific cuts but came in the wake of a foreign aid freeze by the U.S. government and the ending of funding through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for many programs.

Other donor countries including Britain have also announced plans to cut aid budgets.

“One of the headline messages is that the funding cuts risk not only that progress, but we could have a shift backward,” said Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage at the WHO.

The cuts have had “pandemic-like effects” on health systems globally and could have a “more structural, deep-seated effect,” Mr. Aylward added.

The WHO said the cuts were already rolling back vital services for maternal, newborn and child health in many countries, reducing staff numbers, closing facilities and disrupting supply chains for supplies including treatments for hemorrhage and pre-eclampsia.

Cuts to other areas, such as malaria and HIV treatment, would also impact maternal survival, the UN said.

Even before the aid cuts led by the United States, things were backsliding in some countries, and progress has slowed globally since 2016, the report said.

In 2023, despite recent progress, a woman still died roughly every two minutes — around 260,000 in total that year – from complications that were mainly preventable and treatable, it added.

The situation was particularly bad in countries affected by conflict or natural disaster, although the US itself is one of only four countries to have seen its maternal mortality rate increase significantly since 2000, alongside Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

The COVID-19 pandemic also had an impact, the report said: 40,000 more women died due to pregnancy or childbirth in 2021, bringing the total number of deaths that year to 322,000.

“While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today — despite the fact that solutions exist,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The report itself was part-funded by USAID. — Reuters

EU official hopes bourbon will be spared in response to Trump tariffs

April 7, 2025 | 5:42 pm

PARIS — European Commissioner for Industrial Strategy Stephane Sejourne said the European Union’s (EU) response to US tariffs should be “proportionate” and hoped bourbon will be dropped from a list of US imports that could be slapped with additional tariffs.

The European Commission, which coordinates EU trade policy, will propose to members late on Monday a list of US products to hit with extra duties in response to US President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs rather than the broader reciprocal levies.

The 27-nation EU bloc faces 25% import tariffs on steel and aluminum and cars and “reciprocal” tariffs of 20% from Wednesday for almost all other goods.

One product that has received more attention and exposed discord in the bloc is bourbon. The Commission has earmarked a 50% tariff, prompting Mr. Trump to threaten a 200% counter-tariff on EU alcoholic drinks if the bloc goes ahead.

Wine exporters France and Italy have both expressed concern.

“For bourbon, I have hopes that this element is taken out of the list. We will see in the coming hours,” Mr. Sejourne told France Inter radio on Monday.

Mr. Sejourne also said the EU had several cards up its sleeve to put pressure on America apart from tariffs, including “withdrawing US companies from our European public markets.”

“We need to look at exactly which sectors and why we can do it, but it’s one of the subjects on the table,” he added. — Reuters

Robots, fraught consumers star in China AI videos mocking tariffs

April 7, 2025 | 5:42 pm

AI-artificial intelligence — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

BEIJING — China’s state-run media has taken to the internet with AI-generated videos, featuring dancing robots and fraught consumers, to chide US President Donald Trump and tariffs they say threaten high inflation and economic distress for Americans.

“’Liberation Day’, you promised us the stars. But tariffs killed our cheap Chinese cars,” an automated female voice sings in a video on the website of China’s CGTN, a state-run English-language broadcaster, over a shot of a woman at a kitchen table staring at an empty fork.

The two-minute, 42-second clip, referring to Mr. Trump’s use of “Liberation Day” for the day of his tariff announcement, was captioned with a warning: “Track is AI-generated. The debt crisis? 100 percent human-made.”

Another video posted on the X.com page of state-run news agency Xinhua, also generated by artificial intelligence (AI), shows a robot named TARIFF that chooses to self-destruct rather than follow its creator’s orders for high tariffs that bring “trade wars and unrest.”

China has sharply criticized the US tariffs, which have triggered the biggest stock market rout since the pandemic, and retaliated on Friday with import duties and export curbs of its own.

Economists say consumers are likely to see higher prices due to the trade war and that the US economy could enter a downturn, while some US trade partners are putting their own levies on American products — effects that Mr. Trump has called a “disturbance.”

The CGTN video, which displays lyrics in English and Chinese over images of car factories and humanoid robots dancing in burned-out streets, makes a more dire assessment.

“You taxed each truck, you taxed each tire. Midwest burnin’ in your dumpster fire,” the automated voice sings. — Reuters

New Zealand aims to nearly double defense spending to 2% of GDP

April 7, 2025 | 5:41 pm

WELLINGTON — New Zealand said on Monday it would boost defense spending by NZ$9 billion ($5 billion) over the next four years, and aim to nearly double spending to 2% as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) in the next eight years, at a time of rapidly growing tension worldwide.

The details came in remarks by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who called for more spending on defense to ensure prosperity.

“New Zealand and our allies and partners across the world are no longer in a benign environment,” he told a press conference at the release of the Defense Capability Plan.

“My primary focus is the economic importance of this country. However, there can be no prosperity without security, and defense is one vital component of that picture.”

The Defense Capability Plan maps out new funding of NZ$9 billion over the next four years to boost defense capability. It comes on top of baseline spending set to be announced in May.

The new spending is a significant boost to Defense Force spending of just under NZ$5 billion in 2024/25.

New Zealand’s first national security review in 2023 called for more military spending and stronger ties with Indo-Pacific nations to tackle issues of climate change and strategic competition between the West, and China and Russia.

New Zealand’s Defense Force has struggled with systemic underspending over the past several decades, which amounts to just over 1% of GDP now.

High attrition in recent years has seen the force idle three of its ships and put on ice plans for a new vessel designed for patrol of the Southern Ocean, though attrition has fallen in the last year.

Over the next four years, the plan envisages the defense force will invest in projects such as boosting strike capability, buying an uncrewed aerial system, replacing helicopters and extending the life of its frigates.

It also plans to replace the Boeing 757 fleet after some embarrassing breakdowns that grounded delegations abroad. — Reuters

DigiPlus bags 7 wins at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards

April 7, 2025 | 3:10 pm

DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus), the pioneer in digital sports and entertainment in the Philippines and the company behind leading gaming brands such as BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone, won seven honors — including five coveted gold awards — at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

This milestone places DigiPlus among the most awarded companies in the region this year, spotlighting its strategic growth and transformative impact across digital entertainment, social development, and investor relations.

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only business awards program that recognizes innovation across all 29 markets in the region. Widely regarded as the world’s premier business awards, the Stevie Awards represent a prestigious recognition of business excellence.

DigiPlus bagged five Gold Stevies for ‘Innovative Achievement in Growth,’ ‘Innovation in Investor Relations,’ ‘Excellence in Social Impact Companies,’ ‘Innovation in Annual Reports,’ and ‘Innovation in Corporate Websites’. The company also clinched Silver and Bronze Stevies for ‘Achievement in Product Innovation’ and ‘Innovation in Brand Renovation,’ respectively.

At the core of these wins is DigiPlus’ commitment to innovation and digital transformation. From redefining the player experience through localized and immersive content, to launching a refreshed brand identity that resonates with a more connected and tech-savvy user base, DigiPlus has embraced a future-forward mindset. The company’s calculated investments in big data, cutting-edge technologies, and stakeholder engagement have not only fueled business growth, but also opened inclusive pathways to digital participation through its social development arm, BingoPlus Foundation.

“This momentous victory at the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards affirms DigiPlus’ emergence as a true powerhouse of innovation and progress, reshaping industry boundaries and redefining digital consumer engagement on a global scale,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio Tanco. “Through consistent growth and business performance, DigiPlus reaffirms its unwavering commitment to creating long-term value.”

Winning entries in the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards undergo a rigorous, multi-layered evaluation by an esteemed panel of judges composed of business and industry leaders across the region. “The 12^th Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards received an impressive array of outstanding entries,” said Maggie Miller, President of the Stevie Awards. “This year’s winners have clearly shown their dedication to innovation, and we commend their resilience and imaginative efforts.”

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Small business encourages other MSMEs to practice inclusivity

April 7, 2025 | 2:33 pm

Starting as a small act of kindness, Laguna-based handcraft business Harl’s has been continuously hiring and training people with disability (PWDs) after helping a street dweller in Santa Rosa.

In an interview, Harley Dave B. Beltran, founder of Harl’s, told BusinessWorld he hopes to encourage other small businesses to be more inclusive in their workforces and establishments.

“Hindi mo kailangan maging isang multibillionaire company para mag hire ka ng PWD [You don’t need to become a multibillion company to hire PWDs],” he said.

“Look at me, look at us. This is just like a backyard production, but we were able to provide something for our community. We should help one another,” he added.

Interview by Almira Martinez
Video editing by Jayson Mariñas