Dončić rescues Mavs in win

April 15, 2021 | 7:03 pm

LUKA Dončić drained the game-winning three-pointer to give the Dallas Mavericks a stunning 114-113 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. — DALLAS MAVERICKS FB PAGE

LUKA Dončić sank a stumbling, off-balance three-point floater as time expired to give the Dallas Mavericks a stunning 114-113 victory over the hosts Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

Doncic scored 25 of his 29 points in the second half and finished with nine assists to help Dallas end a two-game slide. Kristaps Porziņģis added 21 points for the Mavericks.

Grayson Allen matched his career best of six three-pointers and scored 23 points to lead the Grizzlies, but he missed two free throws with 2.2 seconds left to set the stage for Dončić’s game-winning shot.

Dwight Powell rebounded Allen’s second miss and the Mavericks called time out with 1.8 seconds left. Dončić got the ball on the inbounds pass and his left foot was clearly behind the three-point line as he got the shot up in time. It swished through the net.

Powell added 12 points and eight rebounds, and Tim Hardaway, Jr. had 11 points for the Mavericks.

Jonas Valančiūnas had 19 points and 15 rebounds to extend his Memphis franchise-record double-double streak to 16 straight games. He also has reached double figures in rebounding in 23 consecutive contests.

Ja Morant scored 17 points, Dillon Brooks added 15, and Desmond Bane had 11 for the Grizzlies, who dropped to 5-3 in April.

Valančiūnas slammed home a dunk and Kyle Anderson buried a three-pointer to give the Grizzlies a 111-106 lead with 2:07 left. Porziņģis and Dončić both drove for baskets to pull Dallas within one with 25.7 seconds left.

Morant made two free throws with 24.7 seconds left to give Memphis a three-point edge. Dončić split two free throws with 3.2 seconds left before Allen missed the two clutch free throws.

Dallas shot 50% from the field, including 13 of 40 from three-point range.

Memphis made 47.2% of its shots and was 13 of 34 from behind the arc.

Bane drained a three-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining to give the Grizzlies an 89-83 advantage entering the final stanza.

Allen buried his sixth three-pointer with 6:38 left to complete a 7-0 run as Memphis took a 100-94 lead before the Mavericks rallied to knot the score.

Allen had 17 first-half points as Memphis held a 60-57 lead at the break. — Reuters

Professional license is a privilege not a right, reminds GAB amid VisMin issue

April 15, 2021 | 7:03 pm

2021-Chooks-to-Go-Pilipinas-VisMin-Super-Cup---Visayas-Leg — PILIPINAS VisMin Super Cup officials in a huddle during the controversial game between Siquijor and Lapu-Lapu City on Wednesday afternoon. — PILIPINAS VISMIN SUPER CUP

THE Games and Amusements Board (GAB) reminded on Wednesday that getting a license to practice a profession is a privilege and not a right, and carries corresponding responsibilities.

This after a game in the just-started Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup was rendered “questionable” and the subject of an investigation by the government pro sports regulator for possible illegal activities by some of the participants.

“We are awaiting the report of our sports regulators inside the bubble to be presented and decided upon by the board in our meeting tomorrow (Thursday). We would like to remind our players that a license to practice profession is not a right, but a concession and a privilege granted by the government,” GAB Chairman Baham Mitra said in a statement.

“Now, if they fail to abide by the rules, the government has the right to step in to impose necessary sanctions or revoke such a privilege. Officials, coaches, and players should act as professionals or lose their licenses. Shape up or ship out!” the statement further read.

GAB was acting after red flags were raised over the match between Siquijor Mystics and ARQ Builders-Lapu-Lapu City on Wednesday afternoon in the league’s “bubble” in Alcantara, Cebu, which was marred by “poor” free throw shooting and botched wide-open fastbreak layups.

In the game, a Lapu-Lapu player at one point shot his free throws with his left hand on the first attempt and with his right on the second. Both attempts missed badly.

In another, a Siquijor player got to steal the ball and was wide open for a layup, but muffed the shot badly and did not make an effort to at least rebound the ball and put it back.

The two were among the instances the GAB were looking into and asking for explanation.

The government agency as well as fans and, even, title league title sponsor Chooks-to-Go, deemed it uncanny that such a game by so-called professional players was played in such a manner, leaving a cloud of doubt suggesting possible game-fixing.

Interestingly, the match was postponed midway due to “power interruption” at the venue, a release from the league said, with Lapu-Lapu City ahead (27-13). It was set to be played at a later date.

As of this writing, the GAB was meeting with VisMin Super Cup officials to discuss the matter, with reports suggesting stiff sanctions for those found in the wrong, including expulsion from the league and revocation of licenses.

“We always believe in self-regulation, but GAB is always ready to step in anytime, especially when integrity is at stake. This needs decisive action as it affects the whole league and whole basketball community,” Mr. Mitra said.

Because of the investigation, the league postponed matches set for Thursday.

Chooks-to-Go, meanwhile, in a statement was seeking for the immediate resolution of the issue and calling for sanctions on those found culpable of wrongdoing. It also expressed its readiness to pull out from the partnership with the league if the need arises.

The Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup kicked off on April 9 with its Visayas leg with the end view of spotlighting basketball talents in the south.

Its Mindanao leg is slated to begin in May. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

E-Gilas begins FIBA Esports Open III campaign in expanded field

April 15, 2021 | 7:02 pm

E-Gilas-photo — E-GILAS Pilipinas begins its FIBA Esports Open III campaign on Friday in an expanded field in the Southeast Asian Conference. — FIBA ESPORTS

E-GILAS Pilipinas begins its International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Esports Open III campaign on Friday, April 16, in an expanded field in the Southeast Asian Conference.

Participating for the third straight time, Team Philippines is out to keep its solid standing in the online tournament, which has seen it perform well in the previous two editions.

The country’s E-gamers were among the winners in the first edition of the FIBA Esports Open held in June, ruling the Southeast Asian conference by sweeping Indonesia in their five-game series.

In the second edition in November, it finished runner-up to Australia in the reconfigured Southeast Asia/Oceania conference. The E-Boomers swept the Filipinos in their best-of-three finals.

For the third serving of the tournament, E-Gilas will have to contend against an expanded field of six teams in the conference, which is divided into two groups.

The Philippines is in Group I with Vietnam and Maldives while Group 2 features Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Mongolia.

Group play starts on Friday, followed by the semifinals on Saturday and the finals on Sunday.

In a text message to BusinessWorld, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al S. Panlilio said the country “will be represented by practically the same team that represented us in the FIBA Esports Open 2.”

He went on to say that the team had “friendlies” with the other teams in the lead-up.

The SBP official also shared that their group was very involved in the staging of the tournament, meeting with FIBA Asia on matters related to it.

Apart from the Southeast Asian Conference, also kicking off their respective tournaments on Friday are the Africa and Middle East conferences.

The North & Central America (Current Generation) and Europe (Current Generation) conferences follow suit on April 23-25.

The Open concludes on May 7-9 with the North & Central America (Next Gen), Europe (Next Gen) and South America tournaments.

All games, just like in the previous editions, will be available on FIBA’s digital channels with live content being streamed across Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube channels.

In coming up with the FIBA Esports Open, the world basketball governing body looks to add further dimension to it as an organization while also affording the basketball community more action amid the coronavirus pandemic. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

VisMin Super Cup expels Siquijor Mystics

April 15, 2021 | 7:02 pm

Newly launched regional basketball league Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Thursday moved to expel the Siquijor Mystics after investigation concluded that they threw their last game the day before.

In a video statement, league chief operations officer Rocky Chan said after a probe was conducted, they found the Mystics were gravely in the wrong by committing “disgraceful acts to the sport we love the most.”

The league did not give much details.

The game in question was that involving the Mystics and the ARQ Builders-Lapu Lapu City on Wednesday afternoon in the league’s “bubble” in Alcantara, Cebu, which was marred by “poor” free throw shooting and botched wide-open fastbreak layups.

In the game, a Lapu-Lapu player at one point shot his free throws with his left hand on the first attempt and with his right on the second. Both attempts missed badly.

In another, a Siquijor player got to steal the ball and was wide open for a layup but muffed the shot badly and did not make an effort to at least rebound the ball and put it back.

The two were among the instances the league, along with the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), were looking into the investigation and the bases for its decision, seeing them as red flags for possible illegal activities.

Banished from the league were Siquijor team members Joshua Alcober, Ryan Buenafe, Vincent Tangcay, Jan Penaflor, Gene Bellaza, Michael Calomot, Frederick Rodriguez, Jopet Quiro, Isagani Gooc, Miguel Castellano, Juan Aspiras, Peter Buenafe, and Michael Sereno.

Also kicked out of the league were head coach Joel Palapal and his staff.

All the games of Siquijor will be erased from the standings.

The Lapu-Lapu City team did not escape sanctions.

Rendell Senining, the wingman who attempted left- and right-handed free throws, was suspended for the season plus slapped with a P15,000 fine.

Hercules Tangkay, Reed Juntilla, Monbert Arong, Dawn Ochea, and Ferdinand Lusdoc, along with head coach Francis Auquico, were suspended for the rest of the first round. The players were fined P15,000 each while Auquico was handed a P30,000 penalty.

Mr. Auquico’s staff did not escape punishment as well as his assistants Jerry Abuyabor, Alex Cainglet, John Carlo Nuyles, Hamilton Tundag, and Roger Justin Potpot were slapped fines of P20,000 each.

“This is a clear statement of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup. Any deliberate actions by any player and coach is not tolerated in this league,” Mr. Chan reiterated.

To make sure such an incident does not happen again, the league will release a memo to the five remaining Visayas teams and the 10 teams in the Mindanao leg reminding them that those which will commit the same act as the Mystics will also be punished with expulsion plus a fine of P1 million.

The Visayas leg of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup kicked off on April 9.

Christian Lee is still ONE lightweight champion

April 15, 2021 | 7:02 pm

ONE Championship world lightweight champion Christian Lee goes for the finish against challenger Timofey Nastyukhin en route to successfully defending his title. — ONE CHAMPIONSHIP

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

ONE Championship world lightweight champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee made short work of challenger Timofey Nastyukhin in their title fight on Thursday in Singapore.

Headlining “ONE on TNT II,” Mr. Lee, 22, representing Singapore and the United States, successfully defended his title after finishing Russian Nastyukhin’s challenege in less than two minutes in the opening round by way of technical knockout (punches).

After a brief feeling-out period, Mr. Lee picked up the pace, landing a solid counter left hand that sent his opponent down to the canvas.

Mr. Nastyukhin tried to fend off the barrage of follow-up punches by the champion but to no avail before the referee stepped in to stop the contest at the 1:13 mark of the first round.

It was the second successful defense of Mr. Lee of the title he won in 2019 over Japanese mixed martial arts legend Shinya Aoki.

He improved to 15 wins as opposed to three losses while Mr. Nastyukhin saw his two-fight win streak halted and his record drop to 14-5.

In the co-main event, meanwhile, American Janet Todd stopped Norway’s Anna Line Hogstad in the third round of their atomweight muay thai collision.

Ms. Todd, the reigning ONE atomweight kickboxing champion, gave her push to become a two-sport world champ a favor with the impressive win.

She was dominating her opponent in the previous two rounds before unleashing a quick kick to the body of Ms. Hogstad, who instantly crumbled in pain after.

The referee gave her the 10-count before deciding to wave off the fight after it became obvious Ms. Hogstad could not continue.

After the fight, Ms. Todd brought forth the possibility of fighting former muay thai champion Stamp Fairtex anew.

“ONE on TNT II” was part of the series of the breakthrough offering of ONE Championship, which sees its fights shown digitally and on television on prime time in the United States.

Next will be the third installment on April 22, headlined by the bantamweight battle between Brazilian John Lineker and American Troy Worthen.

Coronavirus cuts hit anti-doping program at Tokyo Games

April 15, 2021 | 7:01 pm

ANTI-DOPING accreditations for the Tokyo Olympics have been cut due to the coronavirus, but the core management team in charge of delivering a drug-free Games will remain intact, the head of the International Testing Agency (ITA) told Reuters.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will also be impacted by a 20% reduction in its International Observer (IO) team from the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“The IOC (International Olympic Committee) understood very well you cannot joke around some of the key functions you need at the Games and luckily, we were not that affected,” ITA director-general Ben Cohen said.

“We had a number of accreditations for experts from different national agencies we wanted to invite to take part in running the program and those failed, but for the core ITA team, luckily this was maintained.

“We have the team that was decided at the very beginning, more than 25 on site.”

WADA’s presence at the Tokyo Games will also be cut back with the observer team trimmed from 10 to eight and educational programs scrapped.

“We are confident that the IO team will be able to fulfill its important role effectively within what will be a unique set of circumstances this year,” WADA told Reuters in an e-mail.

The Tokyo Olympics will be the first where anti-doping is fully managed by an independent agency, the ITA replacing previous setups operated by host organizing committees and their national anti-doping agencies supported by the IOC.

The coronavirus has presented numerous challenges for the ITA, particularly regarding out-of-competition testing at the Games.

With athletes only allowed into the Village five days prior to their events competitors could be spread out across Japan, creating a logistical headache for doping control officers.

“It is going to be a challenge for us,” Cohen said. “I think the complexity around COVID will be whether we can circulate.

“In a normal Olympics, 90% of athletes are in the village so it makes it easier to test them pre-competition.”

NO HOLES
Both the ITA and WADA assure there will be no holes in testing during the critical run-up to the Games.

The Tokyo 2020 Pre-Games Expert Group, headed by the ITA, has performed a risk assessment of athletes likely to compete in Tokyo and has issued around 26,000 testing recommendations to anti-doping organizations.

All 33 Olympic sports were included in the review and a report issued more than six months prior to the start of the Games set for July 23.

The comprehensive review and the early issuing of recommendations make this the most extensive pre-Games anti-doping program ever implemented, the ITA said.

For the 2016 Rio Olympics, the pre-Games anti-doping program started one month before the opening ceremony and was comprised of only 1,500 recommendations for seven at-risk disciplines.

Testing during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak was dramatically reduced but has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels.

According to the latest WADA figures, there were 13,918 out-of-competition tests recorded in March, double the 6,868 taken in the same month last year and more than the pre-pandemic 13,139 counted in 2019.

Those numbers are certain to rise with the crush from a backlog of Olympic qualifiers putting further pressure on pre-Games testing.

“The critical period will be now all the way until the Games,” Cohen said. “We just know we have to target the right athletes, the right sports, the right disciplines and work hand-in-hand with the national anti-doping agencies.

“The resources are limited, the time is limited, and the importance of the qualifier is critical.

“We cannot miss there, we have to be very focused and do the testing on the right athletes.” — Reuters

Real frustrates Liverpool to advance to Champions League last four

April 15, 2021 | 7:01 pm

REAL Madrid moved into the semifinals of the Champions League after holding Liverpool to a 0-0 second-leg draw to complete a 3-1 aggregate win. — REAL MADRID C.F. FB PAGE

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND — Real Madrid moved into the semifinals of the Champions League after its makeshift defense held on for 0-0 second-leg draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday to complete a 3-1 aggregate win.

The Spanish side will face Chelsea in the last four as it searches for its fifth Champions League title in eight years.

Liverpool, the 2019 Champions League winner, created enough chances in the opening 45 minutes to have turned the tie around, but it ran out of ideas in the second half.

Juergen Klopp had hoped that a disappointing Premier League campaign could be compensated for with some end-of-season European excitement but his side still looks well short of the thrills it produced in the past two seasons.

“You always need the key moments. We didn’t lose the tie tonight, we lost in Madrid. We didn’t score and then the experience of Real Madrid played the tie out,” said Klopp.

“We love this competition and for other reasons, it is very important we are back in it. We can now concentrate on the Premier League and we will.”

With no crowd at Anfield, this was never going to be a dramatic and emotional night like the memorable comeback victory over Barcelona two years ago, but Klopp will surely feel that a chance of progress was missed against a weakened Real without skipper Sergio Ramos and his central defensive partner Raphael Varane.

Liverpool came out with intent and aggression and soon had Real on the back foot. Sadio Mane fed Mohamed Salah for an early chance, but the Egyptian shot straight at Thibaut Courtois, who saved with his legs.

Klopp had clearly targeted Real’s stand-in right-back Federico Valverde as a potential weak spot and the Uruguayan struggled to cope with Mane in the opening stages.

A flowing attacking move, reminiscent of Liverpool at their best, ended with a curling shot from James Milner which Courtois did well to tip wide.

But Liverpool had its own defensive vulnerabilities exposed in the 20^th minute when Nathaniel Phillips was robbed by Karim Benzema and the Frenchman weaved his way into the box before his deflected shot struck the post.

Salah then had another opening but scooped his shot, from a promising position, high and wide and then the best chance of the half fell to Georginio Wijnaldum — after good work from Trent Alexender-Arnold, the Dutchman leaned back and put his shot well over the bar.

The home pressure continued after the break with Roberto Firmino testing Courtois at the near post with a fine shot on the turn.

Klopp threw on Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara on the hour in search of the breakthrough, but it so nearly came at the other end — Alisson Becker doing well to race off his line to foil Vinicius Júnior and then smother Benzema’s follow-up.

Real was in no mood to cave in and Liverpool did not have the inspiration needed to open it up and while its display was creditable, it could not do enough to make up for its defensive errors in the first-leg loss.

Neither of these sides were at their peak in these two-legs, both showing the effects of injuries and the tough schedule this season, but it is the 13-time European champion which deservedly progressed. — Reuters

Detroit Basketball

April 15, 2021 | 6:56 pm

Jerami Grant was apologetic in the aftermath of the Pistons’ loss to the Clippers yesterday, and with good cause. True, he had a stellar stat line of 28 points, three rebounds, and four assists in 36 minutes of play. At the same time, it included four fouls and three turnovers, the last of which enabled the visitors to tie the match with a trey and set up the unlikely victory. Which was why he readily owned up to the setback. “I’ll take the blame for it,” he said. “I made a couple mistakes in the end.”

By all accounts, the Pistons should have won the game. Forget their 16-38 slate, dead last in the Eastern Conference and just a shade better than that of the league-worst Timberwolves. After all, they were up against the severely decimated Clippers, whose five best players could not suit up due to an assortment of reasons. And never mind that Little Caesars Arena was allowed to take in only 750 spectators due to local health and safety protocols. Their opponents were on the second night of a back-to-back set, ripe for the picking.

Under the circumstances, Grant’s late-game misstep was a microcosm of the Pistons’ dismal position. They have myriad problems, and it’s fair to argue that they’re bound to get worse before trekking the road to progress. Nonetheless, there can be no glossing over the missed opportunity. And instead of boosting morale, the outcome served to lower it. Up against what was tantamount to a junior-varsity version of the otherwise-vaunted Clippers, they literally dropped the ball, with their supposed cornerstone taking the heat.

So the Pistons wound up in familiar territory: They came close, but no cigar. And they have only themselves to condemn for the development. Too bad, really, because they deserve better. Their fans do, as well. All the disappointment won’t kill them, but the jury’s out on whether their experience is making them stronger. They’ve been there and done that, and yet they keep on encountering the same old, same old.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Tech-enabled coffee chain to expand in the Philippines, six other markets this year

April 15, 2021 | 5:12 pm

Flash Coffee, a Singapore-based, tech-enabled coffee chain, announced that it raised $15 million in Series A funding in a round led by White Star Capital, with participation from investors including Delivery Hero-backed DX Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and Conny & Co.

The Series A round sets the total capital raised to $20 million, and will be used to expand the brand in 10 markets across the Asia Pacific this year, including seven new markets: Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The company aims to digitize the offline-dominated coffee industry with a consumer app that has a streamlined pick-up feature, loyalty program, personalized promotions, and interactive challenges. It also has a barista app that improves operational store efficiency and enables performance-based incentives for its baristas.

“Flash Coffee’s business model has proven successful during the pandemic in all of its markets,” said co-founder and Chief Executive Officer David Jonathan Brunier. “Our app’s pick-up feature together with our focus on grab-and-go locations enable customers to pick up their orders quickly and safely.”

Drinks in the coffee menu are curated by World Latte Art Champion Arnon Thitiprasert, and are also available in custom packaging through delivery platforms like Foodpanda and Grab.

“Not implementing a tech-first strategy is an antiquated way of doing business,” said Mr. Brunier. “This model is better suited for young, lifestyle-savvy middle-class consumers.”

PHILIPPINE COFFEE MARKET
The coffee chain launched in January 2020, and operates 50 locations across Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. It plans to open its first 10 branches in the Philippines in the second half of 2021, with the first locations in Metro Manila.

In an e-mail interview with BusinessWorld, Mr. Brunier said that the Philippine coffee chain market’s appeal is due to the high population density in the country’s key cities, a rising middle class eager to try new products, and an ever-growing coffee per capita consumption.

“We see a very large potential for disrupting the Philippines’ coffee industry with our high-quality coffee at affordable prices,” he said. “Given the fact that mobile usage is especially high in the Philippines, we also foresee our intuitive and convenient consumer app to revolutionize the way Filipinos enjoy their daily caffeine fix.”

Coffee from well-known brands is expensive and hence inaccessible to the Asian middle class, Mr. Brunier said, referencing as an example the average daily income in the Philippines being equivalent to the price of three Starbucks lattes.

For the majority of industry players, the operational backend (shops, stock management, purchasing, and staffing) is mostly offline, which opens opportunities for digitization and optimized processes.

“Customers are constantly paying high prices for coffee from large outlets with extensive seating in expensive neighborhoods, while the majority of orders are grab-and-go and delivery,” he added. — Patricia B. Mirasol

Brazil investigates reports of vaccines being exchanged for illegal gold

April 15, 2021 | 4:52 pm

BRASILIA — Federal prosecutors in the Brazilian state of Roraima are investigating reports that illegally mined gold is being exchanged for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in the Yanomami indigenous reserve, the prosecutors office told Reuters on Wednesday.

Tribal leaders in the Amazon region have complained of the deals and prosecutors say they will investigate the reports as part of an investigation already underway into the diversion of vaccine shots intended for indigenous people.

Brazil is currently experiencing one of the worst waves of the coronavirus pandemic any country has suffered, and its indigenous people are among the most vulnerable.

The Hutukara Association, which represents the Yanomami people, flagged the issue to prosecutors with the backing of the Instituto Socioambiental, a non-governmental organization.

The association said a health worker in the Homoxi district gave illegal miners vaccines in exchange for gold. The worker also sold gasoline and a generator to the miners for gold, the association said.

“The Yanomami have long complained that materials and medicines intended for indigenous health are being diverted to wildcat miners,” Hutukara’s Dário Kopenawa Ianomâmi said in a letter outlining the formal complaints sent to prosecutors and the Health Ministry.

Another case involved a separate health worker who met miners at night and gave them medicine in exchange for gold, the association said.

The Health Ministry said it received the letter on April 5 and had opened the investigation. — Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito/Reuters

E-commerce platform connects young Afghan female entrepreneurs with the world

April 15, 2021 | 4:25 pm

KABUL — A locally grown e-commerce platform in Afghanistan is connecting vendors with customers around the world, providing an important opportunity for the war-torn economy and inspiring a new trend of young women starting up their own small businesses.

E-commerce site Click.af started in 2016 to give Afghans access to a domestic online market, and last year began shipping globally, according to its founder Masiullah Stanikzai. The idea behind the expansion was to connect local designers and artisans to a larger base of consumers, he said, mainly Afghans living in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia.

Twenty-five-year-old Maryam Yousufi jumped at the chance to connect with consumers around the world. She launched a fashion line called Machum on the site a few weeks ago and has received more than a dozen orders for the clothes she designs.

“I wanted my company’s products to reach global markets … It’s a big achievement for us,” she said.

Her clothes fuse Western style with traditional Afghan design, with her page on the e-commerce site showcasing an array of women’s clothing, from beaded and embroidered jewel-tone dresses to a sleek balloon-sleeved mustard top. Prices vary from $12 to more than $100.

Economists said that despite poverty, corruption, and poor infrastructure creating setbacks, Afghan e-commerce gives women greater opportunities to break into the world of business in the conservative society.

“E-commerce can be a powerful tool for bringing in greater gains to women entrepreneurs since it addresses the outmoded barriers of geographic isolation and limited access to information and financing,” said Lutfi Rahimi, a research fellow at the Biruni Institute, a Kabul-based economic think-tank.

Ms. Yousufi, who works on her business at night after her day job in media is done, said she believes online platforms can give others like her a chance to try entrepreneurship.

The platforms can help women in Afghanistan, where the majority of citizens live below the poverty line, overcome hurdles such as violence and instability, conservative attitudes towards women, and the difficulty in getting credit, Yousufi and experts said.

“I believe that young people should not always be employees of a company or office,” she said.

“They should use their talents and have their own businesses.” — Orooj Hakimi/Reuters

US hearing on China competition told research funding falling behind

April 15, 2021 | 3:37 pm

WASHINGTON — US investment in research and development has reached its lowest level in decades while soaring in the rest of the world, the head of a US Senate committee warned at a hearing on proposed subsidies to the tech industry to help the United States better compete with China.

Senate Commerce committee chair Maria Cantwell told the committee on Wednesday the proposed “Endless Frontier Act” had been the stimulus for a big debate about America’s competitiveness.

Federal investment in research and development is at its lowest in 45 years when measured against GDP, Ms. Cantwell said.

“This comes as international competition is increasing, and other nations are ready to challenge our position on the world’s innovation stage.”

The ranking member of the committee, Republican Senator Roger Wicker, said it appeared the intent of the legislation was to help America compete with China, but that the United States would not beat China by copying its “top-down program” of research and investment and government subsidies.

“Strategic investments in technologies and supply chains are important, but we will not win by simply throwing money at the problem,” Mr. Wicker said. “We could actually end up doing harm if recipients of funding through this concept lack the capacity and capability to conduct R&D activities that are actually useful.”

The Endless Frontier Act was first proposed in 2020 calling for $110 billion over five years to advance US technology efforts, co-sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Senator Todd Young.

INVESTMENT PLAN
Mr. Schumer also wants to move legislation on boosting US semiconductor production. Both proposals could total $200 billion, congressional aides said.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., has proposed a sweeping infrastructure investment plan that could provide funds for semiconductors, though it is unclear just how the various funding initiatives will be ironed out between the administration and Congress.

Mr. Biden has also sought solutions to a chip shortage that has squeezed US automakers competing against the sprawling consumer electronics industry for chip supplies.

Several US tech industry groups on Wednesday wrote to Congress and White House officials urging them to not set aside new semiconductor manufacturing capacity for older chips as part of appropriations for the CHIPS for America Act, another plan to boost US semiconductor supply chains.

The letter signals a growing rift between the two US industries, with tech companies arguing that reserved capacity for legacy chips used by automakers would be market distorting.

“The competition among the rest of America’s chip-consuming industries for this artificially tightened chip supply will translate into higher costs for companies and their customers, including American taxpayers,” the letter from the tech lobbies, including the Information Technology Industry Council, said. — David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina/Reuters