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Trkiye’s e-commerce boom drives push for $6 billion in e-exports

The Istanbul Global E-Export Summit (IGEXX 2026) was held at the Halic Congress Center under the coordination of Turkiye’s Trade Ministry and in cooperation with the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) and the Electronic Commerce Operators Association (ETID).

Trade Minister Omer Bolat, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol, TIM Chairman Mustafa Gultepe, ETID Chairman Hakan Cevikoglu and leading representatives of the business community attended the opening session of the event.

Speaking at the summit, Bolat said digital channels had now become the most important means of reaching consumers.

He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had triggered major changes in the information technology and e-commerce sectors.

‘The COVID-19 pandemic, which erupted at the beginning of 2020, provided an opportunity for the information technology and e-commerce sectors to advance at an enormous and rapid pace. While e-commerce accounted for 4.5% of total trade in 2019, both globally and in terms of Turkiye’s national income, these figures rose rapidly. The share of e-commerce in total trade increased from around 4.5% to 20%,’ Bolat said.

Bolat said Turkiye’s e-commerce sector recorded an annual growth rate of 80% between 2019 and 2025, while its share of the overall retail sector also increased rapidly, reaching around 20%.

Referring to global e-commerce data, Bolat said global gross domestic product grew by 33% between 2019 and 2025, while the overall retail sector expanded by 28%.

‘The overall retail sector reached $32 trillion, while the size of global production reached $118 trillion,’ he said.

Bolat noted that business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce had experienced even faster growth during the period.

‘The volume of B2C, or direct business-to-consumer e-commerce, grew by 91% and reached $6.5 trillion. E-commerce’s share of total global retail sales is 20%. This is also the global average, and the same applies to Trkiye,’ he said.

The minister said the Trade Ministry had undertaken a range of initiatives to make it easier for companies to access the information they need to expand their e-export operations.

‘So far, we have made approximately 40 guides and manuals available on our ministry’s websites for companies, covering e-export roadmaps and customs procedures for 25 countries, as well as 28 marketplaces and five digital channels,’ Bolat said.

He added that Turkiye aims to reach $6 billion in e-exports by the end of this year.

The number of companies generating more than $10,000 in e-exports annually increased from 8,132 in 2022 to 11,420 by the end of 2025, according to Bolat.

Istanbul ranked first among Turkish provinces in terms of e-export volume, while the ready-to-wear and apparel sector ranked first among industries, he said.

Bolat identified the United States, Germany, Azerbaijan, Romania and Saudi Arabia among Turkiye’s leading partner countries in e-commerce exports.

US-bound Minowa not ruling out another stint with Creamline

Unfinished business.

That was the feeling of Sachi Minowa after coming up short in helping the Creamline Cool Smashers bring home a trophy in the PVL Invitational where her short stint ended up with a heartbreaking fourth-placed finish.

‘Maybe, maybe,’ said Minowa, or Jaja Santiago, moments after the Cool Smashers succumbed to the PLDT High Speed Hitters in a four-set duel of their battle for third place.

Thailand’s Est Cola topped the short but sweet tournament while Nxled came in second.

But it could have been Creamline.

Minowa will leave for the United States to play for the San Francisco Signal in the LOVB Pro, or League One Volleyball. where she will carry not just lessons from playing for the 11-time PVL champion but also motivation from that one trophy that got away.

She is not in a hurry though as she will just let time heal the pain of their recent failure, where they were expected to challenge for the crown, or at the very least, snare a podium finish.

But it just wasn’t meant to be.

‘I think I will focus on taking it step by step and try to perform first in San Francisco before anything else,’ said Minowa. ‘After that, we’ll see if I go back here.’

The lure of returning to the country of her birth was just hard to resist, especially with that motivation of delivering on a promise and the love the whole Creamline team had shown to her.

‘They’re my family right now. I feel like I have unfinished business with them,’ she said.

Grab expands electric taxi program to lower fleet costs

Grab is taking its electric taxi bet beyond Manila, targeting a potential 75 percent cut in running costs as it expands in Western Visayas, a move that could make cheaper, cleaner vehicles increasingly attractive to the Philippines’ fragmented transport industry.

The ride-hailing company has partnered with Quarry Taxi and MOMOFED Taxi under its GrabTaxi Electric programme, opening its platform to locally operated electric taxi fleets in Iloilo City,

The economics are potentially compelling. Electric vehicles can cut operating costs per kilometre by as much as 75 percent compared with conventional internal-combustion taxis, based on daily travel of about 250 to 300km, according to Grab Philippines.

That cost advantage could become an important driver of fleet electrification in a sector where fuel is one of the largest recurring expenses for taxi operators and drivers.

‘Electric mobility will succeed when it delivers real and lasting value to the communities that keep our cities moving,’ said Gines Barot, GrabCar general manager.

Quarry Taxi, operated by Feast Group Inc., is the first operator in Western Visayas to introduce electric taxis and is among Grab’s pilot partners for fleet electrification in the region. It is deploying Bestune NAT vehicles for its operations.

MOMOFED Transport Group Corp., which operates MOMOFED Taxi, has also joined the program, initially deploying BYD eMAX 7 electric vehicles.

The two operators provide free charging for their electric fleets at their respective garages and depots, helping address one of the main barriers to wider EV adoption: the availability and cost of charging infrastructure.

Grab has separately partnered with EV charging provider ACMobility to offer participating drivers preferential rates of up to 45 per cent at its charging stations nationwide.

In Iloilo, charging is available at stations at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, Robinsons Iloilo and Seda Atria through the Evro app.

The initiative also brings vehicle manufacturers deeper into the emerging electric taxi market. Toyota, BYD, GAC, MG and Geely are supplying models with the necessary regulatory approvals, alongside after-sales support, warranties, spare parts and priority maintenance for fleet operators.

For Grab, the strategy goes beyond emissions reduction. Electrification could help strengthen the economics of its driver and taxi-partner network at a time when fuel prices, maintenance expenses and vehicle ownership costs remain key pressures on transport operators.

The Iloilo expansion also provides a test of whether the economics of electric vehicles can translate into broader commercial adoption outside Metro Manila.

If lower running costs, charging access and fleet support can make EV taxis financially viable for provincial operators, the model could offer a pathway for faster electrification of the country’s fragmented taxi and public-transport sector.

The challenge, however, will be scaling the infrastructure and financing needed to support larger electric fleets while keeping the upfront cost of vehicles within reach of local operators

Israeli opposition blames Netanyahu for growing international isolation over West Bank settlements

Israeli opposition politicians have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of pushing Israel into unprecedented international isolation following the United Kingdom’s decision to impose sanctions related to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid described the British measures as ‘wrong’ but directed his strongest criticism at Netanyahu’s government, accusing it of leading Israel ‘into unprecedented diplomatic isolation.’

According to Lapid, the government was responding to international pressure with little more than ‘rebukes and threats that no one takes seriously.’

Gilad Kariv, a Knesset member from the left-wing Democrats party, similarly blamed Israel’s far-right coalition for the British sanctions, citing the government’s policies concerning Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

Kariv said Netanyahu’s government was steering Israel toward ‘international isolation’ and described the prime minister as politically ‘leprous’ on the international stage.

‘The citizens of Israel must not pay the price for his corrupt alliance with the nationalist fanatics,’ Kariv wrote on X, referring to Netanyahu’s far-right coalition.

Former attorney-general backs UK measures

Michael Ben-Yair, a former Israeli attorney-general, went further by welcoming the British measures, despite saying that he did not support punitive action being taken by one of Israel’s allies.

Writing in the Financial Times, Ben-Yair argued that such measures were necessary to preserve the possibility of a political solution capable of providing ‘peace and security for the seven million Jews and seven million Palestinians living between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.’

Ben-Yair said the distinction between Israel itself and its occupation of Palestinian territory was crucial. He argued that Israel’s legitimacy as a state should be distinguished from the occupation, which he described as ‘morally, politically and legally unacceptable.’

Safe balikbayan box deal inked

With over six million non-resident Filipinos abroad expected to send balikbayan boxes during the holidays, a deal to protect their shipment has been signed by the Bureau of Customs and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

The BOC and CFO have partnered to aid Filipinos in avoiding unscrupulous as well as blacklisted freight forwarding firms and deconsolidators.

‘When it comes to balikbayan boxes, these will be given special treatment and we will not allow these to stay for more than one month, otherwise they would be considered abandoned,’ Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said.

Special lanes and help desks for overseas Filipino workers have been installed at ports, Nepomuceno said.

Advisories on trustworthy firms will be released, CFO chairman Dante Francis Ang II said.

Clearer referral procedures will be created by the BOC and CFO to resolve missing, delayed, damaged and tampered balikbayan boxes.

A joint technical working group will develop guidelines to aid in the implementation of the agreement.

In 2025, the BOC resolved the issue of 42,000 balikbayan boxes that had been abandoned for three years.

Bigger NOAH funding to boost disaster, climate change response

The recently released P1 billion will further expand Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH), focusing on strengthening flood management, hazard monitoring and disaster risk reduction systems as the country confronts the effects of climate change.

In various interviews with PCO-Integrated State Media and private media outlets, UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) executive director Mahar Lagmay, a UP geology professor, said he hopes the government’s funding for UPRI ‘will continue to transform scientific knowledge into practical action that protects lives and helps build safer, more resilient and sustainable communities.’

President Marcos’ order to infuse P1 billion into Project NOAH, which UPRI manages, will boost impact-based forecasting developed by Project NOAH researchers using years of historical information, satellite images, rainfall data and other datasets.

This directive from President Marcos to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is another critical move in his data-driven governance, which recognizes the vital role of hard science in statecraft, notably the national infrastructure spending of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) being guided by scientific data from UPRI’s NOAH.

Founded in 2012, NOAH seeks to assist the country in disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts and related activities through research, development and extension services.

Science-backed

For its part, the DPWH has begun laying the technical foundation for future, science-backed flood management infrastructure to strengthen long-term disaster preparedness and climate change risk response nationwide.

At President Marcos’ directive to enhance nationwide flood resiliency, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered the updating of all flood management master plans to protect Filipinos from massive flooding year after year.

To ensure these master plans reflect current climate realities, the agency is collaborating with Project NOAH, local government units and key partner agencies to integrate detailed hazard mapping and scientific data before their implementation.

On Sept. 2, the President said the government is now implementing a flood control master plan that has been in place for decades.

‘We already have a master plan. It’s just never been executed. We are only executing it now,’ President Marcos told reporters after inspecting repair works at a collapsed bridge in Tarlac.

‘We have had a master plan for decades pero walang ginawa. Ngayon lang natin sinisimulan (but nothing was done. We are only starting it now),’ the President said.

The presidential remarks come as Central Luzon, Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon grapple with widespread flooding brought by heavy monsoon rains.

The administration has repeatedly called on national government agencies to implement long-term flood control measures, including de-clogging and dredging waterways, improving drainage systems and proper land-use planning, as the government responds to increasingly intense rainfall linked to climate change.

Faster, more accurate

Lagmay said NOAH’s impact-based forecasting system is projected to forecast, one day in advance, where flooding may occur and its impact on roads, homes, buildings and vehicular flow.

‘The P1-billion allocation for UPRI will be measured by better information, transparency, evidence-based governance and decision-making, effective flood management and reduced disaster risks and losses,’ Lagmay said.

Of the total allocation, P935 million will support research services, while P65 million will fund general management and supervision of NOAH’s implementation. The allocation is part of the UP System’s built-in appropriation under the 2026 General Appropriations Act.

Lagmay said UPRI’s budget will fund high-resolution mapping of major river basins, hazard assessments, land-use planning and Oplan Kontra Baha initiatives, in coordination with the DPWH, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, local government units and private-sector partners.

The allocation will also support Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) drone topographic surveys, capacity-building programs with state universities and colleges, native tree mapping, sediment erosion assessments, mapping of hidden waterways, nature-based solutions and the use of artificial intelligence and analytics for disaster risk management.

UP president Angelo Jimenez said the Marcos administration’s funding for UPRI is ‘an investment in the power of research and innovation to serve the nation.’

‘We do research because knowledge matters, and knowledge matters most when it can help us make better decisions, solve real problems and improve the lives of our people,’ Jimenez said.

10 new National Artists named

Ten new National Artists have been named by Malacañang, according to an official Palace communiqué yesterday.

The new National Artists are architect Gabriel Formoso (+), dancer Rafael ‘Nonoy’ Froilan, designer Maria Beatriz ‘Patis’ Tesoro, scriptwriter Armando Lao (+), writer Gregorio Brillantes (+), playwright-scholar Nicanor Tiongson, composer Alfredo Buenaventura, lighting designer Teodoro Hilado (+), artist Imelda Cajipe Endaya and painter Nunelucio Alvarado of Negros Occidental.

Proclamation No. 1414 declared the latest batch of National Artists for 2025 in a letter addressed to Kaye Tinga, president and CEO of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, from the Office of the President.

The CCP, along with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, helps administer the awards and vets the winners.

The last time the highest honors in Philippine arts and letters were conferred was in 2022. National Artist for music Ryan Cayabyab once said winning the award is like going ‘through the eye of a needle,’ after a stringent process involving several screenings before a panel that includes past winners.

President: It is gratifying that Azerbaijan-Tajikistan brotherhood is being enriched with new substance

“It is gratifying that the bond of friendship and brotherhood between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, rooted in shared religious, cultural, and historical ties, continues to strengthen and be enriched with new substance day by day,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in a congratulatory letter to President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the state independence of Tajikistan.

“Active high-level dialogue, regular contacts, and close cooperation undoubtedly help to further accelerate and deepen these ties,” the President of Azerbaijan emphasized.

The head of state expressed his confidence that the strategic partnership and relations between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, built on mutual trust and support, will continue its upward trajectory and grow stronger through joint efforts.

Humanity is becoming less intelligent: report

According to Politiken, Denmark’s worst-ever results in the international PISA assessment are not simply disappointing – they represent a serious wake-up call for the country’s education system.

The newspaper sees the results as a consequence of what it describes as the ‘inherent danger of a starved and overly instrumental school system.’ According to Politiken, when students are taught knowledge and skills without understanding their practical value or connection to everyday life, education can quickly become boring, repetitive, and meaningless.

‘Teaching needs to be revitalized, with the teacher at the center of attention,’ the newspaper argues. It says schools should place greater emphasis on curiosity and student engagement. These should not be treated as secondary ‘soft values,’ but rather as essential conditions for effective learning.

Politiken also argues that policymakers should resist the temptation to respond to declining results by simply introducing more targets, inspections, and paperwork. Instead, greater attention should be given to the quality of teaching and the resources available to schools.

The newspaper also highlights the lack of resources in primary education. Although rebuilding and strengthening the system would be expensive, it argues that such investment is necessary. It also calls for Denmark’s 10th grade to be preserved rather than gradually phased out.

Meanwhile, Kristeligt Dagblad describes the PISA results as both a tragedy and a scandal. The newspaper stresses that there is no single explanation for the decline. Danish schools are facing rising costs associated with educating children with special needs, a shortage of qualified teachers, and insufficient basic teaching materials.

However, the newspaper is particularly critical of digitalization and the growing role of technology in education. It argues that excessive use of digital devices may weaken students’ curiosity, engagement, and ability to concentrate – all of which are crucial for successful learning.

Jyllands-Posten also points to technology as one possible factor behind declining academic performance in several countries. The newspaper highlights the growing amount of time young people spend on social media and in front of screens, as well as declining concentration and interest in studying. In a particularly blunt assessment, it concludes: ‘Humanity is simply becoming stupider.’

The newspaper also emphasizes the importance of teachers in a democratic society. It argues that Denmark needs to restore trust in the teaching profession and make it more attractive and prestigious. Better teacher training, improved working conditions, and greater respect for educators should become national priorities.

At the same time, Jyllands-Posten says parents also have an important role to play. Danish families, it argues, need to take greater responsibility for their children’s education by reading with them, practicing mathematics, encouraging regular attendance, and taking truancy more seriously.

The debate has gained particular attention because PISA is not simply a test of academic knowledge. It measures how 15-year-old students in different countries apply their reading, mathematics, and science skills to real-world problems. As a result, Denmark’s declining performance has sparked a much broader discussion about what schools should teach, how technology should be used in classrooms, and how much responsibility should be shared between teachers, parents, and policymakers.

The controversy also reflects a larger international debate: as artificial intelligence and digital technologies become increasingly important, education systems are being forced to decide whether students need more technology – or, in some cases, more time learning without it.

MPBL: Quezon, Bataan turn back foes

The Quezon Huskers recovered and the Bataan Risers sustained their rise in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season on Tuesday at the Quezon City District 2 Gymnasium.

Quezon led throughout and routed Negros, 114-70, in the first game, while Bataan followed suit, thumping Marikina, 99-78, in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 26-team tournament.

With all 15 Huskers in scoring, Quezon pulled away at the break, 65-40, and never slowed down to improve to a 17-4 record.

The Huskers, the reigning back-to-back South Division champions, rebounded from the 67-84 beating handed to them by the GenSan Warriors last Saturday to stay close to Binan Tatak Gel (20-4) in the race for the division’s top four playoff spots, which carry a home court advantage.

Quezon’s John Abate, former skipper of the University of the East Red Warriors, posted 15 points, five rebounds and four assists to capture Best Player honors over Dom Vera, who tallied 14 points, five assists and three rebounds; and Jason Opiso with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.

Other Huskers who delivered were Joseph Penaredondo, with 12 points, 2 rebounds and two assists; and Chris Lalata with 10 points and two rebounds.

With Lander Canon pulling down nine rebounds and Cholo Anonuevo eight, the Huskers ruled the boards, 61-30, and outscored the Hacienderos in the paint, 54-18.

Also-ran Negros, which dropped to 2-22, drew 16 points, eight assists and two rebounds from DJ Howe; 13 points, five assists and four rebounds from Reymar Caduyac; and 10 points, nine rebounds and two steals from Michael Alvarez.

Bataan also flaunted its depth as all 15 Risers contributed en route to their third straight win and an 11-13 record in the North Division.

Homegrown Yves Sazon paced Bataan with 13 points and six rebounds, followed by Chris Javier with 11 points, four assists and three rebounds. Migs Corteza and Edrian Ramirez tallied nine points each, while Robbi Darang, Carl Bringas and Hubert Cani chipped in eight apiece.

Also-ran Marikina fell to 7-17 despite Regie Boy Basibas’ and JR Alabanza’s 16-point, 10-rebound outputs; Deo Timajo’s 14 points, six assists and three steals; and Gjerald Wilson’s 12 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Zamboanga beats Manila by default

Zamboanga won by default over Manila, 20-0, to climb to a 10-12 slate in the South. Manila conceded its last game of the season and exited with a league-worst 1-24 card in the North.

The tournament visits the Olivarez College Gym in Sucat, Paranaque, on Wednesday, featuring games between Cebu and Meycauayan at 3 p.m., Mindoro and Quezon City at 5 p.m., and San Juan and Paranaque at 7 p.m