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Fidan Hajiyeva Int’l Opera Festival kicks off in Baku

The evening was supposed to begin under the open sky, but it started with rain. Just as everything was ready for the opening of the third Fidan Hajiyeva International Opera Festival at the Summer Theatre of the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall, a heavy downpour swept across Baku. Nature changed the plans, but it could not dampen the festive mood of the occasion.

Guests moved to the Philharmonic’s welcoming foyer, where the festival was officially opened in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

There were several reasons to celebrate that evening. For the first time in Azerbaijan, a classical arts festival of such scale will run for three months, from September 7 to December 7. Around 30 musical and cultural events will be held during this period not only in Baku and various regions of Azerbaijan, but also at international venues in Paris, London, Milan and Minsk.

The festival is dedicated to a double anniversary of its founder, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan and renowned opera singer Fidan Hajiyeva: her 50th birthday and 30 years of professional artistic activity in Azerbaijan and on international stages.

The evening was filled with congratulations, warm wishes and words of appreciation for the celebrated singer. Well-known figures from the fields of culture, science and education attended the opening, presenting Hajiyeva with flowers and gifts and wishing her many more years of success on stage.

The evening’s host, renowned television presenter Saleh Bagirov, introduced the festival’s extensive programme, emphasizing its unprecedented scale and international reach.

The festival, however, is conceived as much more than a series of concerts. Its programme combines opera and chamber music evenings, symphonic concerts, master classes, literary and artistic gatherings, and educational projects.

Particular attention is being paid to younger audiences. Some events will be held at leading higher education institutions across the country, giving young listeners an opportunity to discover classical music in a more direct and engaging setting.

One of the key projects is “Young Voices Sound into the Future.” As Fidan Hajiyeva noted, its main aim is to discover new talent and provide young vocalists with genuine opportunities for professional development. Emerging performers will have the chance to share the stage with established artists, take part in solo concerts and present their work to wider audiences. In this way, the festival creates a space where the rich traditions of Azerbaijan’s vocal school meet a new generation of voices.

The musical programme of the opening proved to be a special treat for the guests. The concert featured MEZZO, Azerbaijan’s first women’s chamber orchestra, founded by Fidan Hajiyeva in 2019, as well as students of her Vocal Music School. Friends and colleagues of the anniversary honouree, including Honored Artists Dilar Aliyeva and Farid Aliyev, also performed.

But the central figure of the evening was, naturally, Fidan Hajiyeva herself. The celebrated soprano took the stage with performances of arias from various operas, including, of course, excerpts from “Carmen” – a work that has long been closely associated with her artistic career.

When the rain briefly eased, the celebration returned to the Summer Theatre. Guests watched a film about Hajiyeva’s artistic journey and her new music video on the big screen. The evening then continued with music, songs and dancing, as if to prove that a true celebration of art cannot be cancelled even by the heaviest rain.

Yet the opening was only the first page of a three-month festival story.

The musical climax of the festival will be the grand gala concert “Carmen. Half a Century of an Artist’s Life,” scheduled for December 7 at the Heydar Aliyev Palace.

The title of the concert is no coincidence. In the year of her 50th birthday, Fidan Hajiyeva will take the stage surrounded by music to which she has devoted a significant part of her life. The programme will feature selected excerpts from Georges Bizet’s immortal opera, alongside some of the finest works of Azerbaijani and world classical music.

The concert will feature the Niyazi State Symphony Orchestra conducted by People’s Artist of Azerbaijan Yalchin Adigozalov, as well as a renowned Spanish flamenco ensemble.

Thus, an evening that began with rain has opened a festival that promises to unfold as a three-month celebration of music, art and the people who devote their lives to it. The stage may have had to take shelter from the rain for a while, but the artist’s voice continued to carry.

Perhaps that is the central idea behind the Fidan Hajiyeva Festival: to preserve music, pass it from one generation to the next and ensure that it continues to be heard, whatever the weather may bring.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az,Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.

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

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.

President Ilham Aliyev congratulates President of Tajikistan

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the state independence of Tajikistan.

According to AzerNEWS, the letter reads:

“Dear Emomali Sharifovich,

On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the state independence of the Republic of Tajikistan, I extend my most sincere congratulations and best wishes to you and, through you, to the entire Tajik people, both on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan.

Over the past thirty-five years, thanks to your visionary and resolute leadership, Tajikistan has made remarkable progress in state-building, internal stability, and socio-economic development, while steadily raising its authority and standing on the global stage. The history of Tajikistan’s independence and all of its achievements are inextricably linked to your name.

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. Active high-level dialogue, regular contacts, and close cooperation undoubtedly help to further accelerate and deepen these ties.

I am confident that the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, built on mutual trust and support, will continue its upward trajectory and grow stronger through our joint efforts.

Dear Emomali Sharifovich, on this festive day, I wish you robust health, happiness, and success in your responsible duties, and the brotherly people of Tajikistan constant peace, well-being, and prosperity.”

Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk kills four as Russia reports nearly 600 drones intercepted

A Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk killed at least four people, including a child, and injured 29 others, Russian officials said Wednesday, as Moscow and Kyiv exchanged overnight strikes that also left civilians dead in southern Ukraine.

Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said the attack caused casualties in Novorossiysk, a strategically important port and a major outlet for Russian oil and grain exports.

Novorossiysk Mayor Andrei Kravchenko said drone debris fell on several businesses and nearly struck a residential building, triggering fires across parts of the city.

In the nearby resort town of Anapa, falling drone debris damaged three houses and a kindergarten, although no casualties were reported, according to Kondratyev.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces had intercepted or destroyed nearly 600 Ukrainian drones overnight, underscoring the scale of the latest wave of attacks.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Novorossiysk, which has become an increasingly important maritime hub for Russian energy exports amid disruptions and security risks affecting other Black Sea routes.

Mongolia to hold parliamentary hearing on Epstein files in October

Mongolia’s parliament is set to hold a public hearing on the Jeffrey Epstein files on October 7, after an opposition lawmaker called for an investigation into references to prominent Mongolian political figures in the documents.

MP B. Bayarbaatar first proposed the hearing in May and confirmed the October date on Wednesday. The parliamentary proceedings are expected to examine documents and information held by government agencies and hear testimony from relevant witnesses.

According to the figures cited in the report, the released Epstein documents mention several prominent Mongolian figures, including former Foreign Minister L. Purevsuren 219 times, former President Ts. Elbegdorj 46 times, former President Kh. Battulga 81 times, former Prime Minister Ch. Saikhanbileg four times and Liberty Partners CEO Ch. Ganbat 194 times.

However, a mention in the Epstein files does not by itself establish wrongdoing or criminal conduct. The nature and context of each reference would need to be established through the documents and testimony presented at the hearing.

The issue could nevertheless become politically explosive in Mongolia, particularly as the country heads toward an election.

The politicians named in the figures cited above are associated with Mongolia’s Democratic Party, while the ruling Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) is likely to face pressure to address the allegations and could use the parliamentary proceedings to scrutinize its political rivals.

The October hearing could therefore become both a transparency exercise and a major political battleground, as lawmakers seek to determine what the Epstein records actually reveal about Mongolia’s political establishment.

’Never been in question’: Kakie Pangilinan stresses love for ‘ate’ KC Concepcion

Singer-actress Kakie Pangilinan made it clear that while she and older half-sister KC Concepcion have not spoken in a while, the love between them remains strong.

Kakie was interviewed by showbiz host Ogie Diaz on the latter’s YouTube channel, where the singer-actress was promoting her debut film “Edjop,” about the titular Martial Law activist played by Elijah Canlas.

Following a discussion on the film, Ogie shifted the conversation to Kakie’s family, particularly mother Sharon Cuneta, father Kiko Pangilinan, and KC.

Kakie is the eldest biological child of Sharon and Kiko, while KC is Sharon’s oldest with ex-husband Gabby Concepcion.

Ogie asked the current dynamic and relationship between KC and Kakie. She initially stated that out of respect for her parents, she might not give a complete answer.

“I can say this confidently, she’s my sister, there’s no way around that,” Kakie said. “I don’t get why people try to detract, never kong naisip na half-sister ko siya – biologically that’s true – but as far as I’m concerned, I love her very much.”

The singer-actress admitted to missing KC as they have not spoken in a really long time. Kakie said that they are working on it and understands that certain situations arise in most families.

“I want to make that very clear: I have always loved my ate, I love my ate so much,” Kakie reiterated, noting how she had put KC’s name first in cakes she orders for her parents despite not speaking to or seeing each other in a while.

“That’s never been in question, na mahal ko ate ko, for sure,” she ended.

In the same interview, Kakie laughed off the rumors romantically linking her to “Edjop” co-star Elijah because of previous promos for the film. She also confirmed her relationship to Dan Laurel, a member of the prominent Laurel clan.

3 Degamo slay suspects convicted in firearms, explosives cases

Three suspects linked to the 2023 killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo were convicted in separate cases involving illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives, the Department of Justice said Wednesday, September 9.

In a statement, the DOJ said the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 40 found Joric Garrido Labrador guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 28 of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The court also convicted Joven Calibjo Javier and Benjie Rodriguez of unlawful possession of explosives under Section 3 of Presidential Decree 1866, as amended by Republic Act 9516.

Labrador was sentenced to eight years, eight months and one day to 10 years, eight months and one day in prison, while Javier and Rodriguez were each sentenced to reclusion perpetua.

The three suspects were previously identified as former soldiers whom then-Army chief Romeo Brawner Jr. described as “highly skilled military operators.”

The DOJ said a .45-caliber pistol, two magazines, 14 rounds of live ammunition and two hand grenades were recovered from the suspects.

In a social media post, Rep. Janice Degamo (Negros Oriental, 3rd District), wife of the slain governor, welcomed the court’s decision.

“Every conviction is a step forward. Every person held accountable brings us closer to the truth and to the justice that Roel and every victim of the Pamplona Massacre deserve,” the lawmaker said.

On March 4, 2023, Degamo and nine others were shot dead when armed men attacked his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, during the distribution of government aid. Dozens of others were wounded.

Ten suspects in the killing eventually recanted earlier statements linking former lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. to the attack.

Labrador, Javier and Rodriguez were among those who withdrew their previous statements. The suspects alleged they had been tortured and coerced into making the statements, allegations authorities denied.

Teves, whom prosecutors accuse of being among the masterminds of the attack, has denied involvement in the killings.

He remains detained at the Metro Manila District Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, as he faces separate murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder charges in connection with the Degamo attack.

Clippers clipped

After a year of investigation, the NBA has finally decided on the case of salary cap rule circumvention against the LA Clippers on behalf of Kawhi Leonard, and the punishment is stiff, the biggest in the history of the league.

The league concluded that LAC manipulated the salary cap by giving Leonard millions of dollars more than his stipulated contract thru four separate ‘no-show’ endorsement deals with firms associated with the Clippers – Aspiration, Lockton Insurance, Boingo Wireless and Daktronics. From Aspiration alone, reports say that Kawhi got $28 million more over his contract.

It was also revealed that Leonard’s side, thru Dennis Robertson, his uncle acting as his agent, pressured LAC to do the maneuvering to get more prospective income from off-court sources. And reports say that Kawhi is unaware of these. Yeah, right. Simply said, it’s all about greed.

The penalties given will have the Clippers losing 5 first round picks (2029 to 2033) and will be fined $30 million. Except for paying bills and signing checks, team owner Steve Ballmer will be banned from team activities for one year ‘for knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities.’ Ironically, Ballmer helped fund the probe on this scandal.

‘Uncle’ Dennis is banned from dealing with NBA teams for five years. Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank is suspended for six months, and head of business operations Gillian Zucker received a one-year suspension.

For the 2026-2027 season, Kawhi is to get $50.3 million. A mere $700,000 is given to him as penalty which could not even make a tiny dent on his big, fat contract.

The dollar obsession was evident during his 2019 free agency after leading Toronto to their first NBA title. The LA Lakers were interested in his services, but Leonard’s camp had hallucinatory demands. He wants part-ownership of the Lakers, access to a private jet and guaranteed money from off-court endorsement deals.

LAL’s crosstown rival accommodated him and he asked to be paired with Paul George. They traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-round picks to Oklahoma for George. With SGA and draft capital at their disposal, OKC steadily improved, winning the championship in 2025 with SGA as league MVP and Finals MVP.

The championship never came for the Clippers, Kawhi and Leonard alternated in the injury list. Both players are gone from the organization and despite the new arena at Inglewood, the team once again is a bust.

With the LA Clippers clipped, Ballmer vowed to challenge the ruling.

Azerbaijan, China seek to boost cargo flows on Middle Corridor to Europe

Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY) and its Chinese partners have discussed new opportunities to develop the Middle Corridor, increase cargo transportation and expand logistics capabilities.

According to the information, the discussions took place during the AGEM (CICA) Port Authorities Conference in Baku. ADY Chairman Rovshan Rustamov held meetings with delegations from major Chinese port and technology companies.

The meetings focused on developing transport and logistics ties between Azerbaijan and China, increasing cargo flows along the Middle Corridor, and introducing digital solutions in port and railway operations.

During a meeting with representatives of Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and technology company NIZE Tech, Rustamov discussed ways to increase regular container shipments along the Middle Corridor. The sides stressed the importance of identifying cargo that could be transported from Shanghai to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan, as well as exploring new areas of cooperation.

The parties also discussed the digitalization of port operations and the introduction of smart-port solutions. Potential areas of cooperation included terminal management systems, intelligent cargo entry and accounting solutions, cargo yard management, data integration, and digital coordination between port and railway operations.

ADY, SIPG and NIZE Tech highlighted the need to continue cooperation on the Middle Corridor and exchanged views on possible joint steps.

Rustamov also met with a delegation from Lianyungang Port Authority. The sides discussed the development of the Lianyungang-Baku route, expanding block train services along the Middle Corridor and attracting more cargo traffic to Europe.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of existing cooperation between ADY and Lianyungang Port and the opportunities it creates. The sides agreed that closer exchange of information on cargo flows, train schedules and logistics requirements could improve the efficiency of the Lianyungang-Baku route, help optimize transit times and make the route more competitive.

At the end of the meetings, the parties agreed to continue cooperation on developing the Middle Corridor, increasing cargo flows along the China-Azerbaijan-Europe route, improving logistics processes and introducing new technological solutions.