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City storms likely to ease this week

Rainfall in Bangkok and parts of central and eastern Thailand is expected to ease from Monday, although flood-prone areas remain under watch.

Assoc Prof Seree Supratid of Rangsit University’s Centre for Climate Change and Disaster said accumulated rainfall topped 300mm in several areas on Thursday and Friday.

He said rain in Bangkok, nearby provinces and the Central and East would decline from Monday, except in western provinces.

The Meteorological Department warned that the North, Northeast, Central region, Bangkok and nearby provinces, East and South could still face heavy rain, with some areas seeing very heavy rain for the next day or so.

It blamed a strong low-pressure cell, a monsoon trough and a strengthening southwest monsoon, and urged flood-prone communities, especially those near canals and in low-lying areas, to monitor conditions.

September 27: Azerbaijan remembers heroes of 44-day Patriotic War

September 27 is observed in Azerbaijan as Remembrance Day, a date dedicated to honoring the memory of servicemen who lost their lives during the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020.

Across Azerbaijan, the day is marked by commemorative ceremonies, visits to martyrs’ cemeteries and memorial sites, and tributes held at public institutions and communities. Citizens gather to remember those who died during the war, lay flowers at graves and monuments, and express respect for their sacrifice.

Remembrance Day was established by a presidential decree on December 2, 2020, several weeks after the end of the war. September 27 was chosen as the date because it marks the beginning of the hostilities in 2020.

The day has become an important part of Azerbaijan’s public commemorative calendar. Government institutions, local authorities, educational establishments, cultural organizations and civil society groups organize events dedicated to preserving the memory of the fallen. Exhibitions, conferences, tree-planting campaigns, commemorative gatherings and other initiatives are held in different parts of the country.

One of the central elements of the commemoration is the nationwide one-minute silence observed at noon. At 12:00, people across the country stop to honor the memory of those who died during the war. The national flag is displayed on streets, avenues, squares and residential buildings, creating a visible expression of the country’s collective remembrance.

Commemorative events are also held in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories. These ceremonies carry particular significance as the territories where the war took place are now undergoing extensive reconstruction and development. The return of residents to their native settlements and the restoration of infrastructure have also become part of the country’s post-war agenda.

Remembrance Day is observed beyond Azerbaijan’s borders as well. Azerbaijani communities and diaspora organizations in different countries hold commemorative ceremonies, bringing together members of the community to honor the fallen and preserve their memory.

The day also provides an opportunity to reflect on the human consequences of armed conflict. Alongside remembering those who died, commemorative events draw attention to the importance of protecting civilians, supporting war-affected families and addressing the humanitarian consequences of conflict.

For families of the fallen, Remembrance Day carries a deeply personal significance. The annual commemorations provide an opportunity to keep the memory of their loved ones alive and to recognize the sacrifices made by those who died during the war.

Over the years, September 27 has come to represent both remembrance and reflection in Azerbaijan.

Through ceremonies held across the country and by Azerbaijani communities abroad, the day keeps the memory of the fallen at the center of public attention while emphasizing the value of peace, security and a stable future for coming generations.

’Meaningful difference key to brand growth’

Filipino brands must go beyond memory recall and should add relevance and significance if they want to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, according to leading data, insights and consulting firm Kantar.

In its latest 2026 Kantar BrandZ Spotlight report, Kantar said that Philippine brands that are ‘best positioned’ for growth are those that go beyond salience to build ‘meaningful difference.’

The consulting firm found three realities for brands operating in the Philippines today: salience without relevance is just noise, relevance evolves with meaningful value and relevance without difference stalls growth.

The market report noted that these realities come at a time when Filipino consumers have become more selective about the brands they choose and follow.

‘Growth is not just about being present. It’s about making deliberate choices – staying consistent in your positioning, responding to emerging opportunities and focusing resources on what really matters,’ Kantar chief client officer Jose Mari Villabroza said.

The brand report analyzed six categories to see how consumers’ preferences are changing in various product mixes.

In banking, for instance, changing expectations and the rise of digital challengers demonstrate how relevance could shift as consumers find new ways to manage their finances, according to Kantar.

Meanwhile, in the communication industry, the risk brands faced is not relevance but diminishing distinction as connectivity becomes an essential infrastructure to Filipinos, the report said.

‘The challenge is no longer to provide access, but to establish a uniquely valuable role in helping Filipinos progress,’ Kantar said.

In the general retail category, brands with meaningful different characteristics can disrupt established markets, whether they operate online or offline, the report said.

In automotive, being different must be coupled with consumer desire and trust, while the health supplement category shows how relevance, difference and desirability can work together to make brands feel ‘worth it’ to consumers, the report added.

Beer brands must continually earn their place in consumers’ lives today and must not be complacent with just brand familiarity, Kantar said.

‘All the learnings that we’ve gotten across those different categories is that relevance is essentially not owned. It is earned, it evolves and it is also distinguished,’ said Briggs Bondad, associate director and client partner at Kantar.

The brand report identified BDO, Shopee, Globe, Red Horse, Centrum and Toyota as Kantar BrandZ’s Most Meaningfully Different Brands for 2026 in their respective categories.

The brands were ranked based on demand power, a Kantar BrandZ metric reflecting consumer preference and predicting a brand’s potential market share based on consumer perceptions.

Kantar BrandZ also identified brands demonstrating significant potential for future growth.

Maya, TikTok and GAC were named Breakthrough Brands, based on their future power scores, which estimate their likelihood of growing value share in the future, according to Kantar.

‘Being different will get you noticed. Being meaningful will get you chosen,’ said Eva San Gabriel-Claravall, CX and brand leader and head of growth at Kantar.

‘So be placeable, not interchangeable because the middle is not a safe position. Earn your relevance, evolve it early from a position of strength and own your space completely,’ Gabriel-Claravall added.

Kantar BrandZ’s 2026 Philippine study surveyed 400 respondents in each of six categories: banking, general retailer, communication provider, beer, health care supplement and automotive.

Flood leaves 134 Ebonyi families homeless

At about 3am on Wednesday, Uzoma Chukwu woke up to a frightening sight.

Water had entered his home and was rapidly rising.

By the time daylight came, the flood had submerged houses, destroyed household belongings and cut off movement in parts of Akaeze and neighbouring communities in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

For Chukwu and scores of other residents, there was little time to salvage their belongings.

‘Since I was born, I have never experienced this type of flood,’ one of the residents said, describing the volume of water as unprecedented in the community.

The flood, which followed heavy rainfall that began on Tuesday, has displaced no fewer than 134 families, according to an assessment by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State.

Rice, yam, potato and other farmlands were submerged, while houses, furniture, bedding, phones and other household possessions were either damaged or completely swept away.

At Amaegbu Umobo, Akaeze, community Chinyere Irem, a farmer said more than 54 victims had already been identified, with several families left without habitable homes.

Among them is Ochude Chukwu, whose residence, popularly known as Udensi House, was pulled down by the flood.

His rice farm and other family property were also destroyed.

With the house no longer habitable, Chukwu said he had been forced to relocate with his wife and three children.

‘I am calling on the government to come and help us and rescue my family from this situation,’ he pleaded.

For Irem, the flood has also brought substantial economic losses.

He said the water destroyed his wife’s belongings, bed, chairs and telephone, while his rice, potato and other crops were also submerged.

Irem, a farmer, estimated his losses at between N8 million and N20 million, stressing that the damage to his farmland was particularly devastating.

‘My rice, yam, my potato, everything was covered by the water,’ he said, appealing to the government for assistance.

The impact was not limited to homes and farms.

Okechukwu Uwaezioke said the flood paralysed vehicular and human movement around Ivo Agbaleka and adjoining communities, while the Ivo Market was also inundated.

‘Even in the market, water entered inside. People from other villages could not come to the market. We need government help,’ he said.

Okpe Favour Chidinma said more than 20 houses were affected in her community, forcing some displaced families to seek alternative accommodation.

The affected communities include Amaegbu Umobo, Umuewodo Ndiachi Umuobo Akaeze and Umuezaka Ezeukwu Akaeze, among others.

As residents count their losses, the immediate response has come from the opposition PDP, whose Chukwuma Igwe, the state chairman, led a delegation to the affected communities on Thursday.

Igwe said Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, the party’s 2027 governorship candidate, had released N5 million for immediate assistance to victims.

According to him, N2 million would be deployed to support affected residents in Akaeze, while the remaining N3 million would be used in other communities after further assessment.

He said the party had so far documented about 134 affected families in Akaeze, with the figure expected to increase as assessments continue in other locations.

‘My people, I’m not happy. I don’t have to hide it. It’s a thing of tears that this kind of thing can happen at this time,’ Igwe said.

But he stressed that the party’s intervention could only provide temporary relief, insisting that the major responsibility for disaster response rested with government.

‘We are not in government yet. Our own is to condole with you and sympathise with you. The main intervention is supposed to come from the government,’ he said.

Igwe said the party would also draw the attention of the Federal Government and relevant agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency, to the plight of the affected residents.

Darlington Onwe, PDP spokesman in Ebonyi, described the incident as a major humanitarian disaster, saying the scale of the destruction required more than immediate relief.

According to him, affected families would need support to rebuild their homes, restore their agricultural livelihoods and recover from the economic losses caused by the disaster.

Felix Ogbonna Igboke, the PDP House of Representatives candidate for Ohanivo Federal Constituency, who was part of the delegation, said the visit was undertaken on Odii’s directive to assess the extent of the damage and provide immediate assistance.

For the residents, however, relief from the immediate hardship is only one part of the problem.

With farms destroyed and homes rendered uninhabitable, many fear that the consequences of the flood will extend beyond the initial disaster.

They are therefore calling on the Ebonyi and Federal governments to provide relief materials and emergency assistance, while undertaking a technical assessment of the affected communities to determine what is driving the flooding.

For families now sleeping outside their homes or seeking temporary accommodation, the appeal is straightforward: they want help to survive the immediate crisis and measures that will prevent them from facing the same disaster again.

More rain in Central Plains, will ease off in Bangkok

It will rain heavily in the western part of the Central Plains while rain will continue and then start to decline in Greater Bangkok and the East on Sunday, according to the Meteorological Department.

Director-general Sugunyanee Yavinchan said a low-pressure cell remains over the western part of the Central Plains and the rather strong southwest monsoon reigns over the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand.

She warned people to avoid low-lying areas and flood-prone roads, which could be inundated temporarily.

Small boats should remain ashore in the upper part of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea until Monday.

From Monday to Friday, rainfall will decline in Thailand. However, there will be isolated heavy rain in the western part of the North and the Central Plains as the active low-pressure cell moves to Myanmar.

President Ilham Aliyev visits Victory Park in Baku on Remembrance Day

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Victory Park in Baku on September 27 on the occasion of Remembrance Day.

The head of state laid a wreath at the Victory Monument and honored the memory of the martyrs.

Then, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva paid tribute to the memory of the martyrs with deep respect.

French President calls for AI safeguards to protect children

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for artificial intelligence systems to be tested and evaluated before being made available to children, citing the need to protect them from potential risks associated with the technology.

Macron made the remarks in New York during a high-level meeting on protecting children’s rights and safety in the age of artificial intelligence, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting was organized as part of the Coalition for Children’s Rights and Protection in the Age of AI.

The French president noted that children are increasingly interacting with technologies capable of speaking to them, answering questions, imitating friendship and responding to their anxieties. He said artificial intelligence was already becoming part of children’s daily lives and warned against repeating mistakes made with social media.

Macron also referred to the growing role of social media in the lives of children and teenagers over the past decade. He welcomed efforts to strengthen protections for children online and stressed the need to apply similar safeguards to artificial intelligence.

According to Macron, AI models should undergo testing and evaluation before being placed in children’s hands. He said that no AI model should be made available to children by default before it has been tested, evaluated and authorized.

He also stressed the importance of independent research into AI systems, taking into account different languages, cultures and educational environments. Such assessments, he said, should examine both the potential benefits claimed by developers and the risks associated with children’s age, the way the technology is used and the specific circumstances of its use.

Macron said the coalition would continue its work on the issue, with the next step expected at the Paris Peace Forum in November.

Organisations are transforming with sustainability implementation

The sustainability implementation journey is an opportunity for transformation, tailored to priority areas aligned with an organisation’s strategic priorities. It will therefore mean different things to different organisations.

However, while these priority areas may differ, organisations share a consistent theme in how they approach their sustainability implementation journey.

Organisations are embedding sustainability into the development of new products and services, including innovation across existing ones. It’s increasingly a focus as organisations navigate rapid technological change across society, blurring lines between traditional industries, and shifting customer preferences.

Having the products and services that meet customer expectations is a big part of staying relevant for longer. Organisations are also transforming their supply chains to build resilience for navigating disruptions. It includes efforts to identify the right partners, strengthen those partnerships and leverage each partner’s unique strengths to deliver synergies for the customer.

Uncertainty is the new normal and organisations are maximising control over sustainability implementation to gain insights across their value chain. This includes measuring and reporting greenhouse gases and transforming the business model through a tailored, organisation-specific decarbonisation pathway to build a climate-resilient business.

This includes efforts such as efficient resource utilisation and other cost-reduction initiatives. Organisations also recognise the need for leadership-level ownership of the sustainability agenda.

As a result, organisations are actively including sustainability implementation in the terms of reference for various board committees. Closely linked to this effort is the investment organisations are making in capacity building for the board and staff.

It ensures organisations have the skills and competencies needed to implement their sustainability agenda successfully. These investments include the systems, tools and processes required.

Technology investments for sustainability are another focus area for organisations. For example, artificial intelligence can profoundly impact an organisation’s sustainability transformation.

From data collection and automated sustainability reporting to supply chain monitoringand scenario analysis, technology can transform the entire organisation.

Technology provides the tools to translate complexity into financial insight and aid decision-making. Organisations cannot sit on the sidelines of sustainability transformation but must actively participate in the integration of sustainability across the business.

While organisations face numerous challenges in today’s operating environment, immense opportunities remain to navigate them successfully and build long-term sustainable value for stakeholders.

Memory of martyrs honored in Lachin on Remembrance Day

The memory of the martyrs who fought heroically in the Patriotic War and sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity was honored with a one-minute silence in Lachin district on September 27 – Remembrance Day.

Participants gathered in the central square of Lachin city to pay deep tribute to the memory of the martyrs.

At 12:00, traffic and pedestrian movement across the district was suspended. Drivers sounded their horns, and a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the martyrs.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Special Representative Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Lachin district, the Lachin District Restoration, Construction and Management Service, law enforcement agencies operating in the district, families of martyrs and local residents.