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Traditional charity Autumn Festival – Harvest Day held at ADA School [PHOTOS]

The traditional Autumn Festival – Harvest Day was held with great enthusiasm at ADA School, operating under ADA University.

Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, attended the festival, along with state and government officials, representatives of partner companies and members of the public.

As part of the Harvest Day celebrations, three new sculptures were unveiled at ADA School, marking the conclusion of the Sculpture Symposium. The works were created by Azerbaijani sculptors Kamran Asadov, Mushfig Heydarov and Imran Mehdiyev. The project aimed to involve schoolchildren in the creative process and reflect their ideas and imagination in the initial sketches of the sculptures.

The event aims to foster a sense of responsible citizenship among pupils and students, promote national and moral values, preserve charitable traditions and nurture young people from an early age to become responsible members of society.

The programme continued with musical, dance and creative performances by students of ADA School, Children’s Art School No. 3 named after G. Aliyeva, 11-Year Children’s Art School No. 6 named after F. Amirov, and 11-Year Music Schools No. 24 and 33, adding to the festive atmosphere.

A charity exhibition and sale was also organized as part of the festival. It featured handicrafts made by students of ADA School and the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, as well as products from partner companies. The proceeds will be allocated to educational social projects.

The AZN 27,309 raised at last year’s Harvest Day was used to implement five social projects: ‘Victory Theatre’, ‘Stories’, ‘Girls’ House’, ‘Neighbourhood (Urban Planning)’ and ‘Qala Society’. A total of 600 people benefited from these projects, which focused on collaboration, creativity, empathy, psychological well-being and the development of vocational skills.

Held with the support of its main and permanent partner, Veyseloglu Companies Group, the festival also featured the sale of fruits and vegetables, bread, sweets and other locally grown produce from various regions of the country, as well as non-food products. The group’s partners include Veyseloglu Distribution, Ulduz, Araz and OBA supermarket chains, Khoncha, Veyseloglu-Rossmann, Decoliv, O to Go and Entree.

Azerpambig, Tamiz Shahar, AZ Projects GROUP and Liv Bona Dea Hospital also provided organizational support for the event.

Cinnamon Grand Colombo-Caroline J Global Holdings ‘The Pink Tea Runway’ supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Cinnamon Grand Colombo, in partnership with Caroline J Global Holdings Holdings Ltd., hosted The Pink Tea Runway, a special Pink High Tea Buffet and Fashion Runway, on 24 October 2026, at the hotel’s Tea Lounge.

Held in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the initiative raised awareness about breast cancer while celebrating the strength, courage and resilience of women. Bringing together fashion, hospitality and a meaningful social cause, the event encouraged conversations around women’s health, the importance of early detection and the value of supporting individuals and families affected by breast cancer.

Through this initiative, Cinnamon Grand Colombo and Caroline J Global Holdings created an engaging platform that brought people together in support of a cause that touches lives across the world, while inspiring greater awareness and solidarity.

Cinnamon Grand Colombo General Manager Nazoomi Azhar said: ‘At Cinnamon Grand Colombo, we believe hospitality goes beyond creating memorable experiences. It is also about bringing people together for meaningful causes. Through The Pink Tea Runway, we aim to raise awareness about breast cancer while celebrating the strength, courage and resilience of women. We are pleased to collaborate with Caroline J Global Holdings on this initiative, using fashion and hospitality as a platform to encourage conversations around women’s health and wellbeing.’

The fashion runway was organised and coordinated by Caroline Jurie, Former Mrs. World 2020 and Founder and Chairperson of Caroline J Global Holdings, who led the fashion presentation and model coordination. The runway featured a specially curated pink collection by fashion label Diamanté by Venuka, with models showcasing creations that reflected the event’s central themes of strength, confidence and femininity.

The collaboration brought together the worlds of fashion and hospitality to communicate a message that extended beyond the runway, encouraging women to prioritise their health and wellbeing while promoting empowerment and mutual support.

Caroline J Global Holdings Founder and Chairperson Caroline Jurie said: ‘Fashion has always been a powerful way to express confidence, individuality and strength. Through The Pink Tea Runway, we want to celebrate the resilience of women while reminding them of the importance of prioritising their health. Breast cancer awareness is a cause that deserves continued attention, and I am pleased to collaborate with Cinnamon Grand Colombo to bring this meaningful initiative to life. Together, we hope to inspire women to support one another and encourage greater awareness.’

Complementing the fashion presentation, Cinnamon Grand Colombo’s culinary team presented a specially curated Pink High Tea Buffet at the Tea Lounge, featuring an assortment of sweet and savoury creations inspired by the event’s theme. From pink-themed delicacies to thoughtfully presented culinary selections, the experience complemented the runway presentation, offering guests an elegant afternoon centred on awareness, connection and togetherness.

The event was further supported by Sothys Paris, which presented exclusive gift packs to guests attending The Pink Tea Runway. Naturals Unisex Salon also contributed to the event’s fashion and beauty experience, complementing the pink collection presented by Diamanté by Venuka.

Through The Pink Tea Runway, Cinnamon Grand Colombo continued its commitment to meaningful community engagement by creating opportunities for guests, partners and industry collaborators to come together in support of important social causes. The initiative highlighted the role hospitality can play in encouraging awareness, building connections and inspiring conversations that extend beyond the event itself.

ComBank launches dedicated loan scheme for tea industry

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has introduced a dedicated loan scheme to revitalise Sri Lanka’s tea industry, enabling tea smallholders to invest in the renewal of ageing tea fields, improve cultivation practices and strengthen the productivity and sustainability of one of the country’s most important export sectors

The ‘Revitalising the Sri Lankan Tea Sector’ Loan Scheme, developed in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tea Factory Owners Association (SLTFOA) and participating tea factories, seeks to address a critical constraint facing the industry: limited access to affordable financing for the long-term investments needed to sustain tea production and improve farmer incomes.

Sri Lanka’s tea industry generated approximately $ 1.51 billion in export revenue in 2025 and supports more than 400,000 tea smallholder families, contributing to the livelihoods of nearly 1.5 million people across rural communities. Yet, despite the global reputation of Ceylon Tea, the sector faces challenges including declining national production, ageing tea bushes, inadequate replanting, soil degradation and the financial constraints that prevent many farmers from investing in more productive cultivation.

Tea smallholders account for more than 70% of national tea production, making their capacity to maintain and improve their lands central to the future of the industry. By directing financing towards essential cultivation improvements, Commercial Bank said this timely initiative aims to help address these challenges while safeguarding the rural communities whose livelihoods depend on tea.

The scheme’s distinguishing feature is its industry-linked financing model, which brings together the bank’s financial expertise, the SLTFOA’s industry network and the tea factories maintained by tea smallholders. Moving beyond standard banking services, this collaborative approach is designed to connect eligible farmers with the funding they need to renew their tea lands and improve productivity.

The financing is available for replanting and infilling, soil rehabilitation, land preparation, the purchase of certified planting material and agricultural inputs, nursery establishment, mechanisation, modern agricultural practices and irrigation systems. These investments are intended to help farmers replace ageing bushes, fill vacant spaces in existing fields and make more productive use of their tea-growing land.

Under the scheme, eligible tea smallholders can obtain loans of up to Rs. 1 million per acre for replanting and infilling, or up to Rs. 1.5 million per acre for replanting and infilling with an irrigation system. The loan scheme has been designed with tailor made features to support tea cultivation projects. Repayments will be made through deductions linked to green-leaf deliveries to factories, with a corporate guarantee from the tea factory serving as security.

The bank said eligible applicants must be registered tea smallholders supplying green leaf to recognised tea factories that are members of the SLTFOA. Applicants must also meet the Bank’s lending and repayment-capacity requirements. Priority will be given to farmers with aged tea bushes, low-productivity holdings and those undertaking replanting or rehabilitation, while female participation will be encouraged, the Bank said.

Beyond its immediate beneficiaries, the initiative is intended to contribute to the continued competitiveness of Ceylon Tea in international markets by supporting a healthier production base. It also demonstrates how collaboration between financial institutions and industry stakeholders can help address structural challenges in agriculture, where the benefits of investment often depend on a longer-term commitment to land, cultivation and productivity.

Mumbai Indians part ways with Malinga

Mumbai Indians have parted ways with former Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga, their bowling coach, as part of a shake-up of their coaching staff ahead of the 2027 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Malinga, who previously played for Mumbai Indians, returned to the franchise’s coaching setup in 2024.

The franchise also released bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach Carl Hopkinson. Confirming the departures yesterday, it thanked all three for their contributions and wished them success.

The changes follow the exit earlier this month of former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, who stepped down as head coach after a long association with the franchise. Former West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has since been appointed head coach for IPL 2027.

The five-time IPL champions are restructuring their coaching setup after a disappointing 2026 season in which they finished ninth in the 10-team competition. Replacements for the three departing coaches have yet to be announced.

DICON, Turkish firm sign $2.5bn Defence Technology MoU

The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Turkish defence technology company, HAVELSAN, to strengthen defence cooperation and advance indigenous industrial capabilities.

This is contained in a statement issued by DICON’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Maria Sambo, on Thursday in Kaduna.

Sambo said the agreement was aimed at promoting knowledge exchange, technological advancement and the development of indigenous defence solutions in Nigeria.

She quoted the Director-General of DICON, Maj.-Gen. Babatunde Alaya, as describing the partnership as a significant milestone in the country’s drive towards defence industrialisation.

Alaya urged HAVELSAN to ensure the timely implementation of the agreement and translate its provisions into tangible technological capabilities to address Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges.

The statement also quoted the Vice President of HAVELSAN, Dr Sevkat Unal, as expressing optimism about the partnership, citing the company’s experience in international defence cooperation.

Unal described the Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 as a valuable platform for identifying strategic collaboration opportunities.

He said HAVELSAN was committed to complementing, rather than competing with, indigenous manufacturers through capability integration and sustainable partnerships.

According to him, the collaboration could also create opportunities for broader defence industrial cooperation across Africa.

The statement said the MoU covered key areas of defence technology, including command and control systems, autonomous systems, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

It put the projected value of the venture at approximately $2.5 billion.

The agreement, according to DICON, reinforces the corporation’s commitment to strengthening indigenous defence production through strategic partnerships, technology transfer and sustainable industrial development.

TechLife Pad Neo SE launches as an everyday tablet for learning, creativity, and family entertainment

Alearning companion designed for families, built to help kids See More, Learn More

TechLife officially launches the TechLife Pad Neo SE, a learning companion designed for families. Bringing ‘See More, Learn More’ to life, the tablet pairs a bigger Eye Comfort Display with Smart Parental Control and an all-day battery, so children have more room to explore and learn, and parents have more confidence in how that learning happens.

This everyday tablet features a 10.1-inch Eye Comfort Display, Smart Parental Control with Google Kids Space, and a 6000mAh Massive Battery, supporting homework, reading, online classes, creativity and after-school entertainment in one device. It comes in three colors: Space Grey, Bubble Blue and Aurora Green.

Taken together, the TechLife Pad Neo SE’s value becomes more evident in how each feature supports everyday learning and family moments.

A Bigger, More Comfortable Screen for Learning

The 10.1-inch Eye Comfort Display gives young learners more room for research and online classes, while keeping longer study sessions easier on the eyes. Dual stereo speakers bring lessons, educational videos and shared family viewing to life, and split-screen lets children and parents handle more than one task at a time.

Guided Learning, Safer Screen Time

Smart Parental Control and Google Kids Space give parents a guided, child-friendly space. Parents can choose age-appropriate apps, books, videos and learning content, and keep screen time safe and purposeful, so children can learn at their own pace while parents do more with their day.

Power for the Whole School Day

Powered by a 6000mAh Massive Battery, the TechLife Pad Neo SE is built to stay on through classes, homework, and video lessons. Smooth octa-core performance and up to 8GB* of RAM including memory expansion keep learning apps and everyday multitasking running steadily, while 64GB of storage, expandable up to 1TB, keeps school files, apps and media ready. The Pad Neo SE runs on Android 16, with 5MP front and rear cameras and the Google Gemini AI assistant for everyday help.

Launch Offers Across Online Platforms

The TechLife Pad Neo SE retails at ?8,999 SRP. Fans can get the tablet for as low as ?7,099, available on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

The Pad Neo SE also comes with a FREE Folio Case or a FREE Power Bank R211 5,000mAh depending on availability as part of TechLife’s Peak Season offers, running from October 29, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Starting October 29, fans can also join the Pad Neo SE online giveaway on TechLife’s official social media pages.

For exclusive offers and the latest updates, follow TechLife on its official social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Disclaimer:

Vouchers apply to participating online platforms only.

Limited stocks and vouchers only.

Freebies available while supplies last.

Cyprus’ UN representative decries arbitrary maritime delimitations during Turkey-Libya MoU discussion

Cyprus reiterated its position that the 2019 Turkey-Libya Memorandum of Understanding on maritime delimitation is “null and void” during a United Nations Security Council open debate on “Emerging Technologies and Maritime Security,” thanking the Greek Presidency for convening the meeting.

Referring to the Turkey-Libya Memorandum, particularly following its recent ratification by Libya’s House of Representatives, the representative of Cyprus Ambassador Maria Michael stated that “this purported agreement is null and void, does not comply with international law, and in particular, the rules pertaining to the conclusion of treaties as well as UNCLOS.”

“Geography cannot be changed, nor can the sovereign rights of states be disregarded through arbitrary maritime delimitations,” the representative stressed, adding that “Article 121 of UNCLOS clearly establishes the regime of islands and their entitlement to maritime zones.”

Ambassador Michael emphasized that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is fundamental to maritime security, legal certainty, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, noting that its provisions reflecting customary international law are binding upon all states. “The Mediterranean is our common sea. Its security and stability depend on good neighborly relations grounded on respect for international law and the sovereign rights of all coastal states,” the representative said.

Addressing the main theme of the debate, the representative noted that artificial intelligence can enhance maritime domain awareness, early warning, crisis response, and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure, while also supporting peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, as well as ceasefire and sanctions monitoring. At the same time, the representative warned that emerging technologies can amplify existing threats, including cyberattacks and hybrid operations targeting ports, shipping, submarine cables, and energy infrastructure.

In this context, the Ambassador stressed that the development and deployment of artificial intelligence must be conducted responsibly and ethically, guided by “meaningful human oversight, transparency, and accountability.” Cyprus reaffirmed its position that “technological progress must remain anchored in international law,” particularly the UN Charter and UNCLOS.

Concluding, Ambassador Michael highlighted the importance of information sharing, capacity building, and cooperation among states, international organizations, and the maritime industry. The representative also emphasized the Security Council’s role in addressing the implications of emerging technologies for international peace and security, while ensuring coherence across the United Nations system.

“Our collective objective must be to ensure that emerging technologies strengthen maritime security while remaining firmly grounded in international law, human oversight, and international cooperation,” she concluded.

Azerbaijan to face Afghanistan in final match at FIFA U-15 World Cup in Baku

Azerbaijan will play its final match at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival, being held in Baku, today.

The team coached by Famil Khalilov will face Afghanistan in a match for 83rd place. The game is scheduled to kick off at 11:30 a.m. at the Hovsan Sports Complex.

The tournament will conclude today with six final matches at the Baku Crystal Hall, followed by the awards ceremony and closing ceremony.

Azercell-backed event promotes Azerbaijani craftsmanship and women’s empowerment

The “Fabric of the Future” event, organised under the SHE platform in partnership with Azercell, brought together cultural heritage, traditional craftsmanship and women’s empowerment, highlighting opportunities for women to develop their skills and expand their economic participation.

The initiative, held under the SHE platform established by the Azerbaijan Business Women organisation, centred on qurama, a traditional Azerbaijani patchwork art form, exploring how cultural traditions can be preserved while creating new opportunities through technology and entrepreneurship.

A central feature of the event was the presentation of a new collection by Amina Malikova, whose work focuses on researching, reviving and promoting qurama internationally.

Opening the event, Tatyana Mikayilova, Chair of Azerbaijan Business Women and founder of the SHE platform, outlined the initiative’s objectives and its significance for promoting women’s creativity and professional development.

Speaking at the gathering, Shirin Aliyeva, Azercell’s Chief Legal and Data Strategy Officer, emphasised the role of digital technologies and responsible business practices in helping women turn traditional skills into sustainable economic opportunities.

“Technology helps not only to preserve our cultural heritage but also to transform it into new economic opportunities. Through digital skills and access to technology, women can showcase traditional crafts to a wider audience and grow their businesses. Our goal is to preserve the cultural values inherited from the past while creating broader opportunities for future generations,” Aliyeva said.

She also highlighted Azercell’s initiatives aimed at supporting the personal development, digital inclusion and social well-being of girls and women.

As part of the programme, Azercell organised a panel discussion titled “Shaping Our Future,” focusing on societal expectations of women and the accessibility of support services for women and girls.

During the discussion, Sona Abbasova, Director of Azercell’s Corporate Communications Department, addressed the importance of strengthening women’s social and economic independence and expanding development opportunities for girls.

She presented information about two initiatives supported by the company: the Women’s Support Line and the Offline Women digital platform.

According to Abbasova, both services are designed to help women facing difficult life circumstances obtain timely assistance and access relevant support resources.

She noted that Azercell subscribers can contact the Women’s Support Line free of charge, while the Offline Women platform can be accessed without an internet data package.

These arrangements are intended to reduce barriers to essential services, particularly for women who may have limited access to communications or digital resources.

The event also featured a conversation between actor, playwright and television presenter Kamran Aghabalayev and Amina Malikova, exploring the cultural significance of traditional craftsmanship and its place in contemporary creative practices.

Through its partnership with the SHE platform, Azercell continues to support initiatives focused on women’s education, digital skills, social protection and economic participation.