When Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stood beside his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo on Saturday, the joint declaration they signed marked more than a diplomatic formality; it signalled the rebirth of a transcontinental bond, anchored in history, redefined by pragmatism, and sharpened by today’s geopolitical realities.

Indonesia and Egypt have agreed to elevate their long-standing ties to a “strategic partnership”, setting a new tone for bilateral cooperation in sectors as wide-ranging as defence, education, trade, energy and cultural exchange. While this may read like a typical diplomatic communiqué, Prabowo’s visit and the deepening of ties with Cairo reflect a broader and more deliberate shift: Indonesia is seeking to diversify its global alliances, particularly in the Middle East, at a moment when traditional poles of power — Washington and Beijing — are both proving increasingly precarious partners.

Indonesia’s expanding outreach in the Middle East is no coincidence. Cairo is the third stop on Prabowo’s tour through the region, which includes high-level meetings in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Qatar and Jordan. This multi-nation effort is part of Jakarta’s evolving strategy to forge a more independent and dynamic foreign policy, one that not only resists alignment with the world’s dominant powers, but also prioritises partnerships grounded in mutual benefit and shared values.

For Egypt, too, the move makes sense. In a world destabilised by trade wars, multipolar realignments and ongoing regional tensions, Cairo is increasingly looking eastward. Egypt’s active engagement with ASEAN — a bloc wherein Indonesia is the largest economy — underscores its ambitions to tap into the economic dynamism of South-East Asia, particularly in areas like trade, food security and digital infrastructure.

The economic logic is compelling.

Bilateral trade between Indonesia and Egypt reached $1.7 billion in 2024, making Egypt Indonesia’s top trading partner in North Africa. Indonesian exports — palm oil, coffee beans and coconut oil — flow steadily into Egyptian markets, while Egyptian companies have invested in nearly 100 projects in Indonesia, including major ventures in energy and infrastructure. Egypt sees Indonesia not just as a partner, but as a regional hub, a gateway to the ASEAN market and a conduit for broader Afro-Asian collaboration.

READ: Over 1,500 Israeli armoured corps troops demand end to Gaza war, return of hostages

But economics alone don’t define this partnership. A key pillar of this Cairo visit was a joint call to address one of the most urgent and morally pressing issues of our time: the war in Gaza.

Both nations are aligned vocally in their support for Palestine. Prabowo, whose administration is bound constitutionally to uphold the end of colonialism in all its forms, made it clear that Indonesia sees the plight of the Palestinian people not just as a regional tragedy, but also as a universal injustice. Al-Sisi, leading a country that shares a border with Gaza and has played a crucial role in mediation efforts, echoed the urgency of halting Israeli aggression and beginning immediate reconstruction.

The joint statement from the summit rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians, condemned illegal Israeli settlements and reaffirmed commitment to a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. This alignment is more than rhetorical; it is strategic. As the United States continues to waver in its Middle East posture and China treads cautiously, Indonesia and Egypt see an opening to act, not as neutral observers, but as active proponents of peace grounded in regional legitimacy.

There is another dimension here that deserves attention: defence cooperation. While, traditionally, Indonesia has focused its military relationships on ASEAN allies and Western powers, its partnership with Egypt opens the door to a different kind of military diplomacy, one rooted in shared challenges and experiential learning. Egypt’s unique experience dealing with border tensions in Libya, Sudan and the occupied Palestinian territories offers valuable lessons for Indonesia as it recalibrates its security doctrines in a more unpredictable global landscape.

President Prabowo’s visit to the Egyptian Military Academy and his praise for the country’s training programmes were not just photo opportunities; they were symbolic gestures pointing toward future collaborations in defence education, joint training and possibly co-development of security technologies.

Cultural and educational exchange, too, are seeing renewed investment.

Egypt already hosts more than 15,000 Indonesian students, most notably at Al-Azhar University, a vital bridge in Islamic education and interfaith dialogue. The announcement that Egypt will expand its scholarship programme for Indonesians speaks to a soft power relationship that transcends politics; a commitment to building enduring people-to-people ties.

So why now? The answer lies in the shifting sands of geopolitics. As the world drifts toward a post-American and post-unipolar order, middle powers like Indonesia and Egypt are reasserting themselves, not as followers of global hegemons but as architects of their own regional futures.

For Indonesia, forging deeper ties with Cairo is not about choosing sides in the new Cold War between the US and China. It is about transcending that binary altogether; about carving a space where developing nations, through solidarity and strategic pragmatism, can assert agency on the world stage.

The strategic partnership between Indonesia and Egypt may not dominate global headlines. It could, though, offer a template for how nations of the Global South collaborate, not through dependency, but through dignity. And in a world sorely lacking in moral clarity, Jakarta and Cairo’s unified call for peace in Palestine may well be one of the few voices speaking with both principle and purpose.

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

Taylor Swift will be releasing not one but two projects around her record breaking Eras Tour.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is getting a behind-the-scenes docu-series that will give fans new insight into the “inner-workings that created the phenomenon”.

Last week marked the launch of the biggest album in history, Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl with more than four million equivalent album units earned in the US.

But the 14 Grammy-winning artist isn’t slowing down with two projects in the works that will provide a whole new look at her iconic The Eras Tour which came to an end last year.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, The End of an Era is described as an “illuminating docu-series” that will give an “intimate look at Taylor’s life as her tour made headlines and thrilled fans around the world ”.

Not only will the series provide fans with “never-before-seen” content, it will also spotlight performers, family members and friends, including Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Gracie Abrams.

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Disney+ has announced that it will up its annual subscription by 10% on September 30. Until then, shoppers can still lock into its £89.90 annual plan, which works out less than 30p a day.

Taylor Swift: The End of an Era episode release schedule

Taylor Swift’s upcoming The End of an Era docu-series is going to debut on Friday, December 12, on Disney+.

Unfortunately, all six episodes are not going to be available to watch on this release date with just the first two dropping on December 12.

From then, two episodes are going to be released each week until the penultimate and final instalments are dropped on Boxing Day, Friday, December 26.

Here’s a full rundown of when Disney+ subscribers can expect Taylor Swift’s The End of an Era to come out:

Episodes One and Two: Friday, December 12

Episodes Three and Four: Friday, December 19

Episodes Five and Six: Boxing Day, Friday, December 26

A teaser trailer for the documentary has been released with the award-winning artist telling fans: “The Eras Tour wasn’t when all the pieces fell into place.

“This tour was just when every single one of us who had done so much work, pushing inch by inch, to where we all clicked together.”

The End of an Era docu-series won’t be the only project that Swifties can get excited about either.

It has also been confirmed that The Eras Tour: The Final Show, which will be the full concert film, is also going to be available from December 12.

The last concert on the tour took place in Vancouver and features the entire set of The Tortured Poets Department which was added to the tour following the album’s release in 2024.

Taylor Swift: The End of an Era debuts on Friday, December 12, on Disney+.

Energy Fuels (UUUU 17.87%) stock, involved in mining both uranium and rare-earth metals, soared 18% through 10:35 a.m. ET Monday after China threatened to throttle rare-earth exports to the United States.

President Donald Trump reassured investors that China isn’t serious, and everything “will all be fine.” Not everyone seems 100% convinced, however, and shares of pretty much every stock having anything to do with rare-earth materials — Energy Fuels included — is rising on elevated risk to the supply chain.

Image source: Getty Images.

Bad news for US is good news for UUUU

London’s Financial Times reports that the U.S. Defense Department will build a $1 billion stockpile of critical minerals to ensure supply chain continuity for defense systems.

Jamie Dimon, CEO of investment bank JPMorgan Chase (JPM 2.36%), is adding fuel to the fire. He commented that it is “painfully clear that the United States has allowed itself to become too reliant on unreliable sources of critical minerals, products and manufacturing — all of which are essential for our national security,” and the JPM CEO says his bank plans to invest $10 billion, in loans and direct investments, over the next decade, to support several critical sectors: defense and aerospace, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, energy technology, and supply chain and advanced manufacturing.

Is Energy Fuels stock a buy?

Dimon’s prediction aligns well with news last week that Energy Fuels is raising $700 million in convertible debt. Even with $115 million in annual cash burn, Energy Fuels’ move last week gives the company six extra years to grow its rare-earth and uranium businesses and reach profitability.

Valued at more than 200 times next year’s earnings, Energy Fuels isn’t a buy just yet, but the picture is at least getting clearer.

Former L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner kicked off his campaign for mayor on Monday with a video launch that hits not just Mayor Karen Bass but President Trump and his immigration crackdown.

Beutner, a philanthropist and former investment banker, uses the four-minute campaign video to describe L.A. as a city that is “under attack” — a message punctuated by footage of U.S. Border Patrol agents.

“I’ll never accept the Trump administration’s assault on our values and our neighbors,” says Beutner, a Democrat, as he stands on a tree-lined residential street. “Targeting people solely based on the color of their skin is unacceptable and un-American.”

“I’ll counter these injustices and work to keep every person safe and build a better Los Angeles,” he adds.

The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Times about Beutner’s video.

The video opens by describing a major biking accident that upended Beutner’s life about 17 years ago, leading him to enter public service and “take a different path.” Not long after, he became Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s “jobs czar,” taking on the elevated title of first deputy mayor and striking business deals on the mayor’s behalf.

The video casts Beutner, 65, as a pragmatic problem solver, focusing on his nonprofit Vision to Learn, which provides eye exams and glasses to children in low-income communities. It also highlights his work shepherding L.A. Unified through the COVID-19 pandemic and working to pass Proposition 28, the 2022 measure supporting arts education in California public schools.

Beutner, on his video, also turns his aim at City Hall, high housing costs, rising parking meter rates and a big increase in trash pickup fees for homeowners and smaller apartment buildings. Calling L.A. a city that is “adrift,” Beutner criticized the mayor’s push to reduce homelessness — one of her signature initiatives.

“The city spent billions to solve problems that have just become bigger problems,” Beutner says.

Bass campaign spokesperson Douglas Herman pushed back on the criticism, saying the city needs to “move past divisive attacks.” He said violent crime is down across the city, with homicides falling to their lowest levels in 60 years.

“When Karen Bass ran for mayor, homelessness and public safety were the top concerns of Angelenos. And she has delivered in a big way,” he said in a statement. “Today, homelessness has decreased two consecutive years for the first time in Los Angeles. Thousands of people have been moved off our streets and into housing.”

“There’s more work ahead, but this administration has proven it can deliver,” Herman added. “Mayor Bass is committed to building on this historic momentum in her second term.”

Beutner’s video posted two days after he confirmed that he’s planning to run for mayor, leveling blistering criticism at the city’s preparation for, and response to, the Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.

Beutner’s criticism of Trump’s immigration crackdown in many ways echoes the messages delivered by Bass several months ago, when federal agents were seizing street vendors, day laborers and other workers in L.A.

In June, Bass said the Trump administration was waging an “all-out assault on Los Angeles,” with federal agents “randomly grabbing people” off the street, “chasing Angelenos through parking lots” and arresting immigrants who showed up at court for annual check-ins. Her approach to the issue helped her regain her political footing after she had faltered in the wake of the Palisades fire.

In early September, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, agreeing that immigration agents can stop and detain individuals they suspect may be in the U.S. illegally merely for speaking Spanish or having brown skin.

The high court ruling set aside a Los Angeles judge’s temporary restraining order that barred agents from stopping people based in part on their race or apparent ethnicity.

England defender Millie Bright has announced her retirement from international football.

The 32-year-old, who was part of England’s European Championship-winning team in 2022, made her senior debut in September 2016 and went on to win 88 caps.

“I’ve been weighing this up for a long time,” Chelsea captain Bright said on Monday’s ‘Rest is Football: Daly Brightness’ podcast.

“It’s one of those decisions no-one can make for you. It’s a feeling and I’m at peace with it.”

Bright missed out as England defended their Euros title in Switzerland in July after ruling herself out of the tournament because she would be unable to “give 100% mentally or physically”.

Over the summer she had successful knee surgery and started counselling sessions, while she said the decision to withdraw from Sarina Wiegman’s squad was “by far the best decision I have ever made”.

“Having the summer to reflect, fix my knee and get my head straight really put things into perspective. As you get older your priorities change. I’ve been craving family time, time with friends and time for myself,” Bright said.

Bright started every game as England won their first major women’s trophy at Euro 2022, and captained Wiegman’s side to the World Cup final a year later, which they lost to Spain.

“I’m incredibly proud and honoured to have played for England for so long. Every single cap has been special and the memories I’ve made – especially with this one sat opposite me – have been some of the best of my life,” Bright said on the podcast, which she co-hosts with her friend and former England team-mate Rachel Daly.

“But yeah, it’s time. It’s the right time for me to call it a day with England.”

Bright’s final game for the Lionesses was a 3-2 defeat by Belgium in April.

US President Donald Trump told Israel’s parliament that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had often asked him for weapons during the Gaza war, including “some I’d never heard of.” More than 67,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Blackpool Sands in South Devon has been named one of the UK’s best beaches for autumn visits, but many people are left disappointed by one particular feature

Blackpool Sands in South Devon is hailed as one of the UK’s most picturesque coastal jewels.

Unlike many of your typical British beaches, this sheltered bay in the southwest of England boasts lush greenery and rolling hills. Its crystal-clear waters and secluded location draw locals and tourists alike, particularly during the summer months.

It was recently crowned one of the UK’s top beaches for autumn visits by outdoor specialists at Millets. The study, which rated beaches based on factors such as average autumn temperatures, rainfall, daily sunshine, and Google review scores, ranked Blackpool Sands fifth in a top 10 list.

READ MORE: Beach island has glorious 27C October heat making it perfect for half termREAD MORE: The idyllic island with balmy 26C October heat that’s just hours from the UK

With an impressive overall score of 8.06 out of 10, it’s evident that the beach’s numerous facilities and breathtaking location resonate with visitors.

Natalie Wolfenden, a hiking enthusiast at Millets, emphasised that autumn is the “perfect time to enjoy long walks along the coast away from the summer crowds”. However, despite its beauty and high ratings, there’s one thing about the beach that leaves many visitors feeling let down.

For a beach named “Sands,” a significant number of visitors are caught off guard to find out that it is, in fact, made up of shingle, reports the Express.

This “misnomer,” as one reviewer put it, has led to a slew of complaints from unprepared beachgoers. On TripAdvisor, many have voiced their frustration, with one person writing: “Don’t be fooled by the name it’s not sandy just shingles. We drove a long way to visit here and was so disappointed, the shingles were so sharp you couldn’t walk barefoot.”

Another visitor remarked: “Nice beach but the name lies! This is NOT a sandy beach. Parking is easy, if not a little expensive (£9 for the day). Shingle is painful on bare feet and the sea goes deep quickly so not good for small children. But if you are prepared for this, it is a good day out.”

This view is shared by other beachgoers who described the pebbles as “unforgiving” or “harsh” underfoot. Yet the shingle becomes far less problematic during an autumn trip, when visitors are typically wearing robust walking boots.

The beach’s golden shingle and lush evergreen setting acquire an especially striking and wild character during the colder seasons, with the shoreline appearing “really stunning” in the words of one visitor.

It also serves as a perfect launching point for a ramble. The South West Coast Path lies alongside the beach, presenting a magnificent 3.2-mile circular route to the village of Strete.

The trail takes walkers high above the bay, delivering spectacular vistas of the coastline stretching towards Start Point with its lighthouse. For anyone willing to take the plunge, there is an unusual wooden beach sauna on offer for hire throughout the year.

Whilst the chilly water remains unavoidable, the sauna provides a delightful reward after swimming. A wooden boardwalk extends directly to the sea for sauna guests, reducing the barefoot shingle walk to a minor inconvenience for what proves to be a genuinely revitalising adventure.

Apart from the shingle, Blackpool Sands boasts a variety of amenities that explain its glowing reviews. Unlike many of Devon’s other renowned beaches, such as Hope Cove and Sunny Cove, Blackpool Sands offers ample parking and top-notch facilities.

The on-site cafe-restaurant and takeaway kiosk usually operate from 9am to 5pm daily, although their hours may be reduced during the chillier months.

For those in search of a tranquil and picturesque autumn getaway, Blackpool Sands guarantees a stunning experience – just remember to keep your expectations about the shore underfoot in check.

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China has accused the United States of “double standards” after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods in response to Beijing’s curbs on exports of rare earth minerals.

China says its export control measures announced last week were in response to the US restrictions on its entities and targeting of Beijing’s maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries.

Trump’s tariff threats, which come weeks ahead of the likely meeting between the US president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, have the potential to reignite a trade war months after Washington lowered the China tariffs from 125 to 30 percent.

The actions by the world’s two largest economies threaten to ignite a new trade war, adding further uncertainty to global trade. So what’s the recent history of US trade measures against China, and will the two countries be able to resolve their differences?

Why did China tighten export controls on rare earths?

On October 9, China expanded export controls to cover 12 out of 17 rare-earth metals and certain refining equipment, effective December 1, after accusing Washington of harming China’s interests and undermining “the atmosphere of bilateral economic and trade talks”.

China also placed restrictions on the export of specialist technological equipment used to refine rare-earth metals on Thursday.

Beijing justified its measures, accusing Washington of imposing a series of trade curbs on Chinese entities despite the two sides being engaged in trade talks, with the last one taking place in Madrid, Spain last month.

Foreign companies now need Beijing’s approval to export products containing Chinese rare earths, and must disclose their intended use. China said the heightened restrictions come as a result of national security interests.

China has a near monopoly over rare earths, critical for the manufacture of technology such as electric cars, smartphones, semiconductors and weapons.

The US is a major consumer of Chinese rare earths, which are crucial for the US defence industry.

At the end of this month, Trump and Xi are expected to meet in South Korea, and experts speculate that Beijing’s move was to gain bargaining advantage in trade negotiations with Washington.

China’s tightening of restrictions on rare earths is “pre-meeting choreography” before Trump’s meeting with Xi, Kristin Vekasi, the Mansfield chair of Japan and Indo-Pacific Affairs at the University of Montana, told Al Jazeera.

How did Trump respond?

On October 10, Trump announced the imposition of a 100 percent tariff on China, effective from November 1.

“Based on the fact that China has taken this unprecedented position … the United States of America will impose a Tariff of 100 percent on China, over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

He added that this would come into effect on November 1 or before that. Trump added that the US would also impose export controls on “any and all critical software”.

Earlier on October 10, Trump accused China of “trade hostility” and even said he might scrap his meeting with Xi. It is unclear at this point whether the meeting will take place.

“What the United States has is we have a lot of leverage, and my hope, and I know the president’s hope, is that we don’t have to use that leverage,” US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on Sunday.

How did China respond to that?

China deemed the US retaliation a “double standard”, according to remarks by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson on Sunday.

China said that Washington had “overstretched the concept of national security, abused export control measures” and “adopted discriminatory practices against China”.

“We are living in an era of deeper intertwining of security and economic policies. Both the US and China have expanded their conceptions of national security, encompassing a range of economic activities,” Manoj Kewalramani, chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at the Takshashila Institution in Bangalore, India, told Al Jazeera.

“Both have also weaponised economic interdependence with each other and third parties. There are, in other words, no saints in this game.”

Kewalramani said that China started expanding the idea of “national security” much earlier than others, especially with its “comprehensive national security concept” introduced in 2014.

Through this, China began to include many different areas, such as economics, technology, and society, under the term “national security”. This shows that China was ahead of other countries in broadening what counts as a national security issue.

China threatened additional measures if Trump went ahead with his pledge.

“Willful threats of high tariffs are not the right way to get along with China. China’s position on the trade war is consistent: we do not want it, but we are not afraid of it,” the Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

“Should the US persist in its course, China will resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” the statement said.

What trade measures has the US taken against China in recent history?

2025: Trump unleashes tariff war

A month after taking office for his second term, Trump signed an executive order imposing a 10 percent tariff on all imports from China, citing a trade deficit in favour of China. In this order, he also imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada. China levied countermeasures, imposing duties on US products in retaliation.

In March, the US president doubled the tariff on all Chinese products to 20 percent as of March 4. China imposed a 15 percent tariff on a range of US farm exports in retaliation; these took effect on March 10.

Trump announced his “reciprocal tariffs,” imposing a 34 percent tariff on Chinese products. China retaliated, also announcing a 34 percent tariff on US products. This was the first time China announced export controls on rare earths.

Hours after the reciprocal tariffs went into effect, Trump paused them for all his tariff targets except China. The US and China continued to hike tit-for-tat levies on each other.

Trump slapped 145 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting China to hit back with 125 percent tariffs. Washington and Beijing later cut tariffs to 30 percent and 10 percent, respectively, in May, then agreed to a 90-day truce in August for trade talks. The truce has been extended twice.

December 2024: The microchip controls are tightened

In December 2024, Trump’s predecessor, former US President Joe Biden, tightened controls on the sale of microchips first introduced on October 2022.

Under the new controls, 140 companies from China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore were added to a list of restricted entities. The US also banned more advanced chip-making equipment to certain countries. Even products manufactured abroad with US technology were restricted.

April 2024: Biden signs the TikTok ban

Biden signed a bill into law that would ban TikTok unless it was sold to a non-Chinese buyer within a year. The US government alleged that TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance was linked to the Chinese government, making the app a threat to national security.

ByteDance sued the US federal government over this bill in May 2024.

In September this year, Trump announced that a deal was finalised to find a new owner of TikTok.

October 2023: Biden introduces more restrictions on chips

In October 2023, Biden restricted US exports of advanced computer chips, especially those made by Nvidia, to China and other countries.

The goal of this measure was to limit China’s access to “advanced semiconductors that could fuel breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and sophisticated computers that are critical to [Chinese] military applications,” Gina Raimondo, who was secretary of the US Department of Commerce during the Biden administration, told reporters.

Prior to this, Biden signed an executive order in August 2023, creating a programme that limits US investments in certain high-tech areas, including semiconductors, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence, in countries deemed to be a security risk, like China.

October 2022: Biden restricts Chinese access to semiconductors

Biden restricted China’s access to US semiconductors in October 2022. The rules further expanded restrictions on chipmaking tools to include industries that support the semiconductor supply chain, blocking both access to American expertise and the essential components used in manufacturing the tools that produce microchips.

Semiconductors are used in the manufacturing of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The US government placed these restrictions back then to limit China’s ability to acquire the ability to produce semiconductors and advance in the technological race.

The restrictions made it compulsory for entities within China to apply for licences to acquire American semiconductors. Analysis by the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace described these licences as “hard to get” back then.

Recently, some US lawmakers are calling for even more restrictions, warning that China could quickly reverse-engineer advanced semiconductor technologies on its own, outpace the US in the sector, and gain a military edge.

May 2020: Trump cracks down on Huawei

In May 2020, the US Bureau of Industry and Security intensified rules to stop Huawei, the Chinese tech giant, from using American technology and software to design and make semiconductors in other countries.

The new rules said that semiconductors are designed for Huawei using US technology or equipment, anywhere in the world, would need US government approval before being sent to Huawei.

May 2019: Trump bans Huawei

Trump signed an executive order blocking Chinese telecommunications companies like Huawei from selling equipment in the US. The Shenzhen-based Huawei is the world’s largest provider of 5G networks, according to analysis by the New York City-based think tank the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

Under this order, Huawei and 114 related entities were added to a list that requires US companies to get special permission (a licence) before selling certain technologies to them.

The rationale behind this order was the allegation that Huawei threatened US national security, had stolen intellectual property and could commit cyber espionage. Some US lawmakers alleged that the Chinese government was using Huawei to spy on Americans. The US did not publicise any evidence to back these allegations.

Other Western countries had also cooperated with the US.

March 2018: Trump imposes tariffs on China

During his first administration, Trump imposed sweeping 25 percent tariffs on Chinese goods worth as much as $60bn. In June of 2018, Trump announced more tariffs.

China retaliated by imposing tariffs on US products. Beijing deemed Trump’s trade policies “trade bullyism practices”, according to an official white paper, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

In September 2018, Trump issued another round of 10 percent tariffs on Chinese products, which were hiked to 25 percent in May 2019.

During the Obama administration (2009-2017)

In 2011, during US President Barack Obama’s tenure, the US-China trade deficit reached an all-time high of $295.5bn, up from $273.1bn in the previous year.

In March 2012, the US, European Union, and Japan formally complained to China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) about China’s limits on selling rare earth metals to other countries. This move was deemed “rash and unfair” by China.

In its ruling, the world trade body said China’s export restraints were breaching the WTO rules.

In 2014, the US indicted five Chinese nationals with alleged ties to China’s People’s Liberation Army. They were charged with stealing trade technology from American companies.

What’s next for the US-China trade war?

Trump and Xi are expected to meet in South Korea on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which is set to begin on October 31.

But the latest trade dispute has clouded the Xi-Trump meeting.

On Sunday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, downplaying the threat: “Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesn’t want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!”

In an interview with Fox Business Network on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “President Trump said that the tariffs would not go into effect until November 1. He will be meeting with [Communist] Party Chair Xi in [South] Korea. I believe that meeting will still be on.”

When it comes to which of the two players is more affected by the trade war, Kewalramani said that he thinks “what matters is who is willing to bear greater pain, endure greater cost”.

“This is the crucial question. I would wager that Beijing is probably better placed because Washington has alienated allies and partners with its policies since January. But then, China’s growing export controls are not simply aimed at the US. They impact every country. So Beijing has not also endeared itself to anyone,” Kewalramani said, pointing out how Trump’s tariffs and China’s rare earth restrictions target multiple countries.

“The ones affected the most are countries caught in the midst of great power competition.”

On Sunday, US VP Vance told Fox News about China: “If they respond in a highly aggressive manner, I guarantee you, the president of the United States has far more cards than the People’s Republic of China.”

Kewalramani said that so far, Beijing has been more organised, prepared and strategic than the US in its policies.

“That said, it has overreached with the latest round of export controls. US policy, meanwhile, has lacked strategic coherence. The US still is the dominant global power and has several cards to play. What matters, however, is whether it can get its house in order.”

A Place in the Sun host Laura Hamilton has been at the helm of the Channel 4 programme for more than a decade and has visited some breathtaking locations over the years

Laura Hamilton has looked back on her 13-year stint presenting A Place in the Sun and revealed her three top destinations. It’s fair to say that Laura, having hosted the sun-soaked Channel 4 property-hunting show for over a decade, has clocked up some serious air miles.

You would also expect that, after more than ten years of globetrotting, picking a favourite spot would prove tricky. But thankfully, for curious fans, Laura has whittled it down to just three choices.

During a recent chat where Laura discussed the programme’s enduring popularity, she was quizzed about her most cherished locations.

She told Woman magazine how the first holds special family significance.

South Africa

“I loved filming in South Africa,” Laura revealed. “My dad was born there. It was great to get to see that.” South Africa, perched at the southern tip of the African continent, boasts one of Africa’s largest and most developed economies.

The nation has 12 official languages, encompassing Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, and IsiNdebele. It’s also renowned as a wildlife paradise, home to everything from lions and elephants to vervet monkeys and baboons.

Meanwhile, along the coastline, adventurous tourists might even glimpse great white sharks and dolphins.

Morzine, France

Laura’s second choice was considerably nearer to home. She revealed: “I also loved filming in Morzine, in the mountains of France. I’m a big skier and it was great to see it in the summer months.

Morzine is an alpine village nestled within the Chablais mountain range, positioned between the towering 4,800-metre Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva. This bustling ski resort boasts a rich history spanning more than 1,000 years.

In earlier centuries, monks and miners made Morzine their home. However, by the 1800s, with advancing technology, the area became renowned for its slate mining operations, an industry that brought wealth to the town.

Granada, Spain

Lastly, Laura selected Spain’s stunning city of Granada and its encompassing mountain range. She went on: “Granada, Sierra Nevada, was amazing. Being on the beach in the morning and the slopes in the afternoon – that’s amazing. There are places I’ve seen that I would probably not have got to go to.”

Sierra Nevada describes a mountain range in Spain, located in the Andalusian province of Granada. It’s reportedly also the location of Europe’s most southerly ski resort, providing spectacular views across the Mediterranean.

This comes after reports revealed how Laura admitted to occasionally feeling exasperated by some “crazy” buyers on the programme. Speaking in the same interview, she was questioned whether people ever participate in the show simply to secure a free trip.

She dismissed this idea, explaining how it’s a “week’s work” and a massive decision for those taking part. Nevertheless, she also described how she has presented properties to people and thought “you’re crazy” when they choose not to purchase them.

THE World Darts Championship will return for another year of thrilling action in December!

Luke Littler is back at Ally Pally to defend his World Darts Championship title – and tickets are flying off the shelf!

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2

World Darts Championship 2025 tickets and prices

StubHub are offering tickets for sale for every session of the tournament, at the time of writing.

The cheapest tickets available are currently priced at £145 per person for the evening session on Thursday, December 18.

There are tickets on the site available at a range of prices.

Tickets for the final, for example, are priced from £380 at the time of writing – these are for seats on the outskirts rather than a table in the middle.

The cheapest table seats for the final start at £940 each.

For those looking for hospitality tickets, Seat Unique is offering packages – although is asking for those interested to register their interest.

There is no pricing available at the time of writing, with details expected soon.

Are tickets for the World Darts Championship still on sale?

Yes, tickets are available, but fans will have to buy from secondary ticketing sites.

PDCTV annual members were able to have first dibs at tickets during a pre-sale.

That took place on August 4 and August 5, 2025.

There was then the chance for others to put their name into a free-to-enter ticket ballot.

Registrations for the ballot opened on August 6 and then closed on August 15.

Tickets are now available on third-party ticketing sites, although the PDC have previously warned fans about purchasing tickets this way.

VODAFONE has gone down with customers struggling with data and internet access.

More than 135,000 users have flagged the issue on Downdetector, which monitors the status of online services and reports outages in real time.

You can follow our blog, below, for all the latest updates …

Hi and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and I can picture Vin Scully and Bob Uecker sitting on a cloud, watching this series.

—First, the bad news: In the NLCS, the Dodgers will be facing the team with the best record in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers. And the Brewers went 6-0 against the Dodgers this season, outscoring them 31-16.

—The good news: None of that means anything in the postseason.

—This is the seventh time a team has swept an opponent in the regular season and met that same team in the postseason. A look:

2015 NLCS: Chicago swept the Mets in the season, 7-0. Mets swept the Cubs in the NLCS, 4-0.

2014 World Series: Kansas City swept San Francisco in the season, 3-0. Giants beat the Royals in the World Series, 4-3.

2009 ALDS: Yankees swept Minnesota in the season, 7-0. Yankees swept the Twins in the ALDS, 3-0.

2007 ALDS: Yankees swept Cleveland in the season, 6-0. Indians beat the Yankees in the ALDS, 3-1.

2006 World Series: Detroit swept St. Louis during the season, 3-0. Cardinals beat the Tigers in the World Series, 4-1.

2003 ALDS: Yankees swept Minnesota during the season, 7-0. Yankees beat the Twins in the ALDS, 3-1.

—Who will be on the NLCS roster? We should find out a few hours before game time today. With it being a seven-game series, I would expect fewer position players and more pitchers, but which relievers make the team?

—The Dodgers will start Blake Snell in Game 1 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 against the Brewers, who have not announced a Game 1 starter, but their ace, Freddy Peralta, will start Game 2.

—The Dodgers need another reliever to step up in this series, as it seems unlikely that Roki Sasaki can pitch three innings every game. Will they keep Justin Wrobleski on the roster? Which right-handers will they add? Ben Casparius?

—The biggest question on offense: Can Shohei Ohtani start hitting again? He went one for 18 in the NLDS, with nine strikeouts.

—The Brewers used a ton of lefties against Ohtani. “There were at-bats that didn’t go the way I thought they would,” Ohtani said after the Game 4 victory. “The opposing pitchers didn’t make many mistakes. They pitched wonderfully, in a way that’s worthy for the postseason. There were a lot of games like that for both teams.”

—Dave Roberts’ take: “Hoping that he can do a little self-reflecting on that series, and how aggressive he was outside of the strike zone, passive in the zone. The at-bat quality needs to get better.”

—Not only Ohtani, but the Dodgers overall are much more successful when they remain patient and work the count. It also allows them to get to the other team’s bullpen quicker. Wearing out the other team’s bullpen will be key the longer the series goes.

—The ALCS features teams that joined the league in 1977: Seattle and Toronto. The Mariners are the only current MLB team to never play in the World Series.

—Once again, the Dodgers’ opponent will have home-field advantage.

—I could go on and on with thoughts and reflections, but it doesn’t mean much. The postseason is all new, and anything can happen. Just hang on and enjoy the ride.

Prediction: Dodgers in 6.

Let’s take a look at how the teams compare and where they ranked among the 30 teams:

Batting

Runs per game
Dodgers, 5.09 (2nd)
Brewers, 4.98 (3rd)
MLB average, 4.45

Batting average
Brewers, .258 (2nd)
Dodgers, .253 (5th)
MLB average, .245

On-base %
Brewers, .332 (2nd)
Dodgers, .327 (5th)
MLB average, .315

Slugging %
Dodgers, .441 (2nd)
MLB average, .404
Brewers, .403 (12th)

Doubles
Brewers, 265 (9th)
MLB average, 258
Dodgers, 257 (13th)

Triples
Dodgers, 21 (T12th)
MLB average, 21
Brewers, 18 (T19th)

Home runs
Dodgers, 244 (2nd)
MLB average, 188
Brewers, 166 (22nd)

Walks
Dodgers, 580 (2nd)
Brewers, 564 (4th)
MLB average, 513

Strikeouts
MLB average, 1,355
Dodgers, 1,353 (16th)
Brewers, 1,266 (26th)

Stolen bases
Brewers, 164 (2nd)
MLB average, 115
Dodgers, 88 (T21st)

Sacrifice bunts
Brewers, 26 (6th)
MLB average, 19
Dodgers, 13 (T20th)

Batting average with two out and runners in scoring position
Dodgers, .271 (1st)
Brewers, .265 (3rd)
MLB average, .233

As you can see, the Dodgers have more power, but the Brewers are more pesky on offense, getting more singles and stealing more bases. They stole two bases in the NLDS, the Dodgers haven’t tried to steal a base in the postseason.

Pitching

ERA
Brewers, 3.58 (2nd)
Dodgers, 3.95 (16th)
MLB average, 4.15

Team ERA after All-Star break
Dodgers, 3.45 (2nd)
Brewers, 3.49 (3rd)
MLB average, 4.28

Rotation ERA
Brewers, 3.56 (3rd)
Dodgers, 3.69 (5th)
MLB average, 4.21

Bullpen ERA
MLB average, 4.08
Brewers, 3.63 (7th)
Dodgers, 4.27 (21st)

FIP (click here for explainer)
Brewers, 3.91 (6th)
Dodgers, 3.93 (7th)
MLB average, 4.16

Walks
Dodgers, 563 (5th)
Brewers, 534 (10th)
MLB average, 513

Strikeouts
Dodgers, 1,505 (1st)
Brewers, 1,432 (5th)
MLB average, 1,355

Saves
Dodgers, 46 (5th)
Brewers, 45 (T6th)
MLB average, 40

Blown saves
Dodgers, 27 (T7th)
MLB average, 24
Brewers, 21 (T21st)

Inherited runners who scored %
Dodgers, 26.1% (3rd)
Brewers, 31.7% (13th)
MLB average, 31.8%

Relief innings
Dodgers, 657.2 (1st)
MLB average, 595
Brewers, 634.2 (4th)

Relief wins
Dodgers, 44 (T1st)
Brewers, 37 (T6th)
MLB average, 33

Relief losses
Dodgers, 33 (T7th)
MLB average, 29
Brewers, 25 (T21st)

The players

When comparing the main players on the teams, keep in mind that players can move around depending on who is starting and managerial whim. For a full look at the Brewers statistically, click here.

DH
Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani. .282/.392/.622, 25 doubles, 55 homers, 102 RBIs
Brewers, Christian Yelich, .264/.343/.452, 21 doubles, 29 homers, 103 RBIs

Catcher
Dodgers, Will Smith, .296/.404/.497, 20 doubles, 17 homers, 61 RBIs
Dodgers, Ben Rortvedt, .224/.309/.327, 2 doubles, 1 homer, 4 RBIs
Brewers, William Contreras, .260/.355/.399, 28 doubles, 17 homers, 76 RBIs
Brewers, Danny Jansen, .254/.346/.433, 3 doubles, 3 homers, 17 RBIs

First base
Dodgers, Freddie Freeman, .295/.367/.502, 39 doubles, 24 homers, 90 RBIs
Brewers, Andrew Vaughn, .308/.375/.493, 14 doubles, 9 homers, 46 RBIs

Rhys Hoskins was the Brewers’ starting first baseman when the season begam, but he was injured and sidelined for a couple of months. When he came back, Vaughn had won the job.

Second base
Dodgers, Miguel Rojas, .262/.318/.397, 18 doubles, 7 homers, 27 RBIs
Dodgers, Tommy Edman, .225/.274/.382, 13 doubles, 13 homers, 49 RBIs
Brewers, Brice Turang, .288/.359/.435, 28 doubles, 18 homers, 81 RBIs

Third base
Dodgers, Max Muncy, .243/.376/.470, 10 doubles, 19 homers, 67 RBIs
Brewers, Caleb Durbin, .256/.334/.387, 25 doubles, 11 homers, 53 RBIs

Shortstop
Dodgers, Mookie Betts, .258/.326/.406, 23 doubles, 20 homers, 82 RBIs
Brewers, Joey Ortiz, .230/.276/.317, 18 doubles, 7 homers, 45 RBIs

Left field
Dodgers, Kiké Hernández, .203/.255/.366, 8 doubles, 10 homers, 35 RBIs
Brewers, Jackson Chourio, .270/.308/.463, 35 doubles, 21 homers, 78 RBIs

Center field
Dodgers, Andy Pages, .272/.313/.461, 27 doubles, 27 homers, 86 RBIs
Brewers, Blake Perkins, .226/.298/.348, 6 doubles, 3 homers, 19 RBIs

Right field
Dodgers, Teoscar Hernández, .247/.284/.454, 29 doubles, 25 homers, 89 RBIs
Brewers, Sal Frelick, .288/.351/.405, 20 doubles, 12 homers, 63 RBIs

Of the Brewers listed, Yelich, Turang and Frelick bat left-handed. Perkins is a switch-hitter.

Starting pitchers

Dodgers
*Blake Snell, 5-4, 2.35 ERA, 61.1 IP, 51 hits, 26 walks, 72 K’s
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 12-8, 2.49 ERA, 173.2 IP, 113 hits, 59 walks, 201 K’s
Shohei Ohtani, 1-1, 2.87 ERA, 47 IP, 40 hits, 9 walks, 62 K’s
Tyler Glasnow, 4-3, 3.19 ERA, 90.1 IP, 56 hits, 43 walks, 106 K’s

Brewers
Freddy Peralta, 17-6, 2.70 ERA, 176.2 IP, 124 hits, 66 walks, 204 K’s
Quinn Priester, 13-3, 3.32 ERA, 157.1 IP, 145 hits, 50 walks, 132 K’s
Jacob Misiorowski, 5-3, 4.36 ERA, 66 IP, 51 hits, 31 walks, 87 K’s
*Jose Quintana, 11-7, 3.96 ERA, 131.2 IP, 120 hits, 50 walks, 89 K’s

The main relievers

Dodgers
*Alex Vesia, 4-2, 3.02 ERA, 5 saves, 59.2 IP, 37 hits, 22 walks, 80 K’s
Emmet Sheehan, 6-3, 2.82 ERA, 73.1 IP, 49 hits, 22 walks, 89 K’s
Blake Treinen, 2-7. 5.40 ERA, 26.2 IP, 30 hits, 19 walks, 36 K’s
Roki Sasaki, 1-1, 4.46 ERA, 36.1 IP, 30 hits, 22 walks, 28 K’s

Brewers
Trevor Megill, 6-3, 2.49 ERA, 30 saves, 47 IP, 36 hits, 17 walks, 60 K’s
*Aaron Ashby, 5-2, 2.16 ERA, 3 saves, 66.2 IP, 54 hits, 24 walks, 76 K’s
Abner Uribe, 3-2, 1.67 ERA, 7 saves, 75.1 IP, 51 hits, 27 walks, 90 K’s
*Jared Koenig, 6-1, 2.86 ERA, 2 saves, 66 IP, 57 hits, 20 walks, 68 K’s
Nick Mears, 5-3, 3.49 ERA, 56.2 IP, 42 hits, 13 walks, 46 K’s

The Brewers used Megill and Ashby as openers in the NLDS against the Cubs, including using Megill, their closer, as the opener in the decisive Game 5. He pitched a perfect inning, then gave way to Misiorowski, who pitched four innings, giving up one run. So the Brewers are not afraid to think outside the box as far as their pitching staff is concerned.

*-left-handed

Poll results

Which team would you rather have the Dodgers face in the NLCS? After 10,236 votes, the results:

Cubs, 89.3%
Brewers, 10.7%

Poll time

What will be the outcome of the NLCS?

Click here to vote in our survey.

Up next

Monday: Dodgers (Blake Snell, 5-4, 2.35 ERA) at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

Tuesday: Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 12-8, 2.49 ERA) at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

Thursday: Milwaukee at Dodgers, 3 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

Friday: Milwaukee at Dodgers, 5:30 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

x-Saturday: Milwaukee at Dodgers, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

x-Monday, Oct. 20: Dodgers at Milwaukee, 2 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

x-Tuesday, Oct. 21: Dodgers at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

x-if necessary

In case you missed it

How Roki Sasaki’s transformation from injured starter to closer saved the Dodgers’ season

Nine concerns the Dodgers should have about facing the Brewers in the NLCS

Can Shohei Ohtani find it at the plate for NLCS? ‘At-bat quality needs to get better’

Shaikin: Are these the real Dodgers? Why a ‘whole other level’ could emerge in the NLCS

Hernández: Roki Sasaki’s playoff dominance shows why he’s the Dodgers’ future staff ace

And finally

Highlights from the 2024 Dodgers-Mets NLCS. Watch and listen here.

Until next time…

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Last week, a ceasefire was announced after two years of genocide in Gaza. The bombs have stopped falling, but the devastation remains. The majority of homes, schools, hospitals, universities, factories, and commercial buildings have been reduced to rubble. From above, Gaza looks like a grey desert of rubble, its vibrant urban spaces reduced to ghost towns, its lush agricultural land and greenery wiped out.

The occupier’s aim was not only to render the Palestinians of Gaza homeless but also unable to provide for themselves. Uprooting the dispossessed and impoverished, those who have lost their connection to the land, is of course much easier.

This was the goal when Israeli tanks and bulldozers entered my family’s plot of land in the eastern part of Maghazi refugee camp and uprooted 55 olive trees, 10 palms and five fig trees.

This plot of land was offered to my refugee grandfather, Ali Alsaloul, by its original owner as a place to shelter in during the Nakba of 1948. Ali, his wife, Ghalia, and their children had just fled their village, al-Maghar, as Zionist forces advanced on it. Al-Maghar, like Gaza today, was reduced to rubble; the Zionists who perpetrated the crime completed the erasure by establishing a national park on its ruins – “Mrar Hills National Park”.

Ali was a farmer and so were his ancestors; his livelihood had always come from the land. So when he settled in the new location, he was quick to plant it with olive trees, palms, figs and prickly pears. He built his house there and raised my father, uncles and aunts. My grandfather eventually bought the land from its generous owner, by paying in installments over many years. Thus, my family came into the possession of 2,000 square metres (half an acre) of land.

Although my father and his siblings married and moved out of their family home, this plot of land remained a favourite place to go, especially for me.

It was just two kilometres away from our house in Maghazi refugee camp. I enjoyed doing the 30-minute walk, part of which went through a complete “jungle”: a stretch of green populated with clover, sycamore, jujube and olive trees, colourful birds, foxes, leashed and unleashed dogs and many beehives.

Every autumn, in October, when the olive picking season began, my cousins, friends and I would gather to collect the olives. It was an occasion that brought us closer together. We would get the olives pressed and get 500 litres (130 gallons) of olive oil from the harvest. The figs and dates were made into jams to have for breakfast or for suhoor during Ramadan.

The rest of the year, I would often meet my friends Ibrahim and Mohammed between the olive trees. We would light a small fire and make a kettle of tea to enjoy under the moonlight, while we talked.

When the war started in 2023, our land became a dangerous place to go. The farms and olive groves around it were often bombed. Our plot was also hit twice at the beginning of the war. As a result, we could not harvest the olives in 2023 and then again in 2024.

When the famine took hold of Gaza in the summer, we started sneaking into the plot to get some fruit and some firewood for cooking, since a kilo of that cost $2. We knew that Israeli tanks might storm in at any moment, but we took the risk anyway.

Seven families – we, friends and neighbours – benefited from the fruit and wood of that land.

One day in late August, a friend of mine called me with a terrible rumour he had heard: the Israeli tanks and bulldozers had advanced into the eastern part of Maghazi and levelled it all, uprooting trees and burying them. I gasped; our lifeline was gone.

Days later, the rumour was confirmed. The Israeli army had uprooted more than 600 trees in the area, mostly olive trees. Those who had fled from the area shared what they had seen. What was once a lush green stretch of land had been bulldozed into a yellow, lifeless desert.

Earlier in August, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported that 98.5 percent of Gaza’s agricultural land had been damaged or made inaccessible. I guess the destruction of our plot shrank that 1.5 percent remaining land even further.

As Israel was completing the erasure of Palestinian agricultural land, it started allowing commercial but not aid trucks into Gaza. The markets were flooded with products with packaging covered in Hebrew.

Israel was starving us, destroying our ability to grow our own food, and then making us buy their products at exorbitant prices.

Ninety percent of people in Gaza are unemployed and can’t afford to buy an Israeli egg for $5 or a kilo of dates for $13. It was yet another genocidal strategy that forced the two million starving Palestinians in Gaza to choose between two horrible options: dying from hunger or paying to support the Israeli economy.

Now, aid is finally supposed to start coming into Gaza under the ceasefire agreement. This may be a relief to many starving Palestinians, but it is not a solution. Israel has rendered us fully dependent on aid, and it is the sole power that determines if, when and how much of it enters Gaza. Per the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, 100 percent of Palestinians in Gaza experience some level of food insecurity.

Much of Gaza’s agricultural land remains out of reach, as Israel has withdrawn from just a part of the Gaza Strip. My family will have to wait for the implementation of the third phase of the ceasefire deal – if Israel agrees to implement it at all – to see the Israeli army withdraw to the buffer zone and regain access our land.

We have now lost our land twice. Once in 1948 and now again in 2025. Israel wants to repeat history and dispossess us again. It must not be allowed to convert more Palestinian land into buffer zones and national parks.

Getting back our land, rehabilitating and planting it is crucial not just for our survival, but also for maintaining our connection to the land. We must resist uprooting.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Renewed fighting between rival leaders forces mass exodus across South Sudan’s borders as fears of wider war rise.

About 300,000 people have fled South Sudan so far in 2025 as armed conflict between rival leaders threatens civil war, the United Nations warns.

The mass displacement was reported on Monday by the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan. The report cautioned that the conflict between President Salva Kiir and suspended First Vice President Riek Machar risks a return to full-scale war.

The commission’s report called for an urgent regional intervention to prevent the country from sliding towards such a tragic event.

South Sudan has been beset by political instability and ethnic violence since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

The country plunged into civil war in 2013 when Kiir dismissed Machar as vice president. The pair agreed a ceasefire in 2017, but their fragile power-sharing agreement has been unravelling for months and was suspended last month amid outbreaks of violence among forces loyal to each.

Machar was placed under house arrest in March after fighting between the military and an ethnic Nuer militia in the northeastern town of Nasir killed dozens of people and displaced more than 80,000.

He was charged with treason, murder and crimes against humanity in September although his lawyer argued the court lacked jurisdiction. Kiir suspended Machar from his position in early October.

Machar rejects the charges with his spokesman calling them a “political witch-hunt”.

Renewed clashes in South Sudan have driven almost 150,000 people to Sudan, where a civil war has raged for two years, and a similar number into neighbouring Uganda, Ethiopia and as far as Kenya.

More than 2.5 million South Sudanese refugees now live in neighbouring countries while two million remain internally displaced.

The commission linked the current crisis to corruption and lack of accountability among South Sudan’s leaders.

“The ongoing political crisis, increasing fighting and unchecked, systemic corruption are all symptoms of the failure of leadership,” Commissioner Barney Afako said.

“The crisis is the result of deliberate choices made by its leaders to put their interests above those of their people,” Commission Chairwoman Yasmin Sooka said.

A UN report in September detailed significant corruption, alleging that $1.7bn from an oil-for-roads programme remains unaccounted for while three-quarters of the country faces severe food shortages.

Commissioner Barney Afako warned that without immediate regional engagement, South Sudan risks catastrophic consequences.

“South Sudanese are looking to the African Union and the region to rescue them from a preventable fate,” he said.

To live in Los Angeles is to be a seeker. There are those who come to the city in search of the limelight and affluence. There are others who crave temperate weather and long for accessible beaches. The list goes on. Some of these desires are easily satisfied, while others are left unfulfilled or forgotten. But for those born and raised in this atypical metropolis, like Shirley Kurata, the search is never-ending.

The costume designer tells me the key to loving this city is to never stop venturing around. We sit in the shaded back patio of Virgil Normal, a 21st century lifestyle shop she owns with her husband, Charlie Staunton. She wears a vibrant pink getup — a vintage top and Issey Miyake pants — complete with small pleats and optimal for the unavoidable August heat wave. Her signature pair of black circular glasses sits perfectly on the bridge of her nose. It’s a style of eyewear she owns in several colors.

“I always tell people, L.A. is like going to a flea market. There’s some digging to do, but you’ll definitely find some gems,” says the stylist and costume designer, as she’s regularly on the lookout for up-and-coming creative hubs and eye-catching storefronts. “It won’t be handed to you. You have to dig.”

In one way or another, “digging” has marked Kurata’s creative livelihood. Whether she’s conjuring wardrobes for the big screen, like in the Oscar-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” or styling musicians like Billie Eilish, Florence and the Machine and ASAP Rocky for photo shoots and music videos, the hunt for the perfect look keeps her on her toes.

Over the summer, Kurata spent a lot of time inside the Costco-size Western Costume Co., pulling looks for Vogue World, the magazine’s annual traveling runway extravaganza. This year, the fashion spectacle is centered around Hollywood and will take place at Paramount Pictures Studios in late October. She is one of the eight costume designers asked to present at the event — others include Colleen Atwood of “Edward Scissorhands,” Ruth E. Carter of “Black Panther” and Arianne Phillips of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Kurata will be styling background performers and taking inspiration from the invited costume designers.

Shirley wears vintage hat, Meals Clothing top, shirt and dress, We Love Colors tights, Opening Ceremony x Robert Clergerie shoes and l.a. Eyeworks sunglasses.

“[Vogue] wanted someone that is a stylist and costume designer who has worked both in fashion and film. Because a lot of costume designers work primarily in TV and film, they don’t do the fashion styling for editorial shoots,” says Kurata. “I’m coming on and working with what other costume designers have done.”

Since her start in the business, Kurata has gained acclaim for her ability to infuse daring prints and vibrant color into the narrative worlds she deals with. Her maximalist sense of experimentation took center stage in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and earned her an Academy Award nomination for costume design. From a bejeweled Elvis jumpsuit to a look made entirely of neon green tassels meant to resemble an amoeba, her vision was avant-garde, playful and undeniably multidimensional.

When Kurata isn’t on set or in the troves of a costume house, she’s likely tending to Virgil Normal. Housed in a former moped shop, the Virgil Village store offers a selection of novelty items and streetwear treasures, curated by both Kurata and Staunton. Though Staunton jokes that he’s constantly seeking her approval when sourcing inventory: “If it’s not cool enough for her, it doesn’t come in.”

The couple first met at the Rose Bowl Flea Market through mutual friends. At first sight, Staunton recalls being enthralled by her perpetually “cool” demeanor. Early in their relationship, he even floated the idea of starting a clothing line together, just to “knock off her closet.”

Shirley wears Leeann Huang t-shirt, skirt and shoes, We Love Colors tights and l.a. Eyeworks glasses here and in photos below.

“She’s like a peacock. It’s not like she’s trying to get attention. But she has her own vision and doesn’t really care what’s going on. She knows what’s cool,” says Staunton, who cites Kurata as the biggest “inspiration” for the store.

Inside the quaint red brick building, blue L.A. hats are embroidered to read “Larry David,” acrylic shelves are packed with Snoopy figurines (for display only), trays of l.a. Eyeworks frames fill the tables and each clothing tag is a different elaborate doodle illustrated by Staunton. He adds that everything in the store is meant to have a “rabbit hole” effect, where shoppers can give in to their curiosities.

“We wanted a place where like-minded people could come here and have it be a space to hang out. They don’t have to buy anything,” says Kurata. The attached patio is complete with a mural of a man floating in space, pipe in hand, and the coolers are still filled with chilled beers and sparkling waters from their most recent get-together. She tells me about how many times they’ve allowed musicians and artists to transform this peaceful outdoor space into a lively venue.

“Having that connection with a community of creatives in the city is essential. Having that sort of human interaction is really good for your soul, and for your creativity,” she shares. “Having this store has been one of the most fulfilling things that I’ve done, and it’s not like we’re not making a ton of money off it.”

From the cactus out front, which Kurata and Staunton planted themselves, to grabbing lunch at the taqueria down the street, she explains cultivating a space like this and being an active part of the neighborhood has made her into a more “enriched person.” Kurata, who is of Japanese descent, brings up the lesser known history of East Hollywood. In the early 1900s, the neighborhood, then called J-Flats, was where a sizable group of Japanese immigrants settled. It was once a bustling community with Japanese boarding houses that offered affordable rent and home-cooked meals. Today, only one of these properties is operating.

“Having that connection with a community of creatives in the city is essential. Having that sort of human interaction is really good for your soul, and for your creativity,”

For Kurata, being a part of this legacy means trimming the nearby overgrown vegetation to keep the sidewalks clear and running over to the locally owned convenience store when Virgil Normal needs supplies, instead of immediately turning to Amazon. She pours everything she learned from being raised in this city back into the store, and in turn, its surroundings.

Kurata was born and raised in Monterey Park, a region in the San Gabriel Valley with a primarily Asian population. The neighborhood is a small, homey stretch of land, known for its dining culture, hilly roads and suburban feeling (but not-so-suburban location). These days, she’ll often find herself in the area, as her mother and sister still live there. Together, they enjoy many of the surrounding dim sum-style restaurants.

Even from a young age, she was encouraged to treat the entire city as her stomping grounds. She attended elementary school in the Arts District, which she describes as quieter and “more industrial than it is today.” She also spent a lot of her childhood in Little Tokyo, shopping for Japanese magazines (where she found a lot of her early inspiration), playing in the arcade and grocery shopping with her family.

Shirley wears Leeann Huang lenticular dress and shoes, Mary Quant tights and l.a. Eyeworks sunglasses.

For high school, she decided to branch out even further, making the trek to an all-girls Catholic school in La Cañada Flintridge. “It was the first time where I felt like an outsider,” Kurata says, as she had only previously attended predominantly Asian schools. She laughs a little about being one of the rare “Japanese Catholics.”

“When you’re raised in something, you go along with it because your parents tell you, and it’s part of your education,” Kurata says. Her religious upbringing began to reach a point where she wasn’t connecting with it anymore. “Having that sort of awakening is good for you. I was able to look at myself, early in life, and realize that I don’t think this is for me.”

Her senior year, she discovered vintage stores. (She always knew that she had an affinity for clothing of the past, as she gravitated toward hand-me-down Barbies from the ’60s.) Her coming-of-age style consisted of layering skirts with other oversize pieces — and everything was baggy, “because it was the ’80s.” With this ignited passion for vintage and thrifting, Kurata began to mix items spanning across decades into one look.

“All the colors, the prints, the variety. It just seemed more fun. I would mix a ’60s dress with a jacket from the ’70s and maybe something from the ’40s,” says Kurata. It’s a practice that has remained a major part of her creative Rolodex.

Her lifelong interest in fashion led her to get a summer job at American Rag Cie on La Brea Avenue. At the time, the high-end store primarily sold a mix of well-curated timeless pieces, sourced from all over the world. It was the first time she encountered the full range of L.A.’s fashion scene. She worked alongside Christophe Loiron of Mister Freedom and other “rockabilly and edgier, slightly goth” kinds of people.

“Living abroad is such an important way of broadening your mind, being exposed to other cultures and even learning another language. It helps you grow as a person. It’s the best thing I ever did.”

“Time moved really slowly in that place. But just the creativity that I was around, from both the people who worked there and shopped there, was great exposure,” says Kurata, who recalls seeing faces like Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp browsing the selection and Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington trying on jeans.

Kurata continued her L.A. expedition to Cal State Long Beach, where she began her art degree. It wasn’t long before Studio Berçot, a now-closed fashion school in Paris known for its avant-garde curriculum, started calling her name.

“Living abroad is such an important way of broadening your mind, being exposed to other cultures and even learning another language. It helps you grow as a person,” says Kurata. “It’s the best thing I ever did.”

Her Parisian studies lasted around three years and it was the closest she had ever gotten to high fashion. Sometimes, she would be able to see runway shows by selling magazines inside the venue or volunteering to work backstage. Other times, she relied on well-intentioned shenanigans. She used to pass around and reuse an invitation within her group of friends. She once snuck in through a large, unattended hole in a fence. In one instance, she simply charged at the entrance when it began to rain. All things she did in the name of fashion.

“I would just do what I could to see as many shows as possible. All of the excitement is hard to explain. When I worked backstage, there’s this labor of love that’s put towards the show. It’s this contagious energy that you could feel when the models start coming,” says Kurata, who saw everything from Jean Paul Gaultier to John Galliano and Yves Saint Laurent. When she was backstage for a Vivienne Westwood show, she recollects seeing this “shorter model, and thinking, ‘Oh, she’s so tiny,’ and then realizing that it was Kate Moss who was still fairly new at that point.”

“We wanted a place where like-minded people could come here and have it be a space to hang out. Having this store has been one of the most fulfilling things that I’ve done.”

Staying in France was intriguing to a young Kurata, but the struggles of visas and paperwork deterred her. She instead returned to L.A., freshly inspired, and completed her bachelor’s degree in art (to her parents’ satisfaction). She didn’t plan to get into costume design, Kurata explains. But when it became clear that designing her own line would require moving to somewhere like New York or back to Europe, she realized, “Maybe fashion is not the world I want to get into; maybe it’s costumes.”

“I felt comfortable with that decision,” shares Kurata. “I do love film, so it was just a transition I made. It was still connected [to everything that I wanted to do].”

Without the aid of social media, she sent letters to costume designers, hoping to get mentored, and started working on low-budget jobs. She quickly fell in love with how much the job changed day-to-day. On occasion, there are 12-hour days that can be “miserable,” but her next job might be entirely different. One day she’s styling the seasonal campaigns for her longtime friends Kate and Laura Mulleavy, owners of Rodarte, and the next she could be styling for the cover of W Magazine, where a larger-than-life Jennifer Coolidge stomps through a miniature city in a neon polka-dot coat.

Whenever Kurata takes on a project, Staunton says she “just doesn’t stop.” Sometimes, he’ll wake up at 3 in the morning and she’s emailing people in Europe, attempting to hunt down a rare vintage piece. Her passion is the kind that simultaneously consumes and fuels her.

“There’s a lot of times [with her work] where I’m like, ‘That’s just straight out of Shirley’s closet.’ It’s not like she has to compromise. It’s something she would wear herself. She doesn’t have to follow trends,” explains Staunton. “People seek her out, because she has such a unique vision.”

“I always tell people, L.A. is like going to a flea market. There’s some digging to do, but you’ll definitely find some gems.”

Kurata thinks of herself as “someone who gets bored easily.” It’s a quality that’s reflected in her eclectic style, busy travel schedule, Virgil Normal’s constantly changing selection and even the common feeling she gets when she’s sick of all of her clothes. It’s a good thing being bored and being in Los Angeles don’t go hand in hand.

I ask Kurata a somewhat daunting question for a born-and-bred Angeleno.

“Do you think you could ever see yourself calling another place home?”

She lets out a deep sigh and tells me it’s not something she’s closed off to. Though, she takes a moment to reflect on how everyone came together to provide support during the Palisades and Eaton fires earlier this year. Or how good it feels when they have events at Virgil Normal, to be surrounded by a diverse group of creative minds “who don’t judge.” She even thinks about how she currently lives in a Franklin Hills house, a neighborhood she never thought she would be able to afford.

Time and time again, Kurata and this sprawling city-state have looked out for each other. From the way she speaks of different areas with such an intrinsic care, to showcasing her unique creative eye in Tinseltown, L.A. has made her into a permanent seeker. Whether she chooses to stay in Franklin Hills for the rest of her life or packs up everything tomorrow, she’ll always keep an eye out for hidden gems — just like at the flea market.

Earnings season is right around the corner, and several of tech’s biggest names look to keep their momentum going. Each of these companies posted strong results last quarter, and there are good reasons to believe that strength can continue into the final stretch of the year. These stocks look attractive, not just heading into earnings, but for the long haul as well.

1. Nvidia

Nvidia (NVDA 2.87%) has been at the center of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, and last quarter’s results showed just how strong demand for its chips has been. Its data center revenue surged 56% year over year, despite the company lacking access to the Chinese market, as companies and governments around the world continue to rapidly build out their AI infrastructure.

That trend does not look like it’s slowing, with cloud computing companies continuing to spend big on data center infrastructure and Oracle announcing massive AI data center spending plans. Nvidia, meanwhile, continues to dominate the AI infrastructure market, where its graphics processing units (GPUs) are used to power AI workloads and have an over 90% market share. Its CUDA software platform continues to give it a wide moat in the space, as most early AI code was written on it, and developers favor it.

With data center spending remaining strong and AI demand still outpacing supply, Nvidia’s growth trajectory looks intact. The company has already proven that it can deliver consistent upside surprises, and it’s positioned better than any of its peers to capture profits from the next leg of the AI infrastructure buildout.

2. Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms (META 1.25%) has transformed itself into one of the biggest AI beneficiaries in tech, and that evolution showed up clearly in its last earnings report. The company posted 22% revenue growth in the second quarter, driven by an increase in ad impressions and higher prices. The number of daily active users across its family of apps also climbed by 6% year over year to 3.48 billion, proving that it can still draw in new users despite the maturity of its platforms.

AI has been the key driver behind Meta’s resurgence. It has been using AI to improve how its algorithms recommend content, which is keeping users more engaged. That, in turn, increases the amount of ad inventory it can sell. At the same time, its AI tools for advertisers are helping companies create and target their marketing campaigns more effectively, which boosts Meta’s ad pricing power.

Meanwhile, it is just starting to introduce ads to its biggest untapped assets, WhatsApp and Threads, both of which have huge growth potential. All these things should help keep the company’s earnings momentum going.

Meta also isn’t sitting still when it comes to innovation. It recently debuted its new Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, sales of which could give its Q4 revenue a boost. These augmented reality glasses could also be a precursor to its eventual vision for things like “superpersonal intelligence” and the metaverse, which are longer-term bets.

Image source: Getty Images.

3. Microsoft

Microsoft (MSFT 0.77%) capped off its fiscal 2025 with one of its best quarters in years, showing just how well it’s executing across both cloud computing and AI. In its fiscal Q4, which ended June 30, revenue from its Azure cloud platform jumped by 39%, marking its eighth straight quarter of growth above 30%. Meanwhile, its Intelligent Cloud division as a whole grew by 26% to nearly $30 billion. That strength is being driven by companies accelerating their AI spending, with Azure being one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s early investments in OpenAI continue to give it an edge. Its Copilot AI tools, now integrated across Office products, are increasingly being adopted by enterprises to increase worker productivity. These products are still in their early innings, which means there’s plenty of runway for growth left. Revenues from Microsoft 365 rose more than 20% last quarter, and even the company’s personal computing segment saw renewed growth, led by Xbox and search advertising.

Microsoft is spending aggressively to expand its data center capacity to meet the flood of AI demand, which should keep growth strong in the quarters ahead. With Azure continuing to increase its sales in a rapidly growing cloud market, and with Copilot adding a valuable new layer of recurring revenue, Microsoft looks like one of the most reliable performers heading into this earnings season and a top long-term holding for investors.

SACRAMENTO — Sen. Alex Padilla apparently dreams of becoming California’s next governor. He’s thinking hard about entering the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom. And Katie Porter may have just opened the starting gate for him.

Porter has been regarded as the early front-runner. But she tripped and stumbled badly during a contentious, unprofessional and rude performance in a recent routine TV interview that went viral.

We don’t know the extent of her injury. But it was certainly enough to make Padilla’s decision a lot easier. If he really deep down covets the job of governor, the time seems ripe to apply for it.

Padilla wouldn’t need to vacate the Senate merely to run. He’d have what’s called a “free ride”: He doesn’t face reelection next year because his Senate term runs through 2028.

But a Senate seat is gold plated. No term limits — a job often for life. It offers prestige and power, with sway over a global array of issues.

Why would Padilla trade that to become the governor whose state is plagued by homelessness, wildfires and unaffordable living for millions?

For starters, it’s not much fun these days to be in the toothless Senate minority as a Democrat.

The California governor has immense power over spending and taxes, the appointment of positions ranging from local fair board members to state Supreme Court justices and the fate of hundreds of bills passed each year by the Legislature.

You lead the most populous state and the world’s fourth-largest economy.

The office provides an automatic launching pad for anyone with presidential aspirations, such as the termed-out present occupant.

Anyway, Padilla, 52, is a proud native Californian, raised in the San Fernando Valley with strong ties to the state.

And he’s immensely qualified to be governor, having served well in local, state and federal branches of government: Los Angeles City Council, state Senate, California secretary of State and the U.S. Senate.

There has been speculation for weeks about his entering the gubernatorial race. And in a recent New York Times interview, he acknowledged: “I am weighing it.”

“Look, California is home,” he said. “I love California. I miss California when I’m in Washington. And there’s a lot of important work to do there. … I’m just trying to think through: Where can I be most impactful.”

How long will he think? “The race is not until next year,” he said. “So that decision will come.”

It should come much sooner than next year in order to be elected governor in this far-flung state with its vast socio-economic and geographic diversity.

Former Democratic Rep. Porter from Orange County has been beating him and every announced candidate in the polls — although not by enough to loudly boast about.

In a September poll by Emerson College, 36% of surveyed voters said they were undecided about whom to support. Of the rest, 16% favored Porter and just 7% Padilla.

In an August survey by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, 38% were undecided. Porter led with 17%. The nearest Democrat at 9% was Xavier Becerra, former secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services, state attorney general and 12-term congressman. Padilla wasn’t listed.

Why Porter? She gained renown during congressional hearings while grilling corporate executives and using a white board. But mainly, I suspect, voters got to know her when she ran statewide for the U.S. Senate last year. She didn’t survive the primary, but her name familiarity did.

By contrast, Padilla has never had a tough top-of-the-ticket statewide race. He was appointed by Newsom to the Senate in 2021 to fill the vacancy created by Kamala Harris’ election as vice president.

Democratic strategist Garry South says it would be “risky” for Padilla to announce his candidacy unless he immediately became the front-runner. That’s because he’d need that status to attract the hefty campaign donations required to introduce himself to voters.

“Unlike the governor, a California senator is not really that well known,” the strategist says. “And he hasn’t been a senator that long. I don’t think voters have a sense of him. In order to improve his [poll] numbers, he’s going to have to spend a lot of money. If he were an instant frontrunner, the money would flow. But if he jumps in with only half the votes [of

the frontrunner], there’s no reason for money to flow.

“And the longer he waits, the less time he has to raise the money.”

Porter may have eased the way for Padilla.

The UC Irvine law professor came unglued when CBS Sacramento reporter Julie Watts asked what she’d tell California’s 6 million Donald Trump voters in order to win their needed support for governor. Porter reacted like a normal irritated person rather than a seasoned politician.

She tersely dismissed the question’s premise and replied that the GOP votes wouldn’t be needed.

When the interviewer persisted, Porter lost her cool. “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” she said, threatening to walk out. But she didn’t.

It was raw meat for her campaign opponents and they immediately pounced.

Former state Controller Betty Yee called on Porter to “leave this race” because she’s “a weak, self-destructive candidate unfit to lead California.”

Veteran Democratic consultant Gale Kaufman, who’s not involved in the contest, says the TV flub “hurts her a lot because it goes to likability.”

If Padilla really longs for the job, he can stop dreaming and take advantage of a golden opportunity.

What else you should be reading

The must-read: California tightens leash on puppy sales with new laws signed by Newsom
Wut?: Inside tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s off-the-record lectures about the antichrist
The L.A. Times Special: At Trump’s Justice Department, partisan pugnacity where honor, integrity should be

Until next week,
George Skelton

—
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Reigning Masters champion Murphy, 43, was aiming for back-to-back ranking tournament victories after winning last month’s British Open in Cheltenham.

The Englishman continued his excellent form in China to reach another final, but was punished for any errors he made during an opening session which his opponent dominated with ruthless efficiency.

Williams seized control by winning the first four frames, pinching the third and fourth frames with contributions of 56 and 68 respectively after Murphy had held significant leads in both.

A superb 127 break in frame eight, to go with his six earlier half-centuries, ensured Williams went into the concluding session 7-1 ahead.

He compiled a 122 break in the ninth frame to extend his advantage further and although Murphy won two frames in a row to reduce his deficit to 8-3, Williams took the next two either side of the mid-session interval to create snooker history.

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (UPI) — South Korean chemical giant OCI Holdings said Monday it will enter the solar wafer business to target the U.S. market by acquiring a facility being built in Vietnam.

Toward that end, its subsidiary, OCI TerraSus, plans to spend $78 million to purchase a 65% stake in a 2.7-gigawatt wafer plant from Elite Solar Power Wafer, which is scheduled for completion by the end of this month.

OCI Holdings expects the factory to start rolling out wafers early next year, without having to worry about U.S. tax-credit restrictions.

A solar wafer is a tin slice of crystalline silicon that serves as the primary building block for manufacturing solar cells.

The United States introduced legislation in early July barring prohibited foreign entities from receiving clean energy tax credits. These are entities controlled or significantly influenced by such nations as North Korea, China, Russia and Iran.

OCI Holdings projected that the deal would create synergy because OCI TerraSus is set to provide all the polysilicon needed for the new facility to manufacture non-prohibited foreign entity wafers.

The Seoul-based corporation said the plant’s capacity could be doubled within six months with an additional $40 million investment. However, it has yet to decide whether to proceed with the expansion.

“This strategic investment brings us closer to building a supply chain that facilitates U.S. exports,” OCI Holdings Chairman Lee Woo-hyun said in a statement. “We will continue to strengthen our presence in the global solar market by fostering partnerships with local companies in Southeast Asia.”

In July, OCI TerraSus joined hands with Japan’s Tokuyama to channel $435 million into establishing a semiconductor-grade polysilicon factory in Malaysia. Each company holds a 50% stake in the project.