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Dodging China Duties: U.S. Slaps Tariffs On Some Big Solar Companies

By
Angel Gimalo
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The United States on Friday finalized a decision to impose import duties on solar panel makers who finished their products in Southeast Asian nations to avoid tariffs on Chinese-made goods, according to a senior Commerce Department official.

The decision, which largely mirrors a preliminary finding the agency made in December, was opposed by buyers of solar panels that rely on cheap products made overseas to make their projects competitive.

But it is good news for the small U.S. solar manufacturing industry, which for years has struggled to compete with Chinese goods and is enjoying renewed investment due to subsidies in U.S. President Joe Biden’s landmark climate-change law.

The Commerce probe found that units of Chinese companies BYD (002594.SZ), Trina Solar (688599.SS), Longi Green Energy (601012.SS) and Canadian Solar (CSIQ.O) were dodging U.S. tariffs on Chinese solar cells and panels by conducting minor processing to finish their products in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam before shipping them to the U.S. market.

Those countries account for about 80% of U.S. panel supplies.

The agency will also impose duties on New East Solar because it refused to cooperate with an on-site audit of its operations in Cambodia, the official said.

Other companies operating in those nations have the ability to pursue a certification process to show that they are not circumventing tariffs. To become certified, solar cells and panels must contain non-Chinese wafers and three other key components.

The U.S. has had anti-dumping duties in place for a decade on Chinese-made solar products after a Commerce probe found Chinese companies were receiving unfair government subsidies that kept their prices artificially low.

The companies and others will face the same duty rates the United States already assesses on their Chinese-made products.

They will not kick in, however, until June 2024 thanks to a two-year waiver from Biden that was intended to ensure ample panel supplies while domestic manufacturing ramps up.

Trina Solar, which says it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in cell and module production in Thailand and Vietnam, criticized the Commerce decision on Friday, saying it will “increase the overall costs of virtually all U.S. bound solar products because it will constrain supply at a time when the demand for solar is skyrocketing.”

Category 4 Hurricane Hilary To Weaken Before Reaching California Sunday – National Hurricane Center

By
Angel Gimalo
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California peninsula on Friday morning, threatening to bring “significant flooding” to parts of the region as well as the Southwestern United States, a U.S. government agency said.

Hilary was moving west-northwest at nearly 13 miles (20 km) per hour, packing maximum sustained winds of nearly 145 mph (230 kmh), after being upgraded to a Category 4 overnight, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

Hilary will still be a hurricane when it approaches the west coast of Baja California over the weekend, but is expected to weaken to a tropical storm before reaching Southern California on Sunday afternoon, it added.

A storm surge could produce coastal flooding and destructive waves along the western Baja California peninsula of Mexico, the agency added.

Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15 cm) is expected across portions of Southern California and southern Nevada, which “would lead to significant and rare impacts.”

Summer Crops Threatened As India Faces Record Low August Rains

By
Angel Gimalo
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India is heading for its driest August in more than a century, with scant rainfall likely to persist across large areas, partly because of the El Niño weather pattern, two weather department officials told Reuters on Friday.

August rainfall, expected to be the lowest since records began in 1901, could dent yields of summer-sown crops, from rice to soybeans, boosting prices and overall food inflation, which jumped in July to the highest since January 2020.

The monsoon, vital for the $3-trillion economy, delivers nearly 70% of the rain India needs to water farms and refill reservoirs and aquifers.

“The monsoon is not reviving as we had expected,” said a senior official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), who sought anonymity as the matter is a sensitive one.

“We are going to end the month with a significant deficit in the southern, western, and central parts.”

India is on course to receive an average of less than 180 mm (7 inches) of rainfall this month, he added, based on rains so far and expectations for the rest of the month.

The weather authorities are expected to announce August totals of rainfall and the forecast for September on Aug. 31 or Sept. 1.

India received just 90.7 mm (3.6 inches) in the first 17 days of August, nearly 40% lower than the normal. The month’s normal average is 254.9 mm (10 inches), he said.

Earlier, the IMD had anticipated a rainfall deficit of up to 8% in August. The lowest August rainfall on record was in 2005, with 191.2 mm (7.5 inches).

Monsoon rainfall is expected to improve over the next two weeks in the northeast and some central regions, but dry conditions in northwestern and southern states are likely to persist, said another IMD official.

“Normally, we experience a dry spell of five to seven days in August,” said the official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

“However, this year the dry spell has been unusually prolonged in southern India. The El Niño weather pattern has begun to impact the Indian monsoon.”

El Nino, a warming of waters that usually stifles rainfall over the Indian subcontinent, has emerged in the tropical Pacific for the first time in seven years.

This monsoon has been uneven, with June rains 10% below average but July rains rebounding to 13% above average.

Summer rains are crucial as nearly half of India’s farmland lacks irrigation.

Farmers typically start planting rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane and peanuts, among other crops, from June 1, when the monsoon begins to lash the southern state of Kerala.

The lengthy dry spell has led to extremely low soil moisture, which could inhibit growth of crops, said Harish Galipelli, director of trading firm ILA Commodities India Pvt Ltd.

“Crops are in dire need of rainfall,” he added. “Any further delay could lead to reduced yields.”

Deadly Wildfires: Maui’s Chief Of Emergency Management Resigns Amid Criticism

By
Angel Gimalo
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County Emergency Management administrator Herman Andaya, criticized by local residents and media over the island’s response to the deadly wildfires that killed at least 111 people, resigned on Thursday, officials said.

A statement from Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen cited health reasons.

“Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon,” Bissen said.

The resignation takes place one day after Andaya made his first appearance in a press conference, which came more than a week after the catastrophe destroyed or damaged 2,200 buildings and caused some $5.5 billion in damage. Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for.

Some Maui residents said lives could have been saved had emergency sirens sounded, but Andaya’s agency opted against using them, saying they would have been ineffective and confusing.

“The public is trained to seek higher ground in the event that the siren is sounded,” Andaya said during Wednesday’s press conference, which grew tense at times as reporters questioned the government response during the fire.

“Had we sounded the siren that night, we’re afraid that people would have gone mauka (to the mountainside) and if that was the case then they would have gone into the fire,” Andaya said.

— President Joe Biden vowed on Thursday that the U.S. government would remain steadfast in its commitment to help the people of Maui recover, rebuild and grieve after last week’s deadly wildfires that incinerated the historic resort town of Lahaina.

“We will be with you for as long as it takes, I promise you,” said Biden, who will travel to Hawaii on Monday to survey the devastation and meet with first responders and survivors.

Volunteers are donating supplies, helping distribute food and water and providing emotional support to many of their fellow Maui residents.

“We’re all one big family in Maui, we call it ‘ohana,'” said Louis Romero, a 55-year-old retired battalion chief for the island’s fire department, who is helping run a crisis-relief hub. “You don’t have to be blood relatives to consider you family. That’s the Hawaiian way. We help each other.”

Western Canada Fires Spark New Evacuations In Yellowknife

By
Angel Gimalo
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A massive wildfire in Canada’s western province of British Columbia prompted evacuation orders early on Friday while residents from the remote northern city of Yellowknife scrambled to get out of town before flames block their exit.

A state of emergency was declared early Friday in Kelowna, a city some 300 km (180 miles) east of Vancouver with a population of about 150,000. The Pacific province says the next 24 to 48 hours could be the most difficult.

Some of the hills around the city blazed in the predawn light after wildfires that had been burning since Tuesday jumped Lake Okanagan and spread into parts of Kelowna.

“Residents under Evacuation Alert are advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice,” the city said in a statement, adding that people should prepare to be away from their home for an extended period.

Some 885 miles (1,425 km) to the northeast, the massive blaze threatening Yellowknife, the Northwest Territories’ capital city, made little progress on Thursday, but changing winds meant it could reach the outskirts by the weekend, said Mike Westwick, the territories’ fire information officer.

“The next two days are absolutely critical and will be some of the most challenging of the season,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp early on Friday.

“We’re going to be putting everything we have into slowing that progression down. We’re going to be throwing aircraft at it and when it’s safe, we’re going to be throwing people at it,” Westwick said.

The fire is about 15 km (9 miles) northwest of the city, but changing winds are expected to drive it closer. Fires have been burning on either side of the only highway out of town, but it remained open.

“Leaving Yellowknife, you’re driving into the smoke,” said Brent Saulnier, who had been visiting the city from neighboring Alberta. “It is on fire on both sides of the road. … It’s a very surreal experience.”

Many still must leave the city of around 20,000 with the deadline for evacuation set at noon local time (1800 GMT). Some 10 evacuation planes ferried about 1,500 people out of Yellowknife on Thursday, and about 22 flights were due out on Friday, authorities said.

“Nobody envisioned an event of this scale. It’s still really stressful. There are a lot of people still left in Yellowknife that are freaking out,” said resident Tebbia Teoncey, who was evacuated to Edmonton, Alberta.

Around 65% of the 46,000 total population of Northwest Territories looked set to be evacuated.

Teams including members of the military were cutting down vegetation to create fire breaks, setting up sprinkler systems, and setting deliberate fires to eliminate fuel before the bigger blaze approaches, Westwick said.

The expanse of fire risk and disruption to life and land underscores the severity of this year’s worst-on-record Canadian wildfire season, with more than 1,000 active fires burning across the country.

Exploring The Historic Tinganes In Faroe Islands 

By
Angel Gimalo
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Tinganes is the historic location of the Faroese landsstýri (the Government of the Faroe Islands), and it is also part of Tórshavn, the capital city of the Faroe Islands.

It is a tip of the low ness or cape that divides the harbour of Tórshavn into an eastern and a western part.

Because of its position in the middle of the Faroe Islands, the settlers that came from Western Norway in the ninth century A.D. chose these flat cliffs to be the place for their main ”Ting” in 825, where they met for their annual gatherings.

Here they came to trade and to settle their quarrels and under the guidance of the Løgmaður (the Lawsayer) to decide on matters of common interest.

So, from the very beginning, this was the nest of the Thing and the centre of political life in the Faroe Islands.

Along with Tynwald hill in the Isle of Man and Þingvellir in Iceland, it is one of the oldest parliamentary meeting places in the world. The outermost point of the peninsula in the capital, nowadays is the current main building of Government of the Faroe Islands.

There is one small street which is called Gongin on that same peninsula which has some of the oldest parts of the city.

Many of the houses in Tinganes were built in the 16th and 17th centuries, but still are in use today.

Not easily accessible from the European mainland, and of course expensive to get there, it is a major touristic destination for everyone who would like to meet the traditional Faroese culture.

Oxford University Scientists Build Lunar Thermal Mapper To Detect Water On Moon

By
Angel Gimalo
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A state-of-the-art camera, which will help find water on the Moon, is set to embark on its first mission.

The Lunar Thermal Mapper, built by scientists at the University of Oxford, will help pinpoint the location and quantity of the Moon’s water.

The thermal imaging kit was installed on NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft, a small satellite which will launch in 2024.

It is hoped the technology will inform future missions.

By measuring the same locations of the Moon at different times of day, Lunar Trailblazer will be able to detect if the amount of water changes.

It will track whether water is transformed into a gas as the surface heats up, or accumulates like frost in the shadowed regions as the surface cools down.

Scientists from the university’s Department of Physics believe the water could be used in a variety of ways, from purifying it as drinking water to processing it for fuel and breathable oxygen.

The cutting-edge equipment will work in combination with a high-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper.

Both pieces of kit were installed on the satellite, which measures 3.5m (11.5ft) wide with its solar panels fully deployed.

Prof Neil Bowles, instrument scientist at the University of Oxford’s Department of Physics, called the equipment “innovative”.

“The data from the mission will help us to understand how water is transported across the surface and potentially captured in cold traps near the lunar poles,” he added.

The thermal imaging kit will collect information about what the lunar surface is made of and where water may potentially be found

Libby Jackson, the UK Space Agency’s head of space exploration, hoped the mission would bring scientists a step closer in harnessing the Moon’s natural resources, which could support future expeditions.

Women’s World Cup 3rd Place Match: Sweden vs Australia Players’ Preview

By
Emenike Agu
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Date: Saturday, 19 August. Time: 09:00 BST. Venue: Lang Park, Brisbane.

 Australia and Sweden will be looking to put their semi-final defeats behind them and secure third place at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup on Saturday.

Co-hosts Australia are already guaranteed their best finish in a World Cup, while 2003 runners-up Sweden have come third three times.

Australia coach Tony Gustavsson said he would field his strongest side.“I can’t pick based on emotions.

This is a third-place game and we’re playing for a medal,” said Gustavsson.“I’m going to make sure we have a line-up that is the strongest starting line-up we can have but also the strongest finishing line-up.“It’s not about giving players experience just for the sake of giving experience. “If it was emotional, those players [who have not featured yet] would play because they deserve to play.

This is a game to win.” Sweden lost to Germany in the 2003 final and finished third in 1991, 2011 and in 2019, when they beat England 2-1 in the third-place play-off.

The Swedes, ranked third in the world, lost 2-1 to Spain in their semi-final before Australia were beaten 3-1 by England.Saturday’s match will take place at the 52,500-capacity Lang Park in Brisbane and Sweden forward Kosovare Asllani is relishing playing in a hostile atmosphere.“I love it, it’s a particular feeling to have an entire stadium against you,” said Asllani.“Of course, we were disappointed after the last match – we wanted to go all the way to the final.“At the same time, playing for a medal is a huge thing, and something we’re proud of.“We don’t want to leave here without it.

We want to silence the stadium and bring that medal home. Everyone’s more than ready. We’re going to do everything we can to win this medal for Sweden.”Australia thrashed Sweden 4-0 in Melbourne last November but will be without centre back Alanna Kennedy for a second match because of concussion symptoms.Captain Sam Kerr said she was ready to play after scoring a stunning goal against England in her first start at the tournament following a calf injury.“Honestly, it’s been amazing to just be a part of this journey,” said the Chelsea striker, who missed the group stage matches.“If I hadn’t played one minute it still would have been the best moment of my career to be here because what we’ve achieved as a team is amazing.”Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis’ prediction: “I think Australia will win this match and finish third in the World Cup.

“Sweden won’t have the desire to finish third again after being there before. Like England proved when they reached the third-place play-off in both 2015 and 2019, the first time around there is a real desire to win, but second time around, very much less so.“Australia will want to go out on a high and although Sweden have real attacking options and are good at set-pieces, Sam Kerr will want to make up for the chances she missed in the semi-final when she could – and should – have scored a hat-trick against England. “She’s not been able to play much in this tournament and will want to do it for her country. Prediction: Sweden 2-3 Australia, after extra time.”

Key stat: Sweden are unbeaten in their previous three games against Australia in the Women’s World Cup (won two, drew one).

New Women’s World Cup Champion To Be Crowned In 2023

By
Emenike Agu
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0

The ninth Women’s World Cup will be lifted by a first-time champion

USA had won four of the eight previous edition

Germany (2), Norway and Japan the only other teams to have triumphed

This year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will see a new champion crowned, with all the tournament’s previous winners now eliminated.

Four-time victors USA saw their hopes of a third successive triumph ended in the Round of 16 following a dramatic penalty shootout defeat by Sweden. 

Germany crashed out in the group stage, Norway were eliminated by Japan, with the Nadeshiko then seeing their own dreams ended by the Swedes in the quarter-finals.

As the 2023 final at Stadium Australia on 20 August draws ever closer, and with a new name guaranteed to be on the trophy, FIFA looks at the sides that have etched their names in Women’s World Cup history across the eight previous editions. 

FIFA Women’s World Cup Sweden 1995™

Winners: Norway Runners-up: Germany Third place: USA

Despite that Akers-inspired defeat in ’91, the Norwegians remained a thorn in USA’s flesh for much of the ensuing decade. European champions in 1993, they went one better by claiming the world crown two years later in neighbouring Sweden, edging out the Americans in the last four before seeing off Germany 2-0 in the final.

Norway would go on win the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in 2000 too, beating the US – who else – in the final. But Hege Riise, Norway’s talented talisman and current coach, had no difficulty in choosing between these two triumphs. “Winning the Olympics was wonderful, but the flow of the tournament wasn’t the same,” she told FIFA in 2016. “1995 was the best moment of my career without any doubt.”

Germany v Norway | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup Sweden 1995™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between Germany and Norway played at Rasunda Stadium, Solna on Sunday, 18 June 1995.

FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 1999™

Winners: USA Runners-up: China PR Third place: Brazil

In all but one of the Women’s World Cups to date, the hosts have exited in the quarter or semi-finals. USA 99 was exceptional in that sense, and in many more besides.

The tournament and its champions – the Americans’ fabled ‘99ers’ – are still remembered as having provided a crucial breakthrough in the evolution of this tournament and the women’s game as a whole. Their matches were played out before vast, packed stadiums, with a total attendance of 1.194 million that stood as a record until 2015.

On the field, and while Sun Wen’s China PR and Sissi’s Brazil dazzled, it was the US – with the beloved Mia Hamm now centre stage – who took the title. They did so, of course, with a dramatic final penalty shootout win over the Chinese, capped by Brandi Chastain’s iconic celebration.

USA v China PR | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 1999™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between USA and China PR played at Rose Bowl, Pasadena on Saturday, 10 July 1999 at 12:50.

FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 2003™

Winners: Germany Runners-up: Sweden Third place: USA

When USA stepped in to host the tournament again four years later after a SARS outbreak forced its relocation from China, the hosts were almost universally expected to once again reign supreme.

The ever-improving Germans had other ideas, however, and heralded the beginning of their golden era by outclassing and outmuscling the Americans in a 3-0 semi-final defeat. The European champions, who had demolished Russia 7-1 in the last eight, then pipped Sweden to the title, with Nia Kunzer scoring a legendary 98th-minute golden goal.

Birgit Prinz and Co ended the tournament having found the net 25 times, setting an average of 4.16 goals per match that equalled USA’s record from 1991 and has never been matched since.

Germany v Sweden | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 2003™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between Germany and Sweden played at StubHub Center, Carson on Sunday, 12 October 2003.

FIFA Women’s World Cup China PR 2007™

Winners: Germany Runners-up: Brazil Third place: USA

If high scoring marked out their 2003 triumph, Germany’s success in China four years later was indebted to the tightest defence in the tournament’s history.

With goalkeeper Nadine Angerer in the form of her life, and a sturdy, well-organised backline assembled in front of her, Silvia Neid’s side saw off the likes of Japan, Norway and final opponents Brazil – fresh from a Marta-inspired demolition of the US – without conceding a single goal. No-one in the men’s or women’s World Cup has managed that feat before or since.

Germany v Brazil | Final | FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007™ | Highlights

Watch the highlights from the match between Germany and Brazil played at Shanghai Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai on Sunday, 30 September 2007.

FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™

Winners: Japan Runners-up: USA Third place: Sweden

Home advantage made Germany heavy favourites to win a third successive crown but, as with USA in 2003, the hosts found themselves in the shadow of first-time champions.

No team has won the Women’s World Cup scoring as few goals (12) or conceding as many (6) as Japan in 2011. But those statistics belied a hard-earned triumph that contained plenty of slick football and warmed plenty of hearts, coming as it did just a few months after the country had been devastated by a tsunami.

Nadeshiko

How Japan overcame all odds to win the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™

Winners: USA Runners-up: Japan Third place: England

The first 24-team edition has come to be remembered for the highest-scoring final in Women’s World Cup history, won convincingly by a resurgent US and illuminated by a historic Carli Lloyd hat-trick.

What’s often forgotten is that the Americans’ campaign was the ultimate slow burner; they scored just four times in their three group-stages matches, labouring to a goalless draw with Sweden amid murmured criticisms of coach Jill Ellis. But Lloyd and Co improved with every knockout round and rose to the big occasion by crushing Japan 5-2 – the most lopsided scoreline yet recorded a Women’s World Cup final.

USA | All Champions Goals | FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™

Watch all goals scored by USA at FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™.

FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™

Winners: USA Runners-up: The Netherlands Third place: Sweden

Ellis was there again, as was the core of the 2015 squad, as the US became just the second team – after Germany (2003, 2007) – to retain the crown.

If their Canadian campaign was a slow burner, this was anything but, with 13 goals in their opening match paving the way to a tournament-record haul of 26. The knockout stage saw Europe’s leading sides swept aside, with Spain, hosts France, England and the Netherlands – then continental champions – unable to halt this unstoppable American juggernaut.

USA | All Champions Goals | FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™

Watch all goals scored by USA at FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™.

Women’s World Cup 2023: Key Partnerships That Could Decide The Final

By
Emenike Agu
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  • Spain’s centre-backs will be tested
  • The midfield partnership of the Lionesses with a huge job to do
  • Bonmati and Hermoso’s creativity could be key

Spain

Irene Paredes and Laia Codina The Spanish defence has come under heavy scrutiny in this tournament. While their midfield and attack take the plaudits, the concern from pundits was: how would a less heralded defence hold up under pressure? That pressure only cranked up a notch after their 4-0 defeat to Japan in the final game of the group stage.

Paredes has played every minute for La Roja at Australia & New Zealand 2023. Codina, meanwhile, was drafted into the team for their round of 16 clash with Switzerland. She recovered impressively after scoring an early own goal by netting at the right end in a thumping 5-1 win – and then produced solid performances against the Netherlands and Sweden. If the centre-backs can keep a clean sheet against the pace and physicality of England, it will go a long way to helping their team to their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup™ title.

Aitana Bonmati and Jennifer Hermoso Is there a better midfielder in the world right now than Bonmati? The 25-year-old is sublime on the ball, with her ability to turn away from defenders and pick a pass one of Spain’s greatest assets. She’s more than capable of scoring goals by herself as well, with three strikes so far in the tournament.

Her partnership with striker Hermoso has been crucial for the Spanish attack. The hallmark of this Spanish team has been their capabilities going forward – it is free-flowing and a joy to watch. If Bonmati and Hermoso can find ways to combine in final third it could be very difficult for their opponents to counter.

England

Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp The Lionesses’ tactical flexibility has caught the eye at this tournament. They began the competition in a 4-3-3, with Hemp and Chloe Kelly as wingers and Russo through the middle. However, in their final group-stage game against China, coach Sarina Wiegman switched to a 3-5-2 system with Hemp and Russo as the strike partnership – and they have not looked back since.

Both scored in their semi-final victory over Australia and their partnership will be key to England’s attacking potency against Spain. Hemp is not a traditional centre-forward but her speed and ability on the ball causes teams issues, particularly in transition. Those attributes, alongside Russo – who is coming into her own as one of the premier strikers in world football – can be lethal for opposition defences.

Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway England dominated the midfield battle against the Matildas, particularly in the second half. With Ella Toone deployed in more of a No10 role, Walsh and Stanway are responsible for keeping the Lionesses ticking in possession, and snuffing out any chances in defensive transition.

Walsh’s qualities are well known. The Barcelona midfielder is known as one of the world’s best at recycling possession and shielding the backline. Stanway, meanwhile, is a creative, attacking threat who complements the forwards. England’s midfield duo will have their hands full against Spain but Walsh in particular will back herself to perform against many of her club team-mates.

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