President Trump and China’s leader Xi Jinping shake hands in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
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Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump and China’s top leader Xi Jinping held a phone call Monday, the latest in a flurry of diplomatic and trade parries between the two countries over tariffs and technology export restrictions.
In a post about the call on Truth Social, President Trump said: “We discussed many topics including Ukraine/Russia, Fentanyl, Soybeans and other Farm Products, etc. We have done a good, and very important, deal for our Great Farmers — and it will only get better. Our relationship with China is extremely strong!”
A statement from China’s state news agency said both countries should “keep up the momentum, keep moving forward in the right direction on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of problems, so as to make more positive progress, create new space for China-U.S. cooperation and bring more benefits to the people of both countries and the world.”
Trump and Xi last spoke by phone in September. They met last month in Busan, South Korea, after which the U.S. halved a 20% tariff that was imposed to curb fentanyl flows. Cumulatively, the average tariff on Chinese goods still remains at just below 50%.
“Since then, the China-U.S. relationship has generally maintained a steady and positive trajectory, and this is welcomed by the two countries and the broader international community,” the Chinese statement said on Monday.
In October, trade negotiation teams from the U.S. and China hashed out a rough trade consensus that saw the U.S. abruptly pull back an additional 100% in threatened tariffs on Chinese goods. China suspended a planned export control regime on many refined rare earth materials, over which it has developed a near-bottleneck.
But the export controls pause is only for one year, after which China could still cut the U.S. off from these materials that have become small but critical components in many consumer and defense technologies, including automobiles, fighter jets, and semiconductor chip manufacturing.
In his Truth Social post, the president said Xi invited him to visit Beijing in April, and that he had invited Xi for a state visit to Washington later next year. “We agreed that it is important that we communicate often, which I look forward to doing,” Trump said.
According to the Chinese statement, the two leaders also spoke on Monday about China’s claims over Taiwan, a democratic island China considers part of its territory and wants to control one day; and they discussed Ukraine, which China has repeatedly urged to sign a peace agreement with Russia, one of China’s main trading partners.
On the call, Xi emphasized that “Taiwan’s return to China is an important part of the post-war international order,” according to the Chinese statement.
China is currently in a diplomatic standoff with Japan, whose new prime minister previously said a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be an “existential threat” to Japan.
Chinese diplomats have complained in the United Nations that the statement was “a grave violation” and cut off some flights in tour groups to Japan, which earns billions of dollars a year in Chinese tourism.
Lindsay Lohan has made her first moves into a new chapter with the main players of her story, Fashion Trust Arabia, and Qatar Tourism. The actress herself expressed her excitement for the trip and took to social media to thank the parties involved, calling the trip ‘unforgettable.’ Lohan’s note was mainly focused on the warmth and sophistication of the reception which was an indicator of a short but powerful and prominent presence at the event.
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With her post, she raised everyone’s interest immediately and the most attraction was on her flawless appearance. Somebody commented on her versatility with, ‘I love how you can rock the natural no makeup look and also the full glam look.’ This comment implies that many people still appreciate Lohan’s capability of easily changing her looks and that this talent is still part of her public image.
There was no way to avoid talking about her fashion sense. One follower pointed at the material used and said: ‘velvet is a tricky mistress but you wear her well’ as if making a point by using technical terminology. The comment acknowledges the beauty of her outfit and also points out the understanding of the fabric’s difficult nature, suggesting that her choice was both daring and flawlessly executed. It adds an extra layer of fashion critique to the praise.
One user was so generous with his/her admiration that he/she proclaimed, ‘Queen of the Middle East!!!! Point blank period.’ The strong statement not only shows Lohan as a guest but also as a powerful figure who can make everyone else invisible no matter where she is. It gives an impression of her as a person with great influence and style on the international stage.
One of Lohan’s fashion-grandeur compliments was from a fan who, besides offering a nice message, was much more personal and intimate. One of the loyal followers commented, ‘Very Pretty and Gorgeous my friend and best role older sister in the whole wide world ever!’. This kind of statement indicates the deep personal relationship that some of her longtime fans have with her, considering her as a part of their lives.
A teasing and somewhat daring interaction happened in the comments area as well. One user tagged another and said, ‘she wants to fight you,’ which created a little funny thread. The tagged user replied with, ‘instigator lol,’ while the person tagged said, ‘watch your mannn.’ This playful conversation shows that Lohan’s content has the ability to create a community of inside jokes and engagement among her audience.
One can hardly miss saying that Lohan’s recent activities, including this trip, keep her constantly in the global spotlight. The young actress has transformed from being a teen superstar to an international style icon and the journey is still going on. After spending some years on the international circuit focusing on self-development and projects abroad, her participation in high-fashion events in places like Qatar marks a definite return to the front lines of entertainments and fashion worlds. The fact that she can still evoke such a broad and vivid reaction online speaks volumes about her lasting star power.
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No doubt the public’s overwhelming response to her short but lovely thank-you note indicates that she is still a public figure who everyone wants to see. The interaction is not limited to comments on her fashion skills but also includes proclamations of her royal status in the area. Therefore, the interaction depicts a well-loved star who is strong enough to keep the audience not only entertained but also inspired. The metamorphosis from a teen superstar to an international style icon is not just clear and still in the making but also her supporters are witnessing each and every chapter with great enthusiasm. By gracefully acknowledging her hosts, Lindsay Lohan not only conveyed her gratitude but also further adorned her title as a global celebrity who can smoothly evoke both respect and interactive discussions. Her recent serene morning at the Edition Hotel was another glimpse into her life that fans adored.
For decades, the Stahl House in the Hollywood Hills has been a rarity — a globally known icon of Midcentury Modernism and Los Angeles glamour, still in the hands of the family who commissioned it in 1960. But now it’s for sale.
The asking price is $25 million, which might seem a startling figure for a two-bedroom, 2,300-square-foot home on a snug lot. But that figure might not surprise lovers of modernist architecture who know it as Case Study House #22.
It was designed for the Stahl family by architect Pierre Koenig, captured on black-and-white film by photographer Julius Shulman and has been admired worldwide ever since.
The Architect’s Newspaper called it “one of the world’s most famous buildings.” Los Angeles magazine called Shulman’s image “perhaps the most famous picture ever taken of Los Angeles.”
“There are no comps for the Stahl house. It’s incomparable,” said William Baker, architecture director for the real estate firm the Agency Beverly Hills. The home was included in the company’s fall catalog Nov. 12.
By Friday afternoon, Baker said, he had received hundreds of inquiring calls. In considering offers, Baker said, the family is open to individuals or institutions — “someone who’s going to understand it, honor the house and the story about it.”
The Stahls purchased the lot in 1954 for $13,500 and enlisted Koenig to design the house after other architects were daunted by the slope of the lot. Koenig’s solution was a cantilevered L-shaped structure with walls of steel and glass, a pool and a free-standing stone-faced fireplace between the living and dining areas.
The second bedroom can only be accessed through the primary bedroom — “an efficient use of space” for a family of five, Baker said. The Stahl family has said the home cost $37,500 to build.
Shortly after the home’s completion, photographer Julius Shulman made a black-and-white photograph that became emblematic of the era. It shows the home at night, with two young women sitting inside in a cantilevered corner, its floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the lights of the L.A. Basin glittering in the background.
To bring up the lights, Shulman later told Los Angeles magazine, he used a seven-minute exposure. The resulting image, along with others Shulman made of the house, is now owned by the Getty Research Institute.
In years since, the home has served as a filming location for many TV and film productions, including the 1968 pilot episode of “Columbo” and the movies “Galaxy Quest” (1999) and “Nurse Betty” (2000).
“This home has been the center of our lives for decades, but as we’ve gotten older, it has become increasingly challenging to care for it with the attention and energy it so richly deserves,” the Stahl family announced on its website. Bruce and Shari Stahl, the surviving children of original owners Buck and Carlotta Stahl, added, “[O]ur tour program will continue unchanged for the time being, and we will provide ample notice before any adjustments are made.”
For the last 17 years, the house has been open for tours, most recently on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, starting at $60 per adult during the day, $90 in the evening, with advance booking required and tight limits on photography. However, the Stahl website indicates all tours are sold out through the end of February.
The real estate listing notes that the home is “a protected landmark and the only Case Study House with original family ownership.”
In nominating it for the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, Amanda Stewart of the Los Angeles Conservancy called it “perhaps the most iconic house constructed in the Case Study House Program.” That program, sponsored by John Entenza’s Arts & Architecture magazine from 1945 to 1966, yielded 25 completed homes, today considered top exemplars of Midcentury home design.
“There’s not a lot of these Case Study houses left. I think there are 19 now,” Baker said. (Baker also said he had recently handled the sale of Case Study House #10 in Pasadena to a buyer who lost a home in January’s Pacific Palisades fire.)
The Stahl home stands on Woods Drive just north of West Hollywood’s city limit, about a quarter of a mile from Chateau Marmont.
Many architecturally important Southern California Modern homes have landed in the hands of institutions, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House (1921), owned by the city of Los Angeles; the Schindler House (1922), owned by the Friends of the Schindler House and operated by the MAK Center for Art and Architecture; and the Eames House (1949), owned by the nonprofit Eames Foundation. The Sheats-Goldstein Residence, designed by John Lautner in 1961-63 and renovated by Lautner in the 1990s, has been promised by owner James Goldstein to the L.A. County Museum of Art.
Million dollar stuffed shells take all the creamy, cheesy goodness of the classic and wrap it into fun jumbo shells. It’s cozy, everyone loves it, and it’s easy to make!
Why These Shells Steal the Show
Perfectly Portioned: The jumbo shells act like little edible bowls, giving you a balanced mix of sauce, cheese, and pasta in each bite.
Great for Prepping Ahead: You can assemble the dish in advance, pop it in the fridge, and bake when you’re ready. It’s freezer-friendly, too!
Make it Your Own: This recipe is easy to switch up with different proteins, herbs, or cheeses to match your mood or what you have on hand.
Ingredients for Million Dollar Stuffed Shells
The Meats: Mix and match your meats, sausage, beef, turkey, or chicken. Just make sure it adds up to a pound.
Marinara:Homemade is always delicious, but a good-quality jarred sauce keeps this dinner quick, easy, and stress-free.
Red Pepper Flakes: Add a pinch (or two or three!) to the sauce for a kick of heat that complements the rich cheese filling.
Cottage Cheese or Ricotta: You can easily swap 1:1 cottage cheese for ricotta if you prefer a smoother texture.
Extra Cheese Topping: Feel free to pile on more mozzarella for an extra cheesy finish.
Mozzarella: Shred your own low-moisture mozzarella. It melts better, tastes better, and costs less than pre-shredded.
How to Make Million Dollar Stuffed Shells
This stuffed shell recipe is a family favorite and goes well with a simple side salad, garlic bread, or even roasted vegetables for a hearty meal any night of the week. Prep ahead, bake when ready, and enjoy a dinner everyone will love.
Prep the Pasta: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then set it aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the jumbo shells according to package directions for al dente. Drain the shells and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss lightly with 1-2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
Cook the Meat: Add the ground beef and Italian sausage to a large skillet and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until fully browned and no pink remains, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the olive oil and onion to the skillet, and cook for about 2 minutes before adding the garlic. Cook for an additional minute, then stir in the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat.
Make the Million Dollar Stuffed Shells Filling: Add the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, 1 ⅓ cups mozzarella, and parmesan to a large bowl and mix until combined by hand or with an electric mixer.
Million Dollar Stuffed Shells Assembly
Add Marinara to Dish: Spread about two-thirds of the marinara mixture evenly in the bottom of the baking dish.
Spoon Filling into Shells: Stuff the cooked shells with the million dollar filling in each shell, then arrange them in an even layer over the top of the sauce.
Bake: Spoon the remaining third of the sauce over the shells, then top with the remaining mozzarella. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Let the dish rest for about 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley or basil, if desired, and serving.
Alyssa’s Pro Tips
Perfect Pasta: Undercook the shells a few minutes so they stay nice and firm. They’ll finish in the oven anyway. Give them a cold rinse and a quick olive-oil toss to stop them from cooking and keep them from sticking together.
Million dollar stuffed shells take all the creamy, cheesy goodness of the classic bake and wrap it into fun jumbo shells. It’s cozy, crowd-pleasing, and so easy to get on the table.
Course Dinner, entree, Main Course, main dish
Cuisine American, Italian, Italian American
Keyword baked million dollar shells, crock pot million dollar pasta, easy dinner recipe, Kid-friendly, kid-friendly dinner, Million Dollar Shells, Million Dollar Shells Recipe, Million Dollar Stuffed Shells, Million Dollar Stuffed Shells Recipe, stuffed shells, stuffed shells recipe
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo shell pasta according to the directions on the package for al dente pasta. If preferred, undercook by a few minutes to avoid overcooking in the oven.
Drain the shells and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss lightly with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil or vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking.
Sauce
Add ½ pound lean ground beef and ½ pound mild Italian sausage to a large skillet and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until fully browned and no pink remains, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and ⅓ cup diced onion to the skillet, and cook for about 2 minutes before adding 2 teaspoons minced garlic. Cook for an additional minute, then stir in 3 cups marinara sauce and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste and remove from the heat.
Million Dollar Cheese Filling
Add 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese, ½ cup sour cream, 1 ⅓ cups of the 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese to a large bowl and mix until combined by hand or with an electric mixer.
Assembly
Spread about ¾ of the sauce evenly in the bottom of the baking dish.
Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the million dollar filling in each shell, then arrange them in an even layer over the top of the sauce.
Spoon the remaining third of the sauce over the tops of the shells, and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Let the dish rest for about 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped fresh parsley or basil if desired and serving.
Notes
Store leftover million-dollar stuffed shells in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second increments, or the whole pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare ahead: You may prepare and assemble these shells up to 2 days before cooking, although I recommend preparing the sauce and cheese mixture ahead of time and waiting until the day you plan to bake and serve it to cook the shells and assemble them. This will prevent the pasta from soaking up additional moisture as it sits in the refrigerator in the days prior to baking.
To freeze, follow through step 9 (without preheating the oven), cover tightly with 2-3 layers of plastic wrap around the whole freezer-safe baking pan followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking. You may need to add 10-15 minutes of baking time to account for it being cold. Bake until the center of the dish reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If needed, tent the top with aluminum foil to avoid the cheese burning on top.
If you love this dish, you’ll want to try more of my top Italian meals. These recipes are full of taste, easy to make, and sure to please the whole crew.
Following their split in July 2023 after 27 years of marriage, Mauricio entered his “era of being single.”
“I’m alone, I’m single, I’m dating. I guess that’s my era,” The Agency founder confessed.
Mauricio Umansky’s daughters gave their dad dating advice after his split from Kyle Richards
Photo Credit: @kylerichards18 via Instagram
Kyle and Mauricio share three daughters together: Alexia, Sophia and Portia. In addition, he’s always been a father-figure to Farrah Aldjufrie, Kyle’s daughter from her first marriage.
Accordingly, his girls don’t hold back from offering their dad dating advice. “They always talk to me about it,” Mauricio told People. “The biggest advice that they give from their perspective is: ‘Dad, we want you to be happy. We want you to enjoy yourself, but be age-appropriate.’ They want me not to be photographed and be out there, particularly with somebody I’m just on a first date with or something.”
In return, as a dad, Mau always stands ready with dating advice for his daughters. “I have such an open relationship with them and such a friendship,” he continued. “We’re just super straight-up. One of the things that they’ve always said to me is that they really appreciate just honesty and just being real about everything. I definitely talk to them about their relationships, where they’re at.”
With one daughter recently married, another one dating and one in high school, who’s just started to date, Mau’s ever ready with the relationship advice.
Legendary graffiti artist Daniel “Chaka” Ramos once claimed he had tagged more than 40,000 locations around Los Angeles.
He can now add seven more. And unlike decades ago — when Ramos had to sneak around in darkness to spray-paint his nickname in large, block letters all over the city and surrounding areas — this time it was fully permissible.
Ramos, an L.A. native and Dodgers fan, was more than happy to participate, adding his name and slogans crafted by Nike to each piece. He told The Times in an email that it was his “first major project with a corporate giant like Nike.”
A mural of Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a temporary addition to the downtown Los Angeles skyline.
(Natasha Campos / Nike)
“They’re one of the most prolific creative forces in the world, and collaborating with them was a milestone for me,” the 53-year-old artist said. “The rush of graffiti can’t really be compared to commissioned or gallery work, but this experience came close.”
The Nike murals, which are scheduled to remain up through Nov. 30, are among the pieces included in a new and quickly expanding online map detailing the locations of Dodgers murals in and around L.A. The map was created by and is curated by Mike Asner, the mastermind behind a similar website that documents the locations of hundreds of Kobe and Gianna Bryant murals around the world.
Asner already has a full-time job as a marketing director in sports and entertainment, as well as maintaining the Bryant mural site. Still, the morning after the Dodgers clinched their second straight championship, Asner knew it was time to get to start tracking more murals.
“I think the reception from the fans and the artists I got to know from the Kobe mural project was very positive,” Asner, who also has an Instagram page highlighting Dodgers murals, said. “And the main thing I realized was it was helping people and providing a service to them and making things easier. … After the Dodgers won back-to-back championships, we started to see murals going up immediately, so I felt it would be the right thing to do again.”
A sprawling mural by Royyal Dog in South Los Angeles features images of Dodgers greats past and present, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto (second from right) and Freddie Freeman (far right).
The Nike-Chaka collaborations represent some of the newer artwork documented on Asner’s map. A Nike spokesperson said the idea was to give Ramos approved spaces in local neighborhoods to express the pride that Dodgers fans are feeling after back-to-back championships.
Two of the murals were painted directly on the walls by L.A.-based artists, with Ramos adding the slogans and his tag afterward. Artist Swank One painted the one at 2844 1st St. in Boyle Heights. It features relief pitcher Roki Sasaki and Smith embracing after the Dodgers clinched the National League pennant, with the slogan “On the Double.”
Graffiti artist Daniel ‘Chaka’ Ramos was commissioned by Nike to apply his tag to several temporary murals around Los Angeles celebrating the Dodgers’ back-to-back World Series championships.
(Natasha Campos / Nike)
Artists Enkone and Keorock painted at 4560 Whittier Blvd. in East L.A. The mural features pitcher Blake Snell, whose postseason included a one-hit, eighth-inning gem in Game 1 of the NLCS, with the slogan “Twice as Nice.” That mural has since been removed.
For four of the others, Nike licensed game photos from Getty Images, overlaid tag designs from Ramos and then had the images blown up and printed as murals.
Those include “Twice in a Blue Moon” in Silverlake (at Hollywood Boulevard and Hillhurst Avenue), featuring Max Muncy and Hyesong Kim; “Repeat Heroes” in Echo Park (at West Temple Street and North Boylston Street), featuring Smith and Sasaki; “Turn Two, Earn Two” in Echo Park (atSunset Boulevard and Marion Avenue), featuring Muncy; and “Dodgers Rule” — a play on Ramos’ longtime slogan “Chaka Rules” — in Westlake/Echo Park (at Beverly Boulevard and Commonwealth Avenue), featuring Sasaki.
The last mural features a photo of Yamamoto letting out a roar. The photo was blown up several stories high and installed several stories higher in downtown L.A. at 213 S. Broadway. Ramos then boarded a suspended scaffold and was lifted high above his hometown, where he spent four to five hours adding his tag and the slogan “Back 2 Back.”
It may not have been as daring as some of the stunts he pulled in the past, but Ramos definitely felt the rush.
“I’ve done graffiti at daredevil heights without a harness before, but nothing at this scale. This time I actually had to gear up with a harness — haha,” he wrote. “It was intense, but a lot of fun.”
The Nike-Chaka murals will be coming down soon, but Asner says he’s excited to see what other new creations might fill out the map in the aftermath of the latest championship run.
“We’re gonna see really amazing artwork going up, and we’re gonna see artwork of Dodgers that haven’t necessarily been on murals. like Will Smith and Yoshinobu Yamamoto,” Asner said. “There’s a lot of really big stars from this series that deserve to get credit for their amazing job. …
“You know, Ohtani was incredible, obviously, Friedman was incredible. But there were a lot of big players that stepped up — Miggy Rojas, right? Huge, huge reason they won. So it’s gonna be great to see what these artists do, and I’m looking forward to seeing it myself.”
Image Credit: Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
Kevin Spaceyhas been a professional actor for nearly 40 years, rising from a celebrated stage performer in the 1980s to one of Hollywood’s most decorated film stars. With two Oscars, multiple Golden Globes, and iconic roles in American Beauty, Se7en, and House of Cards, his career once dominated awards seasons and prestige television.
But after the sexual assault allegations that halted his work and reshaped his public image, Spacey’s life and finances have changed significantly. In 2025, he made headlines after an interview suggested he was homeless — a claim he later clarified in a new video, explaining that while he has been living between hotels and short-term rentals, he is not “homeless in the colloquial sense.” He noted that ongoing legal costs and inconsistent work have contributed to his current lifestyle.
Here’s what to know about Spacey now, including where he is, whether he’s homeless, and how much money he actually has today.
Where Is Kevin Spacey Now?
Spacey has been moving frequently and performing internationally. In late 2025, he spent time in Tel Aviv, where he performed a one-man show titled Songs & Stories. He has also been traveling between the U.S. and Europe, taking small stage opportunities while trying to rebuild parts of his career.
Is Kevin Spacey Homeless in 2025?
Not exactly. While a recent interview suggested Spacey was homeless, he clarified in a new video that he is not “homeless in the colloquial sense.” Spacey explained that he has been staying in hotels, Airbnbs, and short-term rentals because he no longer has a permanent residence, largely due to years of legal and financial setbacks.
He initially told The Telegraph, “I’m living in hotels, I’m living in Airbnbs, I’m going where the work is,” but later emphasized that his situation should not be mistaken for living on the streets.
What Is Kevin Spacey’s Net Worth?
Spacey’s net worth has fallen dramatically from the height of his career. As of 2025, Celebrity Net Worth estimates his fortune at $100,000. The same outlet previously listed him at –$2 million, reflecting the steep debt he accumulated from legal fees, lawsuits, and halted projects following sexual misconduct allegations. Spacey has denied the accusations against him.
His earnings have sharply declined due to canceled roles, lost contracts, and years without major studio work.
How Did Kevin Spacey Make His Money?
Spacey earned his wealth primarily through his acting career, including major film roles (American Beauty, Se7en, L.A. Confidential), his award-winning run on House of Cards, and producing and directing work. He also made money through theater, endorsements, and production deals before his career collapsed following multiple allegations and removed projects.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
Solo travelling is a hugely popular way to see the world. You don’t have to try and organise anyone else, and you can move at your own pace when you travel alone.
If you are one of the millions of people who are keen to explore the world on your own terms, then there is one country you just can’t miss. Experts at Travelbag have analysed 36 countries to find out which is the best for solo travellers. They used data on day and night safety, drink prices, temperatures, public transport, English proficiency and visitor acceptance to find which destination would be the best for someone travelling on their own.
Coming at the top of the list was Hanoi in Vietnam. It scored highly on daytime safety, low travel costs and an overall welcoming atmosphere.
It also helped that a pint costs just 71 pence and public transport averages at around 25 pence – making it one of the most affordable capital cities.
Even better, if you’re looking to escape the UK’s dreary cold weather, temperatures in Hanoi hover around 23C in December – significantly warmer than the freezing temperatures the UK has experienced over the last few days.
In 2024, Hanoi was named as Asia’s best city break by World Travel Awards, and it’s easy to see why. Hanoi is a bustling city with plenty to do – not only a rich history and culture to explore, but plenty of buzzing clubs and bars if you’re looking for a livelier night.
If you’re visiting the city, then you have to explore the Old Quarter and taste some of the best street food. From Phở broth to the smoky pork-filled f bún chả, there’s something for everyone in the Old Quarters’ rambling streets.
Hanoi is also Vietnam’s art capital, and if you’re in the city, you must check out the Fine Art Museum, which has everything from ancient artefacts to impressionist works.
If contemporary art is more your scene, then the Vietnam Art Gallery makes for a great afternoon of wandering.
Imagine that you went to see The Empire Strikes Back when it first opened, and that the movie began with a serene scene featuring Princess Leia, who moments later comes across the Rebel base on Hoth in the midst of a violent Stormtrooper siege. She spots Luke Skywalker heroically helping to defend the base, and then… Luke gets freakin’ blown up and killed! That’s minute six, and the movie just continues on from there with no takebacks. Sorry, Luke. RIP.
This is pretty much what Ewoks: The Battle for Endor did in 1985, in one of the wilder and more abrupt moves for any Star Wars sequel and family movie sequels in general. As The Battle for Endor reaches its 40th anniversary – it first aired November 24, 1985, on ABC – let’s take a look back at how the second Ewoks TV movie decided to mercilessly deal with a hugely prominent young character from the first.
A year earlier, 1984’s Caravan of Courage: The Ewok Adventure introduced the Towanis, a family of humans who crash on Endor. After their parents vanish, the Towani kids, Mace (Eric Walker) and Cindel (Aubree Miller), are discovered and taken in by the Ewoks. Young Cindel (Miller was around 5 when she made the movie) finds a fast friend in Wicket (Warwick Davis, naturally), while Mace must step up and become a hero in order to help save his parents from the clutches of the Gorax, the monster that has taken their parents.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Though functioning as an ensemble story, with Cindel and Wicket getting plenty of screen time, if anyone is the main character in Caravan of Courage, it’s Mace, which is made pretty clear from the get-go by just how blatantly he’s meant to be a surrogate for Luke Skywalker. Eric Walker’s resemblance to a younger Mark Hamill is very obvious; not only has Mace been given a Luke-style haircut, but he’s dressed in an orange X-Wing pilot-style uniform for the entire movie. (As for his name, yes, George Lucas had an affinity for the name Mace, having put a character named Mace Windy in early drafts of Star Wars before the prequel trilogy cast Samuel L. Jackson as a Jedi with the slightly altered name Mace Windu).
Though he has no Force-powers, the teenage Mace Towani is introduced as a Luke-esque callow youth who must rise to the occasion and save the day by the end of the story. As a tiny kid, Cindel is (wisely) left out of the final battle almost entirely, while Mace and several Ewoks battle the Gorax. When Mace’s newfound Ewok pal, the valiant Chukha-Trok, succumbs to injuries, he gifts his battle-ax to Mace as his dying act, and Mace then promptly uses that ax to kill the Gorax and free his parents. A hero’s journey has been journey’d!
And yet you wouldn’t guess any of that based on how The Battle for Endor treats Mace. The sequel almost immediately finds Cindel and Wicket coming across an attack on the Ewok village by a fiendish group known as the Sanyassan Marauders. When Cindel spots Mace, he’s trying to defend the village from the Marauders with a blaster, alongside their apparently already-dead mom (!). He says all of nine words to his sister – “Get back, Cindel! Stay away! Get help! Get Dad!” – before he drags his mom’s body into a hut, at which point the Marauders fire a large cannon, and we (and Cindel) see a big explosion from afar. And that’s it for him.
It’s not actually completely obvious that Mace was meant to be killed at that moment until a couple of minutes later, after Cindel has found her dad (perennial ’80s movie jerk Paul Gleason, best known for Die Hard and The Breakfast Club, getting a rare non-jerk role here) and declares, “Mommy, Mace, they’re dead,” to which her dad replies “I know.” Which probably isn’t intended as a callback to Leia and Han’s famous “I love you,” “I know” moment but is very darkly funny if it was. Dad only gets to survive just a few minutes more before he’s killed too, and then Cindel’s off on a new adventure with Wicket and, you guessed it, Wilford Brimley! Brimley plays Noa, a human who helps protect Cindel from the Marauders as the story continues.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
But going back to the beginning, it’s hard not to linger on the question of what the hell they were thinking by killing Mace in the first place. The parents would be cruel enough – considering Caravan of Courage’s central quest is to rescue them, that already gives The Battle for Endor its own “Killing Hicks and Newt at the start of Alien 3”-adjacent vibe – but taking out Mace seems so extreme. He’s like 14 years old and was a centerpiece of the first Ewok movie.
The other thing about Mace is, well, he kind of sucks. No disrespect meant to the then-young Walker, who was doing what he was asked to do, but throughout much of Caravan of Courage, Mace is basically stuck in the oft-parodied, super whiny mode we briefly saw from Luke when we first met him. Imagine if Luke stayed at a “But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!” level for the entirety of Star Wars, except sometimes he got even more annoying, and you get the idea. Mace is constantly complaining, constantly yelling and basically a big pain in the neck for way too much of the story before he gets to step up in the third act.
In a 2000 interview with EON Magazine (as recounted back then by TheForce.net), The Battle for Endor co-writer and director Ken Wheat revealed that the idea to kill off Cindel’s entire family came directly from George Lucas, who has a Story By credit on both Ewok telefilms. Said Wheat, “Lucas guided the creation of the story over the course of two four-hour sessions we had with him. He’d just watched Heidi with his daughter the weekend before these took place, and the story idea he pushed was having the little girl from the first Ewok TV movie become an orphan who ends up living with a grumpy old hermit in the woods.”
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Hence, out with the parents, out with Mace, and in with Wilford Brimley. It’s all Heidi’s fault! Of course, Lucas may have felt differently had audiences responded strongly to Mace, but I highly suspect he saw that character hadn’t exactly been a breakout from the first movie and decided he was done with him. And with the Ewoks mainly appealing to a very young audience at the time, compared to Star Wars in general, it does make a certain amount of sense to keep the focus on just the youngest kid from the first movie, as mercenary as it also felt to do so in this manner. Frankly, neither Ewok movie is actually good, but The Battle for Endor especially feels almost entirely aimed at very young children, with the story keeping things notably simple. Hell, Wicket just speaks understandable English in this one (or Basic, if you want to stick with Star Wars terminology), because why not?
Both Ewoks TV movies were eventually deemed Star Wars Legends content, meaning none of the Towani family exist in canon, at least not yet. But elements from those movies have eventually been incorporated into canon, such as the creatures from The Battle for Endor known as blurrgs, which were used in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars and finally made their way back into live action in The Mandalorian. So maybe Cindel and Mace can return as well one day, and Mace can get a bit of redemption for that harsh death? You never know. That galaxy far, far away is a pretty big one after all.
Censorship is a contentious topic in anime. While the lower scrutiny of manga often allows it to get away with graphic and sexual material, their anime adaptations often have stricter requirements about what is and isn’t allowed. This is especially true for anime that air on TV in Japan.
This is why it’s no surprise that the current king of Crunchyrollis facing a bit of controversy regarding changes to the source material.
Fans of Gachiakuta‘s manga noticed some discrepancies between episode 20 of the anime and the manga chapter it was adapting. Specifically, Gachiakuta chapter #71 features an iconic and memorable scene where series protagonist Rudo flips off an antagonist who was talking down to him. Episode 20 of the anime, however, depicts the same scene with Rudo giving a thumbs down.
Gachiakuta’s Censorship Was Probably Inevitable
The difference was noticed by Gachiakuta fans on X, such as @scissoreaper, who lamented “sighhhh we lost”. Which seems to reflect the broad sentiment of manga fans who were disappointed to see the anime water down such an iconic and powerful moment. X user @jackyvstheworld responded to the thread with their take on why the change was made
age rating and time slot censorship so literally yes gachiakuta couldn’t show it same way they couldn’t show the cockroach eating moment. if the age rating were higher or time slot were better or other factors like if it’s streaming or live then they coulda shown it
While this is just one fan’s explanation for why this iconic Gachiakuta scene was changed, their explanation makes sense. Gachiakuta airs at 8:00 PM on Sundays in Japan, meaning it is entirely possible that children and families would be viewing it.
Given this, combined with the often crude nature of Kei Urana’s manga source material, it is unfortunate that this kind of censorship was inevitable.
Why Manga Fans Are So Upset About Gachiakuta’s Latest Bit of Censorship
Gachiakuta-Trailer-Rudo-Vital-Instrument
Gachiakuta is Crunchyroll’s biggest anime at the moment, and is going toe-to-toe with Solo Leveling season 2 for the title of Crunchyroll’s biggest anime of 2025. Given this, a certain level of scrutiny has fallen on the latest shonen mega-hit.
While fans of the manga have generally been very receptive to Bones’ anime adaptation, it is difficult to deny that certain scenes have been lost in translation.
The scene from chapter #71 is iconic and a perfect symbol of everything that makes Rudo and Gachiakuta work so well. The defiant energy, the rebellion against authority, the raw anger boiling over and exploding out, all of it is what makes Gachiakuta the new standard for anime.
Rudo giving a thumbs down doesn’t have half the anti-authoritarian energy that him giving the middle finger does. Though fans can hope that the scene will be adjusted in a future Blu-ray release, where the creators have a bit more freedom, that may not come for a while and may not be cost-effective to reanimate.
