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By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press Retail WriterNEW YORK (AP) — Estee Lauder may trim as many as 7,000 jobs by fiscal 2026, more than 11% of its workforce, after the global beauty cosmetics maker lost money in its most recent quarter as reported a 6% sales slump.The New York company behind such brands as MAC, La Mer and Aveda tempered its profit outlook as the economies of China and Korea slow, in addition to global geopolitical uncertainty.China announced retaliatory tariffs on some American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, just minutes after a sweeping levy on Chinese…

California bosses are battling surging labor costs by giving their workers modestly shorter workweeks.My trusty spreadsheet reviewed state figures on pay patterns dating to 2011 and found the typical California private-sector employee was paid for 33.8 hours weekly in the past year, the shortest workweek in these 14 years.The drop was modest, off 2% from pre-pandemic 2019, but broad-based. Hours dipped in nine California industries, comparing the 12 months ending in November to 2019.Remember, these were five wild years, filled with an economy-twisting pandemic, the worst bout of inflation in four decades, and two changes of power in the White…

By KEN MORITSUGU and HUIZHONG WU, Associated PressBEIJING (AP) — China announced retaliatory tariffs on select American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, just minutes after a sweeping levy on Chinese products imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect.American tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico were also set to go into effect Tuesday before Trump agreed to a 30-day pause as the two countries acted to address his concerns about border security and drug trafficking. Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days.This isn’t the first round of tit-for-tat actions between the two countries. China…

By AMANDA SEITZ and STEPHEN GROVES, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the controversial environmental lawyer turned public health critic, is set to find out on Tuesday if he has cleared the first hurdle to become the nation’s top health official when the Senate Finance Committee votes on his nomination.Democrats are still raising concerns about Kennedy’s potential to profit from anti-vaccine advocacy and lawsuits, but Republicans appear to be rallying behind President Donald Trump’s health secretary nominee. On Monday, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican once viewed as a possible “no” vote, announced he would back Kennedy.Kennedy…

A suspected gambling ring under federal investigation for its role in two NBA betting cases also was involved in unusual wagering activity on at least three men’s college basketball programs this season, ESPN reported Monday.Sportsbook accounts connected to the gambling ring bet against Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley State and North Carolina A&T, according to ESPN, which cited anonymous sources.Three North Carolina A&T players were suspended indefinitely last week “for violating team rules,” though it was not clear if the statement from men’s basketball coach Monté Ross had any connection to the gambling allegations.According to ESPN, some of the same sportsbook…

As they prepared for Tuesday night’s visit from the Dallas Stars, the Ducks could lean not only on improved offense and overall results of late, but on the one effective constant of their campaign: their goaltending.They’ve won four of their past five outings and averaged four goals per game in the process. They’re undefeated this season when scoring four or more goals (14-0-0, nine regulation wins) and haven’t lost in regulation when tallying three or more times (21-0-2).When they give their goalies support, they’re all but guaranteed a victory.The ascendant Lukáš Dostál and veteran John Gibson, who is the longest…

By MATTHEW DALYWASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Monday confirmed fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to serve as energy secretary, a key post to promote President Donald Trump’s efforts to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.Wright, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He says more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty around the globe and has promised to help Trump “unleash energy security and prosperity.”The Senate approved his nomination, 59-38. Eight Democrats — including both senators from Wright’s home state of Colorado…

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue got up from his seat and walked away Sunday when asked about the recent movement in the NBA, that is, the Lakers-Dallas Mavericks trade. Later, Lue declined again to comment on the flurry of changes hitting the league.Lue is reluctant to discuss how big-name stars and All-Stars have been traded, as teams remake their rosters at midseason. And now that players such as Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic and De’Aaron Fox are looking at new surroundings, could the Clippers do the same?The Clippers traded P.J. Tucker and Mo Bamba, plus a future second-round draft pick and cash…

The maxim that “demography is destiny,” commonly attributed to French philosopher Auguste Comte, remains as relevant now as it did in the early 19th century, especially here in the Golden State.Even before the catastrophic fires inflicted billions in damage, as well as the tragic loss of life, California was drifting toward demographic purgatory – not quite hell, but certainly not the direction that a vibrant state should be headed.For a few recent years, California was actually losing population, something that hadn’t happened since 1900. The trend started in 2020 and continued through 2021 (loss of 343,000) and 2022. Not until 2023…

By MATTHEW LEESAN SALVADOR (AP) — The Trump administration has hired a “Make America Great Again” ideologue to run the State Department’s worldwide public diplomacy efforts, according to the man put forward for the post and three current department officials.Darren Beattie confirmed in a message to readers of the conservative website Revolver for which he worked that he would be taking up the post of acting undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. It was not clear if he would be formally nominated to take the job on a more permanent basis, which would require Senate confirmation.Beattie, an academic, has espoused…