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By ELAINE KURTENBACH China’s leaders are downplaying the potential impact from U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war, saying they have the capacity to protect jobs and limit damage from higher tariffs on Chinese exports. The briefing Monday by several senior officials of different government ministries appeared aimed at shoring up confidence with promises of support for companies and the unemployed, easier lending conditions and other policies to counter the impact of combined tariffs of up to 145% on U.S. imports from China. It followed a meeting of China’s powerful Politburo last week that analysts said had focused on ways to…

Two people, including a driver suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, were injured in a solo car crash in Menifee on Saturday, April 26, police said. At around 2:50 a.m., the Menifee Police Department responded to a single-vehicle collision at the intersection of Newport Road and Lone Pine Drive. Officers located a heavily damaged Ford Focus with a 21-year-old male driver and a 20-year-old female passenger inside. Fire personnel had to use specialized equipment to free both occupants from the car. Investigators determined that the car was traveling eastbound on Newport Road when, for unknown reasons, it veered…

By LEAH ASKARINAM WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia announced on Monday he is stepping down as the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee and will not be seeking reelection next year due to his cancer returning, ending his long career in public life. “The sun is setting on my time in public service,” Connolly said in a statement. “With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we’ve accomplished together over 30 years.” Connolly, 75, has served in Congress since 2009 and represents northern Virginia, including…

The Inland Empire has been one of the nation’s softball hotbeds for nearly four decades, so it should not come as a surprise to see many local players starring for elite college programs around the nation. There are two dozen Inland players currently listed on the rosters of Division I colleges in the Top 25 of the most recent ESPN/USA Softball rankings (April 22). Several of those players are starters who are leading their respective teams in statistical categories, and a few are making strong cases for All-American honors. Chino Hills, Great Oak, Norco and Roosevelt lead the way, each…

California consistently ranks as the most regulated state in the country—getting so bad, in fact, that comedian Bill Maher recently told Gov. Gavin Newsom that he needs to “take a chainsaw” to California’s overgrown regulatory code. And while many Californians might worry about environmental, social, or safety consequences of deregulation, there is at least one category of state regulations that, with a few easily identifiable exceptions, serve only to protect special interests at the expense of the low- and middle-class wage-earners: occupational licensing regulations.  Not long ago, only a small fraction of American workers needed a license to do their…

Hyunmin Kim, Margaret Giles of Morningstar A 529 college savings plan can be a powerful tool when saving for future education expenses because investments in the plan can increase tax-free, but many savers don’t take full advantage of all the benefits that 529 plans have to offer. One common deterrent to investing through a 529 plan is the concern that assets in a 529 account will reduce financial aid eligibility. While it’s true that 529 assets have an impact on financial aid, the effect is likely smaller than you think. Do 529 plans affect financial aid? The short answer is…

Walmart expects its Eastvale supercenter to open early next year. The 70,995-square-feet store, which includes a vast grocery section and much larger retail departments, is being built at 14100 Limonite Ave. The center will feature a 16-pump fuel station and EV-charging, too. In a statement released last week, the retailer said it’s also remodeling 11 stores in Southern California, including five in the Inland Empire. Those stores include locations in Upland (two), Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley and Barstow. Store remodels will include improved display and signage, expanded departments, more online pickup and delivery, and private screening and checkout rooms in an…

Four people, including two Inland Empire attorneys, were charged in a workers’ compensation fraud scheme that targeted Spanish speakers, the California Department of Insurance announced. “This is a disturbing case of alleged fraud that preyed on vulnerable, hardworking people,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. The estimated loss in the case exceeds $14.5 million, the insurance department said in a news release on Thursday, April 24. In Oct. 2022, the department launched an investigation after they received reports that Spanish-speaking workers had been contacted by a call center based in Mexico which allegedly promised workers they could receive money through workers’…

By MATT O’BRIEN, AP Technology Writer CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — After retreating from their workplace diversity, equity and inclusion programs, tech companies could now face a second reckoning over their DEI work in AI products. In the White House and the Republican-led Congress, “woke AI” has replaced harmful algorithmic discrimination as a problem that needs fixing. Past efforts to “advance equity” in AI development and curb the production of “harmful and biased outputs” are a target of investigation, according to subpoenas sent to Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and 10 other tech companies last month by the House Judiciary Committee.…

SEATTLE — The Angels remain mired in a frustrating offensive funk. In an era when hitting is already so tough that the major league average is .240, the Angels would gladly take that instead of what they’ve been doing. The Angels reached Monday’s off day hitting .212, second worst in the majors. Their .655 OPS ranks 25th. It’s been even worse over the past 15 games: a .188 average and a .553 OPS. The recent stretch, in which their record is 4-11, has also seen them strike out once every three plate appearances. Manager Ron Washington has few answers each…