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China’s High-quality Economic Development Presents New Opportunities to China-Belgium Economic and Trade Cooperation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

As it is halfway through year of 2023, the economy of China, the world’s second-largest economy and the engine of global growth, has attracted a lot of attention. Recently, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held a meeting to assess the current economic situation and make arrangements for economic work in the second half of the year, including latest arrangements to resolutely promote high-quality economic development.Major economic data for H1 of 2023 show that China’s economy has continued to recover, with a generally upward momentum. China’s GDP grew by 5.5 per cent in H1, one of the fastest among major economies. Consumption recovery continued and final consumption expenditure drove economic growth by 4.2 percentage points, making a contribution of 77.2 percent. Investment continued to grow and total capital formation contributed 1.8 percentage points to economy growth. The tertiary industry continued to recover, and employment an...

Deputy finds ghost gun during Grand Terrace traffic stop, Sheriff's Department says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said a deputy located a ghost gun in Grand Terrace Sunday night.Deputy C. Velasco pulled over a car near Barton Road and the 215 Freeway on-ramp at about 9 p.m. and discovered that the driver, 29-year-old Alfred Ross of San Bernardino, had a warrant for his arrest and was also driving without a license, the SBSD said in a news release. According to jail records, Ross faces a domestic violence charge. While searching the vehicle, Velasco also found a 9 mm handgun without a serial number, making it untraceable, which is why unserialized firearms are called "ghost guns."The gun was found under the passenger seat, and 23-year-old Keshawna Durrah of Grand Terrace was arrested for carrying a loaded firearm, officials said. Both have been released on bail, and no court appearances have been scheduled. Anyone with information is urged to call 909-387-3545. To remain anonymous, call WeTip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or leave information on...

As students return to school in Southern California, inflation and political clashes lurk

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

Southern California may still be seeing summer temperatures, but for many families in the Southland, it's time to head back to class.The Corona-Norco Unified School District held the first day of classes on Tuesday.One of the largest school districts in the Inland Empire, the CNUSD serves more than 50,000 students across nearly 50 schools in Riverside County.The children and their families are not immune from many of the issues impacting American society at large.A few days before the first classes, the CNUSD Board of Education unanimously passed a statement in support of the district's LGBTQ students and staff.The move comes as other districts, such as the Chino Valley Unified School District, debate what critics describe as anti-LGBTQ policies.And students and families are finding that they're also being impacted by the inflation that's affected so many across the country.Backpacks, lunch boxes and school supplies have gone up in price, forcing many families to make tough decision...

Carly Rae Jepsen at the Bellwether

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

Carly Rae Jepsen at the Bellwether: Pop star Jepsen is performing for three nights in a row at new venue the Bellwether, on a bill with Harvey Sutherland. That follows her recent triumphant performance at WeHo Pride.“It’s gonna be a wild time,” she said in June. “I mean, I don’t get to play L.A. a lot, which is crazy. I’m a Canadian girl who got picked up by the L.A. buzz and was introduced to a world beyond Canada. I think I just remember every couple of weekends calling my parents like, ‘Can you send more clothes?’ Ten years later, I’m like, ‘I think this is where I live now.’”“I don’t feel like I’ve really stopped,” she also said. “But it’s been a good pace of things. This has been, I’m gone for a month, I’m home for a week, I’m gone for two weeks, I’m home for a week. So it’s been a nice pace of getting to go and do the thing I love, and also have a life in between. It’s great.”“It took a while to write because I historically overwrite, and I was no different with th...

Several Injured in Head-On Collision on Natividad Road [Salinas, CA]

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

Two-Vehicle Crash near Rogge Road Left 4 Children InjuredSALINAS, CA (August 8, 2023) – Friday afternoon, a head-on collision on Natividad Road left at least six people hurt, including four juveniles.Reports of the incident arrived around 4:20 p.m. along Natividad Road near Rogge Road, just north of Salinas.Currently, the circumstances that led up to the crash remain unclear, however, responders extricated six people inside their vehicles. The ages of the children involved in the accident range from 7 to 14 years old.Paramedics transported the youngest patient to a hospital in Santa Clara via air ambulance. Meanwhile, the two adult drivers from Salinas were rushed to Natividad Medical Center for treatment of minor to moderate injuries.At this time, the California Highway Patrol is working to determine if drugs or alcohol contributed to the head-on collision. The identities of those involved have not been made public by the authorities.Those with further information regarding t...

This family is moving to Italy because they’ve had enough of the US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

By Silvia Marchetti | CNNNadine and Kim Dawkines Italy MoveCaption: Nadine and Kim Dawkins plan to move to Italy.(Nadine Dawkins via CNN) As dozens of Italian towns sell off old houses on the cheap, foreigners who rush to grab one are often in search of a year-round sunshine spot, a vacation retreat, or just to live their Italian dream.But one American family has done it to start a new life far from the United States.In 2019, the Dawkins family – Nadine, 59, her husband, Kim, 61, and their children Lorenzo, 29, and DeNae, 27 – bought a charming home in the town of Latronico. In the southern region of Basilicata, the town of 4,000 inhabitants is located within the pristine Pollino National Park and surrounded by hot springs.They got excited after reading CNN’s article about Latronico’s initiative to sell cheap houses that are already inhabitable, rather than ruins for one euro, or a little over a dollar. The town advertises available properties on a dedicated website.Reading the...

Review: ‘Game Show’ in San Jose packed with charm (almost too packed)

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

In the opening moments of San Jose Playhouse’s revival of “Thanks for Playing! The Game Show Show,” we meet the gallant Frankie, a kindly and eager woman who prances around the stage preaching the gospel of game shows.We are talking about the 1950s after all, when television was in its infancy and game shows delivered real-life melodramas attached to some hefty cash prizes. Those with hulking television consoles tuned in nightly to live vicariously through commoners whose lives were transformed in front of millions.It’s all so thrilling for Frankie, who is madly in love with shows of the quiz, deal, spin or bet variety. Frankie has surpassed queen for a day — she’s shooting for an eternal monarchy. If there can be Rice-a-Roni thrown in for good measure, even better.There is much that is charming about the Playhouse’s latest offering. However, the abundance of unfocused energy that lies within the play’s laborious book, as well as a nearly three-hour run time that could be chop...

Preseason all-Bay Area News Group high school football 2023: Offensive line

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

Preseason all-BANG high school football 2023Offensive linemen(listed in alphabetical order)Bennett Anderson, Bellarmine,  6-5, 270, seniorYale commit. Had 11 offers, including every Ivy League school but Dartmouth. Several Power 5 schools showed interest, among them Cal, Stanford, UCLA, Oregon State. Will likely play OT at Yale. Excellent long-snapper. 247sports 3-star recruit.Alex Bleszynski, Archbishop Mitty, 6-3, 285, juniorListed as OG on the Monarchs’ roster. One of only six starters back from last season’s 9-4 team. Brought up midway through season. Started at center. Will play mostly on OL this season, but expected to help out on DL.Julian Cambra, San Ramon Valley, 6-2, 225, juniorFirst-team all-EBAL in two sports during sophomore year: left tackle in football, designated hitter in baseball. Besides his LT duties, will get some playing time on the DL. As good as he is on the gridiron, baseball might be his best sport.Kamani Fifita, Arroyo, 6-5, 310, seniorTennyson coach John ...

What’s California’s hottest hotel market? You’ll never guess

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

“Numerology” tries to find reality within various measurements of economic and real estate trends.Buzz: California’s hottest hotel market, when it comes to the growing demand for rooms, is much-maligned San Francisco.Source: My trusty spreadsheet reviewed hotel performance data for 45 counties for 2023’s first six months, distributed by Visit California.Fuzzy math: Is a big city tourism revival in the works?Top LineSan Francisco County, the state’s fourth-largest hotel market, had demand for 3.9 million room nights in the first half, up 14.5% from 2022’s first six months.Despite all the headlines about San Francisco’s urban ugliness, no other California had double-digit gains in hotel demand. Santa Cruz came in at No. 2 with its 7% gain.Despite the jump, San Francisco County hotels were only 62% filled  – a middling No. 23 ranking among the 45 counties. And it’s still a pricey place to stay with room rates at $251 per night (No. 2 statewide) after a 13.7% jump in a year, the second ...

PG&E’s CEO wants electric vehicles to save California’s power grid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT

By Nadia Lopez | BloombergPG&E Corp. Chief Executive Officer Patti Poppe has an unconventional idea for California’s fragile power grid as climate-related disasters, wildfires and heat waves further strain it. She envisions a future where electric vehicles come to the rescue, feeding excess power back during peak demand to stave off blackouts.To achieve this, she’ll need the auto industry’s help to pioneer a technology that has yet to be scaled up.RELATED: PG&E faces questions amid wildfire prevention strategy shift from tree trimming to grid techPG&E, California’s largest utility, is pushing General Motors Co. to expand on a pilot program from last year and install bi-directional charging software across its current fleet of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, Ford Motor Co. has been promoting its mighty F-150 Lightning electric truck as a backup power source on wheels, capable of re-energizing homes during an outage, and Tesla Inc. has plans to introduce two-way charging in ...