The Epoch Times—Southern California

A ceasefire is in place but the situation inside Iran was already under pressure before the war started. Foreign policy analyst @LisaDaftari explains what the pause doesn't resolve and what to watch for next.

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A California gubernatorial primary debate will be held Los Angeles next month, offering voters a high-profile forum to hear directly from candidates in one of the nation’s most closely watched races.

“We’re now in 2026. There are no trains. There’s no track laid. It was a complete bait and switch. The business plan that was put out in 2008 was very theoretical. You know, ‘This is what we think is gonna happen.’ And it became very clear that they didn’t have the specifics worked out," Republican Congressman Vince Fong (@vfong) of Bakersfield said in an interview. Continue reading in thread.

In the middle of California’s Mojave Desert stands a powerful new statue of Gao Zhisheng — one of China’s bravest human rights lawyers, Nobel Peace Prize nominee … who was disappeared by the CCP in 2017 and hasn’t been heard from since. His wife fears he was murdered. Now, sculptor @CHENWEIMING2017 has immortalized him at Liberty Sculpture Park — titled “Gazing at the Starry Sky” — as a symbol of freedom and truth. This is the same artist who built the giant “CCP Virus” statue of Xi Jinping … only for it to be burned down by CCP agents. Chen didn’t quit — he rebuilt it stronger, in steel. Every sculpture here screams: Human rights. Freedom. Never forget the victims of communist tyranny. From the persecution of Falun Gong to the mass oppression of Chinese people — the CCP's atrocities are on full display at this desert oasis that refuses to stay silent. Watch the full story in the video below 👇

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Republican Steve Hilton captured President Donald Trump’s endorsement on April 5 in his quest to become the next governor of California, as he continues to lead in nearly every major poll leading to the June 2 primary.

The widening gap is renewing questions about funding, timelines, and what it will take to finish the line. theepochtimes.com/us/total-cost-…

California’s high speed rail project is now estimated at $126 billion, with about $39 billion in funding identified through 2045, leaving a gap of roughly $87 billion.

San Francisco on April 4 became the first city in the United States to record an average diesel price above $8 per gallon, according to fuel price-tracking platform GasBuddy. theepochtimes.com/us/california-…

Diesel prices are rising across the nation, with California taking an especially hard hit as recent escalations in the Middle East continue to disrupt global oil flows.

California is phasing out oil while still depending on it for more than fuel. Its military bases, airports, and 40 million drivers run on fuel refined inside the state. That alone is becoming a national concern. But what is the backup plan for everything that gets built from oil and never goes near a pump at all?

The proposal now goes to Congress, where lawmakers will weigh costs, public safety priorities, and what the change would mean for California. theepochtimes.com/us/trump-seeks…

The White House is requesting $152 million to reopen Alcatraz as a federal prison, a move that would return the former facility to its original purpose after decades as a tourist site.

Most people know Qatar as a small country in the Gulf. Fewer know it controls nearly 40% of the world's exported LNG supply, the fuel that keeps Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea running. When that supply gets disrupted, the effects don't stay in the region. They travel through a system that has been underinvested for a decade.

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FBI agents and other law enforcement officials arrested eight of 15 people suspected of $60 million in hospice care fraud as part of a federal multi-state investigation in Los Angeles County, authorities announced April 2.

Law enforcement says the crime is driven by high copper prices and legal thresholds that make many theft cases difficult to prosecute, raising concerns for agriculture and public safety. theepochtimes.com/us/copper-thef…

Copper theft is hitting California’s Central Valley farms and critical infrastructure, with stolen wiring and equipment causing costly damage and even shutting down phone and emergency services in some areas.

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President Donald Trump on March 31 told State Farm and other insurers to “get their act together” after meeting with California politicians and hearing about the difficulties facing the victims of last year’s wildfires.