Author: Sarita Jena

Donald Trump’s choices for his cabinet are being closely examined this week as U.S. senators hold important hearings. These meetings could decide the future of 13 nominees, some of whom might face tough questions about their past behaviors, relationships with leaders of other countries, and opinions on vaccines.

The nominees have been preparing hard, practicing how to respond to difficult questions while staying loyal to Trump. Sean Spicer, Trump’s first spokesperson, said these nominees represent Trump and his plans, meaning they will defend his ideas rather than their own.

Some Republicans want to quickly confirm the nominees related to national security, while Democrats will likely try to block those they feel are unfit for the jobs.

One controversial nominee is Pete Hegseth, a former army officer and ex-Fox News host, who is up for the role of secretary of defense. Hegseth is facing serious accusations, including sexual assault, financial issues, and drinking too much. Senator Elizabeth Warren pointed out that he has been so intoxicated at work events that he had to be carried out. She questioned whether he could be trusted to make critical security decisions.

Hegseth can only afford to lose three Republican votes if all Democrats and independents oppose him.

Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman who supports Trump, is another nominee causing concern. She previously met with the Syrian president and called him “not the enemy,” and has shown support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine. However, some think her views may be changing as she now supports a program she once tried to cancel.

Opposition is also building against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s choice for secretary of health and human services, who is known for anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.

On the other hand, Marco Rubio, chosen for secretary of state, is likely to get widespread support and is expected to be confirmed quickly. He will have his hearing alongside Kristi Noem for homeland security, Pam Bondi for attorney general, and John Ratcliffe, who has held a top intelligence position before.

More hearings are coming up for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kash Patel, who is up for running the FBI and has made controversial statements about attacking journalists and judges.

On a different note, Trump’s team lost an attempt to stop the release of a report about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The report suggested Trump might have been convicted if the case had gone to trial.

In 2023, China announced big pay cuts for staff at its three main financial agencies: the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), and the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). Starting this month, salaries for these employees will be reduced by about 50%.

This decision is part of a larger plan to align their pay with other civil servants in the government. The regulators had been earning much higher salaries than regular government workers, which raised concerns. For example, heads of departments at the CSRC earned around 300,000 to 400,000 yuan a year, which is nearly double what other government employees earn.

The goal of these cuts is to help boost consumer spending as China works to improve its slowing economy. Despite the pay cuts at the financial regulators, many government workers recently received surprise salary increases of around 500 yuan ($70) per month, showing a split in how wages are being managed.

In the past, the PBOC, NFRA, and CSRC had a different pay system that allowed them to earn more than other state workers. However, they will now have their incomes reduced to match other government agencies like the Ministry of Finance.

This change comes at a difficult time for China, as the government tries to stabilize economic growth and improve spending among its millions of civil servants. Many young people are still attracted to civil service jobs due to their security and benefits, even as some local governments struggle to pay their workers.

Pacific Palisades, a fancy area in Los Angeles, California, has been hit hard by terrible wildfires. These fires have destroyed many expensive homes and burned thousands of acres of land since they began on Tuesday. Before the fires, Pacific Palisades was a beautiful place filled with large, lovely houses, some owned by famous people, and pretty parks, shops, and cafes.

A video from Reuters shows shocking scenes of Pacific Palisades before and after the wildfires. Streets that once looked wonderful now appear as if they were bombed. Back in May 2024, on a sunny day, a nice white building on Sunset Boulevard, which had a Starbucks and Cafe Vida, stood proud. Now, that building is blackened and ruined, with palm trees outside stripped of their leaves, all under a cloudy, yellow sky.

The wildfires, known as the worst in U.S. history, have sadly affected not just Pacific Palisades but also nearby areas like Altadena and Pasadena. The Palisades Fire has burned over 20,000 acres and was only 11% controlled by Saturday. The neighborhood is still under mandatory evacuation, meaning people must leave for their safety. Other active fires are burning in Los Angeles and nearby towns, with at least 16 lives lost, and that number might rise as rescuers continue their work.

On Friday, Pacific Palisades seemed empty, with just a few firefighters and some ravens watching from the roads. Outside one home, the heat melted almost everything, except for the metal frame of a wheelchair that once sat outside.

These wildfires, which started on Tuesday, are causing massive destruction across Southern California, which is famous for its movie industry. Many homes, including those of Hollywood stars, are now just ashes, and strong winds called ‘Santa Ana’ have made the fires spread even faster.