In a bold and controversial move on his first day back in office, President Donald Trump fired four senior officials appointed by his predecessor, Joe Biden, and signaled additional dismissals as imminent.

The announcement was made in Trump’s first Truth Social post following his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States.

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“Our first day in the White House is not over yet! My Presidential Personnel Office is actively in the process of identifying and removing over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the previous Administration, who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again,” Trump wrote in the post, titled “YOU’RE FIRED.”

The dismissed officials include Jose Andres of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition; Mark Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council; Brian Hook of the Wilson Center for Scholars; and Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President’s Export Council.

Trump used his signature phrase from The Apprentice to emphasize their departure: “YOU’RE FIRED!”

The dismissals are part of a series of sweeping actions Trump has undertaken to reverse Biden-era policies and assert control over federal governance.

Among his first executive orders, Trump instituted a regulatory freeze, halting the implementation of any new rules until his administration has reviewed them.

Additionally, he ordered all federal employees to return to full-time, in-office work, reversing remote work policies from the previous administration.

In a further demonstration of his intent to reshape government, Trump suspended 78 executive orders issued during Biden’s tenure and reiterated his campaign pledge to streamline the federal workforce.

During his 29-minute inauguration speech, Trump outlined his vision for what he called a “Golden Age” in America while delivering sharp criticism of Biden’s administration.

He accused the previous administration of being “radical and corrupt,” pointing to the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires as evidence of its inability to manage domestic crises.

Several government institutions are now preparing for significant upheaval as Trump’s administration moves to implement additional campaign promises, including potential department closures and cuts to civil service roles.

Trump’s immediate and decisive actions have drawn both praise and criticism.

Supporters argue these steps are necessary to restore efficiency and align the government with Trump’s vision, while critics warn that such abrupt changes could deepen divisions and create instability within federal agencies.

A South Korean court will decide on Saturday whether to extend the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was arrested earlier this week over an alleged attempt to impose martial law.

Yoon, detained in a pre-dawn raid on Wednesday, is accused of trying to suspend civilian rule on December 3, citing threats from “anti-state elements.”

His attempt to deploy soldiers to storm parliament failed, as lawmakers rejected the martial law declaration just six hours after his surprise announcement.

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The fallout was swift: Yoon became the first sitting South Korean president to face impeachment and arrest.

Investigators accuse him of insurrection, a charge that could result in life imprisonment or even execution if proven.

The Seoul Western District Court will review a request to extend Yoon’s detention by 20 days during a 2:00 p.m. (0500 GMT) hearing on Saturday.

If approved, the extension would allow prosecutors additional time to prepare a formal indictment.

Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, said the embattled president plans to attend the hearing “with the intention of restoring his honour.”

The court has closed public access to its premises, citing safety concerns as Yoon’s supporters gathered outside.

Waving South Korean and American flags, they have called for the dismissal of the detention extension request.

The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) is leading the probe into Yoon’s failed martial law bid. The president reportedly resisted arrest for weeks, staying holed up in his guarded residence until Wednesday’s raid.

In a statement following his detention, Yoon said he surrendered “to avoid bloodshed” but questioned the legality of the investigation.

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His legal team claims he has already provided his position and has refused to answer further questions.

Yoon’s impeachment is under separate review by the Constitutional Court, which could permanently remove him from office and trigger fresh elections within 60 days.

The president has missed the first two hearings, but the trial will proceed in his absence.

Meanwhile, the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in parliament, has intensified its push against Yoon.

The party hailed his arrest as “the first step” toward restoring constitutional order. Late Friday, lawmakers passed a bill to launch a special counsel investigation into the failed martial law plan.

The crisis has left South Korea in political uncertainty. Despite winning the presidency in 2022, Yoon has faced mounting opposition, with his impeachment exposing sharp divisions in the country’s leadership.

China’s population shrank for the third consecutive year in 2024, as the nation grapples with a rapidly aging society, persistently low birth rates, and mounting economic pressures.

The country’s National Bureau of Statistics reported a population of 1.408 billion by the end of the year, down from 1.410 billion in 2023.

The population decrease reflects a broader demographic shift following decades of robust growth.

Once the world’s most populous nations, China was overtaken by India in 2023.

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Despite government efforts to boost birth rates through subsidies, pro-fertility campaigns, and policy adjustments, the decline persists.

Data shows that the number of people aged 60 and older rose to 310.31 million in 2024, representing nearly a quarter of the population.

This marks a significant increase from 297 million in 2023. Experts project that by 2035, seniors will comprise nearly one-third of China’s population.

“The aging crisis poses unprecedented challenges for China’s pension and public health systems,” said Zhao Litao, a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute.

China’s birth rate saw a slight increase in 2024, rising to 6.77 per 1,000 people, up from 6.52 in 2023.

Experts attribute this to deferred childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in marriages in 2023 and 2024, particularly during the auspicious Year of the Dragon.

However, demographers remain skeptical about the sustainability of this uptick. “The number of women of childbearing age is set to decline sharply in the coming decades,” said independent demographer He Yafu. “Unless significant pro-birth policies are introduced, the downward population trend will persist.”

China ended its strict one-child policy in 2016 and later allowed families to have up to three children in 2021.

Despite these changes, economic factors, such as the rising cost of living and housing, have deterred many from expanding their families.

Additionally, the growing number of women pursuing higher education and careers has contributed to falling birth rates.

“Chinese women still face entrenched labor market gender discrimination, which discourages childbirth,” said Yun Zhou, a sociologist at the University of Michigan.

China’s demographic challenges are compounded by slowing economic growth and increasing pressure on social systems.

In response, the government raised the statutory retirement age from January 1, 2024, to address labor shortages and ease the burden on pension systems.

The retirement age reform marks the first adjustment in decades, reflecting China’s transition from a period of scarcity to one of comparative wealth and improved living conditions.

Despite incremental efforts, experts predict that China’s demographic crisis will persist. “The trends of declining births, population contraction, and rapid aging remain unchanged,” Zhao Litao noted.