Nearly 150,000 sign petition demanding LA mayor's resignation over fire response

Nearly 150,000 people have so far signed an online petition demanding the immediate resignation of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass over her "gross mismanagement" and a lack of leadership during the devastating wildfires in the region.

The Change.org petition with still-increasing signatures accuses Bass of mishandling the wildfires, noting that she was not even in the country when the fires first broke out.

"In the wake of these catastrophic fires, our city has been left in crisis. Water supplies have been severely strained, billions of taxpayer dollars have been misallocated or left unaccounted for, and countless lives have been lost. Families have been displaced, homes destroyed, and livelihoods shattered -- yet Mayor Bass has been absent from the frontlines, choosing to travel abroad while her constituents suffer," reads the petition, which was started last Thursday.

"Despite the tireless efforts of our first responders, the city has been woefully unprepared to ensure the safety and well-being of its residents. Basic resources, such as water and emergency services, have been inadequate, and leadership has been nowhere to be found when it was needed most," the petition adds.

According to media reports, Bass was on a diplomatic visit to Ghana when the devastating wildfires erupted. Prior to her trip, the local meteorological agency had issued multiple warnings about the extreme fire risk posed by strong winds following a prolonged dry spell.

In June 2024, Bass approved a budget cut of more than 17 million U.S. dollars to the local fire department. A report from the Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley in Dec 2024 stated that these cuts had significantly weakened the department's ability to effectively respond to wildfires and other emergencies.

Upon Bass's return to the U.S., a reporter confronted her, asking whether she owed an apology for her absence and if she regretted the decision to slash the fire department's budget. The mayor refused to respond.

As of Wednesday, fierce wildfires across the Los Angeles area had killed at least 25 people and destroyed more than 12,300 structures. Local authorities confirmed that at least 26 people were still missing in the ongoing wildfires. Twenty of the missing are believed to be in the Eaton Fire area and six in the Palisades Fire area.

Nearly 150,000 sign petition demanding LA mayor's resignation over fire response

Nearly 150,000 sign petition demanding LA mayor's resignation over fire response

Nearly 150,000 sign petition demanding LA mayor's resignation over fire response

Nearly 150,000 sign petition demanding LA mayor's resignation over fire response

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media