IJR News — today's news from every sideDana Whitfield Restoring the cardinals' salaries after the pandemic makes sense, but the Vatican deficit still needs real fixes. Jared Kim If this was about circumventing the cap they should've stripped a first rounder, not just hit them with pocket change. Chris Dalton Texas sitting at 26 means they should focus more on salary growth if they want to compete for educators. Nicole Hardy It's reasonable to expect some pay adjustment after an extended absence even for health reasons. California, Washington Degrees Earn Highest Salaries, Study FindsBusiness — Aug 28, 2026A mix of findings shows that college majors range from niche programs in Washington, like winemaking and Canadian studies, which can lead to solid earnings, to California-focused studies finding top salaries in STEM and nursing with humanities earning less. Nationally, Stanford tops TIME’s Best Colleges 2026–27, while California analyses emphasize that math, computer science, and nursing yield the highest early-career pay, underscoring ongoing questions about the value of different majors.
Trump Gave Three Aides $45,000 Holiday Gifts — Sep 9, 2026White House disclosures show President Trump gave three aides—Natalie Harp, Margo Martin, and Chamberlain Harris—$45,000 each for the holidays, and $20,000 to Walt Nauta, with the total gifts labeled as a holiday bonus not tied to official duties. While the White House cites a long-standing personal gift practice, ethics experts question legality, noting potential salary supplementation and other concerns surrounding these payments.
Elena Vasquez Ballmer's team should face real consequences if they broke rules to keep Leonard under the radar. 
