☕ Charlie Kirk's memorial

Good morning!

Global eyes will be on NYC today, as nations converge on the United Nations for the meeting of the General Assembly. Topics on the agenda include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, climate change, gender equality and global AI governance. Sounds like a quiet week ahead.

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Some headlines from this morning:

• Evacuation orders are in place for thousands of people in the Philippines, as super typhoon Ragasa is expected to cross the nation’s northern islands. The system is forecasted to make landfall tonight or tomorrow, bringing with it heavy rainfall, 230km/hr wind gusts and swells of up to three metres. Super typhoons are considered to be equivalent to a category five – the most severe storm category. In a post to X, Filipino President Bongbong Marcos said authorities are “closely monitoring the situation,” with all government agencies “on alert to provide assistance wherever and whenever needed”. Schools and businesses are closed across the country, with the typhoon also expected to bring flooding to parts of Taiwan and southern China.

• Four countries - Australia, the UK, Canada and Portugal - have formally recognised a Palestinian state, with France and Belgium planning similar moves that could be announced today. According to statements from the countries, the recognitions aim to advance a two-state solution between Israel and Palestinians ahead of next week's UN General Assembly in New York. The U.S. and Israel will boycott a related summit focused on the issue, with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing world leaders of "giving a huge reward to terrorism".

• A ransomware attack on automated check-in systems has disrupted flights at several major European airports since Friday, the EU's cybersecurity agency confirmed on Monday. Hackers targeted systems provided by Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of defense contractor RTX, affecting dozens of flights and thousands of passengers. The attack knocked out automated check-in services, forcing airports to rely on manual processing. Airlines are working to restore normal operations while cybersecurity experts investigate the breach.

• President Trump is expected to claim that using Tylenol during pregnancy raises autism risk. The drug, known as acetaminophen, is the world's most widely used painkiller and is considered safe during pregnancy by medical authorities. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promised to investigate rising autism diagnoses, previously blaming vaccines despite evidence disproving that connection. A major 2024 study of 2.5 million children found no increased autism risk when comparing siblings with different prenatal acetaminophen exposure.

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Nearly 100,000 people flocked to State Farm Stadium in Glendale to attend a memorial service for Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk.

The service was attended by many prominent speakers, including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

The speeches were wide-ranging and covered topics like Kirk’s Christian faith, the importance of forgiveness, and a Trump announcement that the White House had discovered the cause of autism.

Context

Charlie Kirk was a 31-year-old prominent conservative activist whose organisation, Turning Point USA, aimed to revive conservatism amongst younger populations.

Kirk rose to prominence in part for his attendance at a college campus, where he would ask people to debate him.

He was deeply religious and an advocate for free speech. He left behind a wife and two young children.

It was at one of these college campus debates where Kirk was killed by a single bullet fired into his neck from a nearby building. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson is currently under arrest and suspected of killing Kirk.

Trump’s speech

President Trump addressed the crowd towards the end of the event, with a speech that eulogised Kirk but also linked to his administrative agenda.

At one point, the President highlighted that while Kirk loved his opponents, Trump hated his.

"That's where I disagree with Charlie. I hate my opponents and I don't want what's best for them."

The President also hinted that they would announce a medical breakthrough on Tuesday and hinted it may regard autism.

“I think we found an answer to autism,” he said.

President Trump also claimed that Kirk had told him to save Chicago just before his death, urging President Trump to deploy the National Guard to the city to address an alleged crime wave.

Religion

Other speakers at the event emphasised that Kirk’s death had ignited a religious and conservative revolution.

Kirk’s wife, Erica, referenced the Christian mandate of forgiveness in her speech, saying she had forgiven his killer.

While Vice President JD Vance called him a “martyr for the Christian faith.” Erica Kirk stressed that her husband’s death was a revival of the Christian movement.

“This past week, we saw people open a Bible for the first time in a decade,” she said.

I’ve got 2 minutes

On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order requiring employers to pay $100,000 for each H-1B visa they use to hire highly skilled foreign workers - a 1,400% increase from current fees.

The sudden announcement triggered confusion that sent foreign workers scrambling to book flights back to the U.S. before potential visa cancellations. Here's what you need to know.

What happened?

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced the visa fee increase during a Friday press call, initially stating employers would pay $100,000 "per year" for each H-1B worker. The unclear timeline sparked panic among visa holders and employers who feared immediate implementation.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified the fee is a one-time $100,000 payment, not annual, and wouldn't affect existing visa holders. But the mixed messaging had already caused disruption, with reports of foreign workers abandoning outbound flights and booking emergency returns to the U.S.

What are H-1B visas?

The U.S. issues 85,000 H-1B visas annually to foreign workers with bachelor's degrees or higher for specialized roles. Tech companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Apple are the largest users of the program.

Before Trump's order, Congress required visa fees only cover administrative processing costs - about $7,000 total. Indian nationals hold 71% of all H-1B visas, with Chinese nationals holding 11.7%.

Why?

The Trump administration wants to force companies to hire and train American workers instead of relying on foreign talent at lower wages.

"No more will these big tech companies or other companies train foreign workers," Lutnick said Friday. "We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that's what's going to happen."

Reactions

The Indian government criticized the "sudden change," warning of "humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families."

Trump predicted tech executives would be pleased with the policy. "I think they're going to be very happy. Everyone's going to be happy," he told reporters in the Oval Office.

What’s next?

Trump also signed an executive order creating a "golden visa" program, offering a pathway to citizenship for wealthy individuals willing to pay up to $2 million for U.S. entry. The administration hasn't specified when the H-1B fee increase takes effect or provided details on implementation.

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