The Monthly Outlook

POLITICS

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Charlie Kirk, Dead at 31

Written by: Jasmin Pais

Researched by: Jasmin Pais 

Edited by: Lauren Jim

OREM, Utah — On Sept. 10, right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a public event. Kirk was a large supporter of Donald Trump and founder of Turning Point USA, an organization dedicated to “[educating] young people about the importance of limited government, free markets, and freedom.” Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck at Utah Valley University during a speaking event by 22 year old Tyler Robinson, and was deep in debate when it occurred. His family, including his wife and two children, were in the crowd.  Robinson turned himself in 36 hours later and DNA evidence on the trigger of the weapon was found to match Robinson. When Kirk was shot, he was discussing mass shootings, a topic he spoke avidly against in the past. It is unknown if Robinson’s motivations were based around Kirk’s controversial opinions or another factor. 

Kirk spoke avidly on a number of topics, ranging from abortion to gun control, and often spoke out against different racial groups as well. He is also famous for his opinions on DEI and once stated  “If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified.”  Kirk was an extremely controversial speaker and went on different talk forums, including a famous Jubilee video where he debated in “Can 25 Liberal College Students Outsmart 1 Conservative?”

The response to Charlie Kirk’s passing has been extremely vivid and widespread. Kirk was recruited by Donald Trump Jr. to be a social media manager for his father’s campaign, initiating a long term relationship between Kirk and President Donald Trump. Kirk is also accredited with being a major part of Trump’s 2024 Presidential Election win, with the president even saying “I want to express my tremendous gratitude to Charlie Kirk. He’s really an amazing guy. Amazing guy. And his whole staff for their relentless efforts to achieve this very historic victory,”

Philippine Flooding Reveals Corruption

Written by: Doris Tung

Researched by: Doris Tung

Edited by: Jonathan Zhang

MANILA, Philippines — Protests erupted Sept. 21 due to corruption involving flood-control infrastructure, calling for Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to resign. The protest was mostly peaceful, with a few small groups throwing rocks and bottles at police. Due to the climate, the Philippines are more prone to flooding and heavy rain. To combat the flooding, flood-control infrastructures are built to prevent further damage. However, in July, many of the infrastructures collapsed, leaving the streets flooded. Following the collapse of the flood-control infrastructures, it was revealed that fifteen contractors handled 20% of the projects, and about two-thirds lacked key building details, despite having 545 billion Philippine pesos ($9.4 billion USD) in budget. 

In the weeks following the flood-control scandal, Filipino netizens swarmed to social media to expose the lavish lifestyles of the children of government officials and contractors. Netizens criticize the “flood control nepo babies” for flaunting designer bags and their overseas trips while the homes of the average citizen are submerged in water. Some users made a collage of their designer bags and accessories, with one of the daughters of a contractor’s outfit totalling to 680,170 Philippine pesos ($11,713.49 USD). As a result, many children of politicians and contractors have shut down their social media accounts.

Sept. 21 marks the anniversary of late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declaring martial law. The late President eventually stepped down amid widespread protests. The Philippines have successfully ousted two Presidents through mass demonstrations. However, rather than cracking down on the current protests, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed support for them. On Sept. 15, President Marcos Jr. stated, “Do you blame them for going out into the streets? If I wasn’t President, I might be out in the streets with them … Of course, they are enraged. Of course, they are angry. I’m angry. We should all be angry. Because what’s happening is not right.”

The scandal resulted in House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to resign from his position on Sept. 16. The Philippine government is still pressured to address the corruption. Despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. calling out the corruption and encouraging the protests, he can’t escape liability for signing hundreds of billions of pesos into a budget plan that was not used.

ICE Raids Disrupting Daily Lives

Written by: Carmen Tan

Researched by: Kate Sum and Carmen Tan

Edited by: Annie Ngo and Kate Sum 

ELLABELL, Ga. — On Sept. 4, 475 individuals were detained for various violations of their visitor visas, according to ICE officials. This marks another in the myriad of ICE raids affecting immigrant workers around the country. At a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, a group of mostly contractor-employed individuals installing power lines were detained by ICE. Of the 475 individuals, 300 were South Korean citizens. The process of detaining caused confusion and panic for the workers who were in visa-waived programs or had valid visas, causing further confusion and outrage from the public. Following the detainment and subsequent release a week after, foreign companies realized the increased difficulty in working with the United States in production and manufacturing. This comes after President Trump’s new regulations on workers employed by foreign companies with branches on American soil, as he prompted “for foreign companies to hire Americans.” One main restriction that is now in place is the increased fee of $100,000 for H-1B visas implemented on American employers per year, which will cause trouble for companies who hire foreign employees specializing in sectors such as technology and finance. This event has caused increasing tensions between the United States and South Korea. After the detained employees landed in South Korea, news stations and protestors gathered to express a common sentiment of betrayal as images circulated prior to the arrival of the individuals in chains and handcuffs . One of the signs in the protest emulated a message from South Korea’s public towards the United States: “We’re friends! Aren’t we?”

This is another major headline revolving around ICE, a repeated topic in daily news to a near absurd amount. Not only has this incident greatly disrupted foreign companies production in products for American consumers, but it has caused apparent tensions between the United States and foreign countries. A disruption in daily life and the professional sphere from false detention not only causes confusion for the detainee, but can be dangerous to others as well. A month prior to this, Hernandez was detained in the midst of his work fighting a Washington wildfire “during a period of extreme fire weather.” As the acting security manager reviewed the roster of firefighters, he saw two employees working under visas and he prompted Border Control for verification. Both firefighters, including Hernandez, were detained. On Sept. 23, Rigoberto Hernandez was released to his home in Oregon. The second firefighter has yet to be released and remains unnamed. Despite having applied to a U visa in 2018, it still has not been processed due to government backlogs.

It is clear that ICE is entering a phase of output where the results are not specifically benefitting the American people. These raids, rather cause confusion and difficulties in working with foreign countries and within the United States itself. Workers are unable to continue their duties in the workforce without the prospective fear of being checked and improperly detained without clear reasons. This not only disturbs those being detained but affects the work they provide, regardless of their immigration status.

Nepal’s New Wave

Written by: Eason Zhu

Researched by: Stephanie Zhou, Andy Huang

Edited by: Ellie Kim, Rui Zheng

Content Warning: Mention of death and graphic violence

NEPAL — You are the average young adult in Nepal, living paycheck to paycheck trying to escape from life’s stressors by scrolling on social media. As you casually scroll through your feed, you suddenly do a double take, jerking your head forward as you do. Your eyes don’t deceive you. The provincial minister’s son has shared a photo of him showing off his enormous pile of gift boxes from Louis Vuitton, Gucci and other luxurious brands. 

This juxtaposition of lifestyles was the spark for the Gen-Z led social movement, but there was much more that led up to the social unrest of the younger citizens of Nepal.

On Sept. 3, Usha Magar Sunuwar, an 11year old girl was run over on her way to school by a black SUV carrying Ram Bahadur, a provincial minister from Nepal’s ruling party at the time. When questioned about the incident Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli dismissed what happened, claiming it was a “normal accident.” 

On Sept. 4, a social media ban was put in place for 26 platforms because, according to Nepal’s government, they failed to meet the requirements of rules under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. However, many saw this as the government cracking down on their freedoms of speech and self expression. This all culminated on Sept. 8, when thousands of protestors poured into the streets against perceived government corruption and the disregard for its own citizens, with youth unemployment as high as 20%. The angry citizens swept through the streets, setting fire to the parliament and the Supreme Court as an expression of their anger towards the current economic and social climate of Nepal.

With the majority of the country’s institutions decimated, the military stepped in as Nepal’s remaining institution with the ability to restore order. Many waited with anticipation for the military to fill the power vacuum and seize control, as the military does in many other destabilized countries. Instead, the Nepalese army helped quell the anger and organized open talks with representatives of the protest movement. 

The Gen-Z protest offers a glimpse into the future of how protests and social movements may continue to unfold: decentralized, but digitally connected. Instances such as using Discord to elect leaders and rallying under the Jolly Roger of Luffy from One Piece, as well as livestreaming a revolution in real time, all point to this future. Gen-Z has continued to redefine how many things operate in the 21st century. 

While the Army is currently leading talks with the protestors to form a new government during these unprecedented times, the fate of Nepal remains unresolved.

FEATURES

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Your Online Shopping Might Get A Whole Lot More Expensive

Written By: Rui Zheng

Researched By: Rui Zheng

On Aug. 29, the closing of the “de minimis” tariff exemption for all countries went into effect, per an executive order signed by President Trump in late July. This exemption had allowed goods valued at or below $800 to enter the U.S. without tariffs, and as a result was commonly used as a loophole for international e-commerce. Ending “de minimis” for international trade has been a goal of the Trump administration since the beginning of his second term — in April, he had signed an executive order to end the exemption for Chinese imports. Separate orders had been signed for Canadian and Mexican imports earlier in the year. However, the enactment of these policies was suspended until last month.

The end of “de minimis” is already having widespread impacts on international trade, only a month after it went into effect. Carriers around the world have paused shipments on smaller orders, citing issues with processing and the lack of systems set in place, as the White House had only given a month’s notice. For example, Japan Post has suspended shipments to the U.S. that have a declared value above $100, causing proxy shipping services to take pricey hits. After the “de minimis” loophole was closed, proxy service White Rabbit Japan surveyed over 300 customers on impacts. According to CEO Max Hodges, “Many described orders that suddenly became twice as expensive once the new duties were applied. About 13% said they’ve already cut back or stopped buying altogether.” Sales have dropped for Chinese e-commerce companies such as Temu and Shein in the past month as a result of the policy, with the increased tariff rates from earlier this year playing a role. Overall, it is estimated that the removal of “de minimis” will cost Americans about $1 billion per year as prices increase.

Super Typhoon Ragasa’s Chaos

Written by: Carmen Tan

Researched by: Carmen Tan

Edited by: Ellie Kim

Super Typhoon Ragasa is the name of the natural disaster wreaking havoc across multiple nations along Southeast Asia, affecting the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and moving towards Vietnam. Ragasa, or Nando as known in the Philippines, began as a tropical depression on Sept. 17, building and growing into a categorized super typhoon on Sept. 21 by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Just within the Philippines, Ragasa caused severe “flooding in rivers … landslides and structural damage that led to power outages.” Different sources cast the range of casualties between nine to 11 individuals.

Arguably, Ragasa devastated Taiwan the most, causing similar severe landslides and bursting a lake dam leading to 17 casualties and several missing persons reports. After Taiwan, Ragasa moved toward Hong Kong, injuring a reported number of 90 residents along the coastline. The devastation and prospective dangers have caused governments to halt many operations. Flights have only recently been restored in Hong Kong, but many schools are still closed. Areas have noticeably flooded with the Hong Kong Observatory noting that there “may be hidden danger” further in the landscape. Ragasa has also caused local governments to issue evacuation orders to move residents out of danger. 

As it neared China, Ragasa’s arrival caused 2 million residents to be evacuated out of the Guangdong province, so the government could follow similar procedures to limit danger and harm in the region. As the typhoon started to lessen in force, it hit Vietnam, causing flooding and heavy rainfall, which was less of an impact than the other countries affected before dissipating. Super Typhoon Ragasa has officially concluded according to a statement by Hawaii’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and has been marked as the strongest tropical storm of 2025.