The Headlines - The U.N.’s Future, and the ‘Hamburger Helper Economy’

Episode Date: September 22, 2025

Plus, would you swim in the Chicago River? On Today’s Episode:U.N. Gathers Amid Its 80th Anniversary and a ‘Free Fall,’ by Farnaz FassihiBritain, Australia, Canada and Portugal Recognize a Palestinian State, by Mark LandlerAt Kirk Service, an Extraordinary Fusion of Government and Christianity, by Elizabeth DiasTrump Demands That Bondi Move ‘Now’ to Prosecute Foes, by Alan Feuer, Glenn Thrush, Maggie Haberman and Devlin BarrettTrump’s $100,000 Visa Fee Spurs Confusion and Chaos, by Madeleine Ngo, Lauren Hirsch and Pranav BaskarHamburger Helper Sales Rise as Americans Try to Stretch Their Food Dollars, by Julie CreswellChicagoans Avoided Their ‘Filthy’ River for Years. On Sunday, They Swam in It, by Julie BosmanTune in every weekend morning, and tell us what you think at: [e-mail]. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Also, for more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Monday, September 22nd, here's what we're covering. Starting today in New York City, more than 140 leaders and delegations from around the world will convene for the annual gathering of the United Nations General Assembly, even as the relevance of the UN has been increasingly called into question. Taking center stage will be the war in Gaza, and the question of Palestinian statehood.

We recognize the state of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people. Today, we join over 150 countries who recognize a Palestinian state also. Ahead of the gathering, British Prime Minister Kier-Starmer, along with the leaders of Canada, Australia, and Portugal, announced that his country will now officially recognize a Palestinian state, turning up the diplomatic pressure on Israel over its military campaign that's killed tens of thousands of people.

The hope of a two-state solution is fading, but we cannot let that light go out. Though the move is largely symbolic, it's provoked pushback from Israel and its staunchest ally, the U.S., which have both said it effectively rewards terrorism and will only make Hamas feel more emboldened. The escalating war in Gaza, along with the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Sudan, have underscored how the UN has repeatedly failed in recent years to prevent or wind down violent conflicts. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II with the goal of promoting peace and human rights. But as it marks its 80th anniversary this year, the UN's future is increasingly unclear. It's facing staff reductions and a budget crisis, as member countries have been delaying payments or not. not paying dues at all. Compounding a cash shortfall caused by major cuts from the U.N.'s

biggest funder, the U.S. One senior NGO official who works with the U.N. described it as being in, quote, free fall. And diplomats tell the times they'll be closely watching a speech by President Trump to the Assembly tomorrow morning to see how the U.S. will engage with the U.N. going forward. Phoenix, Arizona yesterday, tens of thousands of people packed into a football stadium for a memorial for Charlie Kirk, the conservative political youth activist behind the group Turning Point USA. Eleven days ago, my friend was martyred for using his voice to engage in peaceful dialogue. The power of Christ's blood and the power of martyrdom speaks through Charlie. The event was a fusion of religion and politics, reflecting how much the

The messaging of the modern Republican Party has melded with Christianity. I have talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have my entire time in public life. And that is an undeniable legacy of the great Charlie Kirk. You know, he loved God. At least 20 members of the Trump administration attended, many of whom delivered remarks, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the president's top policy advisor, Stephen Miller. You thought you could kill Charlie Kirk? You have made him immortal.

Attendees lined up before the sun rose to get inside the arena, passing voter registration booths that had been set up for the event. The service, in total, ran for five hours. My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men. just like the one who took his life. Near the end of the ceremony, Kirk's wife, Erica Kirk, who is now the leader of Turning Point USA, took the mic. She described the shock of viewing Kirk's body at the hospital and said she forgives the man who killed him.

The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us. The final speaker of the event was President Trump himself, who swung between honoring Kirk's life and promoting his own political agenda. He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent. And I don't want the best for them. I'm sorry. I am sorry, Erica. Trump spoke for 45 minutes, veering at times into talking about sending federal agents to Chicago, boasting about the tariffs he slapped on other countries, and... The anchor had no talent and no ratings.

Alluding briefly to the controversy over Jimmy Kimmel's suspended late-night show. Since Kirk's killing, Trump and top administration officials have promised a broad crackdown on their political opponents and members of the media, amid baseless claims that there's a broad network of liberal groups violently opposing the Republican Party. The lesson of Charlie's life is that you should... never underestimate what one person can do with a good heart, a righteous cause, a cheerful spirit, and the will to fight, fight, fight, have to fight. For a deeper look at what Kirk meant to the crowds who flocked to the arena for the

memorial, listen to today's episode of The Daily. He had a lot of silent followers up until this point. People were just hiding behind, not wanting to be judged because they were conservative in their views. And I think the loss of him ignited something within the conservative poverty that said, you know, we don't have to live in fear or hide from our friends anymore. It's our turn. This is our turning point as well. Is that how you feel? Absolutely. Now, two other quick updates on the Trump administration. The president has pushed out a U.S. attorney after he said he'd hit roadblocks trying to bring cases against

people Trump considers his political enemies. The attorney, who was looking into former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, recently told senior Justice Department officials that there wasn't enough evidence to charge James with any crimes and that there were complications in their investigation of Comey. Even though Republican lawmakers and the attorney general, Pam Bondi, defended the U.S. attorney. attorney. who's a highly regarded career prosecutor, he resigned after Trump told reporters, I want him out.

The ouster is part of the president's ongoing effort to exert more control over the Justice Department and leverage it in his retribution campaign against law enforcement officials who've investigated him. On Saturday, in one of his most explicit moves yet, Trump demanded that Bondi pushed forward prosecutions of Comey and James,

writing in all caps on social media, quote, justice must be served now. And the company needs to decide is that person valuable enough to have a $100,000 a year payment to the government or they should head home and they should go higher an American. The White House has set off a frantic scramble among Wall Street banks, tech giants, and other companies

after it announced a new $100,000 fee for visas for skilled foreign workers. The visas known as H-1Bs have played a crucial role in helping American employers find tens of thousands of top-tier workers. Immigration hardliners and the Trump administration, however, say the program has driven down wages and that the companies should be prioritizing hiring Americans. While the new fee will only apply to future visa applicants,

the sudden rollout had Microsoft, Amazon, and other companies that have large numbers of employees, on H-1Bs, urging any of their workers abroad to get back to the U.S. as quickly as possible. And executives and industry trade groups warn that the high fee could hurt their ability to fill critical positions going forward. With one pound and one pan, you've got a meal everyone lost. During the 2008 financial crisis, sales of high. hamburger helper spiked.

Hamburger helpers there to help. During the COVID pandemic, they spiked. Hamburger helper, when you need a helping hand. And now, once again, sales of the budget-friendly, just-add beef pasta mix are on the rise. The meal kit, which debuted in the 1970s, typically sees a boost in popularity when financial times get tough. There's even a phrase for it, the hamburger helper economy. Sales of other budget-conscious favorites like canned tuna,

beans and boxed mac and cheese are also strong, according to industry analysts. It's a sign Americans are feeling the squeeze. Though inflation has cooled off from its peak, by some estimates, food prices are still more than 20 percent higher than four years ago. And they're climbing. The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that prices in several food categories, including meat, coffee, fruits, and vegetables jumped last month. And finally, the Chicago River has a reputation.

For decades, it was heavily polluted to the point that engineers reversed the flow of it so that it wouldn't carry sewage into Lake Michigan. For anyone who's ever been there on St. Patrick's Day, the city dyes the water a truly electric green. And then there's the whole Dave Matthews band incident involving a tour bus's waste tank. But I'm not going to spoil your breakfast. Very little of that makes people think, gee, I'd like to swim in that river. There has not been an open swim in the river since 1927. But yesterday, in a celebration of just how much work has been done to clean it up in recent years,

hundreds of swimmers jumped in the heart of the loop downtown. It was incredible. The water was actually quite clear. Every time I breath, I could see the city. The event was carefully organized. They tested for bacteria levels in the water. required all swimmers to register and had lifeguards on hand. Chicago follows in the footsteps of other cities around the world,

trying to change the reputation of their rivers. Paris cleaned up the Sen for the 2024 Olympics, and people swam in it again this summer. In Chicago, environmentalists are excited that it's not just humans coming back to the water. There's been dozens more species of fish in the river. Ospreys and bald eagles are hunting for food in it. There's been beavers, muskrats, turtles, and even otters behind the lyric opera.

Those are the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.