Following the latest in a string of nearly daily violations by Israel of the US-brokered November 2024 ceasefire, another deadly Israeli drone attack in southern Lebanon, this time causing the death of five people, including three children. Lebanon is pressing for more support from the US.
The Lebanese presidency said in a statement on Tuesday that President Joseph Aoun and other officials met with a delegation led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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Aoun urged Rubio to reaffirm the truce between Israel and the armed Lebanese Hezbollah in light of Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon.
The Lebanese president claimed that he needs Washington’s assistance to hold a conference on reconstruction in Lebanon and that he wants Israel to stop occupying certain regions of his nation.
Aoun pointed out that the Lebanese army’s mandate includes “all Lebanese regions,” as the nation “tries to achieve just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East region” in response to ongoing efforts to disarm Hezbollah.
On Tuesday, he is expected to address the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to denounce Israeli attacks in the region, including those in Gaza and Lebanon.
Hezbollah has categorically refused to put down its weapons despite having its top political and military commanders assassinated during the Gaza war despite being heavily pushed by Israel, the US, the Lebanese government, and Saudi Arabia.
Secretary-General Naim Qassem pleaded with Saudi Arabia to repair relations and unite against Israel last week, stating in a speech that the Iran-backed “resistance” axis is not the enemy.
Civilians in Lebanon continue to pay the price despite the political conflict, particularly in the southern regions.
The same family’s members were brutally murdered two days earlier in Bint Jbeil, according to a funeral service held on Tuesday.
A father and his three children, two of whom were twins, were present. In a hospital with serious injuries, the family’s mother and one of their daughters were also in the car.
The Israeli army always uses the justification it uses to justify its attacks in Lebanon, claiming that the target was a fifth civilian killed and that allegedly a member of Hezbollah, despite acknowledging that civilians were killed in the attack.
The military referred to the terrorist as “operating in a civilian population area” as supporting “the military’s attacks that frequently kill civilians. It also claimed that this was in contravention of “understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanon’s parliament and long-time Amal movement leader, claimed their father and three children Celine, Hadi, and Aseel, were American citizens.
However, a representative from the US State Department claimed that one person had “an unused immigrant visa petition in the past” and that they were not citizens of the US.
The killings were described by Aoun and other senior Lebanese officials as a “new massacre that needs to be stopped.”
Nawaf Salam, the country’s former leader of the International Court of Justice, claimed Israel is attempting to encircle Lebanese civilians who are returning to their largely destroyed villages and towns in southern Lebanon.
Israeli forces fired from a military post in the occupied Shebaa Farms, according to a report from the Lebanon’s National News Agency on Tuesday morning, aiming their fire at a neighborhood close to Kfarchouba, which had been repeatedly bombed during the conflict. There were no reported injuries.
Leaders from all over the world convene at the UN in New York every September to debate and pass resolutions on the most pressing issues facing humanity.
Every year, on the second Tuesday in September, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) takes place. The new president took office on September 9th, the agenda was adopted, and organizational work started. Delegates have organized committees, met, and prepared for the high-level debate in the days that followed.
The key event where world leaders address speeches before the UNGA takes place on September 23 is the high-level General Debate. The UN website posts the audio of each speech, which is recorded. Although many speeches last longer than 15 minutes, they are expected to stick to a voluntary 15-minute limit.
The debate takes place twice daily, with one morning session starting at 9 am and two at 2 p.m., which are both free from noon until 2 p.m., respectively, followed by a brief lunch break. In the afternoon session, 3 p.m. to p.m. (01:00 GMT) will be held at 3 p.m. Meetings continue until all scheduled speakers are present, though.
At the UNGA, who will speak?
At the UNGA, more than 150 heads of state and government will take the podium. The UNGA president, who is currently Annalena Baerbock, a former German foreign minister, has called the session to order.
Brazil is the first country to speak, a custom that began in 1955 when it offered to start the debate. The host nation is typically the United States, second. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is scheduled to address on his country’s behalf, has been tense with US President Donald Trump, who will follow him in the moment. Trump has accused Lula’s administration of political vindictiveness against former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who was found guilty last week of plotting a coup after losing the 2023 election to Lula.
Annalena Baerbock, president of the UNGA, addresses its 80th session at the UN’s headquarters on September 22, 2025.
The speaking order for all other member states is based on the level of government (minister, head of state, minister), expressed preferences, and geographic balance.
Additionally, representatives from the Holy See (Vatican City), the State of Palestine, and the European Union are invited to speak at their respective speaking locations.
Since there are no sessions on Sunday, the debate continues through Saturday, September 27 and resumes on Monday, September 29.
Sessions are livestreamed on the UN’s official channels, and the daily schedule is posted on the UN website. The graphic below shows the speakers for day one.
Where is UNGA held?
The UNGA is held in Manhattan’s East River District, New York City, at the UN’s main headquarters.
The UN owns the complex, which was constructed between 1949 and 1952, and it is regarded as international territory. It serves as the main focal point for international diplomacy.
The campus consists of:
The Secretariat is the main center for administrative tasks at the UN.
The hall’s capacity for 1,800 people is the General Assembly.
The Security Council (UNSC), Trusteeship Council, and Economic and Social Council are all located in the Conference Building.
Dag Hammarskjold Library: Dedicated to the second secretary-general of the UN (1941-1996)
features member state artwork and sculptures in North Lawn.
A south annex building and a parking garage building were both constructed in the 1980s to accommodate the UN’s expanding staff and operations.
New York has not always hosted the UNGA. Beginning in London and then adding Paris, the first six UNGA sessions took place in various cities. Nearly all UN sessions have been held at the UN headquarters in New York since 1952, though.
After the US denied Yasser Arafat a visa, the UNGA met in Geneva, Switzerland in 1988, with some notable exceptions.
Palestinian representatives will participate virtually this year because they were once again denied a visa by the US.
The Trump administration’s decision has drawn widespread criticism, with the UN claiming that it violates the Host Country Agreement, which requires US presidents to grant them full diplomatic immunity when visiting New York for annual meetings and other diplomatic events.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNGA took place in almost for the first time in 2020.
What is planned for this year?
The 80th UNGA will be titled “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights.”
Along with other major issues, Palestine’s participation this year is a top priority along with climate change, artificial intelligence, global food crises, and conflicts around the world.
At a high-level summit co-convened by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday, France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco all announced their support for Palestinian statehood. At the meeting took representatives from Australia, Canada, Portugal, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, which had earlier formally recognized Palestine.
157 of the 193 UN member states, which make up 81 percent of the global community, now recognize the State of Palestine as a sovereign nation.
These actions are in line with a growing international trend toward recognizing Palestinian statehood, even as US-specific efforts to grant it full UN membership are blocked, in particular because the US has a long history of vetoing international law resolutions that criticize Israel.
Which country joined the UN when?
Following World War II, the UN expanded from 51 members in 1945 to 193 today, with two non-member observers: Palestine and the Holy See (Vatican City).
Many critics claim that the UN’s goals are increasingly failing to fulfill: preventing future conflicts, promoting international peace and security, encouraging cooperation among nations, protecting human rights, and supporting social and economic development worldwide.
Use the table below to find out when each nation formally acceded to the UN.
How does a nation become a member of the UN?
A nation can participate in UN decisions, abide by the UN Charter, and have access to UN programs and support.
The UNGA mandates that one nation cast one vote for the delegations that are elected from each of the member states.
Other countries’ diplomatic recognition does not equate to UN membership.
A nation must follow the steps below to become a full member of the UN:
The nation informs the UN Secretary-General that it agrees to the Charter and will carry out its obligations.
The application is reviewed by the UNSC, which includes 10 non-permanent members (rotated every two years) and five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US). No permanent member is required to veto any of the at least nine affirmative votes required for admission.
The UNGA must approve an admission recommendation with a two-thirds vote.
Once approved, the nation becomes a full member of the UN, gaining all rights and wider recognition. Its flag is displayed next to the UN’s main entrance, and it has full access to all UN activities, including voting in the UNGA.
How the US abused its veto to prevent Palestine from joining the UN in full.
The UNGA changed Palestine’s status from an observer state to one without a member state in 2012.
Since Palestine is no longer a full UN member, it can still attend meetings and speak in debates. As a result, it cannot vote on resolutions.
UNGA resolution with widespread support, which would have granted Palestine full UN membership, was blocked on April 18, 2024, despite widespread international support.
The US has vetoed UNSC objections against Israel at least 50 times since joining the UN. Because of its constant use, measures aimed at addressing Israeli military actions, settlements, or the occupation of Palestinian territory have frequently been blocked.
Protesters outside the UN summit claimed that countries needed to do more to end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza as several nations, including France, took the initiative to recognize Palestinian statehood. Kristen Saloomey from Al Jazeera addresses demonstrators.
Disney-owned broadcaster ABC announced on Monday that Jimmy Kimmel would resume airing after his late-night show was canceled last week.
After a week-long pause when ABC faced criticism for its decision to cancel Kimmel’s show, close to $5 billion was wiped from Disney’s stock market value.
Why was Jimmy Kimmel’s show reinstated?
The Walt Disney Company, the owner of ABC, announced in a statement on Monday that Kimmel’s show had been permanently canceled to prevent tensions during an “emotional moment for our country.”
We made the decision because we thought some of the comments were inappropriate and therefore insensitive.
The statement continued, “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and we have made the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
According to experts, business interests were at play in Disney’s decision to return Kimmel’s show to the streaming services, with many viewers ending their Disney streaming subscriptions.
Consumers were “exerting their own First Amendment rights,” according to Susan Campbell, a professor of media studies at the University of New Haven in Connecticut, in a statement to the Reuters news agency.
Jimmy Kimmel’s return to the air is when?
Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel’s show, will return on Tuesday night in its usual 11:35pm ET (Wednesday, 03:35 GMT) slot. It can be streamed on Hulu or watched on abc.com.
However, according to Sinclair, a major shareholder in local TV stations and the owner of more than 30 local ABC affiliates, Kimmel’s show would be replaced with news programming.
Why was Kimmel’s broadcast initially postponed?
Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10th while giving a speech at a university in Utah at a crowd of 3, 000. Tyler Robinson, 22, was detained and charged with aggravated murder after a 33-hour manhunt. Robinson was referred to as “left-wing,” according to right-wing sources.
Kimmel criticized US President Donald Trump and his MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters’ responses to Kirk’s death in response.
On his show, Kimmel said, “The MAGA gang is desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and using every means available to gain political points from it.”
Kimmel argued that Trump’s response to Kirk’s death was not “how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend.” A four-year-old mourns a goldfish in this manner.
Broadcasting companies Nexstar and Sinclair also pulled Kimmel’s show on September 17 after a general outcry from conservatives regarding his comments. It’s not known if Nexstar plans to reinstate the program despite Sinclair’s announcement to run news programming rather than Kimmel’s show.
Then, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr demanded action against Kimmel, Disney, and ABC, a move that the one Democrat on the FCC, Anna Gomez, and legal experts have criticized as “overreach.”
What do ABC’s decision to axe his program’s critics say?
Legislators, legal experts, Hollywood stars, and other talk show hosts have widely criticized Kimmel’s removal from the air as an alleged violation of his First Amendment rights to free speech.
Viewers have been posting online with hashtags like #CancelDisney and #CancelABC since the suspension on September 17th was made public that viewers had been canceling their Disney+ and ABC platforms Hulu subscriptions.
Additionally, some other famous people joined in. On September 18, actor Misha Collins, known for the television series Supernatural, announced that she is “unfollowing my @DisneyPlus subscription’ indefinitely.”
My @DisneyPlus subscription will be canceled “indefinitely.” pic. https://twitter.com/qpOeDj3LhZ
Additionally, at least five Hollywood unions, which include 400, 000 broadcast and film employees, have spoken out against the business.
On September 19, former US President Barack Obama published a number of articles and commentary on X, stating that, regardless of whether the speaker is Jimmy Kimmel, Charlie Kirk, or MAGA supporters, or MAGA opponents, they must be defended, with a clear, powerful statement.
Obama stated in a previous post that “media companies need to start standing up to the First Amendment rather than capitulating to it.” This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was intended to stop.
The state under Donald Trump has a “horrifying record of restricting speech, extorting private companies, and shedding the full weight of the government censorship hammer on First Amendment rights,” according to Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Who voted against Disney/ABC’s decision to halt Kimmel’s show?
Kimmel’s off-air performance was praised by Trump and his MAGA base.
“Congratulations to ABC for having finally the guts to carry out the required work.” If that’s the case, Kimmel has ZERO talent and worse ratings than Colbert. On Fake News NBC, Jimmy and Seth are now two total losers, according to Trump, who made the reference to late-night show hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
What has Disney lost as a result?
The Walt Disney Company’s stock dropped by 2.39 percent, or $4.99 billion, from its market value, between September 17 and early on Tuesday.
What other people have said about Kimmel’s reinstatement?
A representative for Kirk’s conservative youth organization, Turning Point USA, Andrew Kolvet, charged Disney and ABC with bowing to pressure in a message posted on X.
It’s not surprising that Disney and ABC are caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air, Kolvet wrote on Monday.
In a statement released on Monday, Gomez, the only Democrat on the FCC board, said, “I’m pleased to see Disney find its courage in the face of clear government intimidation.”
I’m pleased that Disney has the courage to confront blatant government intimidation.
I want to thank the Americans who fought fervently and vocally against this obscene attempt to restrict free speech, especially from across the ideological spectrum. 🧵 pic. twitter.com/7C4J7OPuTV
President Donald Trump has urged pregnant women to avoid taking Tylenol, pointing to an unproven claim that links the painkiller to autism.
Speaking from the Oval Office with Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump claimed that acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol – also known as paracetamol in most parts of the world – was “no good” and should only be used in pregnancy when there’s a high fever.
He then outlined steps his administration would take to restrict the use of the drug during pregnancy, in comments laced with unproven – and, in some cases, false – claims.
Here is what he said, and what the facts say, about the drug, autism and whether Cuba, as Trump claimed at one point, does not have autism.
What did Trump announce?
Trump opened the event by calling autism a “horrible, horrible crisis”.
“The meteoric rise in autism is among the most alarming public health developments in history. There’s never been anything like this,” Trump said, even though experts point out that the data on autism only captures increased diagnoses – not necessarily a rise in the incidence of autism itself.
Trump then laid out his administration’s plans to tackle the “crisis”.
“First, effective immediately, the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of a – well, let’s see how we say that acetaminophen – is that OK? Which is basically commonly known as Tylenol during pregnancy, can be associated with a very increased risk of autism,” he said.
He went on to warn that Tylenol use during pregnancy should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
“So taking Tylenol is not good. All right. I’ll say it. It’s not good. For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary. That’s, for instance, in cases of extremely high fever, that you feel you can’t tough it out. You can’t do it. I guess there’s that.”
US President Donald Trump, next to US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr, makes an announcement linking autism to childhood vaccines [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]
Trump then shifted to his broader concerns about vaccines, arguing against combination shots – like the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella – even though they have been proven to be safe in multiple rounds of research.
He also questioned giving newborns the hepatitis B vaccine.
“Hepatitis B is sexually transmitted. There’s no reason to give a baby that’s almost just born, hepatitis B. So I would say, wait till the baby is 12 years old and formed and take hepatitis B.”
Finally, Trump repeated a claim that countries without Tylenol, like Cuba, have little or no autism – framing it as evidence.
“I mean, there’s a rumour, and I don’t know if it’s so or not, that Cuba, they don’t have Tylenol because they don’t have the money for Tylenol. And they have virtually no autism, OK. Tell me about that one.”
President Donald J. Trump, @SecKennedy, @DrOzCMS, @NIHDirector_Jay, & @DrMakaryFDA announce the Autism Action Plan.
Make America Healthy Again. pic.twitter.com/1inEvIecYU
As with Trump’s other claims at the event, his assertion about Cuba doesn’t stand up to scrutiny – as we’ll get to in a bit.
But first …
What is autism?
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that’s experienced by people in many different ways. In the United States, it’s recognised as a form of neurodivergence and disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), autism can shape how someone communicates, learns, and interacts with the world, often in ways that are simply different from most people.
Children diagnosed with autism can also have difficulties with social, emotional and communication skills. This can develop into traits that can affect interaction with others and difficulty in learning.
What causes autism?
Autism has been linked to a complex mix of genetic and developmental factors, and it looks different for every individual. Scientists have identified hundreds of genes that can play a role, either passed down from parents or appearing as new mutations during early brain development.
According to the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, certain environmental influences may increase autism risk, including:
Advanced parental age
Prenatal exposure to air pollution or certain pesticides
Maternal obesity, diabetes or immune system disorders
Extreme prematurity or very low birth weight
Birth complications leading to periods of oxygen deprivation to the baby’s brain.
Is autism on the rise in the US?
At first look, that’s what the numbers would suggest.
Figures from the CDC show that in 2022, 1 in 31 eight-year-old children were identified with autism in the US, up from 1 in 149 in 2000.
According to the CDC, the condition is also about three times more common in boys than in girls.
Globally, estimates vary. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2021 that about 1 in 127 people worldwide were living with autism. Similarly, a 2022 review of 71 studies found an average prevalence of about 1 percent.
These numbers have been cited by some, like supporters of US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, to argue that the US faces a particularly acute challenge with autism, and have been used to justify crackdowns on drugs like Tylenol.
But experts warn that the data might not necessarily agree with these assertions and the measures that the Trump administration is taking.
Why are the numbers going up?
First, say experts, comparing autism rates across countries is problematic because of differences in diagnostic practices, awareness and access to healthcare – all of which affect how prevalence is measured and reported.
The increased numbers in the US, they point out, only demonstrate a sharp rise in diagnoses – not necessarily a rise in the incidence of autism itself.
According to experts, there are two main factors behind the rise in autism diagnoses. First, the definition of autism has broadened as scientists have recognised its wide spectrum of traits and symptoms. This has led to updated diagnostic criteria and better screening tools.
At the same time, growing awareness has meant that more parents are seeking evaluations.
What about acetaminophen?
Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) is one of the most widely used over-the-counter pain relievers and fever reducers.
For more than a decade, researchers have studied whether acetaminophen use during pregnancy is linked to developmental disorders. Findings have been mixed: Some studies reported associations with autism, while a 2025 Mount Sinai review suggested evidence for broader neurodevelopmental risks.
But association is not the same as causation. The largest and most rigorous study to date, published in 2024, found no link between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism, ADHD, or other learning or developmental disorders. Experts note that the best-quality studies so far show no evidence of harm from acetaminophen.
According to the Autism Science Foundation, claims of a connection remain “limited, conflicting, and inconsistent”.
“The big reveal about autism was a total bust full of misinformation,” Arthur L Caplan, an American ethicist and professor of bioethics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told Al Jazeera.
“There is no data to show Tylenol causes autism and lots of data to show that fever in pregnant women harms the fetus,” he added.
To be sure, even without a Tylenol-autism link, most doctors “will probably tell pregnant women they should always be careful about medication”, Catherine Lord, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA who specialises in autism, told Al Jazeera.
But those doctors will likely also caution women not to avoid taking medicines when they have a fever during pregnancy, she said. “They also need to realise that having a high fever or being in pain is not good for a growing baby, either, so they should consult their doctor,” she added.
Have there been other claims about what causes autism?
Over the years, autism has been wrongly linked to many supposed causes. The most notorious was the false vaccine-autism link from a 1998 study, now fully debunked. That study claimed an association between the MMR vaccine – the same one that Trump targeted on Monday – and autism. The Lancet, the highly respected British journal that published that study, retracted it 12 years later, in 2010.
Other debated factors include prenatal medications or antidepressants, environmental toxins, and diet, but the evidence is weak or inconsistent. Earlier, the discredited “refrigerator mother” theory blamed parents who were perceived to lack adequate emotional warmth with their children for higher risks of autism.
And finally, is it true, as Trump claims, that autism does not exist in Cuba?
It’s untrue – and if anything, Cuba undercuts Trump’s argument.
Cuba officially recognises autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are multiple specialised schools and paediatric clinics that provide diagnosis and therapy for children with autism.
In Cuba, acetaminophen is generally known as paracetamol and is sold in government pharmacies. In other words, it is very much available and used as in other parts of the world.
