The Palestinian state; Pills, politics and the autism debate

Summary

Podcast Summary: Here's the Scoop – September 22, 2025

Episode Title: The Palestinian state; Pills, politics and the autism debate
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian | Contributors: Matt Bradley, Andrea Mitchell, Dr. Natalie Azar

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Episode Overview

In this issue-packed episode of "Here's the Scoop," Yasmin Vossoughian leads a brisk tour through the day’s most urgent stories—from dramatic global shifts at the United Nations and the US’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to a headline-grabbing claim from the Trump administration about autism and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Expert guests provide essential context on international diplomacy and the science behind autism, culminating with a rapid-fire update on hot-button headlines, including changes in US immigration policy and the fate of TikTok.

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United Nations & Recognition of Palestinian Statehood

[01:04 – 09:14]

Key Points

• Backdrop: The ongoing war in Gaza and growing famine inform the proceedings at the 80th UN General Assembly, held amidst unprecedented international divisions.
• Major shift: UK, Canada, Australia, and France have formally recognized a Palestinian state, a move characterized as “a major policy shift” and “a clear break with the US, Israel’s closest ally.” (Yasmin Vossoughian, [01:39])
• Israeli Response:
  • Israel is considering retaliatory measures, particularly against France, such as shutting its Jerusalem consulate or potentially annexing parts of the West Bank—an act that could threaten existing normalization deals with Arab neighbors.
  • “Retaliation is very much something they’re considering... options include shutting France’s consulate in Jerusalem... or even annexing the entire West Bank.” (Matt Bradley, [02:13])

US Position & Global Fallout

• The US now stands almost alone among G7 nations in steadfast support for Israel.
• The Trump administration has denied visas for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation—contrary to 80-year UN hosting agreements.
  • “The fact that Abbas, who speaks every year, is being denied that forum, is really notable.” (Andrea Mitchell, [04:50])
• Abbas will address the Assembly via video, limiting his diplomatic reach.
  • “He can’t participate in meetings along the margins, and those are among the most important.” (Andrea Mitchell, [05:22])

Impact on US Standing

• The US has withheld funding from UN agencies, causing a “profound budget crisis.”
• Despite demands for tough action against Russia, the US’s unilateral positioning—framed as “America first” or even “America alone”—is increasing its isolation.
  • “The war in Gaza is the dividing line as well as, of course, what’s happening with Russia.” (Andrea Mitchell, [06:31])
• The limitations of the UN’s Security Council—especially the repeated use of the US (and Russian) veto—are seen as stalling effective action on Ukraine and Gaza.
  • “As long as that Security Council restriction is in place, [the UN] can’t prevent wars.” (Andrea Mitchell, [08:11])

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The Autism–Acetaminophen Debate

[11:26 – 18:36]

The Administration’s Announcement

• President Trump claims a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen (Tylenol) use and autism, thrusting federal health research into the spotlight.
  • “President Trump announcing the findings, saying there's a link between autism and pregnant women's use of acetaminophen.” (Yasmin Vossoughian, [11:26])

Science Behind the Claim

What is Acetaminophen?

• “It's probably one of the most common and widely used over-the-counter medications...[for pregnant women] really, we are only talking about acetaminophen, which is available and recommended.” (Dr. Natalie Azar, [12:07])

Complexities of Autism Causes

• Autism risk is influenced by over 100 genes, with environmental triggers possibly playing a role.
  • “Like many conditions... genetics are maybe necessary but not sufficient... no one thing has been implicated.” (Dr. Azar, [12:37])

Evaluating the Evidence

• Drexel/Sweden Study: The most robust study found "no link" between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and later autism.
  • “In this study... there was not an increased risk of autism seen in children exposed to Tylenol in utero.” (Dr. Azar, [13:56])
• Mount Sinai Review: Of 40+ studies, findings are mixed, half suggesting a potential link, half not—no definitive causality.
  • “They were very clear: they didn’t want people to take away from their work that Tylenol caused autism...” (Dr. Azar, [15:16])
• Expert Consensus: No single study proves a causal relationship, so leading OBGYN authorities, including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, continue to recommend acetaminophen as safe for most pregnant women.

Bottom Line for Expectant Mothers

• “If we're talking about fever, especially Yasmin, there is no doubt that the fever is far worse for the developing baby than a low dose of Tylenol.” (Dr. Azar, [16:29])
• Notable quote: “The balance of benefit outweighs any potential harm to the mom or the baby to treat two very important conditions in pregnancy, pain and fever.” (Dr. Azar, [16:49])

Leucovorin and Autism

• Leucovorin (folinic acid) is being explored for autism, with small studies showing potential improvement in behavior and speech in some children.
  • “It’s safe... not a novel or new or expensive medicine... it would be nice to see a large, really robust, good study.” (Dr. Azar, [17:22])

Industry Response

• Tylenol’s manufacturer, Kenview, rebutted the administration’s claim:
  • "We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism." (Kenview spokesperson, [18:37])

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Key Headlines & News Recap

[18:37 – 22:42]

• Charlie Kirk Memorial: Over 78,000 gather for the conservative activist’s memorial in Arizona. Erica Kirk’s public forgiveness of her husband’s accused killer stands in stark contrast with President Trump’s partisan remarks:
  • “I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do.” (Erica Kirk, [19:19])
  • “I hate my opponents, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry. I am sorry, Erica.” (President Trump, [19:44])
• Trump Administration Immigration Policy: New $100,000 fee on select H1B visa applications sparks panic and confusion in the tech sector—after clarification, it’s a one-time fee, not retroactive.
• China's Move: As US tightens skilled worker visas, China launches competing visa programs to attract talent.
• TikTok Update: The app will become a US-based company, with ByteDance retaining less than 20% ownership. Majority-American investors and Oracle will oversee operations and security. Trump plans to extend the TikTok ban pause during the transition.
  • “For users, that means your For You Page is safe, at least for now.” (Yasmin Vossoughian, [22:32])

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Light Moment: Welcoming Fall

[22:42 – 23:42]

• The episode ends on a lighter note:
  • “It is the first day of fall… break out those cardigans and maybe swap out that iced coffee for a hot one.” (Yasmin Vossoughian, [22:49])

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “This is a major policy shift. I cannot overstate that.” (Yasmin Vossoughian, [01:37])
• “Retaliation is very much something they’re considering.” (Matt Bradley, [02:09])
• “He can’t participate in any of the meetings along the margins. And those are among the most important.” (Andrea Mitchell, [05:22])
• “The balance of benefit outweighs any potential harm to the mom or the baby.” (Dr. Natalie Azar, [16:49])
• “He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponents, and I don't want the best for them.” (President Trump, [19:44])

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Timestamps:

• UN/Palestinian State: [01:04 – 09:14]
• Autism–Acetaminophen Debate: [11:26 – 18:36]
• Charlie Kirk Memorial/Headlines: [18:37 – 22:42]
• Fall & Closing: [22:42 – 23:42]

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Tone & Style

The show balances rapid-fire news delivery with insightful, accessible expert analysis. It tackles sensitive topics with authority and occasional warmth, especially in the personal testimony and science segments. Moments of candor and sharp contrast—such as at the Kirk memorial—highlight the current polarization and urgency of today’s headlines.

Transcript

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[Yasmin Vesugian]

Hey everybody, and welcome to Here's a scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Vesugian. It is a busy Monday. We have got the latest for you on the administration's move to link acetaminophen and autism, plus a potential deal to save TikTok and break out your scarves and your hot apple cider, everybody. It is officially fall up. First, though, we're heading to New York, where midtown traffic has screeched to a grinding halt. It is the United Nations General Assembly. More than one hundred and forty world leaders and senior officials are meeting in New York this week for the 80th annual gathering. A huge part of the backdrop this year, the war in Gaza. Over the weekend, the UK, Canada and Australia took a dramatic step formally recognizing a Palestinian state. France just followed suit as well. This is a major policy shift. I cannot overstate that. And a clear break with the U.S. israel's closest ally. Our foreign correspondent Matt Bradley is on the ground for us in Israel and says Prime Minister Netanyahu is not happy and seems to be taking direct aim at France.

[Matt Bradley]

People that I've been speaking to have been briefed on what's going on. And the conversations in the prime Minister's office and in the Cabinet say that retaliation is very much something they're considering. Some of it would be focused on France, which is a country that according to the Israelis. And really what we've seen is that they've been leading this effort by Western countries to recognize Palestinian statehood. That could mean one of the ideas that's out there in The Cabinet is to shut down France's consulate in Jerusalem, which deals, deals with Palestinians primarily. Now the other option might be to retaliate in the west bank. And that would mean one of the ideas would move areas that are under control of the Palestinians into full Israeli control. Political, security, police, all of it. Now that would essentially be a big move to try to bring a lot of the west bank into Israel proper. But the other option, one that is even more controversial and more harsh, would be to annex the entire West Bank. Now, Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing a lot of pressure from his far right leaders to try to do just that. But that would really jeopardize a lot of Israel's hard won deals to normalize diplomacy with its neighbors, including under the Abraham Accords.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Thank you, Matt. So there is a lot on the table here in this year's unga. Where does the US Stand amidst it all? I want to turn now to chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell, who's been reporting on this. Hi, Andrea.

[Andrea Mitchell]

Hey, good to see you.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Let's walk through the stakes this time around, especially considering I think kind of the headline out of this whole thing is the recognition of a Palestinian state by allies of the United States.

[Andrea Mitchell]

Well, certainly Israel is isolated from the rest of the world by the famine, the humanitarian crisis, the war in Gaza, the relocation and evacuation of people, and of course the latest immigration in Gaza City. And now the US Is also isolated because the US Is Israel's almost sole supporter now, certainly among the major G7 countries, because just in the last 48 hours we have had the UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, all recognizing a Palestinian state. This is an initiative led by France, led by Emmanuel Macron and by the Saudis. So that is a very powerful combination. And they're having a meeting today at the un. It's also coming as Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State and National Security Adviser, he has canceled the visas for the Palestinian Authority leader, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, as well as a 40 member Palestinian delegation. Now, this is a violation of the agreement by which 80 years ago the US agreed to host the United Nations. There have been tyrannical leaders like Muammar Gaddafi and others who have spoken here. So the fact that Abbas, who speaks every year, is being denied that forum is really notable.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

But Abbas is still going to be speaking come Thursday, but just via video.

[Andrea Mitchell]

By video by zoom, which means that he can't participate in any of the meetings along the margins. And those are among the most important.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

I think the timing of this from the UK and others is interesting on two fronts. One, because obviously it's ahead of the UN General assembly and sends a message to Israel in the US but also because of the most recent trip that the president took to the UK and meeting with Prime Minister Starmer there. The president is expected to speak tomorrow. Andrea, what does it say to you about the United States position on the world stage right now?

[Andrea Mitchell]

Oh, no, absolutely. And the fact is the president and the US Are the largest funder of UN Agencies, and their withdrawal from UN Agencies has caused a profound budget crisis for the United Nations. The UN Secretary General has reportedly tried repeatedly over the past seven, eight months to have a meeting with President Trump and has been denied that access. Now, it'll be unavoidable once the president is here in town, but he did not get any kind of a formal White House meeting, which is traditional and normally would have happened and happened during the first term. So the war in Gaza is the dividing line as well as, of course, what's happening with Russia. You know, the Alaska summit was a big setback diplomatically for the US Vladimir Putin has thumbed his nose, and just today there's an emergency Security Council meeting on Estonia because Russian drones have violated the airspace of Estonia. President Trump is again saying and has said how upset he is with Vladimir Putin and that there are going to be strong steps. Very strong steps was his last comment in the UK but so far, nothing. Now, I should also add that the President has made an impossible demand of the European Union that they cut off all energy from Russia.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Right.

[Andrea Mitchell]

Which is not going to happen because it would have to be a unanimous declaration by all members of the European Union. That's just an unreasonable demand before the US Cracks down on Putin.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

You know, the President has led with America first. He did it in his first term and he's doing it again now. And some would argue he's gone even further this time around to say America alone. I mean, listen, the UN was established for diplomacy. This is the 80th UN General Assembly. Is there at all a question that the UN has the ability to meet some of the challenges that the 21st century now presents, considering we are in a much different world now than we were then?

[Andrea Mitchell]

Absolutely. The Security Council being limited in membership and having a veto for the five permanent members, which includes the US And Russia, has meant that there is a constant veto stopping any real penalties for Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. And similarly, the US Veto has prevented any inhibition on military action by Israel. You also have the World Court, a UN organization, the International Criminal Justice Court, the U.S. not participating in that. And in other UN agencies, UNRWA, the relief, you know, emergency relief agency. So gathered here in New York are so many groups, so many agencies and committees meeting. But the UN Itself, as long as that Security Council restriction on UN Action is in place, can't prevent wars. They can send peacekeepers with great difficulty and they have importantly, but they can't take military action that's effective or other action by the criminal court as long as the US Refuses to recognize it.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Andrew Mitchell, thank you.

[Andrea Mitchell]

You bet.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

All right. We are going to take a quick break. And when we're back, the Trump administration making a big announcement on autism.

[Meet the Press Promo Announcer]

This week on Meet THE press. After the assassination of Charlie Kirk. And as President Trump vows to crack down on what he calls the radical left, Kristen Welker sits down with Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Rand Paul. Plus, a Meet the Moment conversation with Mel Robbins this week on Meet the Press. Listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Yasmin Vesugian]

Welcome Back to here's the scoop from NBC News. Today, the Trump administration announced a cause for autism. President Trump announcing the findings, saying there's a link between autism and pregnant women's use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in painkillers like Tylenol. This announcement comes as the federal health agencies have been under intense scrutiny in recent months. For more on the science of this thing, I want to bring in a medical expert. Joining Me now is Dr. Natalie Azar. She is NBC News medical contributor and an associate professor of Rheumatology at NYU. Dr. Azar, thanks for joining us. I just want to kind of remind folks what acetaminophen is, what type of medications you can find it in and what it does.

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

So acetaminophen is what we categorize as a fever reducer and pain reliever. It is an over the counter medication. It's probably one of the most common and widely used over the counter medications for those two purposes. So when we talk about availability of fever reducers for pregnant women, we really are only talking about acetaminophen, which is available and recommended.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Walk us through what we know about fever. What things are linked to autism?

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

I think one of the most important things for people to understand is that there are over 100 genes that are associated with autism and which increase the risk of autism. Like many conditions, cancers, autoimmune diseases, we usually say that with autism the genetics are maybe necessary but not sufficient. And so there is an environmental trigger and in utero or in a baby's early life that somehow causes this genetic predisposition to actually translate into clinical disease. So different infections, potentially different medication exposures are things that are thought to be associated with the development of autism. But clearly no one thing has been implicated. And so certainly there will not be one thing that will be taken off the table that will completely eliminate autism.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

I want to talk first about some of the studies around acetaminophen and autism. And the first is this combined study between Drexel University coming out of Sweden, in which they studied siblings over a multitude of years, decades, I believe, and they found there was no link between acetaminophen and an autism diagnosis. What do you make of this study and how much should we pin on it?

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

So I think that we are all citing we, meaning medical experts, are using this study as probably the most robust of studies that we have to date. And the reason is that certainly it involves a very, very large population of kids. This is thought to be a very well designed trial that we could take very meaningful information from. Because they compared siblings and siblings exposure in utero, which basically can account for some other differences that could otherwise have an impact. So, for example, these are children who are raised in the same environment. They have the same genetics. Presumably they have those same environmental exposures. And the only different one was exposure to Tylenol or not. And in this study, which, again, I think spanned or followed kids up to 25 years, there was not an increased risk of autism that was seen in children who had been exposed to Tylenol in utero.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

So with that, I want to talk about the Mount Sinai study, which actually has a different outcome. Outcome. And they have said that there is now a link in this Mount Sinai study between acetaminophen and autism. Can you walk us through that one?

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

So this was a review of over 40 studies. So this wasn't one clinical trial.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Got it.

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

And their findings were that roughly half of the studies showed that there could be a potential link, and half of the studies didn't. And they were very clear in their conclusion and in their comments that they didn't want people to take away from their work that Tylenol caused autism, because that is not at all, number one, what they concluded. Nor could they have concluded that based on the studies that they were evaluating. At the end of the day, there has been no one study that has definitively shown cause and effect that Tylenol leads to autism. Which is why the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, reviewing the same literature that you and I are talking about, have come to the conclusion that in the absence of a study that shows cause and effect, they maintain that the prudent use of Tylenol in pregnancy is still appropriate and can be done safely and effectively for women who experience pain or fever in pregnancy in the absence of a better alternative.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Okay, so bottom line here is, if I'm pregnant or if my friend's pregnant and they have a high fever and they have pain, should they feel safe taking acetaminophen?

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

Until an obstetrician tells me otherwise, the answer is unequivocally yes. And if we're talking about fever, especially Yasmin, there is no doubt that the fever is far worse for the developing baby than a low dose of Tylenol. The same is probably true for a lot of pain syndromes. Pain causes a lot of stress in the mother. Stress during pregnancy is not good for the baby. And it is the opinion of experts who do this for a living that the balance of benefit outweighs any potential harm to the mom or the baby to treat two very important conditions in pregnancy, pain and fever.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Lucavorin. This new treatment that it seems like is being touted as helpful with children that have been diagnosed with autism. Can you walk us through that? Is this promising at all?

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

It is, actually, and I consulted with some pediatricians about this. So leucovorin is otherwise called folinic acid, and it's a precursor to folic acid, which is a very important B vitamin. Some kids make antibodies to their folic acid receptors, which therefore doesn't allow folic acid to get into the brain where it's needed. And so there have been small studies that do show an improvement in behavior and speech and things like that in children who took leucovorin or folinic acid supplement. I know, and I don't want to oversimplify it. Right. Because it's not going to be like, oh, I've cured autism with leucovorin. It is apparently something that used to be more sort of in the integrative pediatrics world, but has become much more mainstream. And it's safe. It's not a. It's not a novel or new or expensive medicine. It's a novel way maybe, of using it. But it would be nice to see, again, a large, really robust, really good study that shows that it truly makes a meaningful, clinically meaningful difference. But in the absence of that, I think it's a pretty benign intervention for families, certainly if you're living with a child with autism.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Dr. Natalie Azar, thank you.

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

Thanks for having me.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

A spokesperson for Kenview, which makes Tylenol, said in a statement that they, quote, believe independent sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. All right, let's get to some headlines. Nearly 78,000 people, from supporters to political heavyweights, packed into State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Sunday for a memorial to conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The service felt part political rally, part religious revival. Kirk's widow, Erica, brought the crowd to its feet when she publicly forgave the man accused of killing her husband.

[Andrea Mitchell]

I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what.

[Dr. Natalie Azar]

Christ did and is what Charlie would do.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

President Trump delivered the final tribute, calling Kirk a, quote, martyr. But his speech drew some attention for veering into politics, including a moment where he declared he hates his opponents, a stark contrast to the message of love and forgiveness Erica Kirk had just shared.

[Unknown Male Commentator]

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.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

The memorial underscored Kirk's role in shaping today's conservative movement. It also brought some unexpected, unexpected reunions. Trump and Elon Musk were spotted in the president's box sharing a chat and even a handshake. By the way, we're just learning that Jimmy Kimmel is returning to the airwaves on Tuesday. The Walt Disney Company preempted his show last week amid criticism of Kimmel's remarks about Kirk's assassination and following pressure from the FCC chair. Disney is now saying that they reached the decision to bring Kimmel back after days of thoughtful conversation with him and his team. President Trump's new immigration move is rattling the US Workforce, especially in the tech world. The president signed a proclamation requiring companies to pay $100,000 fee on some H1B visa applications. That is the program that brings highly skilled workers from countries like India and China. The rollout sparked immediate confusion. Was it an annual charge? Would it hit people that are already here? The White House later clarified it is one time only and current visa holders are safe. But by then, the panic had already spread. Some workers scrambled back to the United States to avoid getting locked out. Tech companies and banks like Microsoft, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, they fired off urgent memos telling employees not to travel. Economists at financial institutions like Berenberg warn that such a steep price tag could make the United States less appealing to top global talent and push companies to take jobs overseas. And while Washington tries to calm the storm, countries like China their seizing the moment, rolling out new visa programs designed to attract the very workers America may now be keeping away. TikTok is staying on your phone, but under new management. Under a White House deal, the app will be spun into a US based company with ByteDance. That is the Chinese company that owns the app, holding less than 20%. Senior White House officials telling NBC News that TikTok's U.S. operations will move into a new joint venture run by Madonna. Majority American investors, owners and directors. Computer software company Oracle, also known as TikTok's bodyguard, is going to provide what they call top to bottom security. Everything from how the app sits on your phone and updates to how American data is actually stored. President Trump is expected to sign an executive order later this week declaring that the plan meets national security needs and extending that pause on the TikTok ban for another 120 days so the deal can actually close. The officials also told NBC News the administration is confident China has already signed off and no further talks are planned for users. That means your for your page is safe, at least for now.

[Dan Snow]

Know me if you want to destroy my sweater.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

No, Weezer, we don't want to destroy your sweater. We want to put it on. Because today, everybody, the calendar finally matches the vibes. It is the first day of fall, or if you want to get technical, the autumnal equinox. Fall officially began at 2:19pm when the sun was directly over the equator, tipping the northern hemisphere just enough to balance day and night at equal length. Starting tomorrow, the days get shorter, the nights get longer, and, yes, the temperatures start dropping. So break out those cardigans and maybe swap out that iced coffee for a hot one. All right. That's gonna do it for us. A hears of Scoop From NBC News, I'm Yasmin Vesugin. We'll be back here tomorrow with whatever the day may bring. And if you liked what you heard, then like us back. Subscribe to Here's a Scoop wherever you get your podcasts. See you tomorrow.

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