Trump Clashes at UN, Kimmel Defends Free Speech, and Farage Pushes Hardline Immigration Shake-Up

24th September 2025

Donald Trump delivered a fiery UN speech, attacking migration, climate policies, and NATO allies while warning countries they are “going to hell,” a tone that boosted defense stocks in London. He also drew backlash from European regulators and the WHO after falsely linking Tylenol and vaccines to autism. Jimmy Kimmel returned from suspension, defending free speech amid growing pressure on comedians and journalists. In the UK, Nigel Farage’s Reform party proposed scrapping Indefinite Leave to Remain, forcing migrants to reapply every five years under tougher rules, a move critics say would upend families and the economy. All this in today’s Read It and Eat! 

Major News 

Trump Tells World Leaders Their Countries Are “Going to Hell” in Combative UN Speech

Donald Trump was back in full campaign mode at the UN General Assembly, delivering a 56-minute speech that pulled no punches. The U.S. president lashed out at world leaders over immigration, climate change, Russia, and even the UN itself, warning that countries that don’t follow his lead are “going to hell.” It was a return to form for Trump, whose first term was marked by frequent clashes with the international body.

Immigration and climate were front and center. Trump touted his crackdown at home as a model for others, urging nations to resist “mass migration” and describing climate change policies as a “con job.” He called Europe’s energy transition “suicidal” and insisted that a shift back toward fossil fuels is the only way forward. The rhetoric comes as his administration prepares a push to narrow asylum rights at the UN, potentially undoing decades of post-war humanitarian policy.

On foreign policy, Trump pressed allies to toughen their stance on Russia, mocking NATO members for continuing to buy Russian oil and threatening sweeping tariffs if Moscow refuses to make peace in Ukraine. He also doubled down on his opposition to a Palestinian state, saying the U.S. would only support a ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza. Even as he cast himself as a peacemaker, Trump peppered his remarks with grievances from claims of “fake news” to jokes about a broken UN escalator that nearly sent Melania tumbling.

Markets, however, were quick to respond to his sharper tone on Russia. London-listed defense giants Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, and Babcock all saw shares rally on Wednesday, reflecting expectations that Trump’s rhetoric could translate into greater defense spending and a longer conflict trajectory in Ukraine. For Trump, the speech played to his strengths: combative, headline-grabbing, and designed to make both allies and rivals nervous about what comes next. Reuters 

EU and WHO Push Back on Trump’s Autism, Pregnancy Claims

European and British health regulators pushed back Tuesday against President Trump’s latest health warnings, after he claimed that paracetamol (known as Tylenol in the U.S.) use during pregnancy and childhood vaccines could be linked to autism. Medical authorities across Europe and the World Health Organization (WHO) made clear that there is no reliable evidence supporting such claims.

The European Medicines Agency said there was “no new evidence” requiring changes to guidance on paracetamol, reiterating that it can be used safely during pregnancy at the lowest effective dose. Britain’s health regulator echoed that position, while the WHO stressed that research pointing to a possible link has not been replicated and shouldn’t be taken as proof. “This lack of replicability really calls for caution in drawing causal conclusions,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said.

Viktor Ahlqvist, lead author of the largest study to date on the subject, said the Trump administration appeared to have “misunderstood the available evidence.” His research, which reviewed 2.5 million pregnancies in Sweden, found no causal link between paracetamol and autism. He noted that adverse outcomes are often tied more to underlying health conditions during pregnancy than to the medications themselves.

Trump’s remarks, delivered in an unusual White House press conference, urged pregnant women to avoid Tylenol and suggested delaying or spacing out childhood vaccines advice directly contradicting mainstream medical consensus. Health experts and organizations, including the WHO, reaffirmed that vaccines do not cause autism and remain critical to saving lives. As Jasarevic put it: “This is something that science has proven, and these things should not really be questioned.” BBC 

Jimmy Kimmel Returns, Defends Free Speech After Brief Suspension

Jimmy Kimmel made an emotional return to late-night television on Tuesday, using his platform to defend free speech after Disney suspended him for remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The network, which initially called his comments “ill-timed” and “insensitive,” cut short his exile amid growing backlash against what critics described as political pressure from the Trump administration.

On his first night back, Kimmel balanced humor with sincerity. He told viewers he never intended to make light of Kirk’s murder or blame any group for the crime. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said, his voice cracking. “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.” The remarks drew a standing ovation.

Kimmel also thanked unlikely allies including Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, and even Ted Cruz for defending his right to speak, even if they disagreed with him. “I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but Ted Cruz is right,” Kimmel joked. He then leaned back into satire, quipping about Disney’s condition for his return by reading a mock statement urging viewers to renew their Disney+ subscriptions.

But the controversy underscored a broader fight over press freedom and comedy in the Trump era. The FCC had threatened investigations and fines over Kimmel’s comments, while Trump himself blasted ABC on Truth Social for reinstating him. Kimmel warned that the pressure wasn’t just about comedians but about muzzling journalists too, pointing to settlements networks have paid in recent lawsuits filed by Trump. Still, he closed his monologue on a somber note, praising Erika Kirk the widow of the slain activist for her grace and forgiveness. “If there’s anything we should take from this tragedy,” Kimmel said, “I hope it’s that.” BBC 

Reform Plans to Scrap Indefinite Leave to Remain for Migrants Reform UK has unveiled plans that would fundamentally reshape Britain’s immigration system if the party wins the next election. At the heart of the proposal is scrapping Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) the status that currently allows migrants to settle permanently after five years in the UK. Instead, migrants would be required to reapply for visas every five years under tougher rules, including higher salary thresholds and stricter English language requirements.

Party leader Nigel Farage framed the move as ending Britain’s role as “the world’s food bank,” arguing that only citizens should be entitled to welfare support. Reform claims the changes would save £234bn over several decades a figure heavily disputed by economists and dismissed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as “having no basis in reality.”

Currently, ILR is not just a stepping stone to citizenship, it’s also the foundation for accessing benefits and securing long-term stability in the UK. Reform’s plans would roll that back dramatically, forcing even those already on the pathway to citizenship to reapply under new, stricter rules. That retrospective element applying new conditions to hundreds of thousands of migrants already living and working in Britain is where the proposal becomes especially controversial. Legal experts say the plan could face a wave of challenges, particularly from families who have built their lives around the current system. Reform argues the tough line is necessary to address what it brands the “Boriswave” the 3.8 million people admitted after Brexit under looser rules brought in by Boris Johnson’s government.

The party also wants to reshape the kind of migration Britain accepts. Alongside scrapping ILR, it proposes new “entrepreneur and investor” visas to attract capital, and a new Acute Skills Shortage Visa scheme, which would let firms hire foreign workers only if they commit to training a British counterpart. Reform says it wants to bring Britain in line with countries like the U.S. and the UAE, which tie permanent residence more tightly to skills and investment. Interestingly, the approach echoes elements of China’s recently expanded K Visa scheme designed to fast-track STEM talent into the country but Reform’s version is framed far more restrictively, emphasizing domestic training alongside foreign recruitment.

Predictably, the proposals have been met with fierce criticism. Labour called the party’s savings estimate “fantasy economics,” while the Conservatives accused Reform of “copying ideas in a half-baked, unworkable way.” The Liberal Democrats warned the plan would throw businesses into disarray and cost the economy billions in growth and tax revenue. Even so, Farage doubled down, admitting the policy would split families and uproot people who have integrated into communities but insisting that “British people have been priced out of the market by endless cheap foreign labour.” Whether the public buys into that argument remains to be seen but there’s no question Reform has managed to push immigration right back to the center of the political debate. BBC 

Minor News 

• Disney is hiking Disney+ prices starting Oct. 21 — ad-free plans will rise to $19/month (from $16) and ad-supported to $12 (from $10). Financial Times 

• Palantir shares climb on AI partnership with Boeing. Reuters 

• Amazon will shut all 19 of its UK Amazon Fresh stores, with some set to be converted into Whole Foods. Reuters 

• U.S. IPOs raised $7.6B in September, marking the busiest month in four years. Bloomberg 

• Jamie Dimon says Trump’s H-1B visa fee order “took everyone by surprise.” BBC 

• Lego to Acquire Entertainment Centers from Merlin in $270 Million Deal. Reuters 

• JD Sports Says Nike’s Strategy Is Paying Off, Boosting Sales Momentum. CityAM 

• Big Tech’s AI buildout is putting pressure on the U.S. power grid. Reuters