Foreign aid programs face a major halt, creating turbulence within USAID and sparking discussions around its future amid Trump administration changes. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's pivotal talks in Washington highlight international diplomacy. In Panama, Marco Rubio addresses foreign influence over the Panama Canal. Additionally, the podcast dives into the cannabis landscape, addressing safety concerns, potency risks, and the challenges of unregulated markets, aiming to guide consumers toward safer products.
The halt of nearly all USAID programs raises concerns over foreign aid management and the potential centralization under the State Department.
Increased nationalistic sentiments in Panama reveal tensions over U.S. control aspirations at the Panama Canal, impacting bilateral relations.
Deep dives
USAID Funding Halted
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has experienced a significant disruption, with nearly all its programs on hold and its website down. President Trump has criticized the agency, claiming it is poorly managed by 'radical lunatics' and has suggested the possibility of folding it into the State Department. Lawmakers have expressed concerns about this unilateral move, indicating that shutting down a government agency requires Congressional approval. Elon Musk has stated he is working on this initiative, emphasizing that he cannot act without the president's support, yet he provided no legal grounding for bypassing Congress.
U.S. and Panama Tensions Rise
Tensions have heightened between the United States and Panama regarding the control of the Panama Canal, following Trump's aggressive statements about reclaiming control. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama, where he reportedly issued an ultimatum about China's influence over the canal, which Panama's president refuted, stressing the nation’s sovereignty. As a response, public sentiment in Panama has turned nationalistic, with protests emphasizing that the canal is for Panamanians. This situation reflects the broader context of escalating trade tensions and territorial claims coming from the U.S. administration.
Navigating Legal Cannabis
As cannabis becomes legal in nearly half of U.S. states, consumers face challenges in finding safe and regulated products. The existing patchwork of state regulations leads to discrepancies in safety standards, allowing many contaminants to go unchecked in some states. Research indicates that while legal cannabis is likely safer due to testing and recalls of unsafe products, the booming black market remains a concern, as it often bypasses regulations altogether. This complexity underlines the need for consumers to be informed and cautious when navigating the newly legalized cannabis landscape.
Nearly all foreign aid programs delivered by the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, have been halted, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C. and Sec. Marco Rubio is in Panama following up on President Trump's statements about the Panama Canal. Also, a new NPR series is helping consumers find safely-sourced cannabis products.
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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Nishant Dahiya, Sami Yenigun, Andrea De Leon, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Lilly Quiroz, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. And our technical director is Neisha Heinis.
A previous version of this episode included an error reported by the State Department, that Marco Rubio was the first Secretary of State in over a century to make Latin America the first visit of his tenure. Rubio is the first Secretary of State in over century to make Panama the first visit of his tenure.