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Welcome to The Logoff. As we speak is a tricky one: I wish to concentrate on the Trump administration’s freeze of overseas help, a difficulty that could be a matter of life-and-death for susceptible folks world wide.
What’s the newest? Individuals world wide are feeling the consequences of Trump’s Day 1 choice to freeze all overseas help. The New York Instances has a collection of painful examples: displaced Sudanese folks dropping entry to soup kitchens, Thai struggle refugees getting turned away from hospitals, Ukrainian civilians dropping entry to firewood.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this week ordered “lifesaving” help to be briefly exempted from the freeze, however ProPublica reported on Friday that that in at the least some instances, that hasn’t occurred. The Instances reporting additionally suggests the pause — plus uncertainty over what help is “lifesaving” — has led to some important funding falling via the cracks.
There’s no option to sugarcoat this: International help saves lives, and freezing it can price them.
Is that this funding freeze regular? Completely not. International help fluctuates between administrations, and the legislation offers them leeway in the way it will get distributed. Generally particular person applications shall be stalled for assessment. However a wholesale freeze is unprecedented.
What comes subsequent? Politico reported that the State Division has been given about three months to judge the overseas help after which for Rubio to make a advice to Trump on which applications ought to be stored or discontinued. However Rubio on Friday signaled a deep skepticism, saying: “The US authorities just isn’t a charity.”
And with that, it’s time to sign off …
It could possibly really feel uncaring or insensitive to ship information with this gravitas after which pivot to pleasure. Nevertheless, I imagine that caring for ourselves mentally — together with by consuming hopeful information — is part of being good residents. To that finish, right here’s a narrative that includes two issues I deeply get pleasure from: polar bears, and potential scientific breakthroughs. Take excellent care this weekend. I’ll see you again right here on Monday.
