Up First Briefing: Yellen in China; Meta launches Threads; synagogue rubble unearthed

US Secretary Treasury Janet Yellen visits China amid ongoing tensions, while Meta launches a new app called Threads, and increasing local and state bipartisan support for stricter drug laws is being scrutinized.

Yellen in Beijing: US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen is in Beijing today to meet with senior government officials.
* Her visit comes amid increasing tensions between the US and China on issues such as trade restrictions, national security concerns, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.
* According to NPR’s Emily Feng, Yellen will be navigating ongoing trade war issues, as well as national security matters associated with US export controls.

Meta’s New Venture: Meta, Facebook’s parent company, launched Threads yesterday – a text-based version of Instagram.
* In the first seven hours since the app was launched, over 10 million people have joined, indicating potential competition for Twitter.
* NPR’s Bobby Allyn highlights a significant advantage of Threads over other Twitter rivals is its ability for users to “instantly port over” their Instagram data and maintain their network, although this could discourage younger users from joining due to privacy concerns.

Push for Drug Laws: There’s a growing bipartisan push in local and state governments for tougher laws against drug dealers.
* They are particularly targeting dealers selling drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamines and xylazine.
* However, research suggests that such an approach might harm people with addictions and worsen the overdose crisis.

View original article on NPR

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