International

The cannabis business continues its battle with the law in New York

In recent years, cannabis has become one of the hallmarks of the State of New York, where the legalization of this drug led to its massive commercialization and the development of a policy closely related to the social reintegration of disadvantaged groups.

Since March 2021, cannabis use is allowed for adults over 21 years of age, and therefore having a store is also legal, as long as the necessary requirements to obtain a license are met.

The prices – which always include a non-refundable fee of $1,000 – vary depending on the type of license (for example, opening a retail dispensary costs $7,000) and the approval of the permit takes longer than it might seem

Before its legalization, the people who were most affected by having or selling marijuana were black and Hispanic: “(These people) bought and consumed cannabis as much as the white communities, but they were not arrested in the same proportion,” a spokeswoman for the State Cannabis Office (OCM) who prefers not to give her name, explains to EFE.

In this sense, of the 1,485 arrests made in 2020 for possession or sale of cannabis, 898 were to black people, 467 Hispanic, 64 Asian, 49 white and 7 of other ethnic groups, according to official data.

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Therefore, the New York State government, through the CAURD program, granted the first 463 provisional retail licenses to entities run by people with previous convictions related to this drug.

“One thing that New York was not going to do was start a billion-dollar industry and not have these people directing it,” says the CMO representative.

In this way, a few years after being arrested for possession of this drug, José Polanco, from the Dominican Republic, fulfilled his dream and opened ‘Polanco Brothers’, a cannabis store located in front of Bryant Park, in the heart of Manhattan.

“For the Hispanic community this store is something important, because we show that we can do great business away from crime,” one of the partners, Pedro Antonio, tells EFE, who receives surrounded by showcases full of gummies, creams, cannabis with cranberry flavor and even tea.

In contrast to the old tobacco shop that he now replaces and that brew together the elites of New York inside – it was often attended by celebrities such as Robert Downey Jr. – Antonio expresses his desire for ‘Polanco Brothers’ to become a place of reference for the popular classes.

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The slow licensing process has led many sellers to dodge the law: it is estimated that more than 2,000 premises in the State are illegal, compared to the 180 stores that are regulated by the New York Government.

The clerg of a small store in Manhattan, which does not appear in the catalog of dispensaries published by the government – although she assures that it is fully legal – explains that the place was forced to open without a license due to the delay in processing her permit.

The woman mentions the closure of illegal premises that has been taking place in the city for a few weeks, where the Mayor’s Office of New York began an operation on May 7 to end them: since then a total of 75 have been closed.

In a recent report, the New York Government harshly criticized the ineffectiveness of the Cannabis Office and pointed out that, in April, more than 1,200 people who applied for a license in November were still waiting to be examined.

Cannabis has strongly adhered to the culture of the city and is already part of the daily life of New Yorkers, who are usually seen with a butt between their fingers it rains, thunders or shines, and whether during the day, at night or first thing in the morning.

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Its consumption is so widespread that the same mayor of New York, asked one day about the persistent smell of garbage in the summer months, denied it and said: “The first thing I smell right now is marijuana. It seems like everyone is smoking a joint,” and he laughed.

International

Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027

Mexico and Guatemala agreed Tuesday on a 2027 Binational Plan built around five areas of cooperation, along with a schedule of meetings and initiatives aimed at making progress by the end of 2026 on security, border infrastructure, human mobility, development and technical and social cooperation.

The agreement was announced by the foreign ministers of both countries following a meeting in Mexico City.

Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the plan will establish the “direction and priorities” of bilateral relations for next year. His Guatemalan counterpart, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, said the meeting allowed both governments to make decisions, schedule activities and revitalize bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Security and border infrastructure

In the area of security, the two governments have nearly completed negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding for the Mexico-Guatemala High-Level Security Group (Ganseg), which was reactivated in 2025.

The countries expect to sign the agreement in the coming months to strengthen coordination and their ability to respond to shared security threats.

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Regarding their nearly 1,000-kilometer shared border, Mexico and Guatemala agreed to advance infrastructure improvements at border crossings and continue work on a joint cargo clearance program between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tecún Umán, two border areas separated by the Suchiate River.

The measures are intended to facilitate bilateral trade while making cross-border exchanges safer and more efficient.

The two governments will also continue defining a route toward a railway connection between their countries through Line K of Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), with the aim of strengthening economic and community ties.

Migration and development

On human mobility, Mexico and Guatemala will maintain coordination to ensure safe, orderly and dignified returns, while strengthening protection for people in transit.

The bilateral agenda also includes a second phase of the Sembrando Vida program in Guatemala, which is expected to benefit 10,000 people across 15 departments.

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Both countries will also advance initiatives under Juntos para el Bienestar, as well as six technical, scientific and energy cooperation projects approved by the Joint Commission.

The agreements seek to strengthen bilateral ties and establish concrete priorities for cooperation between Mexico and Guatemala during 2027.

International

France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that France will expel two Iranian diplomats in response to what Paris described as an attack on two French representatives in Iran last month.

“Two French diplomats were scandalously and deliberately assaulted on July 19. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. It has now happened. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days,” Barrot said in a message posted on X.

The two Iranian diplomats have been declared persona non grata and will be required to leave France within the coming days, according to the French foreign minister.

About a month ago, Barrot said that two members of the French diplomatic staff had been detained by Iranian security forces for several hours. One of them was also subjected to harassment, he said.

The French government described the incident as an “extremely serious act of intimidation” that violated diplomatic immunity.

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The two French embassy staff members were working on programs supporting Iranian civil society, particularly initiatives involving artists and researchers.

Iran has denied France’s allegations regarding the incident. The diplomatic dispute comes amid already strained relations between Paris and Tehran.

International

Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C

36 deaths reported due to heat wave in Nuevo Leon, Mexico

More than 70 million people remained under heat alerts Monday as an intense heat wave continued across the southern United States, particularly Florida and states along the Mexican border, where temperatures and heat indexes could reach as high as 46 degrees Celsius, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Several cities recorded or tied temperature records over the weekend and into Monday, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; Laredo, Borger and Austin’s airport in Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee.

The NWS warned that the heat wave will continue affecting the southern and southeastern United States, with maximum temperatures expected to remain near 38°C to 40°C for several days. The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to estimate how hot conditions feel, could reach 46°C.

The extreme heat is also spreading into the Southwest, where temperatures began rising again between Monday and Tuesday. Forecast highs in the region range from about 38°C to 43°C.

Heat alerts remain in effect across Nevada, Arizona and California, including areas in southern Arizona and California near the Mexican border, as authorities warn of the risks posed by prolonged extreme temperatures.

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The NWS urged residents to limit outdoor activity, stay hydrated, ensure access to air conditioning or cooling centers, and check on vulnerable friends, neighbors and family members.

The United States is experiencing a summer marked by above-average temperatures and repeated heat waves. One of the most intense episodes occurred during the July 4 weekend, when extreme heat was blamed for roughly 30 deaths.

July was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States since measurements began, with the average temperature across the contiguous country approaching 25°C, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The combination of extreme heat and drought conditions has also fueled wildfires. Nearly 3 million hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, making it the largest area affected by wildfires in a decade.