Strait Of Hormuz Shipping Crisis, Marijuana Reclassification, Georgia Wildfires

This episode of Up First from NPR covers three major breaking stories: a deepening crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, a landmark shift in U.S. federal marijuana policy, and a devastating wildfire in South Georgia. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have escalated, with President Trump ordering the Navy to shoot down any vessel laying mines in the strategic waterway. The threat has halted nearly all shipping through the strait, causing global shortages of critical goods and leaving thousands of seafarers stranded. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has moved medical cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, a major policy shift that could unlock research, banking access, and tax benefits for medical marijuana businesses—though recreational users remain unaffected for now. In Georgia, a fast-moving wildfire fueled by a historic drought has destroyed nearly 90 homes and forced rapid evacuations, with firefighters still struggling to contain the blaze. Climate change is suspected to be amplifying the severity of such extreme weather events in the Southeast.