Rolling out the news you want

Welcome to the BLUNT Newsletter, your direct access to pop culture that is short and to the point.

CANNABIS

SXSW 2025 opens voting on 80+ cannabis and psychedelics panels; final lineup to be announced later this year.

Daily cannabis use in older adults may improve verbal reasoning but shows no significant impact on other cognitive functions, study finds.

Roger Stone claims Trump endorsing Florida marijuana legalization would "guarantee victory" for the initiative, emphasizing its potential impact.

US NEWS

Tropical Storm Ernesto likely to become a hurricane by tomorrow after passing through the Caribbean, north of Puerto Rico.

Former Kansas police chief charged with obstruction after controversial raid on newspaper, following unfounded identity theft accusations.

The US approves $20B in weapons sales to Israel, including fighter jets and air-to-air missiles.

WORLD NEWS

Africa CDC declares public health emergency due to mpox variant surge, with 15,000 cases and 460 deaths across 18 countries.

Iran may refrain from attacking Israel if a Gaza cease-fire is achieved, with talks set to resume tomorrow.

Ukraine seized 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory in a week, matching Russia's annual gains and embarrassing Moscow.

SPORTS

2024 Paris Olympics see 82% viewership increase, Jordan Chiles loses bronze after appeal denial.

Dallas Cowboys become first sports franchise to surpass $10B valuation.

Frank Selvy, NBA All-Star and NCAA record-holder, dies at 91.

Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy to undergo knee surgery after torn meniscus, no return timetable; Sam Darnold to step in.

POP CULTURE

Wembley Stadium bans fans outside Taylor Swift's concerts due to Vienna terrorist threat.

Janet Jackson reveals she's related to Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, and Samuel L. Jackson.

MTV Video Music Awards rescheduled to Sept. 11 due to presidential debate.

BUSINESS

US stock markets close higher as wholesale prices rise below expectations; CPI report due this morning.

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan steps down; Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol to take over amid declining sales and investor dissatisfaction.

Avon files for bankruptcy to address $1.3B debt, facing hundreds of lawsuits over alleged cancer links to talc in makeup products.

Google rolls out AI voice chatbot Gemini Live to Android, rivaling ChatGPT.

Quote of the Day:

“Happiness is a direction, not a place.”

-Sydney J. Harris

That's all for now! We hope you enjoyed this edition of the BLUNT Newsletter. Have a fantastic rest of your day!