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

Trump’s HHS nominee Mike Stuart calls marijuana a “gateway drug” and vows aggressive enforcement against it, linking it to opioid misuse.

Arkansas lawmakers pass bill using medical marijuana tax revenue to fund free school breakfasts, awaiting Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ approval.

Review finds cannabinoids promising for developing treatments against drug-resistant infections, potentially reducing dependence on traditional antimicrobial agents.

US NEWS

A Delta flight crashed, overturned, and caught fire while landing in Toronto; all 80 onboard survived, with 21 hospitalized.

Today marks the 80th anniversary of Iwo Jima, a pivotal World War II battle, commemorated nationwide for its strategic and historic significance.

Two backcountry skiers were killed in an Oregon avalanche near Broken Top peak, with authorities recovering their bodies in Happy Valley.

WORLD NEWS

The US and Russia held talks in Saudi Arabia, discussing diplomacy and potential cooperation, excluding Ukraine, amid shifting US foreign policy.

Zelensky accuses Trump of spreading disinformation after Trump falsely claimed Ukraine started the war and questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy.

Pope Francis hospitalized with bilateral pneumonia, facing a “complex” condition, postponing engagements while undergoing modified treatment, but remains in good spirits.

Hamas will release four hostages’ bodies Thursday, including Bibas children, and six living hostages Saturday, following negotiations involving Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S.

SPORTS

Lewis Hamilton debuts with Ferrari at F1 75 launch in London; his first race with the team is March 16 in Australia.

Seven Chilean nationals charged in burglarizing professional athletes’ homes, stealing over $2 million in valuables, exploiting game schedules for targeted thefts.

No. 23 Kansas suffered a historic 91-57 loss to unranked BYU, marking its worst defeat against an unranked opponent under Bill Self.

POP CULTURE

A$AP Rocky was found not guilty in a 2021 shooting case, avoiding felony assault charges that carried a 24-year sentence.

China’s Ne Zha 2 earns $1.69B, surpassing Inside Out 2 as the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

Paul Simon announces a four-month, 20-city North American tour, returning to the stage after retiring in 2018 due to hearing loss.

Nike partners with Kim Kardashian’s Skims to launch NikeSkims, aiming to expand women’s apparel with innovative, inclusive athletic wear debuting this spring.

BUSINESS

US stock markets close flat; S&P 500 (+0.2%) hits record, Dow (+0.0%) and Nasdaq (+0.1%) show minimal movement.

xAI unveils Grok 3, claiming 10x power over Grok 2, rivaling GPT-4o and Gemini, with improved reasoning and faster response models.

Intel shares surge 16%, marking best day since March 2020, amid reports of Broadcom and TSMC exploring potential deals.

Quote of the Day:

“Do exactly what you would do if you felt most secure.”

- Meister Eckhart

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