Rolling out the news you want

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

Quick Hit:

Three Russian ships and a nuclear submarine will arrive in Cuba for military exercises, shadowed by U.S. ships. Exercises signal Russia’s displeasure with U.S. support for Ukraine but pose no nuclear threat. Russian warships, including the Admiral Gorshkov, conducted missile drills in the Atlantic en route to Cuba, demonstrating Zircon hypersonic missiles.

CANNABIS

California Senate Committee approves bill to legalize cannabis cafes, allowing smoking, food, and event viewing.

One in four marijuana users consume cannabis for pain management, with most preferring “fruity” strains, according to a NuggMD poll.

New York Cannabis Control Board approves home-grown recreational marijuana rules; retailers can sell clones, seedlings, and immature plants.

US NEWS

Hunter Biden, convicted of three gun-related felonies, is the first president's child convicted. Facing up to 25 years, he plans to appeal. President Biden will not pardon him. Hunter also faces separate federal tax fraud charges.

A gunman hijacked an Atlanta bus with 17 passengers, leading to a police chase and one fatality. The suspect, Joseph Grier, was arrested.

Sen. Bernie Sanders seeks to subpoena Novo Nordisk over drug prices; vote set for June 18. Ozempic maker deems it unnecessary.

WORLD NEWS

Four American instructors from Cornell College were stabbed in China. Suspect arrested; victims expected to recover. No motive released.​

Malawi’s vice president and nine others confirmed dead in a military plane crash near Mzuzu, caused by bad weather.

Singapore Airlines to compensate passengers after deadly turbulence: Injured flyers receive $10,000 each, all passengers get $750.

SPORTS

Dallas Mavericks face Boston Celtics tonight (8:30 pm ET, ABC) in Game 3 of NBA Finals; Celtics lead 2-0.

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, dubbed “Run CMC,” is revitalizing the running back position. Following his record-setting contract extension, McCaffrey is now the cover athlete for EA Sports’ Madden 25 video game. He’s the first running back on the cover since Adrian Peterson in 2014 and the first 49ers player ever.

WNBA sets record with 1.3 million TV viewers per game, tripling last year’s average.

Joey Chestnut skips Nathan’s hot dog contest due to Impossible Foods deal; MLE rules prohibit representing rival brands in competition.

POP CULTURE

James Beard Awards 2024: Michael Rafidi named outstanding chef; Portland’s Langbaan wins outstanding restaurant.

Ben Potter, YouTube’s Comicstorian with over 3 million subscribers, dies at 40 from “unfortunate accident;” details not public.

Female employees at SpaceX report unusual attention from founder, alleging sexism and harassment. Executives allegedly don’t enforce rules on CEO. Musk declined to comment.

Oprah Winfrey is at home and ‘feeling better’ after a stomach virus sent her to the emergency room.

BUSINESS

US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.3%, Dow -0.3%, Nasdaq +0.9%); Apple shares up 7%; Fed’s interest rate decision today.

Apple stock hits all-time high after unveiling Apple Intelligence, OpenAI partnership; CEO Tim Cook reaffirms privacy promises.

Raspberry Pi, maker of tiny computers, goes public on London Stock Exchange at $690M valuation; retail investors can buy shares starting Friday.

Shari Redstone, Paramount Global’s controlling shareholder, reportedly rejects Skydance’s offer; plans to sell National Amusements instead.

Amazon pledges $1.4 billion to build 14,000 affordable homes in Nashville, Seattle, and Washington metro areas, addressing housing shortages in regions with Amazon offices. The total investment in Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund now reaches $3.6 billion, aiming to support households earning 30% to 80% of the median income, targeting those ineligible for existing subsidies.

Spotify plans a higher-priced premium subscription amid recent price hikes, Bloomberg reports. The new tier, costing at least $5 more monthly, offers better audio and enhanced playlist tools, representing a 40% increase over the base plan. This follows Spotify’s recent standard subscription price increase to $11.99.

Quote of the Day:

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."

-John Lennon

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