Good Morning!

It's Friday, April 24, 2026, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• Trump reclassifies marijuana as a Schedule III drug.

• The richest country in the world is …

• Has the news turned you into a “doomer”?

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

US News

Trump Reclassifies State-Licensed Medical Marijuana

The US Department of Justice on Thursday reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under an order signed by acting attorney general Todd Blanche, following direction from Donald Trump. The change eases federal restrictions, allows licensed operators to claim tax deductions, and reduces barriers to cannabis research. It does not legalize marijuana under federal law or affect criminal penalties for non-licensed use. 

The order creates an expedited system for state-licensed producers to register with the Drug Enforcement Administration. About 40 states have medical marijuana programs. See map. The administration also scheduled a broader reclassification hearing for late June.

Business

Warner Bros Approves Paramount Merge

Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery approved a proposed sale to Paramount Skydance, advancing a merger valued at about $111 billion including debt. The deal prices shares at $31 and would combine assets such as HBO Max, CNN, CBS, Paramount+, and major film franchises. Paramount previously acquired Skydance and is seeking full control of Warner. 

The transaction still requires regulatory approval in the US and abroad. State-level investigations, including one led by Rob Bonta, are underway. Warner shareholders rejected a separate proposal on post-merger executive payments. The companies expect to complete the deal in the coming months, subject to regulatory reviews and potential legal challenges.

Health

Post-Partum GLP-1 Push

After giving birth, many women report frequent exposure to weight-loss ads on platforms like Instagram promoting GLP-1 medications. These drugs, used for weight loss, are now taken by about 1 in 8 US adults, with higher usage among women, including postpartum patients. They are not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding due to limited safety data and appetite-suppressing effects. Some patients stop breastfeeding earlier to begin treatment. 

Prescriptions come from doctors and telehealth services such as Ro and LifeMD. Costs vary widely, from tens to over $1,000 monthly without insurance. Research indicates increasing GLP-1 use among postpartum women in countries including the US and Denmark.

In the know

DON’T MISS

⚠️ Trump orders US military to ‘shoot and kill’ small Iranian boats, extends Lebanon ceasefire three weeks

✈️ Will you book a last row flight ticket … if it looked like this?

🕵️‍♂️ A US special forces soldier, involved in Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s capture, bet on classified information about the operation and won over $400,000. He was arrested yesterday.

🚔 A man suspected of planning mass shooting at New Orleans festival arrested in Florida with hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

😬 One in Five Americans might be exposed to this unsafe toxin in their tap water.

📊 Is the redistricting game backfiring on Republican leaders?

🪐 Astronomers just discovered a new planet that smells like … urine?

⚖️ Justice Department internal watchdog launches review into whether DOJ complied with the Congress’ Epstein Files Transparency Act. 

📈 Norway named the world's richest country in new index, while France, Germany, and US miss top ten.

🧬 FDA approves first gene therapy for rare genetic hearing loss, offered free to US patients.

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

💰 The billion-dollar snack industry is betting big on the “better-for-you” label. Do nutrition experts want you to swap one ultra-processed snack for a slightly cleaner one?

📉 You’ve got that “doomer” in you. Who’s even to blame — between the news cycle and the algorithm, chronic worst-case thinking is more common than ever.

📱 Not all screen time is created equal — researchers say social media does more damage than TV or video games ever did. FaceTime with family? That’s actually the good kind. 

💪 “Zone Zero” exercise is the workout you don't even know you're doing, and it’s incredibly beneficial if you know how to tap into it.

Fashion & Beauty

BEYOND THE MIRROR

🖤 All black is comfortable, but the season is literally begging you to try something else. Why don’t you …. make this month the most fashionably satisfying? 

📿 It's been a good run, dainty chains. Chunky beaded necklaces are taking over now, but save those summer camp flashbacks real quick. 

👠 From bright flip-flops to eel-print finishes, these are the seven shoes the chicest women will be wearing now in summertime.

👁️ Could you possibly replicate the “revenge dress” effect with just makeup? As per ‘Euphoria’, the power move is now a razor-sharp eyeliner wing.

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

🎬 Did you miss Zendaya’s Disney Channel reunion on the new ‘Euphoria’ episode? Well, they kept it undercover to begin with! 

📊 Spotify has released its most-streamed artists since pretty much the dawn of the app. While Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny lead, some names you'd expect to see are …. missing.

🚨 Singer D4vd possessed a “significant amount” of child sex abuse images, the prosecutor claims. 

🤔 ‘Stranger Things: Tales from ’85’ is the one thing that gets close to the original magicof Hawkins. Critics don’t really think that’s good.

Interactive

WEIGH IN

With drinks at bars, concerts, and clubs getting pricier, more people are cutting costs by “pregaming” at home before heading out. Nearly a third of recent drinkers surveyed said they now predrink to avoid high venue prices, while mini liquor bottles and at-home cocktails are seeing rising demand. For some, it’s a practical way to keep social plans affordable. For others, it reflects how expensive a basic night out has become, forcing people to rethink what used to be routine spending. As alcohol prices rise, many are asking whether pregaming is a smart money move or a sign that nightlife is becoming too expensive.

“Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.”

— Cal Newport