U.S. and world news for July 3

Prescription psychedelics approved down under: Australia has become the first country to prescriptions for psychedelic substances for patients dealing with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Australian doctors are now able to doses of MDMA ”“ more commonly known as ecstasy ”“ for PTSD patients and psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, for those with acute depression. However, the treatment will cost approximately $6,600 per patient. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration designated psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2018 but has yet to make a final decision on its medicinal value.

Walgreens’ U.S. and U.K. store closures: Walgreens is planning to close 150 U.S. stores as part of a cost savings measure. The company operates 9,000 U.S. locations ”“ and according to a report in TheHill.com, roughly 1,100 of these locations are now operating on a reduced hours basis. The company is also planning to close 300 U.K. stores that operated under the Boots banner. CEO Roz Brewer acknowledged the company”™s performance in its fiscal year third quarter “did not meet our overall expectations ”“we have seen changing market trends that have consumers prioritizing value in response to a more uncertain and challenging economic environment.” The locations of the stores to be closed and the timeline for their shuttering was not announced.

Mass shooting at Baltimore block party: Two people were killed and 28 were injured during a block party in Baltimore. The shooting occurred at around 12:35 a.m. on Sunday morning in the city”™s Brooklyn section. The fatalities were an 18-year-old woman who was pronounced dead at the scene and a 20-year-old man who died after being transported to a hospital. Police are still trying to identify the suspects in the shooting and are reviewing a video of the crime.

French protests of police shooting continue: Tensions in France remain elevated as the country is dealing with violent demonstrations following the June 27 fatal shooting of a teenager of Arab descent by police in a Paris suburb. Rioting, looting and clashed between protestors and police occurred across the country, forcing President Emmanuel Macron to postpone a state visit to Germany and meet with government officials on mitigating the crisis. The family of the slain teenager called on protesters not to resort to violence, and a GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $760,000 for the legal defense of the police officer charged in the shooting.

Indiana Jones underwhelms: The Walt Disney Co. found itself in a curious situation this weekend when its new release “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” topped the domestic box office charts ”“ albeit with a $60 million that was far below what the studio expected for its opening engagement. The film ”“ which cost $295 million before marketing ”“ is the most expensive ever made, yet its opening box office returns are significantly lower than the $100 million generated by its predecessor film, 2008”™s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Variety predicted the film will lose steam in the coming weeks when the Tom Cruise epic “Mission: Impossible ”“ Dead Reckoning Part One” and Christopher Nolan”™s A-bomb creation drama “Oppenheimer” opens July 12 and July 21, respectively.

Meteorologist Frank Field dies: Dr. Frank Field, the meteorologist who was a longtime staple of New York City television, died Saturday at the age of 100. Field ”“ whose medical degree was in optometry ”“ was the first television weather forecaster who earned the Seal of Approval credential from the American Meteorological Society. Field was part of WNBC-TV from 1958 through 1984, where he also contributed to health and science special reports ”“ including one of the first televised demonstrations of the Heimlich maneuver. He was seen on WCBS-TV from 1984 through 1995 and later appeared on WNYW and WWOR before retiring in 2004.

Cover photo courtesy of Walt Disney Co.