Good Morning!

It's Wednesday, November 12, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• ByHeart baby formula is being recalled over illness outbreak. 

• How did we get to a 40-hour work week!

• Target has a new smile policy. 

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

US News

House To Take A Call On Shutdown Now

After 40 days of political deadlock, the Senate voted 60–40 on Monday night to pass a bill funding the federal government through January, signaling the end of the longest shutdown in US history. The deal, backed by most Republicans and eight moderate Democrats, will move to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to bring it to a vote this week. President Donald Trump has already indicated support.

The agreement restores pay for furloughed federal workers, funds food assistance programs, and outlines a bipartisan budget process. But it leaves Democrats divided. Many are furious that the compromise fails to secure an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, which help over 20 million Americans afford health insurance. Progressive lawmakers, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Chris Murphy, slammed the move as a capitulation, while moderates argued it was necessary to end the mounting hardship.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer voted against the measure, calling it “a devastating failure on health care.” Still, Democrats like Jeanne Shaheen defended the decision as pragmatic. “We’re ending the suffering of millions,” she said, “and we’ll live to fight another day.” The deal now tests party unity as attention turns to upcoming 2026 budget negotiations.

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Health

This Baby Formula Was Recalled Nationwide Amid Infant Botulism Outbreak

ByHeart, a maker of organic baby formula, has recalled all of its products nationwide following a growing outbreak of infant botulism that has sickened at least 15 babies in 12 states since August. The infants, ranging from just over two weeks to five months old, were hospitalized after consuming ByHeart formula. No deaths have been reported.

The recall, initially limited to two lots, was expanded after the Food and Drug Administration found that ByHeart products were disproportionately linked to the illnesses, despite representing only about 1% of US formula sales. One open can tested positive for toxin-producing bacteria, prompting federal officials to recommend a broader recall. ByHeart said it took the “extraordinary” step of recalling all formula “in close collaboration” with the FDA, emphasizing that protecting babies remains its top priority. The company urged parents to stop using the products immediately and dispose of them. 

Infant botulism, though rare, can be life-threatening, causing muscle weakness, poor feeding, and breathing difficulties. ByHeart is now testing every batch with third-party labs while working with health authorities to trace the source of contamination. Federal regulators have confirmed there’s no risk of a nationwide formula shortage.

US News

Qualified Women In Military Are Being Pushed Out

Since taking office, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired several senior female officers, disbanded the Pentagon’s women’s advisory committee, and vowed to eliminate anonymous sexual assault reporting. Female servicemembers told CNN morale is plummeting as fitness standards, grooming rules, and career opportunities tighten under his leadership.

In a move that underscores growing concerns about women’s roles in the military, Hegseth reportedly revoked the promotion of a decorated Navy officer who was set to become the first woman to command a Naval Special Warfare unit overseeing Navy SEALs, just two weeks before her ceremony. Multiple sources told CNN her gender was likely the reason. The officer, a Purple Heart recipient and former SEAL Team Six troop commander, had been deemed exceptionally qualified by top Navy leaders. But under the military’s “up or out” policy, losing this command effectively ends her career.

Critics say Hegseth’s actions reflect a broader rollback of women’s advancement in uniform, warning it could trigger mass resignations and declining recruitment among women, who currently make up nearly 18% of the US military.

In the know

DON’T MISS

🇺🇸 Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani and allies tied to 2020 election efforts.

🏡 These are the best big cities in America to retire in — ranked and ready.

🚢 US deploys its largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean amid Venezuela crisis.

💣 Pakistan blames Afghanistan and India for deadly suicide bombing, which killed 12, outside Islamabad court.

🕰️ How did we even get to a 40-hour work week?

✈️ Twenty killed as Turkish military cargo plane crashes in Georgia after Azerbaijan takeoff.

🗣️ Screaming is all the rage right now, and for all the right reasons. 

🗳️ This Kennedy is going to be on the ballot now. 

😊 Target has a new 10-4 policy, and it reminds you how important smiling is.

📱 Apple just made a $230 pocket for your iPhone, and the world is stunned.

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

☕ Your daily morning coffee might do more than wake you up. That cup of joe might be your best friend or your sneakiest frenemy. Here’s what it’s really doing inside you.

🥔 TikTok swears a raw potato in your sock can cure colds. Science says it’s just… starch and false hope. Could the placebo be taking over?

🧠 Influencers call them life-changing. As antidepressants trend again — what’s real, what’s rumor, and what’s dangerously misleading?

🥖 Bread, pasta, and guilt trips. Turns out, gluten might not be your gut’s enemy after all. So what’s actually behind the bloat?

Decor & More

HOUSE TO HOME

🎨 The ’90s called, they want their cabinet colours back, but this time they’re modern, muted and totally chic.

🛋️ Ready for a cosy upgrade? These fall décor trends bring sculptural shapes, velvet fabrics and rich colour palettes.

🛏️ From linen-bamboo hybrids to budget gems, here are the best duvet covers editors swear by for comfort and design.

📐 Everything you thought about small-room décor: get rid of it. These styling hacks could really make the room feel big.

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

💍 Hailey Bieber and Justin taking marriage “one day at a time”. 

📸 Why Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner deleted pictures with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry?

🎬 ‘Squid Game’ star acquitted of sexual misconduct by South Korea court. 

🐇 Singer-actress Sabrina Carpenter will lead a musical “Alice in Wonderland” movie.

📞 Diddy reportedly faces prison disciplineover an alleged unauthorized three-way call.

Interactive

WEIGH IN

Health insurance premiums are climbing again for 2026, and fast. Experts say two factors are to blame: Americans using more healthcare services (especially post-pandemic) and sky-high medical prices, since providers can largely set their own rates. Aging baby boomers, expensive new drugs like GLP-1s, and fading subsidies for ACA plans are also contributing. Employers are expected to pass more costs to workers, and many Americans might soon find themselves paying more for less care.

“The creative adult is the child who survived.” 

— Ursula K. Le Guin