It's Tuesday, July 22, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• Four-day work weeks better for mental wellbeing of employees.

• What is the downside of wanting men?

• Turns out, dogs can detect Parkinson’s through smell!

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SPILL THE NEWS

Harvard And Trump Reach Court

A federal judge in Boston questioned the legality of the President Donald Trump administration’s decision to freeze over $2 billion in federal research funding for Harvard University. During a Monday hearing, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs called the administration’s rationale “mind-boggling,” and expressed concern that cutting grants over alleged antisemitism lacked documentation, process, or constitutional grounding. “It seems to be your idea that you can terminate a contract even if the basis for termination is a constitutional violation,” Burroughs said, adding, “I don’t think you can justify a contract action based on impermissible suppression of speech.”

The Trump administration has accused Harvard of failing to combat antisemitism following the October 7 Hamas attacks, pointing to protests and alleged harassment of Jewish students. Government lawyer Michael Velchik argued that defunding was aligned with Trump’s executive order and that “Federal taxpayer dollars should not support this”. Harvard contends the cuts were retaliatory and unconstitutional, with attorney Steven Lehotsky calling the move “arbitrary and capricious.”

Burroughs has not issued a ruling but signaled skepticism of the government’s argument. “You’re not taking away grants from labs that could have been antisemitic,” she said, “but just cut off funding in a way one could argue hurts Americans and Jews.” What to expect from the hearings.

Four-Day Work Weeks Benefit Workers And Employers

A four-day workweek, with no cut in pay, improves employee well-being, boosts productivity, and benefits companies overall, according to a new study published in Nature Human Behavior. Conducted by Boston College researchers Wen Fan and Juliet Schor, the study followed nearly 2,900 employees across 141 organizations in countries including the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Ireland. Workers reported less stress, better mental and physical health, and no drop in productivity or pay. “Perhaps the most surprising finding so far is that there is no surprise,” said Fan. “Basically everything we expect to move moves, and in the anticipated direction.”

Key to the success was eliminating unnecessary meetings and improving communication through messaging tools. Many employees used the extra day for errands, medical appointments, and personal time, which enhanced well-being and reduced healthcare costs and turnover. “Not losing highly trained individuals, in fields like health care or teaching, to stress and burnout is certainly a worthwhile goal,” said Schor.

The idea of a shorter workweek has gained momentum since the pandemic reshaped work culture. “Let’s hope we don’t waste the crisis of COVID in terms of the profound workplace innovations it has precipitated,” Fan added. Researchers now urge larger, randomized government-backed trials.

Heterofatalism — Reportedly The Downside Of Wanting Men

A growing number of straight women are naming their frustration with dating men, using terms like “heteropessimism” and “heterofatalism” to describe the experience. Despite still desiring men, many report repeated disappointments — from emotional unavailability to anxiety-fueled withdrawal — that leave them managing unclear signals and unmet expectations. Even the so-called “good guys” often distance themselves under the guise of sensitivity or confusion, making clarity feel unattainable, The New York Times reports.

Feminist scholars have identified a pattern where women take on “hermeneutic labor,” interpreting men’s mixed messages while doing the emotional maintenance of relationships. Common dynamics like the “female demand–male withdraw” cycle persist, both romantically and sexually, making intimacy feel more like work than connection. The result isn’t just burnout, but a wider questioning of what heterosexuality currently offers.

While few are able to reject heterosexual desire altogether, many acknowledge a sense of resignation. Jokes, group texts, and communal venting become survival strategies in a dating landscape that feels both outdated and inescapable. With the old model of romance fading and no new structure in place, heterofatalism offers a vocabulary — if not a solution — for navigating modern love with lowered expectations.

CLICK-WORTHY

👩‍💼 Women dominate managerial roles, but pay and parity still lag behind.

✈️ Bangladesh’s military jet crashes into a Dhaka school, kills 20 students.

❤️ What is behind Gen Z’s sex recession?

🕊️ Dozens killed by Israeli forces in Gaza while waiting for food; the world condemns.

🤖 AI has triggered job cuts, but is it making businesses more efficient?

💊 Hunter Biden says Ambien likely caused his father’s disastrous debate.

📱 How to keep your workplace tech off your personal phone.

🗃️ Instead of Epstein files, Trump administration releases Martin Luther King files.

🔭 Astronomer interim CEO on "unusual and surreal" attention amid ‘Coldplaygate’. 

🤰 FDA slammed for misinformation on antidepressants during pregnancy.

IN GOOD HEALTH

🐶 Dogs can detect Parkinson’s via scent years before symptoms emerge.

🤔 This ultra-processed food might be better than plant-based alternatives.

😴 Sleep deprivation could biologically age you. For real!

💧 Do we really need to drink electrolytes?

IN STYLE, IN BEAUTY

✨ Want glass skin? K-beauty experts break it down.

🧣 Your scarf just became summer’s most surprising outfit upgrade.

🧴 New self-tanners mean no regrets, just results — and soft sheets.

👡 Double-strap sandals just got a high-fashion celebrity glow-up.

THE FAME FRAME

⚠️ Katy Perry dangles midair as prop suddenly malfunctions.

📄 ‘It Ends With Us’ insurer refuses to cover Justin Baldoni's case fees. 

🎬 First look: Anne Hathaway stuns in Devil Wears Prada 2.

🧠 “Being worked on,” says Billy Joel on brain condition.

🎶 New Mariah Carey album incoming — and she’s “Here For It All”.

WEIGH IN

“Power is not given to you. You have to take it.”

— Beyoncé Knowles-Carter