Good Morning!

It's Tuesday, August 19, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• Trump looks to end mail-in voting. 

• These fake Labubu dolls are a health hazard.

• Period could be making your depression worse.

Love this newsletter? Don’t keep it all to yourself—share it with your friends!

Reading for the first time? Join over 50,000 intellectually curious women.

Help us be better, write at: [email protected]

SPILL THE NEWS

Trump Meets Zelenskyy, European Leaders; Calls Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and seven European leaders joined President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. In pictures. The meeting underscored the most concerted push yet to chart a path toward ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It comes days after President Trump’s summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Why did the First Lady write a letter to Putin? The talks centered on security guarantees for Ukraine and Trump’s effort to arrange a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. “At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting…between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” Trump said, adding a trilateral summit including himself would follow. The fact checks from the meeting.

The urgency of the meeting reflected European fears of prolonging conflict without clear commitments, while Trump sought to position the U.S. as broker of a ceasefire and postwar security framework. French President Emmanuel Macron called the U.S. commitment to work on guarantees “the most important” outcome. What UK’s Starmer said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged a ceasefire, warning, “the credibility of these efforts depend on at least a ceasefire from the beginning”. How Trump introduced European leaders.

Zelenskyy, who was notably dressed in a suit (watch) after the last Oval Office showdown, signaled openness: “We must meet without any conditions, and think about what development there can be of this path to the end of war.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said if Moscow resists, “the United States plus Europe will do more when it comes to tariffs and sanctions”. Russia’s Yuri Ushakov confirmed Trump and Putin “spoke in favor” of continuing direct talks, though the Kremlin has not formally agreed to the summit. Key takeaways from the meeting.

Related Read: What is going on with the “six wars” Trump says he has ended?

The back office, built for founders

We’ve worked with over 800 startups—from first-time founders at pre-seed to fast-moving teams raising Series A and beyond—and we’d love to help you navigate whatever’s next.

Here’s how we’re willing to help you:

• Incorporating a new startup? We’ll take care of it—no legal fees, no delays.

• Spending at scale? You’ll earn 3% cash back on every dollar spent with our cards.

• Transferring $250K+? We’ll add $2,000 directly to your account.

Get started today.

Weigh-Loss Drug Approved To Treat Severe Liver Disease

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Wegovy, a popular weight-loss injection, to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe liver disease affecting about 15 million Americans. MASH occurs when fat builds up in the liver, causing scarring, inflammation, and cell damage that can lead to cancer or liver failure. The drug, already used for obesity, may work partly by lowering body weight, but researchers suggest it could also reduce liver inflammation directly. 

Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, is now cleared for adults with moderate-to-advanced fibrosis, though not for those with cirrhosis. In a major clinical trial, 63 percent of patients saw liver fat and inflammation clear without worsening scarring, compared with 34 percent on a placebo. “It’s definitely exciting, and helping move beyond the stigma that we’re just cosmetically treating weight,” said Dr. Andrew Kraftson of Michigan Medicine.

Wegovy joins Rezdiffra, bariatric surgery, and lifestyle interventions as treatment options, but affordability remains a challenge. At over $1,300 a month, access will hinge on insurance coverage, especially since this marks the first on-label use for patients who are not overweight or obese.

Trump Vows To End Mail-In Voting Ahead Of Midterm Elections

President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to “lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots” and announced that lawyers are drafting an executive order to end the practice before the 2026 midterms. “Mail-in ballots are corrupt. Mail-in ballots, you can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots,” Trump said in the Oval Office alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He added, “We’re going to start with an executive order that’s being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail-in ballots because they’re corrupt.”

On Truth Social, Trump also attacked voting machines as “Highly ‘Inaccurate,’ Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial,” calling for a return to paper ballots. The push follows his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which Trump claimed Putin told him U.S. elections were “rigged because you have mail-in voting”.

The Constitution, however, gives states — not the president — authority over election rules, making it likely such an order would face immediate legal challenges. Fact-checking Trump’s claims. Democrats, who disproportionately rely on mail-in ballots, view the move as a direct attempt to restrict their base’s access to voting ahead of 2026, when control of Congress will be at stake.

DON’T MISS

⚖️ The Justice Department is set to begin sharing Epstein files with Congress.

💉 It’s the new nosy question: “Are you on Ozempic?” 

🌊 U.S. East Coast faces threatening waves as Hurricane Erin spawns: what to know.

🥝 Kiwi might be the perfect snack and we never knew!

🪖 Mississippi, Louisiana to send National Guard troops to D.C.

🤝 How to help a colleague who comes off rude and loud to people who don’t know them?

🧸 Fake Labubu dolls ‘Lafufus’ are serious health hazards for children.

⛪ This entire church is being moved across a Swedish city.

🕊️ Hamas reportedly agrees to the Gaza truce deal proposed by Egypt, Qatar.

😷 Measles outbreak in Texas ends after 762 cases, two child deaths.

IN GOOD HEALTH

🥩 Dietary rules are being rewritten. For the first time, your go-to ‘healthy’ protein might soon be on the wrong side.

🧬 Turns out men’s Y chromosome might secretly have a heart link, its age-related loss tied to strikingly higher cardiovascular risk.

🌙 You’re not imagining it, your period could actually be worsening depression. Doctors say tracking cycles might reveal surprising answers.

⚡ Is it chronic stress or cortisol addiction sabotaging your well-being? Spotting the signs may explain why calm feels uncomfortable.

IN STYLE, IN BEAUTY

✨ Pores are unlikely to shrink but with the right hacks you can make them visually disappear — these will blur, plump, and boost collagen.

👖 Jeans get a serious upgrade this fall. Designers’ picks span slouchy, slimming, retro classics, so get ready to reinvent denim.

💋 Want lips that last all day? These top lip stains give rich, smudge-proof color with zero dryness.

👟 From errands to adventures, these Adidas walking shoes deliver style, support, and comfort for every stride in 2025.

THE FAME FRAME

🌍 For the first time, Miss Palestine entered the Miss Universe pageant.

⚖️ “Ketamine Queen” Jasveen Sangha to plead guilty in Matthew Perry case.

👗 Kim Kardashian models Skims new face wrap.

🎶 Taylor Swift’s new album ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ vinyl variants sell out within an hour.

🎬 Chris Pratt defends some of RFK Jr. policies, says, “be reasonable".

WEIGH IN

“The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice only if we pull it.” 

— Barack Obama