Good Morning!

It's Monday, March 30, 2026, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• “No Kings” protests take over worldwide against Trump, Iran war. 

• Is your phone giving you the “tech neck”?

• Do we really have to run a 5K in a tub!

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

US News

‘No Kings’ Protests Takeover Across US, Europe

Mass protests erupted across the US and Europe in “No Kings” rallies targeting the Iran war and Donald Trump’s policies. St. Paul became the movement’s center, drawing over 200,000 people, with Bruce Springsteen headlining. He performed “Streets of Minneapolis”, honoring two people killed by federal agents and praising local resistance to immigration crackdowns. Nationwide, millions joined over 3,000 mostly peaceful events, though some arrests followed clashes in cities like Los Angeles and Denver. Photos from across the US.

In Europe, demonstrations were held in multiple cities as part of the same coordinated protests. In Rome, thousands marched, directing chants at Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and carrying banners opposing US and Israeli strikes on Iran. In London, protesters gathered with signs reading “Stop the far right” and “Stand up to Racism”. See the most exquisite signs here. In Paris, several hundred people, including American expatriates, labor unions, and human rights groups, assembled at the Bastille, holding anti-war signs and participating in organized rallies.

US News

DHS Launches Investigation Into Kristi Noem

The Department of Homeland Security inspector general, Joseph Cuffari, has launched a separate investigation into how contracts have been handed, including the involvement of Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski. Investigators directed dozens of officials to preserve records. 

The probe is distinct from an existing audit of noncompetitive contracts in fiscal 2025, which is paused due to the DHS shutdown. Noem required approval for contracts over $100,000, creating internal bottlenecks. Lawmakers questioned $220 million in DHS advertising contracts. Cuffari told Congress DHS obstructed oversight, citing 11 instances, including one tied to a criminal investigation.

Health

Aging Like Fine Wine?

A study in Geriatrics by Becca Levy and Martin Slade analyzed data from thousands of adults over 65 in the Health and Retirement Study, tracking them for up to 12 years. Researchers measured cognitive health and walking speed and compared outcomes with participants’ attitudes toward aging. Nearly half showed improvements in physical or cognitive performance, with positive beliefs linked to higher chances of improvement. 

Separately, a 2024 global survey found 65% of healthcare workers and 80% of the public incorrectly believe dementia is a normal part of aging. Researchers also noted many older adults maintain independence, and improvement rates were nearly as common as decline.

In the know

DON’T MISS

🌍 From skipping longer showers to shorter workweeks — this is how the Iran war has rippled through the world.

📧 Cardiologists are flagging this morning habit that most of us are guilty of. Yes, it’s that jumping into emails as soon as you wake up.

📱 Could smartphones be giving you the “tech neck”?

🧠 For the first time, a full network of clitorial nerves has been mapped out.

🏛️ DHS shutdown becomes longest in US history; President Donald Trump signs executive order to pay TSA workers.

⏳ The “annoyance economy” is not just costing us money but also time. Here’s what can save the hassle.

⚖️ Utah bans polygraph test for victims of sexual assault.

🍫 Forget jewels, over 400,000 of this chocolate was stolen in giant heist.

😅 At this point everyone on the internet wants you to run a 5K but … in a van or a plane? A tub is where we draw the line.

🧘‍♂️ This reset might be the hack to harnessing your body’s off switch for stress!

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

😴 Experts scientifically rank the best sleeping positions for your spine. The bad news is …. your go-to comfy position is actually causing the most damage. 

📊 It’s 2026, and we’ve moved way beyond just counting steps — a new wave is here to quantify everything from your orgasms to your bowel movements. Is that good? 

❤️ We know — too much salt is a bad thing. But do we know what the actual breaking point is for our hearts? Scientists highlight this specific number that might push you into the danger zone.

🥬 Not a kimchi fan? Well, you’ll turn into one once you hear it could potentially keep your body free of nanoplastics.

Fashion & Beauty

BEYOND THE MIRROR

👕 Baggy tees can absolutely give you a luxe energy (and not the dreaded “I haven’t left my home in days” look) — but only if you know the right tricks. 

👁️ Zendaya has us seriously considering red eyeliner as the new neutral — a shade most of us usually avoid for fear of looking like we haven’t slept in a week. 

👡 You aren’t imagining it — wedges are back for spring. Fortunately for us, the chunky cork platforms are a thing of the past; this season is all about the wedge mule.

💎 If your spring wardrobe feels a little flat, it’s time to lean into this accessory. It will catch the light (literally) and the room’s attention in ways your leather tote can’t.

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

🎤 Paul McCartney’s LA concert convened a room of people we never thought we’d see together. Is this the power of Beatlemania? 

📱 Britney Spears makes her return to Instagram nearly three weeks after her DUI arrest. 

🎬 Hollywood legend Kim Novak isn’t on board with the upcoming biopic on her life, Scandalous. To start, she thinks the casting of Sydney Sweeney is “totally wrong”.

💔 Nearly 60 days into her mother’s disappearance, Savannah Guthrie breaks her silence with an interview.

Interactive

WEIGH IN

Equal Pay Day lands on March 26 this year, a subtle but telling shift in the wrong direction. Women now earn 81 cents for every dollar men make, down from 83 cents just a year ago, marking the first back-to-back widening since the 1960s. Experts point to stagnant wages for women, rising earnings for men, and persistent occupational gaps. Policy efforts like pay transparency laws have stalled at the federal level, even as some states push ahead. The impact isn’t abstract, it shapes savings, careers, and generational wealth.

“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.”

— Anne Lamott