Good Morning!

It's Monday, May 11, 2026, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• Newborn deaths rising as more parents refuse key at-birth vitamin shots.

• There’s more healthy reasons to eat chocolates!

• Could your makeup be making you sick?

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

US News

Americans Return Home From Hantavirus Outbreak Cruise Ship

Seventeen Americans returned to the US early on Monday following a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The passengers, who disembarked in the Canary Islands, landed at Offutt Air Force Base via a government-arranged medical flight.

HHS confirmed one passenger tested "mildly" positive, while another exhibited symptoms; both traveled in specialized biocontainment units. The group will undergo evaluation at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s National Quarantine Unit. While three passengers died during the South Atlantic voyage, experts urge calm regarding the Andes virus strain.

"This is unlikely to become a pandemic," said Dr. Ali Khan, UNMC Dean. "It's appropriate to be cautious... to monitor these people for 42 days." Despite the high-stakes repatriation, the CDC maintains the risk to the American public "remains extremely low."

Related Read: Norovirus outbreak sicken over 100 on a cruise ship.

Health

US Newborn Deaths Rise as Families Decline Vital Vitamin Shots

A growing trend of parents refusing standard vitamin K injections has led to a rise in preventable newborn deaths across the US, ProPublica reported. While the shot has been the standard of care since 1961 to prevent fatal brain bleeds, refusal rates topped 5% in 2024 — a 77% jump since 2017.

Medical records show babies in Maryland, Alabama, and Texas recently died from "vitamin K deficiency bleeding" after their systems shut down without warning. Experts blame a "post-pandemic tide" of medical misinformation on social media. "The doubt you’ve created about all of medicine and science is causing parents to make dangerous decisions," Rep. Kim Schrier told HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a recent hearing. Doctors warn that without the shot, infants are 81 times more likely to suffer catastrophic hemorrhages.

US News

Map Wars Set To Reshape Midterms

Republicans gained a significant advantage in the fight for congressional control this week as a wave of mid-decade redistricting and court rulings reshaped the electoral map. In a major blow to Democrats, the Virginia Supreme Court struck down a new map Friday that would have favored them in 10 of 11 seats, citing procedural errors. 

Simultaneously, GOP legislatures in Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee moved to redraw lines following a US Supreme Court ruling that weakened minority-district requirements. Projections show these shifts net Republicans an eight-seat advantage. How a private call reveals Democrats’ desperation over map tossing. However, President Trump faces headwinds; new Economist/YouGov polling shows his approval among independent voters has plunged 18 points since last May.

In the know

DON’T MISS

⛽ Energy Secretary Chris Wright says administration is considering a federal gas tax pause as oil prices surge. President Trump rejected Iran’s “unacceptable” peace proposal, stalling a potential 30-day ceasefire. 

✈️ Spirit’s viral “Mean Girls” makeover? This influencer’s sassy rebranding plan for the airline is taking the internet by storm.

🍫 Good news for chocolate lovers! This tasty habit is doing something incredible for your body.

🦠 A dangerous bacteria is creeping up the East Coast — and it might just tank your beach days and oyster day outs.

🥊 Move over, Pickleball! Gen Z is obsessed with this 90s after college popular trend. 

⚠️ A Frontier jet struck and killed a pedestrian on a Denver runway, sparking an engine fire.

🩺 FDA denies estrogen patch shortage despite surging demand following the removal of safety warnings.

💨 Trump administration just greenlit flavored e-cigarettes, reversing federal tobacco restrictions after firing the FDA chief Marty Makary.

🗳️ Hungary enters a new era as Péter Magyar takes office, officially unseating longtime leader Viktor Orbán.

💰 Want a better bank balance? Asking yourself these five questions ensures smarter long-term financial health.

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

💄 Are your everyday cosmetics safe from toxins? We only know so much — but here's what the research does tell us to look into. 

🚶 Walking slower than you used to? Before you blame your knees, get your ears checked. Even though it sounds unlikely, a study of 57,000 iPhone users confirmed the connection.

🦶 The body part doctors say predicts longevity — and almost nobody pays attention to — isn't your heart or your grip strength. It’s your ….

🏋️ Should women over 40 actually be exercising differently? Well, actually, the science is a bit more complicated than the influencer content suggests.

Fashion & Beauty

BEYOND THE MIRROR

👚 From lace trims to tailored Bermudas, 2026 shorts are all about looking "put-together" while staying cool. Definitely not your basic denim.

👀 This week’s beauty vibe? Bold eyes met with ethereal skin. It’s high-glam meets high-fashion, and we are absolutely obsessed.

👠 Ballet flats are getting a summer glow-up. Your fashion wardrobe isn't complete without these three “it” colors trending right now. 

💍 Matching is out; mixing is in. The coolest people are breaking the dated jewelry trends. Layer those metals for a "cool-girl" jewelry vibe that works with literally every single outfit.

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

🏆 ‘Adolescence’ cleaned up at the BAFTA TV Awards. See full list of winners.

🎤 Katy Perry is set to roar at SoFi Stadium for the 2026 World Cup opener!

🎵 Did ‘Euphoria’ really need Labrinth after all?

📲 Dua Lipa sues Samsung for $15M over using her photo on TV boxes. Talk about expensive!

Interactive

WEIGH IN

Corporate America’s latest workplace phrase is “peanut butter raises” — small, across-the-board pay bumps spread evenly across employees instead of larger merit-based increases for top performers. Supporters say it feels fairer during a difficult economy, while critics argue it rewards everyone equally regardless of effort. Economists and compensation experts are divided over whether companies should prioritize morale and retention or focus harder on rewarding high performers. As hiring slows and raises shrink, the debate is turning into a bigger conversation about what employees actually deserve from modern workplaces.

"You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop."

— Rumi