Good Morning!

It's Monday, December 29, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• Trump meets Zelenskyy to lay out 20-point peace plan.

• Why dry January is a hit and miss.

• That bottled water is layered with microplastics.

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

US News

Trump Says Russia, Ukraine “Very Close” to Peace After Zelenskyy Meeting

President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday to discuss a revised 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the nearly four-year war with Russia. What the 20-point peace-plan is about. Trump said Ukraine and Russia were “maybe very close” to a deal after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than two hours earlier that day. 

Zelensky said the US-Ukraine framework was nearly complete and emphasized security guarantees. Trump said negotiations would continue and warned an agreement was not assured. European leaders also joined a follow-up call.

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In the know

DON’T MISS

🚁 At least one person dies as helicopters crash mid-air in New Jersey.

🤔 If your goal is better health, dry January might not be the best of the ideas.

🧠 Plus, a neuroscientist's advice to new year’s resolutions rolls in. It’s a good one.

📧 Gmail finally lets users change addresses without losing emails data.

👩‍💼 Women on LinkedIn are masquerading as men. When did that start happening?

😴 Settle this: how much melatonin should you be taking!

📱 TikTok has officially dethroned YouTube and Instagram to become the top social media app among youngsters.

💧 Your bottled water habit may add thousands of microplastics yearly.

🤖 Let’s decode — could AI relationships actually be good for us?

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

🚫 Still on the fence for a dry January? Ditching booze for a month is the nearest thing to a biological fresh start that your New Year's resolutions might appreciate. Plus, it will save you some extra bucks. 

🌿 Weed for back pain? Two new studies suggest a THC-based cannabis extract could ease chronic lower back pain for millions, although doctors argue over how far to take it. 

🕯️ Stop! That cozy candle, extra drink, plastic takeout box, or the evening fireplace ritual is not as harmless as it feels. While your liver does the silent work, it’s taking a toll in return.  

⌚ If your fitness tracker says you’re working harder, but your body disagrees, it’s not you. The math behind heart rate zones is flawed and sometimes wildly inaccurate in how it measures your workout capacity — especially for women.

Fashion & Beauty

BEYOND THE MIRROR

👖 Gray jeans might be the latest — and note, stylist approved — denim trend that’s the ultimate "neutral" alternative to your tired blues and blacks.

💇‍♀️ Did we not always cover those sneaky hair roots that grow back before your dye even fades? “Ghost roots” is just an edgier way to wear them — we might see a lot more of it in 2026. 

🔥 Will we ever see a skinny jeans renaissance in this lifetime? Perhaps, if the style is worn with enough conviction — and these four items — to make it feel fresh again. 

💄 Goodbye, clean girl!Winter 2026 is for the maximalists — “cloud-soft" velvety skin, a moody touch of grunge, and a romantic blush will beat back the minimalist boredom (finally!)

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

🎞️ Model and French New Wave actress Brigitte Bardot passed away at 91. A look at her life of stardom — and many controversies. 

🎶 Harry Styles’ surprise music drop after a 2-year hiatus has fans wondering if a new album is underway. 

🎤 Miley Cyrus might have gone to the Oscars this year just to pitch her songwriting skills to filmmakers. 

⚖️ Filmmaker Tyler Perry faces another sexual assault lawsuit for $77 million.

🎥 These are the best films of 2025 — and the hidden masterpieces you likely missed this year.

Interactive

WEIGH IN

As artificial intelligence and misinformation flood social media, some educators are racing ahead of official policy to teach students how to spot deepfakes, propaganda, and rage bait. In California classrooms, teachers are building hands-on digital literacy lessons using nonprofit resources and real social media examples, even as standards lag and funding remains uncertain. The goal is simple but urgent: give teenagers critical skills adults themselves are still learning, before trust online erodes further.

“The most radical act was choosing to continue.” 

— Audre Lorde