Good Morning!

It's Thursday, February 12, 2026, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• The US almost had no job growth in 2025.

• ‘Manfluencers’ are everywhere — filming women as they approach them. 

• Try the “food medicine” approach by a cardiologist.

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

US News

Pam Bondi Under Fire Over Handling of Epstein Files

Attorney General Pam Bondi refused to apologize to Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, despite repeated requests from Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Jamie Raskin. Survivors present raised their hands to show they had not met with the Justice Department and had been ignored after offering testimony. The shouting match that erupted during the hearing.

Bondi defended her record, blamed Biden-era predecessors, and called the hearing “theatrics”. Raskin accused her of “siding with perpetrators”, while Representative Thomas Massie criticized the department’s inadvertent release of victims’ identities and questioned who authorized the redactions. Bondi rejected fault and continued attacking Democratic lawmakers. Major takeaways.

US News

Trump Meets Netanyahu; Nothing “Definitive” on Iran

President Donald Trump said he is still pursuing a deal with Iran after a three-hour White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump announced the meeting’s outcome online, writing that “nothing definitive” was decided and that he told Netanyahu he preferred continued negotiations. Netanyahu’s office said he emphasized Israel’s security needs and support for limits on Iran’s ballistic missiles and regional proxies. 

The US has increased its military presence in the Middle East while holding nuclear-focused talks with Iran in Oman. Trump warned that without a deal, future military action remained possible.

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Jobs

US Almost Had No Job Growth in 2025

Revised Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed the US added 181,000 jobs in 2025, far below the initially reported 584,000 and the 1.46 million added in 2024. BLS said revisions removed 862,000 jobs from March 2024 to March 2025 after incorporating new state and federal data. 

The agency also reported 130,000 jobs added in January 2026, with gains in health care, social assistance and construction, and losses in federal government and financial activities. The unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell previously said 2025 hiring had likely been overstated.

In the know

DON’T MISS

🗳️ House passes Save America Act, set to make it difficult for married women to vote.

📱 ‘Manfluencers’ are on the rise — and their perfect tool is this tech!

⏱️ Are you longevity obsessed too? Well, in 7 minutes everyday, you could add a year to your life!

🏭 Kraft Heinz halts plans to split into two companies amid losses.

🚓 Crime scenes have a new problem — pizza deliveries. The sheriff's department isn’t happy.

📜 House passes resolution reversing President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods in narrow vote.

❤️ The untranslatable words of love across languages. Arabic might be winning.

📈 The US economy has hardened into being K-shaped. What does it mean?

⚖️ In landmark social media addiction trial, Instagram's top executive grilled … over his salary.

🪖 Why did the Trump administration gather dozens of military chiefs? Also, national guard withdrawnfrom some US cities.

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

🏃‍♀️ Why sweat solo? New research says aerobic exercise can be considered a frontline treatment for mild depression and anxiety — but doing it with others is the factor that makes the effects stick. 

❤️ One cardiologist’s “food is medicine” approach will have you convinced that heart-healthy eating isn't necessarily about deprivation — and certainly not about sacrificing flavor.

📚 Trust us, you need a better cognitive stimulus than doomscrolling! A lifelong habit of reading and writing can reduce your dementia risk by 40% and push back Alzheimer’s symptoms by over five years.

❄️ Ever wonder why you’re hungrier during the winter?Turns out, it’s your brain trying to get — aka eat — the serotonin you’ve been losing to the season's darker days.

Fashion & Beauty

BEYOND THE MIRROR

🌸 Light, dainty pastels are replacing quiet luxury, bringing a softer, mood-brightening wave that’s set to dominate Spring 2026 style everywhere.

💗 Undereye blush is having a moment, adding a soft glow that quietly rewrites everything we thought we knew about application.

👟 From slim retro runners to metallic and muted tone kicks, 2026 sneaker trends are all about subtle but distinct character.

🖤 Makeup trends are shifting toward “dark romance”, mixing smudged liner, weathered cheeks, and windswept hair for a quietly evocative look.

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

💔 “Have utmost respect for her”: Zayn Malik explains why he doesn’t think he was “ever in love” with Gigi Hadid.

💇‍♀️ Cardi B announces her own hair care brand, Grow-Good.

🕊️ James Van Der Beek, Dawson’s Creek star, dies at 48 after cancer battle.

📸 Jim Curtis shares romantic photo kissing Jennifer Aniston in birthday post. Here’s what Courtney Cox posted!

Interactive

WEIGH IN

More than 99% of people who suffer a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure show at least one risk factor beforehand — yet many never know until it’s too late. With heart disease remaining America’s leading cause of death, experts hope a new 30-year risk calculator can finally make those “invisible” warning signs visible. Designed for adults as young as 30, it uses basic health stats to predict long-term risk and spark earlier conversations about prevention. But some doctors warn no calculator is perfect, and lifestyle, genetics, and hidden markers still matter.

“The world answers differently when you show up like you mean it.”

— Jennifer Lopez